Calgary SEO Case Study: How We Took a Local Service Business from Page 3 to the Map Pack in 8 Months

It’s easy to make claims about SEO results. Every agency says they deliver rankings and traffic. What matters is showing the work — the specific actions, the timeline, and the measurable outcomes.

This case study documents exactly how we helped a Calgary-based service contractor go from virtually invisible on Google to ranking in the top three for their primary service keywords, with organic traffic increasing from under 200 visits per month to over 2,000 monthly visits within eight months.

The client’s name and specific industry have been anonymized to respect their privacy, but the strategy, timeline, and results are real.

The Starting Point: Where This Business Stood Before SEO

When this client came to us, the situation was clear: they were a well-established Calgary service contractor with a strong reputation and steady referral business, but their digital presence was working against them rather than for them.

The Audit Findings

Our initial technical audit and competitive analysis revealed a picture that’s unfortunately common among Calgary service businesses. Their website was generating fewer than 200 organic visits per month — essentially invisible in organic search. Their Google Business Profile was incomplete, with missing service categories, no regular posts, and only 8 reviews. They had zero Map Pack visibility for their primary service keywords in any Calgary quadrant. Their website had significant technical issues including slow page load times (over 5 seconds on mobile), no structured data markup, thin service pages with duplicate content, and missing or generic title tags and meta descriptions. Their citation profile was inconsistent — different phone numbers and address formats across various directories.

The Competitive Landscape

Their top three competitors in the Calgary market had substantial head starts. The Map Pack leaders had 80 to 200 Google reviews each, well-optimized websites with comprehensive service pages, consistent citation profiles across 30 or more directories, and domain authorities ranging from 25 to 40. Our client’s domain authority sat at 12.

This wasn’t a case where minor tweaks would move the needle. The gap was significant, and closing it required a systematic, multi-phase approach.

The Strategy: Our 8-Month Roadmap

We built a phased strategy that addressed technical foundations first, then layered on content and authority building. Here’s exactly what we did and when.

Phase 1: Technical Foundation (Months 1–2)

Before creating any content or building any links, we fixed the foundation. There’s no point driving traffic to a website that can’t convert or that Google struggles to crawl.

During the first two months, we completed a full technical remediation. We rebuilt the site architecture to create a logical hierarchy of service pages, each targeting a specific service keyword. We optimized page speed by compressing images, implementing browser caching, minifying CSS and JavaScript, and resolving render-blocking resource issues. Mobile load time dropped from 5.2 seconds to 1.8 seconds. We rewrote every title tag and meta description on the site to target specific Calgary service keywords while maintaining compelling click-through-rate copy. We implemented LocalBusiness schema markup across the site with proper NAP, service areas, operating hours, and geo-coordinates. We added FAQPage schema to the service pages targeting common customer questions. We submitted a clean XML sitemap and resolved crawl errors in Google Search Console.

On the Google Business Profile side, we completed every available field, added proper primary and secondary service categories, uploaded 40 professional photos, wrote a keyword-optimized business description, and established a weekly GBP posting schedule.

Phase 2: Content Build-Out (Months 2–4)

With the technical foundation in place, we shifted to content. The goal was to transform a thin, generic website into a topical authority for their service category in Calgary.

We created dedicated service pages for every individual service the client offers — not just top-level categories, but specific services with unique, detailed content on each page. Each page included what the service involves, who needs it, the process, Calgary-specific pricing context, and a clear call to action.

We built neighbourhood-specific landing pages for the Calgary quadrants and communities where the client draws most of their business. Each page included genuine local content — not just the community name swapped into a template, but real details about serving clients in those areas.

We launched a blog targeting informational keywords that their ideal customers search for. Posts addressed common questions, seasonal considerations relevant to their industry, and “how to choose” comparison content. Each blog post was optimized for a specific long-tail keyword and included internal links to the relevant service pages.

Phase 3: Authority Building (Months 3–6)

Content alone doesn’t build rankings — especially in competitive niches. We needed to build the domain’s authority through strategic link building and citation work.

We conducted a comprehensive citation audit and cleanup. The client had listings across 40 or more directories with inconsistent information — different phone number formats, abbreviated vs. full street addresses, outdated business names. We standardized every listing to match the exact NAP format on their website and GBP. We added new citations on Calgary-specific and industry-specific directories that the competitors were listed on but our client was not.

For link building, we pursued industry associations and local business directories that provided relevant, authoritative backlinks. We secured mentions in local online publications through community involvement and sponsor partnerships. We developed resource content on the blog that attracted natural links from complementary businesses.

