2024 DIGITAL HEALTH
INBOUND MARKETING REPORT
INTRODUCTION
For digital health startups, your website is more than just a tool; it’s the cornerstone of your inbound strategy and the vital link between prospective clients and your CRM, making it crucial for lead-generation.
But creating and maintaining a high-converting website is no easy task, especially for resource-strapped startups.
The stakes are high: expensive automation and CRM tools consume a large portion of your marketing budget, while the average cost per lead in the industry has surged to $361. As organic reach on social media perpetually shrinks, digital health marketers are forced to depend more on costly advertising.
Add the staggering average of ~$1.4 million per year spent on conferences, and it's clear your marketing dollars are being stretched to their limits.
Where do all these efforts—conferences, social media, advertising—ultimately lead your prospects? To your website, the one digital asset that marketers fully own and control.
75% of healthcare marketers are investing more in their websites. Yet, with average industry website conversion rates at 3%, it’s clear that there is plenty of room for improvement.
Recognizing these challenges, we conducted an in-depth study of the inbound marketing practices of 200 B2B digital health brand websites. We analyzed everything from conversion paths to SEO strategies with a clear objective: to distill actionable insights that will help you transform your website into a lead generation powerhouse.
🔑 Unlock Industry Insights:
Dive deep into the inbound marketing strategies of 200 leading digital health companies across 10 key verticals. Uncover the winning trends and tactics driving the success of the industry’s top-performing websites.
📊 Benchmark Against Competitors:
Get an exclusive look at how your website stacks up against industry leaders. Identify hidden opportunities and pinpoint where you can build a competitive edge.
⚡ Supercharge Your Website’s ROI:
Learn how to transform your website into a high-converting asset with data-backed strategies that accelerate lead generation.
WHAT YOU'LL FIND IN THIS REPORT
METHODOLOGY
Our team of marketing experts researched 200 B2B digital health brand websites across 10 different verticals used by CB Insights. For each website, we broke down our research into 4 core components:
1️⃣ SEO & Content Strategy
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Does the site have a blog? If so, how frequently are new posts published?
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What is the the median number of keyword rankings for all sites per vertical?
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What is the avg. monthly search traffic for sites above vs. below the median number of keyword rankings?
2️⃣ Clarity of Conversion Paths
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Does the brand promote a clear, primary call to action across its website?
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Does the site’s primary conversion form contain 5 or less fields?
3️⃣ Strength of Value Communication
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Does the site clearly state the value of taking desired call-to-actions at conversion points?
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Does the site follow the 80/20 rule, focusing 80% of its copy on the audience and only 20% onitself?
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Does the site feature a video that explains how the product or service delivers value?
4️⃣ Use of Proof Points
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Does the site promote propriety stats and product data?
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Does the site offer case studies?
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Does the site feature customer testimonials?
📈 Data Integrity:
Unless cited otherwise, data in this report is from proprietary research conducted by Grippi Media from May through July 2024.
Download the full report to see the complete research data.
DIGITAL HEALTH BRAND VERTICALS
KEY FINDINGS
1. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) & Blogging Move the Needle
SEO is a game-changer. 76% of digital health brand websites feature an active blog. These brands reap big rewards, generating an average of 1,134% more monthly search traffic than those without a blog. Brands posting at least twice a month see 94% more search traffic compared to those posting less often.
By streamlining conversion paths and promoting a clear, single CTA, digital health sites can boost conversion rates by up to 161%. However, only 39% of digital health sites use a primary CTA, and 64% have forms exceeding five fields, creating needless friction.
2. Conversion Paths Are Complicated
86% of digital health websites focus on product features over customer needs, leading to disengagement. Only 29% clearly communicate the value visitors can expect by converting on any given call to action.
3. Customer Focus is Overshadowed By Self-Promotion
Product videos can boost conversions by up to 80%, yet only 42% of digital health websites use them to explain complex solutions. Video is a key driver for increasing qualified leads, brand awareness, and engagement, making it crucial for digital health brands to embrace this medium to stay competitive.
4. Videos are Underutilized
Case studies, product data, and testimonials build credibility and trust. Yet, only 49% of digital health brands use case studies, 43% share product data or stats, and 58% feature customer testimonials.
5. Proof Gaps Hurt Credibility
SEO & BLOGGING MOVE THE NEEDLE
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a vital marketing tool for digital health startups, particularly as advertising budgets shrink. Consider this: Google processes over 1 billion healthcare-related searches every single day — that’s 70,000 searches per minute!
With 77% of internet users regularly reading blogs, a key element of SEO, it’s clear why investing in both is a smart move. We found that 76% of digital health brand websites have an active blog.
The Influence of Search
Digital health brand sites with blogs generate an average 1,134% more monthly search traffic than those without. Yet, only 17% of digital health brands publish blog posts frequently (at least twice per month), leaving a vast amount of high-quality search traffic untapped.
