SEO Case Study: Ranked a B2B Legal Services Firm for 20 BOFU Terms in 5 Months in New York
In January 2025, a B2B legal services firm in New York partnered with Goforaeo because their website was not bringing steady, high quality leads. They had strong expertise, but search visibility was weak for the exact services buyers look up right before booking a consultation.
This SEO Case Study breaks down what we did, what changed, and the real numbers month by month, using simple steps you can follow for any legal or professional services brand.
Project Snapshot: Dates, Timeframe, Location
The work ran from January 15, 2025 to June 15, 2025. That is a 5 month execution window with weekly check ins and monthly reporting.
The target market was New York, with priority on Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and nearby business hubs where most of their clients operate.
Client Overview: Who This Was For
This was a B2B focused legal firm that supports companies, founders, and operations teams. Their cases were not consumer focused and most deals were higher value, longer cycle, and compliance heavy.
They offered services like:
• Commercial contracts and contract review
• Employment and HR compliance support
• Business disputes and demand letters
• Corporate governance and risk advisory
• Vendor agreements for growing companies
Their average client value was high, so we focused on fewer, higher intent terms instead of chasing broad traffic.
Starting Point in January 2025: Before Proof
At the start of the project on January 15, 2025, the site had content, but it was not built around buyer intent. Rankings were scattered and most clicks were branded searches.
Here is what we saw in the first baseline pull:
• BOFU keywords in Top 10: 0
• BOFU keywords in Top 3: 0
• Google Search Console average monthly impressions: 2,140
• Google Search Console average monthly clicks: 58
• Non brand organic sessions (monthly): 310
• Qualified leads attributed to organic (monthly): 2 to 3
• Main issue: service pages were thin, location signals were weak, and content matched “research intent” more than “hire intent”
We also found a few technical issues that slowed momentum:
• Several service pages were not internally linked from key pages
• Some pages had overlapping titles and similar headings
• Blog posts existed, but did not point users toward a next step
• Local trust signals were light (address consistency, legal schema, author signals)
What We Focused On: The Strategy in Simple Words
The strategy was built around one idea: rank where people are ready to talk to a lawyer for business needs, not where they are just learning what a contract is.
We did this in five layers:
- Fix the website foundation so Google can trust and crawl it easily
- Build strong service pages that answer intent and show proof
- Create supporting content that feeds those service pages
- Improve local relevance for New York without keyword stuffing
- Earn credible links and mentions that fit the legal industry
This approach works well for law and B2B because Google wants clarity, authority, and real world signals. It is not enough to write long pages. The structure and intent match matters more.
Keyword Plan: BOFU Terms We Targeted
We mapped the site around 20 BOFU terms, meaning keywords that show the searcher is close to hiring. These were examples of what we targeted and ranked for in New York:
• business contract lawyer New York
• commercial contract attorney NYC
• contract review lawyer NYC
• SaaS contract lawyer New York
• vendor agreement lawyer NYC
• employment compliance attorney NYC
• HR legal counsel New York
• employee handbook lawyer NYC
• business dispute lawyer NYC
• demand letter attorney NYC
• shareholder agreement lawyer New York
• partnership dispute lawyer NYC
• corporate counsel for startups NYC
• general counsel services NYC
• business litigation consultation NYC
• non disclosure agreement lawyer NYC
• non compete agreement lawyer New York
• data privacy attorney NYC for businesses
• independent contractor agreement lawyer NYC
• cease and desist letter attorney NYC
We avoided ultra broad keywords like “lawyer NYC” because those are expensive, vague, and often not the right buyer.
Content and Page Structure: What We Changed on the Site
Before we published anything new, we fixed how pages were organized. This matters because in legal SEO, even good writing fails if Google cannot understand the site layout.
We created a clear structure:
• One strong core page per main service
• Supporting pages for specific sub services
• Supporting blog content to answer objections and questions
• Internal links that push authority from blogs to service pages
• Strong calls to action on every BOFU page, with matching copy
We also upgraded on page trust signals:
• Attorney or editor bio boxes where appropriate
• Case style examples (without sensitive details)
• Clear service area language for New York
• Strong FAQs based on real sales calls
• Better contact paths (form, phone, scheduling)
Month by Month Execution: What We Did and the Numbers
January 2025: Discovery, Fixes, and Direction
In the second half of January, we focused on fast clarity. We wanted to remove blockers first, then start building pages that can rank.
