SEO Case Study: Ranked 25 High-Intent Keywords in 4 Months for a B2B Accounting Firm in Chicago
In March 2025, a B2B accounting firm in Chicago partnered with Goforaeo because their website was not showing up for the searches that bring ready to hire clients. They had strong delivery and great client retention, but online visibility was stuck, and most inbound work still came from referrals.
In the next four months, the firm ranked for 25 high-intent keywords that matched real buying searches in Chicago, and those rankings started sending steady consultation requests from the right type of companies.
Project snapshot and timeframe:
This campaign ran for four months from March 2025 to June 2025, with February 2025 used as the baseline month for before proof. The work focused on organic search, local intent, and service page upgrades that match how B2B buyers choose an accounting partner.
Key project details:
- Location: Chicago, Illinois
- Industry: B2B accounting and advisory services
- Timeframe: March 2025 to June 2025
- Primary outcome: 25 high-intent keywords reached first page positions, with many moving into the top three
What counted as a high-intent keyword:
We only counted keywords that showed a strong buying signal. These were searches where someone is actively comparing firms or looking to switch providers, not just learning basic accounting terms.
Examples of the type of intent we targeted:
- “outsourced accounting services Chicago”
- “CFO services Chicago”
- “tax planning for small business Chicago”
- “bookkeeping services for startups Chicago”
- “accounting firm for manufacturing Chicago”
Client background and the starting point in February 2025:
The client was a Chicago based firm serving founder led companies, professional services, and growing businesses that needed reliable monthly accounting plus advisory support. Their strongest offers were outsourced accounting, tax planning, and fractional CFO services.
They had a clean looking website, but it was built like a brochure. It explained who they are, but it did not fully answer what buyers search for when they need help quickly.
Baseline performance in February 2025:
- Monthly organic sessions from the Chicago area: 820
- Monthly consultation requests from organic traffic: 9
- High-intent keywords on page one: 2
- High-intent keywords in the top three positions: 0
- Average position for key service queries: around 28 to 35
What we found in the first audit:
The first audit was simple, but it explained why rankings were not improving.
Main problems we identified:
- Service pages were too short and too similar, so Google could not clearly understand what the firm was best at
- The site had weak internal linking, so authority was not flowing to the core service pages
- Local and industry relevance was not clear, even though the firm served Chicago businesses every day
- Case proof was thin, so visitors did not feel confident enough to request a consultation
- A few technical issues were slowing the site and holding back indexing of important pages
Measurement setup and how proof was collected:
In the first two weeks of March 2025, Goforaeo set up clean tracking so that rankings and real outcomes stayed connected. This mattered because ranking improvements are useful only if they lead to calls and meetings.
We set up and validated:
- Google Analytics 4: organic sessions, engaged sessions, and consultation form submissions
- Google Search Console: clicks, impressions, query changes, and indexing health
- Call tracking: tracked calls from organic visits on service pages
- Event tracking: counted only real consultation requests, not every contact page click
- Weekly rank tracking: focused on a tight list of high-intent terms tied to revenue
How we avoided fake wins:
Some keywords can look good on paper but do not bring real buyers. So we used two filters:
- We only counted a keyword when it ranked on page one and matched a service the firm actually sells
- We reviewed Search Console clicks and on page behavior to confirm the keyword sent engaged traffic
Strategy used by Goforaeo:
The plan was built around strong service pages, clear local relevance for Chicago, and steady authority improvements. We did not try to publish lots of random blog posts. We built content and structure that makes service pages rank and convert.
Foundation improvements that supported everything:
Before pushing content, we made sure the site was stable, crawlable, and fast enough.
Key fixes completed in March 2025:
- Cleaned index coverage issues in Search Console and fixed sitemap errors
- Improved mobile speed by compressing images and removing heavy scripts
- Fixed broken internal links and redirect chains
- Updated page titles and meta descriptions for core services with clear, simple wording
Why this mattered:
When technical basics are messy, new pages take longer to rank, and updates do not get picked up quickly. After cleanup, Search Console started showing faster indexing and more stable impressions.
