Executive Search SEO Case Study: Organic Enquiries Doubled in 5 Months

From Referral-Reliant to a High-Value Inbound Lead Engine

This boutique executive search firm is a leader in C-suite and senior leadership appointments. Their entire business was built on a powerful referral network, but they had a critical vulnerability: almost zero inbound lead generation from their website.

They wanted to diversify their lead sources and attract new, high-value retained search mandates online, but their digital presence was failing them. Their existing thought leadership and case studies were invisible, and their site wasn't structured to convert high-calibre clients.

The Challenge: A High-End Brand with a Low-Performance Site

The consultancy's website was actively undermining its authority. Key technical and structural flaws made it difficult for Google - and potential clients - to understand their expertise.

Keyword Cannibalisation: Multiple service pages were competing for the same terms, confusing Google and diluting their ranking potential.
Poor Core Web Vitals: The site was slow and provided a poor user experience, causing high bounce rates and hurting rankings.
Wasted Content Assets: Valuable thought leadership and insights weren't gaining any traction or ranking for relevant terms.
Mismatched Search Intent: The site's structure wasn't aligned with how C-suite clients actually search for executive firms.

Our Solution: The "Elevate Retainer"

This client didn't need a full, costly redevelopment. They needed a precise, surgical approach to fix technical flaws and unlock the value of their existing content. We deployed our Elevate Retainer, a framework focused on rebuilding discoverability and authority for established brands.

The strategy was to refine the site architecture, strengthen topical coverage around executive search themes, and optimise technical health to meet Google's (and AI's) strict ranking criteria.

Implementation: A Focus on Refinement and Authority

We executed a multi-stage plan to enhance the site's performance without disrupting the business.

Service Page De-Cannibalisation

We completely reworked the service page architecture. We consolidated and rewrote competing pages to create single, authoritative landing pages for each core specialism (Finance, Tech, etc.), clarifying intent for Google.

Advanced Schema & AEO Deployment

To improve SERP visibility and position the firm for AI search, we deployed a targeted schema stack:

Service Schema: Clearly defined their high-value executive search offerings.
WebPage Schema: Strengthened the site's core entity signals.
FAQPage Schema: Implemented on service pages to capture PAA boxes and featured snippets for executive-level queries.

Core Web Vitals & Speed Optimisation

We ran a full technical performance audit and optimised the site for speed and engagement. This immediately improved user experience signals and resolved Google's Core Web Vitals warnings.

Content Asset Re-Optimisation

We didn't write new content from scratch. We identified their most valuable existing leadership insights and case studies, re-optimising them with enhanced keyword targeting to get them ranking.

Strategic Internal Linking

Finally, we implemented a new internal linking structure to distribute authority from their high-performing pages (like their re-optimised insights) directly to their high-value "money" pages (their core services).

The Results: High-Value Visibility in 5 Months

The "Elevate Retainer" delivered measurable, high-value growth by refining the site's existing foundation.

Organic Enquiries Doubled (Driving new, retained search mandates)
+78% Growth in Impressions for director- and C-suite-level terms
+39% Increase in Average Engagement Time (Signalling higher content quality)
First Appearances in AI Overviews & Featured Snippets for targeted executive search queries

What The Client Says

"Our reputation is built on relationships and referrals, but we knew we were missing opportunities online. Our site just wasn't performing, and our thought leadership was invisible. The Kaizen team's 'Elevate' approach was perfect - it wasn't a disruptive rebuild. They surgically fixed our site's structure, optimised our existing content, and the results were immediate. Doubling our inbound enquiries in under six months has added a completely new, scalable channel for high-value client acquisition."

- Marketing Manager, Executive Search Consultancy

The Outcome: A Scalable, High-Value Lead Channel

The consultancy now has a strong, visible digital presence that matches its offline prestige. By combining technical refinement with strategic content improvements, the Elevate Retainer delivered scalable, measurable growth. The firm's website has been transformed from a static brochure into a consistent, reliable engine for driving high-value client leads.