Actions completed:
• Full technical audit and crawl cleanup
• Keyword mapping for 20 BOFU terms to specific URLs
• Rewrite plan for top service pages
• Core internal linking plan across existing pages
• Google Business Profile review and local citation audit
Work output:
• 1 full site audit document
• 20 keyword to URL mappings
• 8 priority page outlines created
• 35 internal link opportunities identified
Baseline metrics captured on January 15, 2025:
• Impressions: 2,140
• Clicks: 58
• BOFU Top 10: 0
February 2025: Service Pages Built for Real Intent
February was about building pages that deserve to rank. For legal services, Google favors pages that are specific, complete, and grounded in practical detail.
Actions completed:
• Rebuilt top service pages with stronger sections and FAQs
• Added New York relevance naturally (service areas, industry focus)
• Improved title tags and meta descriptions for click intent
• Added legal schema where it made sense (organization, local business, FAQ)
• Built a clean internal linking system from top navigation and blog hub
Work output:
• 6 service pages rewritten or created
• 18 FAQs added across key pages
• 40 internal links placed
• 12 title tags rewritten for BOFU intent
End of February metrics:
• Impressions: 4,380
• Clicks: 102
• BOFU Top 10: 3
• BOFU Top 3: 0
• Qualified organic leads: 4 to 5
What this told us: Google started testing the pages, but we needed more authority and more support content.
March 2025: Supporting Content and Stronger Local Proof
March was about building topical depth and answering buyer questions that stop conversions. We also improved local trust signals, which matters a lot in New York.
Actions completed:
• Published supporting articles tied to each service page
• Built “comparison intent” content (in house counsel vs outside counsel)
• Added stronger proof elements on money pages (process, timelines, common outcomes)
• Local citations cleanup for consistent name, address, phone
• Improved Google Business Profile: services, description, posts, Q and A
Work output:
• 8 supporting blog posts published
• 6 blog to service page link clusters created
• 15 local citations corrected or built
• 4 Google Business Profile posts published
End of March metrics:
• Impressions: 7,960
• Clicks: 178
• BOFU Top 10: 9
• BOFU Top 3: 2
• Qualified organic leads: 7 to 8
We also saw a shift in lead quality. More inquiries mentioned “contract review”, “employment compliance”, and “general counsel”, instead of vague requests.
April 2025: Authority Building and Conversion Tightening
April is where most legal SEO campaigns either lift or stall. Rankings need authority, not just content. So we focused on credible link earning and conversion improvements.
Actions completed:
• Digital PR style outreach for legal and business publications
• Link placements from relevant industry sites (not spammy directories)
• Updated internal links based on pages that started ranking
• Conversion improvements: clearer CTAs, shorter forms, better phone tracking
• Added stronger “who we help” sections to match B2B buyers
Work output:
• 10 outreach campaigns run
• 7 referring domains earned (relevant business and legal sites)
• 3 conversion focused page updates across top service pages
• 20 internal links adjusted based on performance
End of April metrics:
• Impressions: 12,640
• Clicks: 276
• BOFU Top 10: 15
• BOFU Top 3: 7
• Qualified organic leads: 11 to 13
By late April, several terms moved from positions 11 to 20 into the first page. That jump was driven by better internal links and the first set of authority signals.
May 2025: Scaling What Worked and Locking Rankings
In May, we did more of what Google was rewarding. We also strengthened pages that were stuck around positions 4 to 8, because that is where small changes create big lead gains.
Actions completed:
• Refresh of pages sitting in positions 4 to 10 with better sections and FAQs
• More supporting content for objection handling (pricing, timelines, what to expect)
• More link earning and relationship outreach
• Better topical clusters for employment compliance and contract services
• Improved image and page speed basics for key landing pages
Work output:
• 5 BOFU pages refreshed
• 6 new supporting posts published
• 9 referring domains earned
• 2 cluster hubs created (contracts, employment compliance)
End of May metrics:
• Impressions: 17,420
• Clicks: 362
• BOFU Top 10: 20
• BOFU Top 3: 10
• Qualified organic leads: 15 to 16
This was the month we hit the full Top 10 coverage for all 20 BOFU terms. After that, the work shifted to pushing more terms into Top 3.