Service page rebuild for buying intent:
Service pages were the main lever in this campaign. The firm already had a few services listed, but those pages did not match what people actually search.
We rebuilt and expanded pages for:
- Outsourced accounting services
- Bookkeeping and monthly close
- Fractional CFO services
- Tax planning and year round tax support
- Payroll and compliance support
- Industry focused pages for common Chicago buyer groups
Each service page followed a clear structure:
- Simple explanation of the service and who it is for
- What is included, written as bullet points
- What results look like in real life, with practical examples
- A short process section that makes it easy to understand next steps
- A clear consultation call to action placed more than once on the page
- FAQ based on real questions the sales team hears every week
Conversion improvements on key pages:
Rankings help, but conversion turns traffic into meetings. We improved conversion in a straightforward way.
Changes we made:
- Added a clear consultation section near the top of service pages
- Simplified form fields so busy owners could submit quickly
- Added trust blocks like certifications, short testimonials, and client type examples
- Improved the contact flow on mobile so the form was easy to complete
Local and industry relevance for Chicago:
This was not a “near me” style campaign only. Many B2B buyers search without typing a neighborhood, but they still want a local provider who understands their market.
We strengthened Chicago relevance by:
- Adding clear Chicago service area language in natural ways on key pages
- Creating industry pages that matched the firm’s real client base in the Chicago area
- Improving Google Business Profile completeness, services, and media updates
- Cleaning directory listings so business details were consistent online
Authority building that stayed clean and realistic:
We used a careful approach to authority. Nothing spammy, nothing rushed.
Work included:
- Partner and association mentions where the firm already had relationships
- Guest contributions and quotes in business focused publications
- Local business directories and professional listings that matter for trust
- Internal linking upgrades to push authority to service pages
Month by month work and results:
The campaign ran from March 2025 through June 2025. Each month had planned work and clear measurement so the firm could see progress without guessing.
March 2025: audit, technical cleanup, and first page improvements:
March 2025 was the foundation month. The goal was to remove friction and rebuild the core pages first.
Work completed:
- Full technical audit and priority fixes
- Rebuilt two main service pages with stronger intent targeting
- Updated page titles, descriptions, and headings for core services
- Internal linking plan created and implemented across key pages
Results in March 2025:
- Organic sessions from the Chicago area: 1,020
- Consultation requests from organic traffic: 14
- High-intent keywords on page one: 6
- High-intent keywords in the top three positions: 1
- Notable change: Search Console impressions for service terms rose quickly after indexing stabilized
April 2025: service page expansion and local trust building:
April 2025 focused on making the site clearly about the services the firm sells and the clients they serve. This is where keyword movement started to speed up.
Work completed:
- Expanded three core service pages with deeper sections and FAQs
- Built two industry focused landing pages based on the firm’s best client types
- Improved Google Business Profile with updated services, photos, and weekly posts
- Cleaned and corrected 25 directory listings for consistent business details
- Added trust blocks and improved calls to action on the top visited pages
Results in April 2025:
- Organic sessions from the Chicago area: 1,380
- Consultation requests from organic traffic: 22
- High-intent keywords on page one: 13
- High-intent keywords in the top three positions: 5
- Notable change: More clicks started coming from “services” and “CFO” type queries, not just brand terms
May 2025: content that supports decisions and stronger internal linking:
May 2025 was about decision support content and pushing near page one keywords into stronger positions. We focused on pages that were already getting impressions and needed better depth and better linking.
