Executing an Online Refresh and Brand Overhaul for International Medical Lasers (IML), a US Medical Device Distributor

CASE STUDY

Powerful marketing results delivered with a multi-pronged strategy focused on brand building and online presence

IML sources state-of-the-art medical devices from around the globe, and makes them available in the U.S. They work with top tier international manufacturers to provide innovative yet practical medical technology solutions for hospitals, surgical centers, and other institutions. Through its strong network of dealers, IML supports medical teams as they address patient care in hospitals, surgery centers and clinics across the U.S.

The Brief

International Medical Lasers (IML), a medical device importer and supplier, was riding a wave of market growth. Demand for the premium products they supply was strong, and their USA-wide network of device dealers was successfully selling into hospitals and clinics.
At the start of the collaboration, IML’s primary business goals included:
  • Increasing brand awareness
  • Onboarding more dealers
  • Expanding their network of dealers and manufacturers
  • Developing new manufacturing partnerships
  • Increasing device sales on behalf of their partners
IML’s secondary business goals included:
  • Educating and training their dealer network
  • Building strong partnerships in the medical device community through support and education

Their business goal of continued sales growth of medical devices was clear. To accomplish this goal, IML required a full-service 360-degree marketing strategy with multiple elements that worked together to create an impact greater than the sum of the parts.

To start, IML needed to improve its online presence and brand. A brand transformation and upgrade was required to reflect their marketing positioning, the story they wanted to tell customers, and the perceptions they wanted to create about their company, its products and value propositions.

Their main priorities were:
  • Business growth via online marketing and brand building
  • Increased visibility, reach, and exposure with the target audience
  • Shaping and controlling perceptions about the company via branding

Our Challenge

IML had outgrown their single-page website and realised it would not match the brand they wanted to build. They required a more extensive online presence to form the foundation of an overall online marketing plan to fuel business growth efforts. We determined that the following initiatives would form a strong foundation for the marketing plan, contributing to IML’s future success:
  • Complete brand overhaul
  • Website rebuild
  • Preparation for digital marketing
Here is how LD approached this challenge using our process.

Our Process

Our partnership with IML enabled us to use our 360 marketing process; LD was responsible for the entire brand and marketing strategy, as well as the execution. This approach is an exciting way to partner with a brand or business, as it allows the most room for creativity, as well as for achieving strong, optimised results.

Here is the 5 step process we used with our 360-degree marketing package to deliver results for IML.

What We Did

LD started with a brand overhaul to build a strong foundation for IML’s marketing going forward. Strong and cohesive branding ensures that the look, feel, messaging, and perception of the brand are consistent and reproducible across all platforms. Once the brand was in place, the other execution could occur, as follows.

STEP 1:
Brand Overhaul

We started with a brand overhaul project for IML to solidify their brand’s look, feel, tone, and voice. This step clarifies language, imagery, and perception and provides robust building blocks for all other online marketing initiatives. LD created a crisp and robust logo to echo the professional and trustworthy look desired by IML.

To create a cohesive look, feel, and voice, LD developed new branding for IML. The work involved a combination of language, imagery, and perception, providing a foundation for overall internet marketing efforts.

We created and implemented a new logo and colour scheme with calming yet authoritative tones of blues and blacks to communicate professionalism and trustworthiness – two attributes desired by the client. Together, these elements form the visual foundation of IML’s updated branding.

STEP 2:
Website Redesign

Previously, the entire IML website consisted of a single page. Visitors seeking further information would be redirected to another website owned by IML. Their sparse home page contained minimal information for search engines and visitors, reducing its potential to rank for key targeted search terms.
Let’s take a look:

The BEFORE

The AFTER

The old website had a poor user experience and a lack of information. LD needed to address these shortcomings to enable IML to reach its full growth potential.

The first thing LD did with the website was to eliminate the extra domains and amalgamate all the information from each site into one central location: imlasers.com. We also did a complete copy overhaul, adding over 20 new pages to the site.

Our design team vastly improved the user experience. We used the new branding to build the updated IML website—turning it into a sophisticated and information-rich hub for medical device dealers, manufacturers, and other healthcare industry stakeholders.

The client is thrilled with their new branding and the look and feel of their website. With an increased emphasis on targeted traffic generation via relevant content, there were plenty of opportunities to improve in terms of SEO.

