case study: career counseling practice
Foundational SEO Leads to Top 5 Rankings
When Megan Tazzi launched Waypoint Career Counseling, most new clients found her through referrals and personal connections. While her website accurately reflected the services she offered, it wasn't optimized for how prospective clients were searching online.
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Sound Moves Marketing implemented a comprehensive SEO strategy focused on improving search visibility, strengthening technical performance, and aligning website content with high-intent search queries.
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In just 90 days, Waypoint earned multiple page-one Google rankings and significantly increased its organic search presence, creating a stronger foundation for long-term growth.
The Challenge
Waypoint Career Counseling provides a unique mental health-informed approach to career counseling, helping professionals navigate burnout, career transitions, work-related anxiety, and job searches.
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While the practice had an informative website and a strong referral network, it had very little visibility in AI and Google search results. Nearly all website traffic came from existing connections, making it difficult for new clients to discover the practice online.
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The goal was to help Waypoint move beyond referral-based growth by improving visibility in organic search.
The Strategy
Rather than chasing quick wins, we built a strong SEO foundation designed to support sustainable growth over time.
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Our work included:
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Comprehensive SEO audit
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Keyword research across 70+ high-intent search terms
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On-page optimization of core service pages
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Technical SEO improvements
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AI Search Optimization
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Content optimization
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Local SEO strategy for Portland, Maine
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Ongoing recommendations for continued content growth
Every optimization was designed to help Google better understand the website while aligning content with how prospective clients were already searching.
Results in the first 90 Days
Organic Search Growth
Within just 90 days, organic search became a much larger source of website traffic, helping Waypoint reach prospective clients who had no previous connection to the practice.
Instead of relying almost entirely on referrals, nearly one in five visitors now discovers Waypoint through Google Search.
Website Traffic Sources Before & After SEO
Traffic source distribution during the first 90 days of SEO implementation.
Page One Keyword Rankings
Multiple target keywords reached page one of Google within the first 90 days, significantly improving the practice's visibility for high-intent searches.
Page One Google Rankings Achieved in 90 Days
Traffic source distribution during the first 90 days of SEO implementation.
These rankings positioned Waypoint in front of people actively searching for career counseling, career transitions, burnout support, and related services.
Why These Results Matter
SEO isn't just about rankings. It's about helping the right people discover your business at the moment they're searching for your services.
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Before SEO, Waypoint relied almost entirely on referrals. Today, the website attracts qualified visitors through Google, creating a more sustainable and scalable source of new opportunities.
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The strongest SEO results often continue building long after the initial implementation, making this first 90-day performance an important foundation for continued growth.
"I can’t say enough good things about Wendy. I hired her to help optimize my website’s SEO, and she was approachable, dependable, and incredibly knowledgeable. SEO felt like a different language to me at first, but she explained everything in a way that was easy to understand. She also made me part of the process and taught me how to maintain the health of my SEO moving forward. I highly recommend working with her."
- Megan Tazzi Founder, Waypoint Career Counseling