SEO Evaluation and Strategy for a Cancer Care Client
Updated: May 22, 2020
Objective: To determine three link building strategies and three keyword ranking opportunities for a healthcare provider that specializes in cancer care.
For the purpose of organization, I will call this fictional client Copeland Cancer Center in Richmond, Virginia. (Completely hypothetical)
Copeland Cancer Center is a ten-year-old healthcare provider that helps patients, primarily the elderly, get access to the treatment they need for various forms of cancer.
They specialize in treating cancer of the internal organs and attract patients with high-quality insurance plans that allow for unique and experimental treatment options.
Their goal is to bring new patients to their practice and establish themselves as a leader in the Richmond-area healthcare industry for their innovative care and holistic treatment options.
Broken Link Building
What this plan looks like:
In order to establish Copeland as a medical authority, I would search for 404 redirect pages on authoritative websites and rewrite the broken link’s content.
I would then provide my new link to the website that is linking to the 404 page offering them the ability to easily replace it.
In order for my strategy to be scalable, I would locate broken links that had at least 30 or more websites back-linking to them.
That way, I could send an email to each of the webmasters for those thirty websites offering them the opportunity to link to my new content.
Steps to take:
I would use brokenlinkbuilding.com to search for 404 pages using keywords that are qualified and relevant.
I would then use the Wayback Machine to reconstruct the previous content on those 404 pages and write my own content with that information.
Tools to use: brokenlinkbuilding.com, the Wayback Machine
I adapted this strategy from: https://moz.com/blog/the-broken-link-building-bible
Link Building Through Support Resources and Directories
Steps to take:
Approach directories of resources for cancer patients about linking to Copeland.
These directories will want to see that Copeland has relevant and quality content on their website. I would make sure all of the information in their directory is up-to-date, especially the information about what doctors are working at the facility and what kind of insurance they accept.
Tools to use:
I would simply google “how to find cancer directories” and begin to work my way down the list starting with the American Cancer Society, and then moving on to the National Cancer Institute, CancerConnect, Nemics Cancer Care Directory, etc.
Link Building with Financial Resource Websites for Cancer Patients
Steps to take:
This would be one of my easier link building strategies. I would approach companies that offer loans or financial assistance to cancer patients and ask if we could exchange backlinks with them.
I would offer to feature their company in one of Copeland’s blog posts if they would link back to us in one of their posts as well.
Tools to use:
I would use Google to find websites that listed places that were willing to give cancer patients money.
Link Building Through News and Technological Advancement Information
Steps to take:
For this strategy, I would investigate news regarding studies that have recently come out and new medications and procedures that recently have been approved.
I would then use this information to write highly relevant and technical articles that highlighted the ways these new treatment options could work for patients at Copeland.
By providing relevant and timely articles, I could then send links of these posts to local news organizations so that they can begin to spread the word.
Tools to use:
For this plan to work, I would have to create incredibly impressive content that makes a splash.
In order for a news organization to want to link to my work, it needs to be revelational and cutting edge.
Perhaps, I would speak to Copeland about any studies they are participating in.
Sample Outreach Email
My Approach:
For the broken link approach, I will write a sample email. I could also write a comment on the post if I want to take a more informal approach and pose as a helpful passerby.
Sample:
For the Webmaster,
I’m writing about advancements in cancer research and recently visited your website, www.thisdoesntwork.com/ohjeez. I noticed that there was a dead resource on your site that other researchers like myself are sure to need. It connects to the site, helpmeplease.com with the anchor text, “help me”. It seems they must have removed that content from their website.
I found the same information on this site, www.awesomesauce.com, if you want to swap it out.
Best,
Gabrielle
Websites to Target
Site: Komen.com
Why they are a good opportunity:
As a charitable organization, Suzan G. Komen is a great authority on cancer treatment. We could work with them to become a featured provider by showing the high quality of treatment options Copeland has available for patients.
Site: American Life Fund
Why they are a good opportunity:
This company allows you to sell your life insurance policy so that you can cover your medical bills. It’s an excellent example of a company that compliments Copeland’s business, but isn’t a competitor, making them great for link building.