June 2025: Final Push, Stability, and Before vs After Proof
June was about stabilizing wins and improving click through rate. In legal, being ranked is not enough. Your snippet needs to earn the click.
Actions completed:
• Title and meta description testing for pages already ranking
• FAQ improvements based on real calls and objections
• Continued link earning with a focus on quality over volume
• Lead tracking cleanup so the client could trust reporting
• Local reinforcement: more location clarity and service area signals
Work output:
• 12 meta descriptions rewritten
• 6 titles refined for higher intent clicks
• 5 high quality referring domains earned
• Tracking and attribution cleanup completed
End of June metrics measured on June 15, 2025:
• Impressions: 19,860
• Clicks: 412
• BOFU Top 10: 20
• BOFU Top 3: 12
• BOFU in position 1: 7
• Qualified organic leads: 18 to 20
Results Summary: Before vs After Proof
Here is the direct comparison from January 15, 2025 to June 15, 2025:
• BOFU terms in Top 10: 0 to 20
• BOFU terms in Top 3: 0 to 12
• Monthly impressions: 2,140 to 19,860
• Monthly clicks: 58 to 412
• Non brand organic sessions: 310 to 1,940
• Qualified organic leads: 2 to 3 up to 18 to 20
The biggest improvement was not traffic alone. It was higher intent traffic, which turned into booked consultations and real conversations.
Why This Worked: The Logic Behind the Wins
The campaign worked because we did not treat legal SEO like a blog writing project. We treated it like building a clear service catalog with trust built in.
Key reasons it worked:
• We mapped each BOFU keyword to a page that fully matched the intent
• We made the service pages stronger than competitor pages in structure, proof, and clarity
• We built supporting content that pushed authority into money pages
• We improved local trust signals for New York without stuffing city names
• We earned links that make sense for a legal firm, not random link packages
• We tracked leads properly, so we could double down on what brought calls
Tools Used: What We Used and How
We used a practical tool stack, not anything fancy, and we used each tool for a clear reason.
• Google Search Console: keyword movement, impressions, clicks, indexing checks
• Google Analytics 4: landing page performance, engagement, conversions
• Google Business Profile: local presence, service edits, posts, tracking
• Screaming Frog: crawl issues, internal linking gaps, duplicates, metadata checks
• Ahrefs or Semrush: keyword research, competitor pages, backlink opportunities
• Surfer SEO or Frase (optional): content coverage checks, gap analysis, FAQ ideas
• Looker Studio: clean monthly reporting dashboards
• Call tracking and form tracking tools: attribution for booked calls and inquiries
• Grammarly: clarity checks for simple, readable writing
• Google Sheets: keyword mapping, content calendar, outreach tracking
What We Delivered Each Month: Work Output Recap
To make this easy to validate, here is a simple recap of monthly work volume:
• January 2025: audit, crawl fixes, keyword mapping, page outlines
• February 2025: 6 service pages rebuilt, 18 FAQs, internal linking setup
• March 2025: 8 supporting posts, local citations cleanup, GBP upgrades
• April 2025: 7 new referring domains, conversion improvements, link clusters
• May 2025: 5 page refreshes, 6 new posts, 9 new referring domains
• June 2025: CTR improvements, tracking cleanup, 5 new referring domains
Key Takeaways for Any B2B Legal Brand
If you want similar results, these are the lessons that matter most:
• Start with BOFU service pages, not blogs
• Build content clusters that support each service page
• Add trust elements that match legal buyers (process, FAQs, outcomes, who you help)
• Strengthen local proof and consistency across platforms
• Earn links slowly and carefully from relevant places
• Track leads properly so SEO does not feel like guesswork
What Happened Next: Keeping Growth Stable
After June 2025, the focus shifted to:
• Expanding into additional BOFU terms in adjacent practice areas
• Building more industry specific pages (SaaS, agencies, healthcare vendors)
• Continuing link earning at a steady pace
• Improving conversion rate on top pages to increase booked calls without needing more traffic
That is how we turn a 5 month ranking lift into a long term lead channel.