SEO Case Study: How an Insurance Agency Increased Quote Requests by 260%
In February 2025, a Columbus based insurance agency partnered with Goforaeo after noticing their website was not producing steady quote enquiries. They were getting some traffic, but most visitors did not take action. Paid ads brought short bursts of leads, yet organic search was not reliable.
This case study explains what we changed from February 2025 to October 2025 in Columbus, Ohio. You will see the monthly work, the monthly numbers, and clear proof using before vs after data. Everything is written in simple words, with a real step by step strategy.
Project overview: dates, location, and what was tracked
The project kickoff was February 3, 2025, and the main rollout ran until October 27, 2025. The main target area was Columbus, Ohio, because most quote searches were location based. Even when users compared online, they still searched with city words and wanted a local agency.
The agency offered personal and commercial coverage, with the strongest demand in auto, home, renters, and small business policies. Many visitors arrived with strong buying intent, but the site did not guide them clearly. We focused on improving local visibility and making it easier to request a quote on both mobile and desktop.
What “quote requests” means in this campaign
We defined quote requests at the start so results would be honest and consistent. We tracked actions that directly showed buying intent, not soft metrics like time on page. The main conversion actions were:
- Quote form submissions from service and landing pages
- Click to call actions from mobile users during business hours
- Completed “request a callback” bookings from the contact page
- Quote tool starts that reached the confirmation step
Baseline and audit findings: what we saw before changes
Before doing SEO changes, we captured a clean baseline in February 2025. The site had a few rankings, but it was not winning high intent Columbus searches. The pages also felt generic, which reduced trust for insurance shoppers.
Most importantly, the quote path was not smooth. The form was long, contact buttons were hard to notice, and key pages did not answer basic questions. That meant the agency was paying for clicks elsewhere while organic visitors left without contacting.
Baseline numbers: February 2025
We locked these numbers before the first major updates:
- Quote requests from organic: 50
- Organic sessions: 3,850
- Organic conversion rate: 1.30%
- Top 3 keyword count for Columbus intent terms: 5
- Google Business Profile actions: 480
What was blocking growth: the biggest issues we found
We ran a full crawl, reviewed Search Console queries, and checked the local listing setup. The issues were common, but they were costing rankings and conversions every day. These were the main problems:
- Service pages were thin and too similar, so Google could not match each page to a clear intent
- Internal linking was messy, so key service pages did not receive enough priority
- Local signals were weak, even though the agency served Columbus customers daily
- Some important titles and meta descriptions were duplicated or not focused on a service plus city phrase
- The quote form felt heavy on mobile, which caused drop offs before submission
Strategy framework: how we approached SEO for real quote growth
We did not treat this like a content dumping project. Insurance SEO works best when the site structure is clean, the intent is clear, and the trust signals are strong. We used a steady monthly system so improvements stayed stable.
The strategy had five pillars: tracking, technical health, local SEO, intent based content, and conversion improvements. Each pillar supported the others, which is why rankings and quote requests grew together. As pages became clearer, Google trusted them more, and users took action more often.
Tracking and measurement: making sure the numbers were real
We fixed tracking before doing heavy content work. If tracking is wrong, you can waste months working on the wrong pages. We cleaned measurement so quote requests were recorded properly.
What we set up and verified:
- Clear conversion events for quote forms, calls, and callback requests
- Proper attribution for organic leads inside analytics
- Consistent reporting so monthly comparisons were fair
Technical foundation: removing SEO blockers first
Insurance sites often grow slowly when technical issues hide important pages from Google. We focused on fixes that improve crawl, page clarity, and speed. These are not flashy tasks, but they create the base for rankings.
Technical improvements included:
- Cleaning duplicate titles and descriptions on priority pages
- Fixing broken links, redirect chains, and outdated URLs
- Strengthening internal links so core services became easy to discover
- Improving mobile speed for service pages and quote paths
Local SEO in Columbus: strengthening visibility in local results
A lot of insurance leads come from local pack results and “near me” intent searches. Even when a person plans to buy later, they still want a local option. We improved local signals on the website and in the listing.
Local SEO actions included:
- Google Business Profile optimization: categories, services, description, photos, and Q and A
- Better NAP consistency across listings and directories
- Local schema markup to support Columbus relevance
- Location cues on key pages without overdoing it
Content built around real search intent: not generic pages
Instead of writing one broad “insurance” page, we mapped services to how people search. Users type things like auto insurance Columbus, home insurance Columbus, renters insurance in Columbus, and business insurance for contractors. Each page needed a clear purpose and a clear next step.