For reviews, we helped the client implement a systematic review generation process. We created a simple post-service email with a direct Google review link, trained their team on when and how to ask for reviews, and established a response protocol for all incoming reviews.

Phase 4: Optimization and Scaling (Months 6–8)

By month six, rankings were moving. The focus shifted to optimizing what was working and scaling successful strategies.

We analyzed Google Search Console data to identify keywords where the site was ranking on page two — “striking distance” keywords that needed targeted optimization to push onto page one. We updated and expanded content on pages that were ranking but not yet in the top three. We increased the blog publishing frequency for topics that showed strong search console impressions. We continued review generation and GBP optimization.

The Results: 8-Month Performance Data

Here’s what the numbers looked like at the end of eight months.

Organic Traffic

Monthly organic visits grew from under 200 to over 2,000 — more than a 10x increase. Traffic growth wasn’t linear; it followed the typical SEO curve with modest gains in months 1 through 3, accelerating growth in months 4 through 6, and strong momentum in months 7 through 8 as domain authority compounded.

Map Pack Rankings

The client achieved top-3 Map Pack positions for their primary service keywords across their core Calgary service area. Before our engagement, they didn’t appear in the Map Pack at all. By month 8, they were consistently appearing in positions 1 through 3 for their top 5 target keywords.

Google Business Profile Performance

GBP-driven actions — phone calls, direction requests, and website clicks — increased substantially. The profile went from generating a handful of weekly interactions to consistent, measurable call and click volume that the client could directly attribute to Map Pack visibility. Reviews grew from 8 to over 50 during the engagement period, with an average rating of 4.9 stars.

Keyword Rankings

Across 25 tracked keywords, the site moved from an average position of 42 (deep page 4) to an average position of 8 (bottom of page 1). For the top 5 priority keywords, all five reached page 1, with three reaching the top 3 organic positions.

Lead Generation Impact

The client reported that inbound leads from their website and GBP became a significant and growing source of new business. Previously, their business was almost entirely referral-driven. By month 8, organic search was generating consistent weekly leads — a new revenue channel they didn’t have before.

What Made This Campaign Work

Looking back across the engagement, several factors were decisive in driving these results.

Technical foundations first. We didn’t touch content or links until the site was technically sound. Trying to rank a slow, poorly structured website is like trying to fill a bucket with holes in it. The technical remediation in months 1 and 2 created the foundation that everything else was built on.

Real content, not template content. Every page on the site was written from scratch with genuine local knowledge and industry expertise. We didn’t spin generic service descriptions or swap city names into templates. Google’s helpful content systems can detect thin, templated content — and in a YMYL-adjacent service industry, content quality directly affects rankings.

Systematic review generation. The review strategy wasn’t a one-time push — it was a process built into the client’s operations. Going from 8 to 50 or more reviews in 8 months was the result of consistent, daily effort by the client’s team using the system we helped them build.

Patience with the process. The client understood that months 1 through 3 were about building infrastructure, not generating immediate results. That patience allowed us to execute properly rather than cutting corners for short-term gains.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this kind of result typical for Calgary businesses?

The trajectory is realistic for Calgary service businesses in moderately competitive niches that commit to the full strategy. The exact timeline and magnitude of results vary based on competition level, the starting condition of the website, and how consistently the business executes on review generation and content support. More competitive industries — legal, dental, real estate — typically require longer timelines and more aggressive investment.

How much did this SEO campaign cost?

This engagement fell within our standard local SEO campaign range for single-location businesses in moderately competitive markets. Specific pricing depends on the scope of work required, but Calgary businesses can generally expect local SEO campaigns to start at $1,000 per month and scale based on competition and goals.

Could these results have been achieved faster with more budget?

To some degree, yes. A larger budget allows for more aggressive content production and link building, which can accelerate the timeline. However, some aspects of SEO are time-dependent regardless of budget — Google needs time to crawl and index new content, domain authority builds gradually, and review generation is an ongoing process. Doubling the budget doesn’t halve the timeline, but it can shave 1 to 2 months off the results curve.

What happens if the client stops SEO after achieving these rankings?

Rankings don’t disappear overnight, but they do erode without maintenance. Competitors continue to build authority, Google’s algorithms continue to evolve, and content becomes outdated. We typically see ranking stability for 3 to 6 months after pausing SEO, followed by gradual decline. The technical and content foundations we built provide lasting value, but maintaining and growing rankings requires ongoing effort.

Can I see similar results for my Calgary business?

Every business starts from a different position and faces different competition, so we never promise specific rankings or traffic numbers. What we can promise is the same systematic, data-driven approach documented in this case study, applied to your specific market and competitive landscape. The first step is a comprehensive audit to understand where you stand and what’s realistically achievable.