Site: Fifth Season Financial
Why they are a good opportunity:
Fifth Season Financial provides loan services to cancer patients to help them be able to afford their treatment. We could approach them about link building opportunities for Copeland by offering to link to their services in one of our blog posts.
Site: Cigna.com
Why they are a good opportunity:
Approaching insurance companies to update their directory listing for Copeland will be paramount to our link building efforts. As a business that makes the majority of its money from insurance companies, it would be a mistake not to ensure this information was up to date so that patients looking for care will be able to find Copeland and book an appointment easily online.
Site to avoid: University of South Florida Medical School
Why:
USF has Moffitt Cancer Center, one of the largest research facilities in the nation. They are unlikely to want to direct their potential patients to another practice, especially since cancer patients are more likely than others to travel out of town for the opportunity to seek treatment.
Site to avoid: Cash Advance Websites
Why:
Although we would target some financial institutions that offer medical loans, we want to be sure to avoid trading links with companies that specialize in cash advances or payday loans. These predatory loan practices wouldn’t look good next to the Copeland name and could bring down our ranking on Google.
Keyword Strategies
For a cancer care service provider, I would construct articles that are relevant to potential patients. That way, if someone suspects they have cancer they will find Copeland Cancer Center.
I would also shape some articles so that they could easily feature backlinks to businesses that aren’t competitors but are relevant for cancer patients such as financial resources, charities, fundraising opportunities, CBD medications, and more. I would reach out to companies about being featured in these posts as part of my link building campaign.
Some posts would also be targeted towards people who are receiving treatment elsewhere and looking for more advanced or affordable options. These posts could be written with the audience of family members of cancer patients in mind, as well, since loved ones are likely to look for ways to help.
Content Piece One:
Headline - A Survivor’s Guide to Organizations that Help Cancer Patients Financially
Primary keyword -
organizations that help cancer patients financially (Search Volume: 1,200, Keyword Difficulty: 20)
Secondary keywords -
financial help for cancer patients (SV: 700, KD: 31)
help for cancer patients to pay bills (SV: 400, KD: 16)
government grants for cancer patients (SV:500, KD:19)
SEO Description - Stressed about paying for your cancer treatment? Check out this guide to organizations that help cancer patients financially and regain hope today. (characters: 147)
Reference Links - www.fifthseasonfinancial.com/blog/top-10-financial-resources-for-cancer-patients/
Content Piece Two:
Headline - 7 Cancer Symptoms in Men You Should Never Ignore
Primary keyword -
Cancer symptoms in men (Search Volume: 1,300, Keyword Difficulty: 22)
Secondary keywords -
Throat cancer symptoms in men (SV: 1,300, KD: 28)
Early signs of pancreatic cancer (SV: 1,600, KD: 18)
Cancer lump (SV:1,100, KD: 11)
SEO Description - For many people, cancer seems to sneak up overnight. But, there are warning signs. These are the cancer symptoms in men you can’t afford to ignore. (characters: 148)
Reference Links -
https://www.healthline.com/health/mens-cancer-early-symptoms
https://www.rd.com/health/conditions/signs-cancer-men
https://www.webmd.com/cancer/features/15-cancer-symptoms-men-ignore#1
https://www.medicinenet.com/10_cancer_symptoms_that_men_ignore/views.htm
Content Piece Three:
Headline - How to Know When it’s Time to See an Oncologist
Primary keyword - oncologist
(Search Volume: 56,000, Keyword Difficulty: 11)
Secondary keywords -
Warning signs of stomach cancer (SV: 150 , KD: 11)
Uterine cancer symptoms (SV: 8,600 , KD: 16)
Lower back pain cancer (SV: 2,000, KD: 9)
SEO Description - If you’ve begun to notice changes in your body, you may have been wondering if it’s time to visit an oncologist. Learn when you need a specialist with this helpful post. (characters: 160)
Reference Links -
https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/why-do-i-need-to-see-a-medical-oncologist/
https://www.cancer.net/navigating-cancer-care/cancer-basics/cancer-care-team/types-oncologists
https://www.caredash.com/articles/your-oncologist-a-cancer-health-care-specialist