Content work focused on:
- One main service per page, with simple explanations and a quote prompt
- FAQs based on real Search Console queries
- Supporting posts that answered common questions and guided users to quote pages
Conversion improvements: turning traffic into quote requests
Once rankings improved, small conversion changes created a bigger lead lift. We removed friction and made contact options obvious. We also added trust cues near decision points, because insurance shoppers hesitate when they feel unsure.
Conversion improvements included:
- Shorter forms and fewer fields on mobile
- Stronger calls to action placed higher on key pages
- “What to expect” sections so users felt confident requesting a quote
- Clear contact choices: call, form, or callback
Tools used during the campaign
We used tools that helped us make decisions and track results clearly. We kept reporting simple and focused on actions that mattered to the agency. The tool stack supported research, audits, local work, and conversion checks.
Tools used:
- Google Analytics 4: conversion tracking, landing page performance, organic lead trends
- Google Tag Manager: event tracking for calls, forms, and callback clicks
- Google Search Console: query data, page clicks, indexing, and CTR checks
- Screaming Frog SEO Spider: site crawling, metadata issues, internal link review
- Ahrefs: keyword research, competitor gap checks, backlink monitoring
- PageSpeed Insights: mobile speed priorities and fixes
- Looker Studio: monthly dashboards for clean reporting
- Hotjar: scroll maps and click behavior on quote pages
- Google Business Profile dashboard: local actions, calls, and listing engagement
Monthly rollout and results: February 2025 to October 2025
We followed a monthly plan so work stayed focused and results were easy to connect to actions. Each month had a clear theme and measurable outputs. This also helped the agency team understand why numbers changed, not just that they changed.
Below, each month includes what we did and what moved. The results are tracked as quote requests from organic, plus supporting metrics that show visibility growth.
February 2025: baseline, tracking cleanup, and quick technical fixes
February was about measurement and foundation. We verified conversions and cleaned up the biggest technical issues on key pages. We also reviewed search intent in Columbus to plan the content map.
Work completed in February 2025:
- Fixed GA4 conversions for forms, calls, and callback requests
- Completed a full crawl and created a priority fix list
- Cleaned duplicated metadata on top service pages
- Improved internal links from the homepage to core services
February 2025 results:
- Quote requests from organic: 50
- Organic sessions: 3,850
- Top 3 keyword count: 5
- Google Business Profile actions: 480
March 2025: mobile speed and better quote paths
March focused on mobile performance and quote flow clarity. Insurance buyers often search from phones and want quick answers. We made key pages lighter and improved quote prompts.
Work completed in March 2025:
- Reduced page weight on top service pages for faster mobile load
- Moved primary quote prompts higher on pages
- Cleaned the contact page layout and added clear callback options
- Fixed redirect chains and broken links from older edits
March 2025 results:
- Quote requests from organic: 62
- Organic sessions: 4,300
- Top 3 keyword count: 7
- Google Business Profile actions: 540
April 2025: Columbus local SEO upgrades and listing improvements
April was the local month. We strengthened the Google Business Profile and improved local signals across the site. This helped the agency appear more often in local results for high intent searches.
Work completed in April 2025:
- Optimized Google Business Profile categories, services, and description
- Added new photos and created a simple posting routine
- Cleaned NAP consistency across major directories
- Added local schema and clearer Columbus service area cues
April 2025 results:
- Quote requests from organic: 78
- Organic sessions: 4,950
- Top 3 keyword count: 10
- Google Business Profile actions: 620
May 2025: core service pages rebuilt for intent and clarity
May was the first major content push. We rebuilt core service pages to match real search intent and to guide users to request a quote. The focus was clarity, not long complicated writing.
Work completed in May 2025:
- Rebuilt auto insurance Columbus page with clear sections and FAQs
- Rebuilt home insurance and renters insurance pages for local intent
- Added trust cues: licensing, service area, response times, and simple next steps
- Improved internal links between services and contact options
May 2025 results:
- Quote requests from organic: 95
- Organic sessions: 5,650
- Top 3 keyword count: 14
- Google Business Profile actions: 710
June 2025: supporting content and stronger internal linking
June focused on expanding coverage without creating confusion. We added supporting posts that answered common insurance questions and linked them to the right service pages. This helped bring more top funnel traffic and move it toward quote actions.
