Medical Market and Content Before the SmartRanking team began the project, no work had yet been done on search visibility. The medical niche is a challenging market to rank in, particularly because Google scrutinizes medical content very closely. YMYL makes it even more difficult for new websites. Numerous optimizations were required to build the website’s authority and demonstrate to search engines that Homed-IQ is a trustworthy site. In addition to the time it took, it was also important that the various stakeholders were fully engaged in the process and had confidence in the strategy. This confidence ultimately paid off in a significantly improved search visibility.
Shift from COVID-19 testing to other types of testing During the COVID-19 pandemic, Homed-IQ derived virtually all of its revenue from COVID-19 tests, which were offered in collaboration with government organizations in the UK and elsewhere. This reliance on COVID-19 tests posed a risk, as the pandemic would not last forever. For this reason, efforts to increase the visibility of its other tests began immediately in November 2021. While Homed-IQ was easily found when searching for COVID-19 tests, it was not easily found when searching for other medical self-tests.
Competition from general-interest websites With at-home testing, Homed-IQ offers a convenient and anonymous alternative to medical tests at the doctor’s office, thereby also relieving pressure on the regular healthcare system. At the same time, however, there is competition from various (semi-)government websites, some of which also sell tests themselves. Google tends to prioritize these websites over lesser-known ones. That’s why it’s a major challenge to clearly demonstrate that Homed-IQ deserves to be just as easy to find, since Homed-IQ offers more affordable options than the (semi-)government websites for various tests.
Lack of Awareness About Self-Tests The market for at-home testing is a young and rapidly growing market, but as a result, it is still unfamiliar to many people. A large portion of Homed-IQ’s target audience has questions about anonymity and processing speed, and is concerned that the testing might be painful. Because it’s new, there’s also some hesitation about ordering a home test online and administering it yourself. This means we not only need to be discoverable through relevant search terms, but we also need to clearly explain to users how it works and what the benefits are. After all, in addition to easing the burden on the healthcare system, it’s also a convenient way to take a test on your own terms, without needing a doctor’s involvement.
Shift toward Search Using LLMs Homed-IQ’s target audience is very broad: people of all ages use the self-tests it sells. When it comes to the STD testing product category, however, Homed-IQ primarily targets a relatively young audience. Since November 2024, we’ve seen a major shift in search behavior. People are no longer searching exclusively via Google; instead, more and more users are turning to ChatGPT, in particular, to find information. This means we no longer have to focus on a single channel, but must instead implement a multi-channel organic search strategy. Fortunately, this approach is working well; thanks to LLMs, the number of visitors and the corresponding revenue are growing every month.
Introduction to AI Overviews An important part of Homed-IQ’s SEO strategy and mission is to inform visitors about medical topics. The introduction of AI Overviews has made this more challenging: the data shows that the number of clicks has decreased by 20%. This is understandable, as some users can read the information directly within the AI Overview result. That’s why it’s important not to focus solely on traffic, but also to take a close look at the number of AI Overviews being displayed and how many “owned AI Overviews” we have. That way, we can still build visibility and brand awareness, even if users don’t click through.