Work completed:
- Published four decision focused pieces like cost explainers and comparison pages
- Built a simple resource hub to connect guides to service pages
- Added internal links from every relevant blog and guide back to core services
- Improved on page sections focused on outcomes, timelines, and what to expect
- Added a short case proof section on key pages using real client situations, without sharing private names
Results in May 2025:
- Organic sessions from the Chicago area: 1,920
- Consultation requests from organic traffic: 36
- High-intent keywords on page one: 19
- High-intent keywords in the top three positions: 11
- Notable change: The firm started ranking for more “outsourced accounting” and “fractional CFO” searches, which had the strongest lead quality
June 2025: authority push and final ranking lift to 25 keywords:
June 2025 was about getting the last jump. We focused on authority, on page polish, and conversion flow so the new traffic turned into real calls.
Work completed:
- Outreach for local and industry relevant mentions and links
- Strengthened service pages with clearer sections, better examples, and tighter wording
- Added short industry specific proof blocks on two landing pages
- Improved page experience on mobile, especially form completion
- Continued Google Business Profile posting and review request process
Results in June 2025:
- Organic sessions from the Chicago area: 2,650
- Consultation requests from organic traffic: 54
- High-intent keywords on page one: 25
- High-intent keywords in the top three positions: 16
- Notable change: Many keywords that hit page one also started moving up quickly once authority and internal linking were stronger
Before versus after proof:
Here is the clearest comparison between the baseline month and the final month of the four month campaign.
Visibility lift:
February 2025 compared to June 2025:
- High-intent keywords on page one: 2 to 25
- High-intent keywords in the top three positions: 0 to 16
- Average position for tracked service keywords improved from around 28 to around 9
Traffic growth tied to Chicago searches:
February 2025 compared to June 2025:
- Organic sessions from the Chicago area: 820 to 2,650
- Change: more than 3 times growth in local organic sessions
Consultation growth from organic traffic:
February 2025 compared to June 2025:
- Consultation requests from organic traffic: 9 to 54
- Change: 6 times growth in monthly consultations from organic
What changed in lead quality:
The firm’s team reported clear lead quality improvements by late May 2025 and June 2025:
- More requests from owners and finance leads who were ready to switch providers
- More inquiries asking about monthly close, reporting, and advisory support
- Fewer low value requests like one time personal tax filings
Tools used during the campaign:
Goforaeo used a practical tool set. Each tool had a clear job tied to rankings, tracking, or conversion.
Tracking and reporting tools:
- Google Analytics 4: traffic and conversion tracking
- Google Search Console: indexing checks, query growth, and click data
- Looker Studio: monthly reporting dashboard
- Call tracking tool: tracked calls from organic visitors and key landing pages
- CRM reports: confirmed consultations and lead stage movement
SEO and research tools:
- Screaming Frog or a similar site crawler: technical audits, internal linking checks, and broken link detection
- Ahrefs or Semrush: keyword research, competitor gap checks, and link monitoring
- Rank tracking tool: weekly keyword position tracking for the high-intent list
Conversion and behavior tools:
- Heatmap and session recording tool: showed where visitors got stuck and where they clicked
- Form tracking: measured form completion rate and field drop offs
Why the strategy worked in Chicago:
This campaign worked because it stayed focused on what drives B2B decisions. It did not chase vanity traffic.
Three things made the biggest difference:
- Service pages were rebuilt to match the words buyers use when they want help now
- Chicago relevance and industry relevance were made obvious without stuffing keywords
- Internal linking and authority work helped the best pages move faster and stay stable
What we did not do:
To keep results genuine, we avoided tactics that often cause unstable rankings later.
We did not:
- Buy cheap links
- Publish lots of thin blog posts
- Target keywords that the firm could not serve well
- Inflate results with brand keywords only
Key takeaways for other B2B accounting firms:
If you are an accounting firm and you want more inbound consultations from SEO, these steps are simple and repeatable.
Takeaways from this project:
- Start with tracking and site structure so you can measure real outcomes
- Build service pages for buying intent first, not random blog topics
- Add proof and clarity so visitors feel safe booking a call
- Use internal linking and clean authority building to support ranking growth