Local SEO

Summary

Client: Space360 Real Estate Photography
Location: Philadelphia & Southern New Jersey.

Timeframe: February–May 2025
Industry: Real Estate Media

Role: SEO Lead, Project Manager, and Marketing Coordinator
Services: Local SEO, Google Business Profile Optimization, On-Page SEO, Keyword Strategy
Tools Used: Semrush, BrightLocal, Google Search Console, GA4, Screaming Frog, Canva Pro, Notion

Project Overview

Space360 is a real estate photography company serving listing agents, brokerages, and short-term rental hosts across Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey. At the start of the project, the business had no digital presence: zero website traffic, no keyword rankings, and no placement in Google’s Local Map Pack. It was essentially invisible online.

As the SEO lead and project manager, I developed and executed a full SEO strategy while overseeing day-to-day operations. My responsibilities included coordinating client bookings, managing photo and video delivery, handling real estate marketing assets, and scheduling photographers. This hands-on role gave me direct insight into how improved search visibility translated into increased lead generation and revenue.

The Challenge

At launch, Space360 had no existing search presence or local authority. Key challenges included:

• No local keyword rankings or indexed pages.

• No claimed or optimized Google Business Profile

• No backlinks, citations, or authority signals

• No service landing pages or metadata

• No website analytics or keyword tracking in place

These limitations made Space360 completely invisible to local agents searching for real estate photography services in the target area.

Before the SEO campaign, Space360 had zero organic clicks or impressions, as confirmed by Google Analytics. The site had no search visibility, no user traffic, and no tracking infrastructure to guide optimization.

No traffic before SEO – verified by GA4

Project Goals

The main objective was to transform Space360 from an unranked, unknown business into a top-performing local brand that could generate consistent inbound leads through organic search. Every goal was aligned with sustainable growth and measurable outcomes:

1. Establish local visibility on Google Search and Google Maps

2. Rank in the top 3 for commercial-intent keywords such as “best real estate photographers”

3. Generate qualified leads through organic traffic and GBP interactions

4. Build a scalable SEO foundation for long-term growth

A key performance goal was to secure a Local Pack ranking for searches like “best real estate photographers.” The screenshot shows Space360 earning a top 3 placement alongside long-established competitors — a key indicator of trust and authority.

Top 3 local result for “best real estate photographers” after SEO

Key Findings

An initial SEO audit revealed that Space360 had no search visibility, no Google Business Profile, and no indexable service pages. There were zero citations, no backlinks, and major mobile usability issues. No analytics or keyword tracking tools were in place.

Competitor analysis showed that top-ranking real estate photography businesses in the region had:

• Optimized, location-targeted service pages

• Claimed and fully optimized GBP profiles

• Consistent NAP citations across directories

The audit also revealed several site-level issues:

• Low text-to-HTML ratio

• Missing or unoptimized alt attributes

• Unminified code, long title tags, and minimal semantic structure

• No sitemap, no schema markup, and no Core Web Vitals optimization

Audit revealed critical site issues and missing optimizations

SEO Strategy Overview

To overcome these challenges, I developed and executed a full-stack local SEO system. This included detailed keyword research using Semrush, technical improvements to address indexing, mobile usability, and page speed, and comprehensive on-page SEO across five service landing pages.

I also:

• Claimed and optimized the Google Business Profile

• Built citations using BrightLocal

• Implemented structured schema markup across the site

• Set up analytics tracking using GA4 and Google Search Console

Every tactic was focused on generating measurable growth in search visibility, organic traffic, and qualified lead conversions.

Keyword Research Strategy Using Semrush
This mind map visualizes the keyword clusters identified during the planning phase, targeting high-intent search terms like “real estate photography near me” and “real estate photographer prices.”

Keyword clusters for SEO planning using Semrush

Keyword Research & Competitor Benchmarking

• Conducted keyword research using Semrush and Google Search Console

• Identified 100+ high-intent commercial keywords tied to real estate photography, including terms related to drone services, Airbnb/VRBO listings, and 3D virtual tours

• Clustered keywords by service type and local intent (e.g., “drone photography Philadelphia”)

• Benchmarked top-ranking local competitors to identify content gaps and keyword opportunities

• Selected five primary service landing pages based on search volume, keyword competitiveness, and commercial value

Keyword research using Semrush to identify high-intent search terms for SEO

On-Page SEO Implementation

• Designed and launched service-based landing pages (e.g., Real Estate Photography, Drone Services, Airbnb Photography, Matterport Tours)

• Wrote optimized metadata, H1–H3 tags, and SEO-focused service descriptions for each page

• Built a keyword-rich internal linking structure and placed strong CTAs to support conversions

