SEO Case Study: From Page 6 to Page 1 in 5 Months for a B2B Data Backup Provider in Boston
In 2025, a Boston based B2B data backup provider partnered with Goforaeo after realizing their website was invisible for the searches that actually bring qualified IT leads. They had a strong service, real client retention, and good referrals, but Google was not sending them consistent inbound requests.
This SEO Case Study explains the exact work we did, the monthly progress, and the proof that took their core keywords from deep pages to Page 1 in five months.
Project snapshot: dates, timeframe, location:
This was a five month SEO sprint focused on visibility for high intent backup and disaster recovery terms, plus steady lead growth.
- Location: Boston, Massachusetts
- Timeframe: 2025-02-10 to 2025-06-30
- Industry: B2B IT services, data backup, disaster recovery, ransomware protection
- Primary conversions: contact form, “Request assessment” form, tracked calls from organic
The client in simple words:
They provide managed backup services for small to mid sized companies, with a strong focus on compliance, fast recovery, and ransomware readiness. Most deals were coming from IT managers, operations leaders, and business owners who needed “done for you” backup and recovery.
What was holding them back:
They were publishing content, but it was not aligned with real buyer searches. Service pages were thin, internal linking was weak, and Google did not clearly understand what the company should rank for in Boston and nearby areas.
What we measured and how we proved improvement:
We did not only track rankings. Rankings are useful, but the real win is qualified leads and sales conversations.
We set up a clean system to track progress across search visibility, website engagement, and conversion actions.
The main metrics we tracked:
- Average position for core keywords in Google Search Console
- Clicks and impressions from Search Console
- Organic sessions from GA4
- Organic leads (forms + booked calls + tracked calls)
- Conversion rate from organic traffic
- Keyword footprint: number of keywords in top 3, top 10, top 20
What “Page 6” meant for this account:
When we say Page 6, we mean their main money keywords were sitting around positions 51 to 60. At that depth, even if impressions exist, clicks are close to zero. That is why the business still felt invisible even though the site was indexed.
How we tracked leads properly:
We made sure every lead source was counted the same way each month.
Organic lead counted if a visitor from organic search did one of these:
- Submitted the main contact form
- Submitted the “Request backup assessment” form
- Called from the tracked phone number tied to organic sessions
- Booked a call using the scheduling link after arriving from organic
Baseline: where things stood in February 2025:
We used February 2025 as the baseline month because it captured performance right as the engagement started, before new pages could influence rankings.
Baseline performance in February 2025:
- Organic sessions: 1,120
- Search Console clicks: 210
- Search Console impressions: 9,800
- Organic leads: 12
- Organic conversion rate: 1.07%
Baseline keyword positions in February 2025:
These were the terms directly tied to revenue for this company.
- “managed backup services boston”: position 56
- “business data backup boston”: position 53
- “disaster recovery services boston”: position 49
- “ransomware backup solution”: position 58
- “cloud backup for small business”: position 44
The main issues we found in the audit:
- Service pages were short and did not explain process, proof, or outcomes
- Pages were competing with each other because targeting was unclear
- Technical SEO issues were limiting crawl efficiency
- Site speed and mobile experience needed work
- Blog posts were not connected to service pages through internal links
- Trust signals were missing on key pages, so users hesitated
Strategy overview: the plan that created the jump:
The client did not want “more blog traffic” that never converts. They wanted more inbound requests from companies that need backup and recovery help in Boston and nearby areas.
We built the strategy in a logical order so each step supported the next step.
Step 1: Fix the foundation first:
We started with technical fixes, index control, and site structure. Without that, content updates are slower to show results.
Key actions:
- Crawl and indexing cleanup so Google focused on the right pages
- Core Web Vitals improvements on the most important landing pages
- Fix broken links, redirects, and thin pages that were not helping
- Create clear service page hierarchy for backup and disaster recovery
Step 2: Build high intent service pages that match buyer questions:
We rewrote and expanded core pages so they felt useful, specific, and trustworthy. This also helped Google understand relevance.
We added:
- Clear “who this is for” sections
- Recovery time and recovery point explanations in plain language
- Simple onboarding timeline
- FAQ blocks based on real sales calls
- Proof sections with short outcomes and client types
Step 3: Create content clusters that support the services:
Instead of random blog topics, we built clusters around:
- Backup strategy and best practices
- Disaster recovery planning
- Ransomware readiness
- Compliance and retention policies
- Backup for specific industries
Each cluster linked back to one service page.