For digital health brands that commit to frequent blogging, the rewards are substantial. Digital health brands that publish at least twice a month see an average 94% more monthly search traffic than those publishing less.
Maximizing Visibility with SEO
What’s the secret sauce behind the surge in organic site traffic? Keyword rankings.
Our research found that the median number of keyword rankings for digital health websites is 1,151 keywords. Digital health websites that are above this median generate an average of 2,056% more organic web traffic than those below the median.
By focusing on intent-based keyword searches, SEO connects your brand with potential customers precisely when they need your product or service. Its highly-targeted and cost-effective nature makes it an essential tool for startups with limited advertising budgets and resources.
More Keywords. More Traffic.
CONVERSION PATHS ARE COMPLICATED
To capitalize on inbound marketing, B2B digital health sites need a clear and streamlined conversion path. Minimizing steps and distractions enhances user experience, making it easier for visitors to recognize CTAs and ultimately complete conversions.
Using a specific, clear CTA can increase conversion rates by 161%. However, we found that only 39% of digital health brand websites promote a clear, primary CTA to drive conversions. Most digital health sites promote several CTAs in prominent areas, such as hero sections and navigation menus, making it unclear which CTA is higher priority.
The Value of Simplicity
A staggering 99% of prominently featured CTAs on digital health sites lead visitors to a form page—whether for demo requests, contact inquiries, or subscriptions.
Studies have shown that forms with more than 5 fields result in lower conversion rates, as the additional fields create more friction and deter potential leads. Despite this, we found that 64% of digital health website lead-gen forms contain more than 5 fields.
Simplifying the conversion journey with a single, specific CTA and reducing form fields to under five can significantly enhance user experience and boost conversion rates. By simplifying conversion paths, digital health brands can improve clarity, reduce friction, and drive more effective lead generation.
Reducing Needless Friction
CUSTOMER FOCUS IS OVERSHADOWED BY
SELF-PROMOTION
Most digital health brand websites fall into the trap of product-focused messaging, emphasizing features over customers’ needs. This approach results in a one-sided conversation that quickly loses audience interest.
In contrast, solutions-focused messaging addresses the audience’s critical needs and offers tangible value.
The 80/20 rule —80% audience-focused copy, 20% product-focused copy—ensures engaging, customer-centric messaging that builds trust. However, only 14% of digital health websites obey this approach.
Tailoring website copy to audience segments is crucial for effective personalization, making users feel valued. simply using the word “you” in messaging can increase conversions by up to 47%.
Product-Centric vs. Audience Centric
Only 29% of digital health brand websites include a value proposition on their form pages, leaving prospects unsure about the benefits of providing their contact information. Clearly communicating the value of actions like demos or calls can boost conversions by up to 202%.
Understanding your audience’s pain points and addressing them, emphasizing the benefits of your solutions, and incorporating customer-focused copy transforms your brand messaging from “meh” to “meaningful.”
What's in it for Me?
VIDEOS ARE UNDERUTILIZED
Product videos are a proven sales driver, with 73% of U.S. adults more likely to purchase a product or service after watching a video. By including a product video on webpages, marketers can increase conversions by up to 80%.
Despite this, only 42% of digital health brand websites currently use video to clearly explain their products and services. Given the complexity of digital health solutions, product videos offer a dynamic way to break down sophisticated concepts, making it easier for potential clients to grasp the true value of what you offer.
Demonstrate, Don't Describe
By neglecting product videos, B2B digital health brands are missing out on the opportunity to drive a 66% increase in qualified leads and a 54% rise in overall brand awareness.
The power of video extends far beyond your website. On LinkedIn, video content outperforms all other formats, delivering 5x more engagement and generating 20x more shares.Video is the platform’s fastest-growing content type, with uploads soaring by 34% in 2024 alone.
With 84% of B2B marketers planning to invest in video in 2024, it’s clear that now is the time for digital health brands to embrace this powerful medium and stay ahead of the curve.
The Video Advantage
PROOF GAPS HURT CREDIBILITY
Using proof points on your website, such as product data, testimonials and case studies, reinforces your brand’s credibility by showcasing measurable success. These elements build trust with potential customers, helping them feel confident in choosing your services or products.
73% of B2B buyers cite case studies as a key factor influencing their purchase decision. By including case studies on their brand’s website, marketers can increase lead generation by up to 34%.
In our research, we discovered that only 49% of digital health brands are leveraging case studies on their websites.
The Case for Case Studies
While case studies are a powerful tool, an alternative approach is to showcase quantifiable product data that clearly demonstrates the value buyers can expect. However, only 43% of digital health brand sites share product data or stats.
89% of B2B marketers report that testimonials are their most effective content for influencing purchases - and 97% of B2B buyers tend to agree. Despite this overwhelming endorsement, we found that 58% of digital health brand sites feature customer testimonials.
Deliver with Evidence
GET ALL THE RESEARCH
Unlock the research data for 200 digital health brands across 10 verticals and see where your inbound strategy stands against the competition.