Work completed in June 2025:
- Published 4 helpful posts tied to real Columbus queries
- Added FAQ sections based on Search Console wording
- Built internal link clusters around auto, home, and renters topics
- Improved title tags to increase clicks from search results
June 2025 results:
- Quote requests from organic: 112
- Organic sessions: 6,300
- Top 3 keyword count: 18
- Google Business Profile actions: 780
July 2025: authority building and trust improvements
July focused on trust and authority. Insurance shoppers compare options, so credibility matters. We improved credibility signals and earned a few relevant mentions that supported rankings.
Work completed in July 2025:
- Improved staff and agency credibility sections with clear details
- Added review prompts and a simple follow up process
- Earned local mentions and a small set of relevant backlinks
- Strengthened internal links from high traffic pages to quote pages
July 2025 results:
- Quote requests from organic: 132
- Organic sessions: 7,050
- Top 3 keyword count: 22
- Google Business Profile actions: 860
August 2025: conversion improvements for higher quote completion
August was conversion focused. By this point, rankings and traffic were stronger, so form and call improvements produced bigger gains. We used behavior data to remove friction.
Work completed in August 2025:
- Shortened the quote form and reduced unnecessary fields
- Made phone and callback buttons more visible on mobile
- Added “what happens next” text near quote prompts
- Cleaned page layouts where users stopped scrolling
August 2025 results:
- Quote requests from organic: 150
- Organic sessions: 7,900
- Top 3 keyword count: 26
- Google Business Profile actions: 940
September 2025: pushing near top rankings into top 3 positions
September focused on keywords already close to top positions. We improved the pages ranking in positions 4 to 12 by tightening intent, improving FAQs, and strengthening internal links. This helped unlock more high intent clicks.
Work completed in September 2025:
- Updated near page one pages with stronger sections and clearer answers
- Improved meta titles and descriptions to lift click through rate
- Added internal links from the homepage and top pages to growth services
- Continued steady listing updates and review responses
September 2025 results:
- Quote requests from organic: 165
- Organic sessions: 8,600
- Top 3 keyword count: 29
- Google Business Profile actions: 1,020
October 2025: consolidation, stability, and consistent quote growth
October focused on stability and removing overlap. We merged thin content that competed with stronger pages and improved the best performers. We also refined contact paths to keep quote volume consistent.
Work completed in October 2025:
- Consolidated overlapping pages to avoid keyword confusion
- Improved top converting pages with clearer sections and stronger CTAs
- Built a simple quote follow up page to set expectations
- Maintained authority building and local listing activity
October 2025 results:
- Quote requests from organic: 180
- Organic sessions: 9,250
- Top 3 keyword count: 33
- Google Business Profile actions: 1,120
Before vs after proof: 260% increase in quote requests
The clearest proof is the change in organic quote requests between the first and last month. In February 2025, organic quote requests were 50. In October 2025, organic quote requests were 180.
Here is the simple calculation in plain words:
- Increase: 180 minus 50 equals 130 more quote requests per month
- Percentage increase: 130 divided by 50 equals 2.6
- Final result: 260% increase in quote requests through SEO
This lift matched improvements in top rankings and local listing actions. It also stayed consistent because we improved structure, not just one page.
Why this growth was real: what made it stick
This was not a lucky spike. Results improved because each month built on the last month. Technical fixes improved crawl and speed, content matched real intent, and local signals increased visibility in Columbus searches.
The conversion work also played a big role once traffic increased. When forms were shorter and contact buttons were clearer, more users completed the quote request. Trust cues near decision points reduced hesitation, which is important in insurance.
Key takeaways you can apply to an insurance agency site
If you want steady quote requests from SEO, focus on clarity and trust first. Build pages around how people search, then remove friction so visitors can contact quickly. Local SEO matters even if you serve a wider area, because high intent searches are still location based.
Practical takeaways:
- Track quote actions correctly before you scale SEO work
- Build one clear page per service, with Columbus intent and helpful FAQs
- Keep Google Business Profile active and accurate, not just “set and forget”
- Improve conversions after traffic grows, because small changes create bigger gains
- Use monthly data to guide priorities, not guesses
Closing note
This case study shares marketing and website improvements only. Results can vary based on competition, website quality, and how quickly the agency follows up on leads. The core system stays the same: clean structure, strong local signals, helpful pages, and an easy quote request path.