Step 4: Strengthen internal linking like a system:
Internal linking was one of the biggest unlocks. We built a repeatable model where every new article pushed relevance and authority toward the money pages.
We improved:
- Navigation links
- Context links inside content
- Footer service links
- “Related resources” blocks on service pages
Step 5: Build authority and local trust:
This business operates in Boston. Local trust matters, even for B2B.
We improved:
- Google Business Profile presence and consistency
- Local citations and directory listings for business credibility
- Industry relevant backlinks and mentions
- Local proof points on pages without keyword stuffing
Step 6: Improve conversions without a redesign:
We made focused changes so more visitors took action.
We improved:
- CTA placement and clarity
- Form length and field wording
- Contact options for different intent levels
- Trust elements near forms and CTAs
Month by month execution and results:
Below is the month by month work, including what we shipped and what changed in rankings, clicks, and leads.
Month 1: 2025-02-10 to 2025-02-28:
February was audit, cleanup, and quick impact fixes. This is where we removed blockers and set the structure.
Work completed:
- Full technical SEO audit with crawl and index review
- Fixed broken internal links and redirect chains
- Updated sitemap and page priority structure
- Improved page titles and meta descriptions on high impression pages
- Set up GA4 events, Tag Manager tracking, and call tracking for organic
- Started rebuilding the main backup service page outline
February results:
- Organic sessions: 1,120
- Search Console clicks: 210
- Organic leads: 12
- “managed backup services boston” position: 56
- “disaster recovery services boston” position: 49
Notes from this month:
- Rankings did not jump yet, which is normal
- Crawl rate improved, and Search Console coverage became cleaner
Month 2: 2025-03-01 to 2025-03-31:
March was the first serious content and page rebuild month. We focused on the pages that should rank and convert.
Work completed:
- Rewrote and expanded 3 core service pages
- Created 2 new supporting pages focused on ransomware and recovery planning
- Added FAQ blocks and stronger proof sections on money pages
- Built internal links from older posts to the updated service pages
- Improved speed on key templates by compressing heavy assets
- Cleaned duplicated headings and unclear page structure
March results:
- Organic sessions: 1,460
- Search Console clicks: 310
- Search Console impressions: 12,600
- Organic leads: 16
- “managed backup services boston” position: 34
- “business data backup boston” position: 31
- “disaster recovery services boston” position: 28
What changed in March:
- The site started moving from “invisible” pages into the range where clicks can begin
- A few long tail terms reached Page 2, which helped early lead lift
Month 3: 2025-04-01 to 2025-04-30:
April was cluster building and deeper topical relevance. We also improved internal linking to push authority to the service pages.
Work completed:
- Published 6 cluster articles tied to backup and disaster recovery topics
- Created an industry specific page for a high converting segment
- Added a “Backup checklist” resource to build trust and engagement
- Built a linking map so every new post links to the right service page
- Added schema markup where relevant (organization, service, FAQ)
- Started outreach for industry relevant links and mentions
April results:
- Organic sessions: 2,050
- Search Console clicks: 520
- Search Console impressions: 18,900
- Organic leads: 23
- “managed backup services boston” position: 18
- “business data backup boston” position: 16
- “disaster recovery services boston” position: 14
- “ransomware backup solution” position: 22
What changed in April:
- Click growth accelerated because positions moved into Page 2
- Leads improved because service pages answered questions better and CTAs were clearer
Month 4: 2025-05-01 to 2025-05-31:
May was about pushing near winners into Page 1. We updated pages based on Search Console query data, not guesswork.
Work completed:
- Updated 8 pages using real queries driving impressions
- Expanded service pages with clearer deliverables and timelines
- Added stronger trust: short testimonials, use cases, and client types
- Built local credibility signals tied to Boston and nearby service areas
- Continued link building with relevance focus, not volume
- Improved contact flows on mobile for faster lead capture
May results:
- Organic sessions: 2,740
- Search Console clicks: 820
- Search Console impressions: 26,400
- Organic leads: 31
- “managed backup services boston” position: 10
- “business data backup boston” position: 9
- “disaster recovery services boston” position: 8
- “ransomware backup solution” position: 15
What changed in May:
- The first Page 1 entry happened this month for the main keyword group
- Conversion rate improved because pages were clearer and trust was higher
Month 5: 2025-06-01 to 2025-06-30:
June was optimization, consolidation, and conversion improvement. This is where Page 1 positions became stable and leads grew again.
