Key Metrics Display
| Metric | Before (Month 0) | After (Month 12) | Growth (%) |
| Domain Authority | 22 | 54 | +145% |
| Referring Domains | 84 | 462 | +450% |
| Local Pack Visibility | 12% (Top 3) | 78% (Top 3) | +550% |
| Monthly Leads | 45 | 187 | +315% |
Client & Industry Overview
The Client:
A multi-location healthcare agency providing comprehensive medical services, including specialized surgery, diagnostics, and rehabilitation in the Pacific Northwest region. The agency operates multiple clinics with a focus on orthopedic and cardiology specialties.
Industry Insights:
The healthcare industry in the region is highly competitive, with several large and well-established providers competing for the top positions in search results. Local SEO and reputation management are crucial in a market where trust and credibility are paramount. Patient acquisition is heavily influenced by online visibility and the quality of external signals such as backlinks, local citations, and reviews.
The Challenge
At the outset of the project, the healthcare agency faced several SEO challenges:
- Domain Authority (DA): With a DA of 22, the website lacked the trust signals necessary to compete for high-intent keywords like “knee replacement surgery” and “cardiac treatment near me.”
- Referring Domains: The agency’s backlink profile consisted mostly of low-quality links, including outdated directory listings and irrelevant backlinks.
- Local SEO Issues: Despite operating in multiple locations, the agency struggled with NAP (Name, Address, Phone) inconsistencies and under-optimized Google Business Profiles.
- Reputation Deficit: Online reviews across key platforms like Google and Yelp were sparse, with the agency holding a low 3.2-star average rating.
Business Goals & KPIs:
- DA Goal: Increase DA by 40+ points over 12 months.
- Referring Domains: Acquire 200+ high-quality referring domains.
- Local Pack Rankings: Achieve 70%+ visibility in local pack rankings for key location-based search terms.
- Lead Generation: Increase monthly leads by 300% through enhanced local SEO and review management.
Strategy & Work Plan
Audit & Analysis:
An extensive audit of the agency’s backlink profile, local SEO signals, and competitive positioning revealed several critical areas for improvement:
- Backlink Profile: The agency’s backlinks were largely from irrelevant, low-authority sources.
- Local SEO: There were significant discrepancies in the NAP data across local directories, leading to local search ranking issues.
- Review Management: The agency’s online reputation was suboptimal, with minimal engagement from patients leaving reviews.
Tools used: Ahrefs, SEMrush, Moz, among others, helped identify competitor weaknesses, backlink gaps, and opportunities for local SEO enhancement.
Developed Strategy:
The strategy focused on quality over quantity, aiming for sustainable, long-term growth. We implemented a phased approach:
- Phase 1: Clean up the backlink profile and correct NAP data.
- Phase 2: Acquire high-authority backlinks, particularly from medical journals, educational institutions, and local sources.
- Phase 3: Optimize local SEO and Google Business Profiles to enhance visibility in the local pack.
- Phase 4: Strengthen the agency’s reputation through review management and digital PR.
Implementation:
1. Link Building Campaign:
A comprehensive outreach campaign was launched to build high-quality backlinks. The efforts included:
- Guest Posting: 20+ guest posts were secured on medical and healthcare blogs with DR 50+.
- Digital PR: Several press releases were distributed, resulting in media coverage and backlinks from reputable health-focused publications.
- Resource Link Building: We created valuable content like white papers, which were used as resources by university departments and government health portals.
- Broken Link Building: Identified and replaced over 100 broken links on healthcare resource pages, pointing back to the client’s relevant content.
Metrics:
- Referring Domains Added: 378
- Average DA: 48
- Dofollow Links: 80%
- Anchor Text Distribution: Focus on branded anchors and exact match keywords.
2. Local SEO & Citations:
We executed a full overhaul of the agency’s local SEO presence:
- NAP Consistency: Corrected over 150 instances of inconsistent contact information across various directories.
- Google Business Profile Optimization: Enhanced GBP with high-resolution photos, regular posts, and Q&A to engage local users.
- Local Link Acquisition: Secured links from local sponsorships and events, improving geographic relevance.
Metrics:
- Citations Completed: 80+
- NAP Consistency Score: 95%
- Local Pack Visibility: Improved from 12% to 78%
3. Reputation Management:
A comprehensive review management system was established:
- Review Generation: Automated SMS and email requests for reviews post-treatment, resulting in a 400% increase in review submissions.
- Review Response Protocol: Implemented a HIPAA-compliant system for timely and professional responses to both positive and negative reviews.
- Platform Strategy: Focused on Google, Healthgrades, and Yelp.
Metrics:
- Review Growth: 400% increase
- Rating Improvement: 3.2 to 4.8 stars
- Response Rate: 100%
4. Digital PR & Content Marketing:
To bolster the agency’s authority:
- Linkable Assets: Developed in-depth research reports and patient success stories, which were promoted to earn backlinks.
- HARO Engagement: Secured mentions in regional media outlets and health industry publications.
- Media Coverage: Featured in four major regional news outlets, generating backlinks from high-authority news sites.
Metrics:
- Links Earned: 45+
- Media Mentions: 5+
- Earned Media Value: $50,000
5. Backlink Cleanup:
We conducted a full backlink audit and removed toxic links:
- Toxic Link Identification: Found and disavowed 50+ low-quality backlinks.
- Link Reclamation: Converted 40% of unlinked brand mentions into dofollow backlinks.
Metrics:
- Spam Score Reduction: From 12% to 1%
- Toxic Links Removed: 50+
- Backlinks Reclaimed: 100+
6. Ongoing Monitoring:
Continuous tracking and optimization were essential for maintaining long-term success:
- Tracking Infrastructure: Set up detailed reporting using Google Analytics and Ahrefs to monitor growth.
- Competitive Intelligence: Regular competitive benchmarking to ensure the client’s standing in the industry.
Results & Business Impact
Organic Traffic Growth:
- Monthly Visitors: Increased by 250%, with a year-over-year growth of 175%.
- Traffic Milestones: Surpassed 10,000 monthly visitors for the first time.
Search Visibility & Rankings:
- Keywords in Top 3: “Orthopedic surgeon [City Name]” moved from position 18 → 2.
- Local Pack Ranking: Improved from 12% to 78% for target location-based keywords.
Lead Generation & Business Impact:
- Leads Growth: Monthly leads increased by 315%.
- Cost per Lead (CPL): Reduced by 38%.
- Revenue Impact: Notable growth in patient bookings and revenue.
Domain Authority & Links:
- DA/DR Improvement: Increased from 22 to 54.
- Referring Domains Added: 378 high-quality domains.
- Spam Score Reduction: From 12% to 1%.
Client Feedback
“The improvement in our digital authority has been truly remarkable. We now see more organic leads, reduced PPC spend, and a stronger position in local search results.”
— Healthcare Agency, Regional Operations Manager
Conclusions & Success Factors
Key Drivers:
- Quality Link Building: Focused on acquiring high-DR backlinks from relevant, authoritative sources.
- NAP Consistency & Local SEO: Addressing local data consistency provided an immediate and significant improvement in local rankings.
- Review Management: Improving the agency’s online reputation played a critical role in boosting conversions and patient trust.
Next Steps:
- Hyper-local SEO: Continue expanding local SEO efforts with neighborhood-specific citation clusters.
- Digital PR Expansion: Focus on national healthcare publications to further solidify the brand’s authority.
- Expert-Led Video Content: Implement an “Expertise-Led Video PR” strategy for backlinks and exposure.
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