Case study
VaGoldMaps: from build to #1.
We built an interactive Virginia gold prospecting map — then made sure the people searching for it landed here first.
At a glance
A product big enough to own the query.
541
Documented mine & prospect sites on the map
34
Counties along the Gold-Pyrite Belt
1.3k+
Homepage search impressions in 90 days
7.0%
Homepage search CTR in July (up from 3.6% in April)
Results
Where searchers land first.
Map-intent queries are the win. When someone wants a Virginia gold map, VaGoldMaps shows up at the top.
Longer bar = closer to #1 on Google.
These map queries started with zero Search Console impressions. Once they ranked, traffic followed — triple-digit growth off a standing start.
Homepage CTR · April → July
Search Console click-through rate on vagoldmaps.com — rising as rankings and listing copy tightened.
+93%
CTR growth · Apr → Jul 2026
Homepage only. More of the people who see VaGoldMaps in search are choosing it.
Rankings and Search Console figures reflect April–July 2026. Triple-digit impression growth means these queries went from zero recorded impressions to ranked traffic. CTR growth compares homepage April vs July. Positions still move by location and device. For the July engagement see We started SEO work in July. The chart moved. The later 28-day window is in Then we hit 100 clicks in 28 days.
The project
A real product, not a brochure site.
VaGoldMaps maps the Virginia Gold-Pyrite Belt: historic mines, faults, lithology, LiDAR, and field tools for people who actually go outside.
Product
- Interactive map Toggle layers for mines, geology, and terrain
- Field tools Pins, distance, bearing, and shareable locations
- Field Notes Guides and deep dives that answer real questions
Hosting
- AWS-backed Built to stay fast under map traffic
- CDN delivery Pages and assets served close to visitors
- Clean crawl path Sitemap, prerendered articles, no junk index pages
Search work
- Map-intent titles Pages say what searchers type
- Ongoing audits Rankings reviewed and tightened over time
- Content pillars Guides that support the product, not fluff blogs
What moved the needle
Useful product first. Search second.
Build something worth ranking
- Clear homepage. Title, H1, and lead match what people type for map searches
- Real data. Hundreds of documented mine and prospect sites across the belt
- Speed & structure. Fast loads, sensible URLs, crawlable Field Notes
Then keep earning the click
- Intent alignment. Map queries get map pages; how-to queries get guides
- Technical cleanup. Index the right pages; keep thin or private routes out
- Iterate. Titles, meta, and internal links adjusted from real Search Console data
Takeaway
This is what “get found” looks like when the site matches the search.
VaGoldMaps didn’t win by stuffing keywords into a template. It won because the product answers the query — and the SEO work made that obvious to Google.
Local businesses don’t need a statewide map product. They need the same idea: a clear site for the searches that already matter in their town, plus the technical basics and ongoing work when the market is competitive. That’s what our builds include — and what Premium SEO is for when you want more.
Contact
Want results like this for your business?
Send your URL. We’ll tell you what we notice and whether a rebuild, hosting move, or SEO work makes sense.
Or call 804-938-5201