STEP 3:
SEO Overhaul

Previously, the IML website consisted of very few pages with a low word count and links to various manufacturing partners. This affected the ability of their website to rank for a variety of organic keywords with the potential to deliver highly qualified prospective dealer and manufacturer partners. Additionally, the website health score as of April 2023 was 59% due to various technical SEO factors, including limited content and a high number of pages that had errors and/or were not indexable by Google.

The BEFORE

Here’s an image of all the errors, warnings, and notices listed on IML’s site prior to migration:
The previous IML website triggered many warnings as it was not set up in accordance with current SEO approaches. Additionally, the ability of the domain and pages to increase authority was limited.
Here is where IML stood from an SEO perspective before we started working with them:
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Domain Authority

0

Average Keyword Ranking Position

0

Keywords Ranked for in SERPs

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Organic Traffic from Search (Yearly)

0

Backlinks

Before, IML tracked website visits using 15 separate Google Analytics accounts. These accounts were in place before LD’s involvement. Addressing IML’s SEO challenges and consolidating their existing setup was key to the website overhaul and content creation projects.

The AFTER

SEO is an essential part of the marketing mix as it can deliver targeted leads through relevant organic search terms. To improve the IML website and its probability of ranking well for relevant organic keyword searches with the potential to reach the right target audiences, LD has implemented the following SEO best practices:
  • A growing library of value-added content marketing assets, including web pages, blog posts, and regular social media posts based on pillar topics
  • Fast-loading pages for an improved user experience
  • Strong information architecture, including well-organised page hierarchy, working hyperlinks, and proper 301 redirects
  • Metadata such as title tags, meta descriptions, and open graph and schema markup
  • Metadata such as title tags, meta descriptions, and open graph and schema markup
  • Backlinks from authoritative websites, such as IML partner DEKA
0

Domain Authority

0

Average Keyword Ranking Position

0

Keywords Ranked for in SERPs

0

Organic Traffic from Search (Monthly)

0

Backlinks

A factor to note is that IML’s domain authority was 11 before launching the new website.

After four months, domain authority has more than doubled to 26. This increase is a testament to LD’s SEO efforts and is evidence that IML is gaining a bigger online presence and authority in SERPs.

Organic Website Traffic:

Since launching the new website in 2023, IML’s organic traffic has been relatively consistent at between 120–140 organic users every month. This is a considerable increase from the previous number of 65 organic users over the span of a year.

Referral Traffic:

IML’s manufacturing partner, Italian medical laser manufacturer DEKA, recently linked their website to IML’s newly launched site. Since doing this, we have seen a steady climb in referral traffic from this source. For example, 46/449 referral traffic visitors came through the DEKA backlinks in August alone.

For comparison, in July, referral traffic from DEKA was 28 users, and in June, it was 14. This metric shows that there has been a positive uptake in referral traffic since connecting both websites (something we hope to replicate with IML’s other manufacturing partners’ websites as well).

With increased website content and inbound links, IML’s SEO performance has improved as measured by total organic traffic. When we combined SEO with other traffic generation tactics, such as PPC, IML’s targeted website traffic saw a positive boost.

STEP 4:
Pay-Per-Click (PPC)

Our extensive experience with PPC has shown us that extensive research and testing are the foundation of successful campaigns. Specifically, the highest performing combinations of imagery and text must be determined quickly to put the strongest creative in front of the target audience in each geographic area. The process creates many moving parts, requiring a highly organised and systematic approach to campaign creation, testing, management and optimisation.

BEFORE the Website Launch

Before working with LD, IML had not pursued PPC campaigns as part of an overall online marketing strategy.

AFTER the Website Launch

PPC is a system with many parts. Over time, it creates an engine of growth with predictable performance and return on investment.

Just as a team is greater than the sum of its parts, so is PPC.
Ads generate exposure and brand awareness while delivering qualified prospects to targeted landing pages. Each visitor is then pixeled to build remarketing and video watch lists that enable repeat exposure. Seeing targeted messaging over time persuades a portion of prospects to take action, which drives business growth.

Branded organic searches due to paid media campaigns can help lower the overall Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC). This offsets PPC spend by delivering prospects and customers at no cost through organic search. In combination, PPC and branded search multiply the effectiveness of one another.

Dealer Recruitment Ads:

Medical device dealers are a target audience for IML. LD set up a targeted pay-per-click ad campaign to reach this group and create interest. Through these efforts, we achieved the following results in July 2023:

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Clicks

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Leads

$ 0

Cost Per Click

LinkedIn Ad Testing:

We used a multivariate testing strategy with a 3x3x3 approach for LinkedIn. We deployed three variations of copy, three variations of imagery and three variations of targeting, resulting in 618 ads. The strongest performers become the controls that each challenger must beat in terms of performance as measured by click-through rates (CTR) and leads generated.