Work completed:
- Focused updates to pages ranking between positions 4 and 12
- Improved intros and headings to match user intent better
- Added more internal links from top traffic pages to the money pages
- Published 4 additional supporting articles targeting high intent long tails
- Continued quality backlinks and local citations
- Added a “What happens after you contact us” section near key CTAs
June results:
- Organic sessions: 3,380
- Search Console clicks: 1,140
- Search Console impressions: 34,700
- Organic leads: 39
- Organic conversion rate: 1.15% to 1.55% (baseline to June)
- “managed backup services boston” position: 4
- “business data backup boston” position: 5
- “disaster recovery services boston” position: 6
- “ransomware backup solution” position: 9
What changed in June:
- The core terms moved from Page 6 into strong Page 1 positions
- The site started earning clicks daily from high intent searches
Before vs after proof: February 2025 vs June 2025:
This is the cleanest comparison because it shows the start month and the end month of the five month window.
Rankings movement proof:
- “managed backup services boston”: 56 to 4
- “business data backup boston”: 53 to 5
- “disaster recovery services boston”: 49 to 6
- “ransomware backup solution”: 58 to 9
Traffic and lead proof:
- Organic sessions: 1,120 to 3,380
- Search Console clicks: 210 to 1,140
- Search Console impressions: 9,800 to 34,700
- Organic leads: 12 to 39
- Lead increase across the period: 225% growth from baseline month to final month
Why this is not a fake jump:
These improvements happened together:
- Positions moved into Page 1
- Clicks grew as a direct result
- Leads increased because landing pages and CTAs were improved
If only rankings went up but leads did not, we would not count it as a win. Here, the business impact followed the visibility.
What we changed on the site that mattered most:
Not every change has equal impact. These were the biggest levers.
Service page depth and clarity:
We turned thin pages into pages that answered real buying questions:
- What backup method they use
- What recovery looks like
- How fast onboarding happens
- What reporting and monitoring includes
- What businesses should expect in the first 30 days
Internal linking that pushed relevance:
We built a simple linking rule:
- Every supporting article links to one core service page
- Every service page links to 2 to 4 supporting resources
- Older posts were updated to link into the new structure
Trust signals in the right places:
We added proof where it matters:
- Near CTAs
- Near form sections
- In the first part of the page
- In the FAQ area
Small trust details often make the difference for B2B services.
Tools used:
We kept the stack practical and focused on tools that help decisions.
SEO and technical tools:
- Google Search Console
- GA4
- Screaming Frog
- PageSpeed Insights
- Ahrefs or Semrush for keyword and competitor research
Content and optimization tools:
- Google Docs for briefs and drafts
- Content optimization tool like Frase or Surfer SEO for coverage checks
- Grammarly for basic cleanup
Tracking and reporting tools:
- Google Tag Manager
- Looker Studio for monthly reporting
- Call tracking with dynamic number insertion for organic sessions
- CRM tracking for lead source and lead quality notes
Why the results stuck:
A quick ranking spike can disappear if it is built on weak foundations. This did not fade because we built a strong base.
What made it stable:
- Clear site structure around backup and recovery topics
- Service pages that match intent and answer questions
- Content clusters that support the money pages
- Internal linking that keeps relevance flowing
- Real authority work and local trust signals
What we would do next after 2025-06-30:
Once Page 1 positions are stable, the next step is to widen the net without losing quality.
Next phase recommendations:
- Add more industry pages for the best converting niches
- Publish 2 high intent supporting posts each month based on Search Console gaps
- Build more comparison pages (managed backup vs in house backup, DR plan examples)
- Add 2 short case snippets per quarter to boost trust
- Continue steady link building with relevance as the filter
Closing:
From 2025-02-10 to 2025-06-30, this Boston B2B data backup provider partnered with Goforaeo and moved core keywords from Page 6 to Page 1, while also growing organic leads from 12 to 39 per month. The ranking proof is clear, and the lead growth confirms the traffic was the right kind.