How Axle Solutions Beat National Chains to Claim #1 Impression Share in 3 States
A local semi-truck axle repair shop went from surviving on referrals to dominating Google against national chains — all through precision bidding and local SEO.
Outgunned by National Chains
In 2022, Axle Solutions was struggling to compete in their local market for semi-truck axle spindle repair. This niche market was dominated by national chains with massive ad spends, leaving this local repair shop holding on by their bootstraps with only referrals and little to no website traffic. They desperately needed a way to get in front of their target audience on Google, where they were being heavily outgunned by the industry giants.
Precision Over Budget
Instead of trying to outspend the competition, we outmaneuvered them. We optimized their Google My Business profile using proprietary local SEO processes to increase visibility. Instead of blanket bidding, we precisely targeted their ideal customer and fine-tuned ad bids to outmaneuver national chains in highly competitive auctions. We also worked directly with the business owner to develop a dedicated lead funnel designed specifically to improve conversion rates.
Market Leadership Against All Odds
Using highly precise targeting, we stretched the ad spend to only bid on the most high-value, underpriced ad placements. This efficiency allowed Axle Solutions to expand their service radius and reach clientele previously thought unreachable. In the first month alone, ad-driven calls increased 136% — from 11 to 26 in just three weeks. By month two, they were receiving 50 calls per month, growing to 99 monthly calls by year-end.
Google Maps for the Entire State
Through our proprietary GMB optimization, Axle Solutions achieved the top spot on Google Maps for the entire state of Illinois — out-competing a national chain twice for their own business name with zero ad spend required. This organic dominance provides lasting value beyond any paid campaign.