Royal College of Occupational Therapists boosts organic page views by 55% through website transformation
Client overview
The Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) stands as the foremost organisation for occupational therapists in the UK, boasting over 32,000 members and 14,000 website users. Their website serves as an essential hub for accessing professional information, providing resources not only for therapists but also for service commissioners and the public, including young people, individuals with disabilities, and the elderly.
The Challenge
RCOT faced an urgent need to transform their historic and unresponsive website to better serve their members. They approached us with concerns about preserving valuable content during a complex site migration. Their primary goals were to modernise site functionality, enhance user experience, and increase organic traffic, thereby reinforcing their position as an authoritative resource and driving membership sign-ups.
“CTI’s experience and skills in improving our SEO capabilities have played a crucial part of how we as an organisation are developing our digital capabilities and offerings to members. They were also incredibly helpful in helping us to manage the digital implications of our domain change as a result of Royal accreditation.”— James Patterson Head of Digital
The Approach
We tailored our strategy to address the immediate technical challenges of the site migration and improve the overall digital experience for their diverse member base. We immersed ourselves in RCOT's mission and values, ensuring that our approach aligned with their goal of becoming an indispensable online resource for occupational therapists.
Through collaborative discussions with key stakeholders, we identified critical content that needed to be preserved while simultaneously simplifying an unwieldy website structure. This careful consideration set the foundation for our targeted actions, ensuring that both current and prospective users would find the new site valuable and user-friendly.
Through collaborative discussions with key stakeholders, we identified critical content that needed to be preserved while simultaneously simplifying an unwieldy website structure. This careful consideration set the foundation for our targeted actions, ensuring that both current and prospective users would find the new site valuable and user-friendly.
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SEO Audit
We initiated the project with a comprehensive SEO audit, given the vast amount of content contributed by numerous members over the years, which rendered the website unwieldy. We assessed thousands of pages to identify valuable resources, organic traffic levels, and external links. -
Keyword Research
With no prior SEO efforts in place, we embarked on an exhaustive keyword research phase. This enabled us to refine the site's content significantly and establish a content map, imperative for the redirect process that ensured relevant connections across topics. -
Data Markup
To promote RCOT’s various events effectively, we introduced structured data markup to event pages. This enhancement allowed search engines to present essential details directly in search results, elevating visibility. -
Domain Name Change
Just before the site’s launch, the college received Royal accreditation, transitioning to the new domain of rcot.co.uk. We utilised this opportunity for a smooth migration rather than complicating matters by addressing the domain change post-launch. -
Link Audit
We conducted thorough link audits to identify any broken or harmful backlinks, allowing us to improve the site's authority. We also capitalised on legacy links, adjusting them to support the new domain effectively.
The Results
The successful implementation of our digital strategy has reinforced their status as a critical resource for occupational therapists across the UK. Our results illustrate not just numerical growth, but also a meaningful enhancement in user interaction and engagement.
By focusing on both technical optimisation and content relevance, we ensured that the new site met the needs of RCOT’s members. Our ongoing partnership with RCOT also means that we continuously monitor these metrics, adapting strategies to improve user experience and engagement over time.
By focusing on both technical optimisation and content relevance, we ensured that the new site met the needs of RCOT’s members. Our ongoing partnership with RCOT also means that we continuously monitor these metrics, adapting strategies to improve user experience and engagement over time.
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A 16% increase in total users within the first six months post-launch reflects the increased visibility and attractiveness of the site to both existing and new members.16%Increase in total users
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Total page views surged by 55%, showcasing how users actively engaged with the wealth of information available on the new site, as well as the effectiveness of our content strategy.55%Total page views
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Mobile traffic—an essential segment for accessibility—saw nearly a 50% boost in organic channels, signifying that the design adjustments made for mobile usability were well received.50%Mobile traffic boost
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The site also experienced an 11% year-on-year increase in organic users, indicating sustained growth and interest in RCOT’s offerings while receiving exceptional usability feedback from members.11%Organic users increase