• Optimized image alt text, file names, and overall layout for Core Web Vitals compliance

• Embedded video content to increase dwell time and improve behavioral SEO signals

• Manually compressed all image assets and removed visual layout blockers

Figma wireframes created for service pages to support targeted on-page SEO

Google Business Profile Optimization

• Fully claimed, verified, and optimized the Google Business Profile

• Defined accurate primary categories, subcategories, and service areas

• Uploaded 50+ branded and service-specific high-quality images

• Added keyword-rich content to the GBP description, service menus, Q&A section, products, and tracked links using UTM parameters

• Linked GBP directly to the Space360 booking system for measurable, trackable conversions

Optimized and verified Google Business Profile for Space360

Local Citations & Schema Markup

• Audited local citations using BrightLocal

• Ensured NAP (Name, Address, Phone) consistency across all major directories including Yelp, Bing, Apple Maps, and niche real estate platforms

• Implemented structured data using LocalBusiness, WebPage, and Service schema on all key landing pages

• Verified proper indexing and crawl paths using Screaming Frog and GSC

Branded Yelp citation for Space360 with verified business details

Technical SEO & Indexing

• Submitted XML sitemap and manually indexed new pages via Google Search Console

• Resolved all Semrush and GSC errors, including crawl depth issues and duplicate meta tags

• Removed unnecessary plugins and scripts causing load speed issues and layout shift

• Implemented Core Web Vitals optimizations for Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)

• Set canonical tags, clean URL structures, and mobile usability compliance

Indexing progress in Google Search Console after technical SEO fixes

Analytics & Performance Monitoring

• Implemented tracking across GA4, Google Search Console (GSC), and Google Business Profile (GBP) Insights

• Built a centralized performance dashboard in Notion to monitor key metrics and reporting trends

  Metrics tracked weekly:

  • Organic impressions and clicks by keyword (via GSC)

  • GBP views and direct actions (calls, direction requests, bookings)

  • Page-level CTR, engagement time, and conversions

  • Form submissions and booking behavior segmented by traffic source

Post-SEO performance in GSC showing increased clicks and impressions

Results

After launching a full-stack local SEO strategy for a business with no prior digital presence, Space360 Real Estate Photography gained measurable traction in just two months. The brand went from zero visibility to a growing digital footprint supported by real user actions.

The combined impact of on-page SEO, Google Business Profile (GBP) optimization, and technical improvements lifted the business from invisible to discoverable — not just in rankings, but in qualified engagement and conversions.

8.7K+ impressions, 434 clicks, 100+ keywords in 2 months.

Key Highlights

This project's success was driven by a comprehensive, full-stack local SEO strategy that transformed Space360 from a digitally invisible business into a top-ranking local authority. Over the campaign period, the business achieved significant traction and measurable growth.

• Achieved #1 Google Ranking & Top 3 Local Pack Placement for high-intent commercial keywords like "real estate photography Philadelphia."

• Generated 8,750 Impressions and 434 Clicks directly from organic search, building a new traffic stream from the ground up and achieving a strong 5% average click-through rate (CTR).

• Resolved Critical Technical Issues, including implementing Core Web Vitals optimizations and ensuring 100% of service pages were indexed and crawlable by Google.

• Drove Measurable Customer Actions through Google Business Profile, resulting in 87 direct interactions, including calls, direction requests, and clicks to the website.

• Established a Scalable SEO Foundation by creating optimized service landing pages, a robust internal linking structure, and a centralized performance tracking system for ongoing growth.

GSC chart with 8.75K impressions, 434 clicks, 5% CTR

Key Learnings

This project reinforced several core principles of effective local SEO and provided valuable insights for future campaigns.

1. The Power of a Foundational Audit: The initial audit was critical. It revealed that without addressing fundamental issues like an unoptimized Google Business Profile and technical indexing errors, no amount of content or keyword work would have succeeded. A strong foundation is non-negotiable.

2. Google Business Profile is the Local SEO Hub: Optimizing the GBP was the single most impactful driver of immediate, tangible results (calls and clicks). For local service businesses, the GBP is not just a listing; it is the primary conversion point and must be treated with the highest priority.

3. Integrated Strategy Delivers Compounding Returns: The combined impact of technical fixes, on-page optimization, and GBP management created a flywheel effect. Technical health improved rankings, which drove traffic to well-optimized pages, leading to higher engagement and conversions. No single tactic would have been as effective on its own.

4. Proactive Monitoring Enables Agility: Implementing weekly tracking from day one allowed for continuous performance analysis. This meant we could quickly identify what was working (e.g., high-performing keywords) and double down on those tactics, ensuring the campaign remained efficient and results-focused.