Local SEO Case Study: How I Applied My Own Framework to Desert Skies Local SEO

Most people assume SEO case studies come from client work. This one didn’t. It started when I looked at my own website and admitted something most business owners never say out loud:

“I built content… but I never built a system.”

My site had the same problem I fix for therapists, doctors, home-service businesses, and restaurants every week:

  • Important pages buried three clicks deep.
  • Google unsure which pages really mattered.
  • Visitors landing on the wrong page at the wrong time.
  • Traffic trickling in without direction.
  • A homepage doing all the heavy lifting.

So I treated my website like a client project and walked myself through the same Visibility Plan process I use in every engagement.

Step One: The Diagnosis

When I audited my own site, the pattern was obvious:

  • Google couldn’t identify true “pillar” pages.
  • Navigation lacked a clear flow.
  • Internal links didn’t support topical structure.
  • Service pages weren’t tied to the problems they solved.
  • Signals about who I help and where I help them were scattered.

The problem wasn’t content. It was architecture. Most websites don’t need more words — they need a map.

Step Two: Rebuilding the Map

I stopped thinking like the person who built the site and started thinking like a first-time visitor. From there, everything became clear.

1. Page Hierarchy

I created visible pillar pages for:

  • Local SEO
  • Google Business Profile optimization
  • My Visibility Plan offer

These became the anchors of the site instead of being buried behind general pages.

2. Internal Linking

I rebuilt the internal link structure to match how real users search:

  • Awareness → understanding the problem
  • Understanding → the service that solves it
  • Service → a clear call-to-action

Google could finally understand the topical flow, and visitors always had a next step.

3. Conversion Surfaces

Each page now had a clear job:

  • Say who the page is for.
  • Explain what problem it solves.
  • Offer a simple, clear next action.

No tricks — just clarity.

Step Three: What Happened Next

After the restructure, I watched the numbers for 30 days in Google Analytics. Here’s what changed:

  • Traffic doubled without new blog posts or ads.
  • Engagement jumped — more scroll depth, more page views, more sessions starting on the right pages.
  • Lead-intent actions increased because visitors finally knew where to go.
  • The Local SEO page saw a 584% increase in views.
  • The Contact page increased by more than 2,000% once properly linked.
  • Direct and referral traffic spiked, showing real brand demand.

These weren’t “SEO tricks.” They were the natural result of a system finally working the way it should.

To see the full analytics breakdown with screenshots, visit the Results page.

What This Means for Local Service Businesses

Most local businesses think SEO is about keywords. Usually it isn’t.

You can have great content, but if:

  • Your most important pages are buried,
  • Your homepage is overloaded,
  • Your navigation doesn’t match how people search,
  • Google can’t tell what you do or where you serve…

…then your website can’t perform the way it should.

When I applied my own framework to my own site, the results were immediate: better signals, better pathways, higher relevance, deeper engagement, more leads.

This is the same approach I use with therapists, medical and concierge practices, wellness providers, restaurants, trades, and other local service businesses.

How This Framework Works for Clients

The process follows four simple steps:

  1. Audit: Review your website, Google Business Profile, analytics, and local search presence.
  2. Map: Define the correct page hierarchy and internal linking.
  3. Align: Strengthen messaging and calls-to-action.
  4. Measure: Track how users move through your site and where they convert.

The goal is simple: make it easier for the right people to find you, trust you, and take the next step.

Want to See What This Would Look Like on Your Website?

The best way to start is the same process I used for my own site — a focused Visibility Plan. It shows what’s working, what’s not, and what to fix first.

Turn your website into a real local visibility asset.

Request a Visibility Plan and get a clear breakdown of what’s holding your website back — and how to fix it.

Request a Visibility Plan