The number above includes a qualified prospect and the reach, exposure, and brand awareness generated by the ad campaign for the target audience.

Running PPC campaigns with high numbers of ad variants across multiple geographies requires in-depth research, a sound strategy, and an organised process for campaign creation, management, and optimisation.

PPC can be a key driver of leads when done well. However, healthcare has strict compliance requirements that limit campaign concepts, angles, ad creativity, and the expression of value propositions. Being strong creatively within these limitations is the key to producing marketing results with PPC for a medical device company such as IML.

STEP 5:
Content Marketing & PR Campaign

BEFORE

IML’s previous content and PR efforts were minimal. Content cannot create value if no one sees it. For this reason, LD explored opportunities to help IML syndicate and promote its content across various channels that reach the target audience, including LinkedIn.

AFTER

To help improve IML’s presence on LinkedIn, LD implemented the following tactics:
  • Reach out to top industry influencers
  • Engage with the content on their LinkedIn pages
  • Share top industry-specific content on the IML LinkedIn page
Additionally, a PR campaign helped to multiply IML’s reach while strengthening its digital and brand footprint. LD’s PR team created a series of articles telling the story of IML’s 100% year-over-year revenue growth. We had these articles placed strategically on a variety of relevant websites, including:
Here is an example of a press release article syndicated to a relevant website for the target audience:
We secured other media opportunities with publications like eHealth Radio Network, MedTech Dive, and others. The content formats included:
  • Interviews (with IML leaders)
  • News releases
  • Advertorials
Our PR Highlights Include:
  • 16 Unique Feature Placements
  • 167,000 Unique Impressions
  • 277 Unique Newswire Distribution Partnered Media Publications News Releases
  • 117 Million Total Online Audience
  • 39,606 Unique Engagements via MedTech Dive News Release

Cumulatively, the content placements on LinkedIn, as well as other media properties both in the medical field and outside, have helped to raise IML’s brand profile online. Typically, this increases what’s known as branded searches—when people search for your brand name on a search engine, avoiding the need to attract them using paid means.

To guide website and content development efforts, LD developed an SEO content map and content strategy that would help position IML as a thought leader in the industry. This map outlined key topics and sub-topics to be covered in a ‘hub and spoke’ fashion to enable IML to rank for key industry search terms, including questions prospects may type into a search engine.

Additionally, LD is helping IML to syndicate and promote its advertorial content across key channels that reach the target audiences, including LinkedIn, the AP, Time Magazine, Medical News, Med Tech Innovation News, and many others.

Further to LD’s efforts to increase organic traffic to its website, LD is continuing to publish multiple blog posts a month on IML’s website. Each post contains content that is highly relevant for both the target audience and search engines.

Strategic Outcomes

In terms of strategic objectives, LD’s campaigns produced the following:
  • Increased reach and brand awareness
  • Repeat exposure
  • Ongoing lead generation
  • A lift in branded (“IML” or “International Medical Laser”) searches on Google, Bing, and other search engines

The 360-degree, full-service marketing package LD formulated for IML has built a strong foundation for a multi-channel, multistep marketing program. With the ability to use strong creative and execution across multiple elements in the marketing mix, the strategy is synergistically impactful.

Perhaps the best way to measure marketing performance is by looking at the top line. IML’s impressive 100% year-over-year revenue growth reflects the strength of LD’s strategic 360 marketing execution as well as a growing market for medical devices in the U.S. When combined, these two elements are a powerful combination for business success.

Conclusion

LD has set the stage for IML to achieve its growth objectives. We overhauled IML’s branding, website, SEO, and content efforts and developed PPC campaigns from the ground up. Each of these elements in the marketing mix multiplies the effectiveness of the others, so the result is greater than the sum of their parts. From this perspective, IML is poised to experience significant business growth due to LD’s strategic, tactical and creative execution throughout the partnership.

Why Work With LD?

LD has extensive knowledge and experience with website design, content creation, PR, and SEO and PPC campaigns in healthcare. We have a proven track record in devising campaign messaging, including concepts, angles and creative that resonate with the target audience and drive them to action. Doing this requires analytical and creative thinking with a healthy dose of organisation, testing, and a love of data.
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