How One Facility Doubled Their Traffic in 90 Days

This is a real case study of an independent self-storage facility in suburban Atlanta that increased their organic traffic by 112% in just 90 days. No magic tricks, no black-hat SEO—just focused, strategic work. Here's exactly what they did and how you can replicate their results.

The Starting Point

The Facility:

• Location: Suburban Atlanta (we'll call them "Suburban Storage")
• Size: 300 units, single location
• Competition: 2 Public Storage facilities, 1 Extra Space, 3 other independents within 5 miles
• Website: Basic WordPress site, not mobile-optimized

The Problem:

Suburban Storage was spending $2,500/month on Google Ads and $1,800/month on Sparefoot. Despite this spend, they were only 75% occupied. Their website got 340 organic visitors per month—barely 10 per day.

The owner knew they needed better organic visibility but didn't know where to start.

Initial Audit Findings:

• Site loaded in 7.2 seconds (way too slow)
• Not mobile-friendly
• Only 8 pages total
• No Google Business Profile optimization
• Ranking on page 3-5 for target keywords
• Only 4 online reviews
• No backlinks from local websites

The 90-Day Strategy

Rather than trying to fix everything, we prioritized actions that would deliver the fastest ROI. Here's what we focused on:

Week 1-2: Foundation Fixes

1. Speed Optimization (Day 1-3)

What we did:

• Compressed all images (reduced file sizes by 78%)
• Enabled caching
• Minified CSS and JavaScript
• Moved to better hosting ($30/month → $60/month, worth it)

Result: Load time dropped from 7.2s to 1.8s

Impact: Bounce rate decreased from 67% to 42%

2. Mobile Optimization (Day 4-5)

What we did:

• Implemented responsive design
• Made phone number click-to-call
• Simplified navigation for mobile
• Made buttons larger and easier to tap

Result: Mobile usability score improved from 48 to 94

3. Google Business Profile Overhaul (Day 6-10)

What we did:

• Completed every section (services, amenities, hours)
• Added 45 photos (facility, units, features)
• Created 5 Google Posts
• Started review generation campaign
• Added Q&A with common questions

Result: GBP views increased 340% in first 2 weeks

Week 3-4: Content Creation

4. Strategic New Pages

We created 12 new pages targeting specific keywords:

Content Strategy:

• Each page 800-1,200 words
• Included local references and landmarks
• Added photos of relevant units
• Clear pricing and availability
• Strong CTAs on every page

Week 5-6: Review Generation

5. Systematic Review Campaign

What we did:

1. Created review request cards with QR codes
2. Asked happy customers in person during move-in
3. Sent follow-up emails 14 days after move-in
4. Responded to every review within 12 hours

Results:

• Went from 4 reviews to 47 reviews in 45 days
• Maintained 4.8-star average
• GBP ranking improved dramatically

Week 7-8: Local Link Building

6. Strategic Partnerships

What we did:

• Partnered with 3 local moving companies: Offered discounts to their customers, got linked from their websites
• Joined Chamber of Commerce: Got listed on chamber website and local business directory
• Sponsored high school sports team: Got link from school website and local news coverage
• Created "Moving Resources" page: Listed recommended local services (movers, truck rental, etc.) and asked for reciprocal links

Results: Gained 18 quality local backlinks

Week 9-12: Blog Content & Optimization

7. Educational Content

Created 6 blog posts targeting informational keywords:

• "Storage Unit Sizes: Complete Guide with Photos"
• "How Much Does Storage Cost in [City]?"
• "What Items Need Climate-Controlled Storage?"
• "Moving to [City]? Your Complete Guide"
• "How to Pack a Storage Unit: 15 Expert Tips"
• "Do I Need Storage Insurance?"

These posts:

• Targeted long-tail keywords
• Answered common customer questions
• Included internal links to service pages
• Had clear CTAs

8. Technical SEO Fixes

What we did:

• Fixed broken internal links (14 found)
• Optimized all title tags and meta descriptions
• Added schema markup (LocalBusiness, FAQPage)
• Created and submitted XML sitemap
• Set up Google Search Console
• Implemented breadcrumb navigation

The Results

Business Impact:

• Occupancy: 75% → 89% in 90 days
• Reduced Sparefoot spend: $1,800/month → $600/month
• Reduced Google Ads: $2,500/month → $1,200/month
• Net savings: $2,500/month in advertising
• Additional revenue: 42 new units rented = ~$6,300/month

Why It Worked

1. We Focused on Quick Wins

Instead of a 12-month plan, we targeted changes that would show results fast:

• Speed improvements (immediate impact on rankings)
• Google Business Profile (visible in map pack within days)
• Review generation (ranking boost within weeks)

2. We Prioritized Local Over National

We didn't try to rank for "self storage" (impossible against chains). We targeted:

• Neighborhood names
• Local landmarks
• Specific feature + location combos

3. We Created Content People Actually Wanted

Every page answered a real question customers were asking. No fluff, no filler.

4. We Built Real Local Authority

Partnerships, sponsorships, and community involvement created genuine local signals Google rewards.

What You Can Replicate

You don't need to do everything at once. Here's how to start:

Month 1 Priority Actions:

1. Fix site speed and mobile issues
2. Fully optimize Google Business Profile
3. Start review generation campaign
4. Create 3-5 location-specific pages

Month 2 Priority Actions:

1. Build 5-10 local partnerships and backlinks
2. Write 3 helpful blog posts
3. Fix technical SEO issues
4. Continue review generation

Month 3 Priority Actions:

1. Create more targeted content
2. Expand local partnerships
3. Analyze and double down on what's working
4. Plan next phase

Common Questions

"Did they hire an agency?"

No. The owner did most of this work themselves using Storentic SEO for guidance and tracking. Total cost: $99/month for tools + about 10 hours/week of their time.

"Will this work for every facility?"

Results vary based on competition, current site quality, and execution. But these tactics work for any local business competing against larger chains.

"How much did they spend?"

Total 90-day investment:

• Better hosting: $180 (3 months)
• Storentic SEO: $297 (3 months)
• Chamber membership: $300
• Team sponsorship: $500
• Total: $1,277

ROI: They saved $7,500 in advertising and gained $6,300/month in new revenue. The investment paid for itself in less than a week.

6 Months Later: Where Are They Now?

As of this writing, Suburban Storage has:

• 95% occupancy (up from 75%)
• 1,240 monthly organic visitors (up from 340)
• 87 Google reviews with 4.9-star average
• Ranking #1 for 12 local keywords
• Completely eliminated Sparefoot spending
• Reduced Google Ads by 70%

The Bottom Line

SEO isn't magic, and it's not complicated. It's about making your website genuinely useful, building local authority, and consistently showing up where your customers are searching.

Start with the fundamentals (speed, mobile, GBP), add targeted content, and build local connections. The traffic and customers will follow.

This facility went from spending thousands on paid advertising to generating consistent organic traffic that costs nothing to maintain. You can do the same.