(039) Improve Your Online Findability: Search Engine Optimization for Providers of Patients with Vulvovaginal Pain
Authors: Williams C , Bouvia M , Williams G 
Published: June 2023

Introduction

Women with vulvovaginal pain struggle to find detailed, reliable information, accurate diagnoses, and knowledgeable providers. It often takes many years and visits to multiple providers to reach diagnosis. One of the many factors impeding their journey is the small amount of information written for patients and difficulty locating what is available.

Objectives

The goal of this project was the compare the search terms used by patients looking for information before diagnosis to the search terms required to locate the desired information. Additionally, we sought to use those results to craft tips and best practices for sexual medicine providers and societies to improve their findability. Lastly, a case study was performed on our own website to demonstrate effects on findability.

Methods

To characterize the search terms required to locate detailed, reliable information on vulvodynia, an analysis was conducted on five websites with relatively comprehensive information written for patients. Three of the websites are owned by societies and two by individual practices. The top one hundred keywords were identified for each website using SEMrush analysis of organic traffic of the root domain. To characterize the search terms patients with vulvovaginal pain used to look for information before diagnosis, polls were conducted of members of three large online support groups and received over 400 votes. Inductive coding was used to identify emergent themes in the search terms and keywords.

Results

Poll results showed that the search terms used by patients were centered on their experiences. More than 90% of search terms directly described physical symptoms (such as vulvar/vaginal pain or burning) or a task they have difficulty with (such as inserting a tampon or intercourse). Less than 10% of search terms used by patients were names of sexual dysfunctions or vulvovaginal pain conditions. In contrast, preliminary analysis of the search terms required to locate information written for patients by providers or societies consisted of less than 25% physical symptoms (with more than half of these keywords coming from a single website) and about 30% names of sexual dysfunctions or vulvovaginal pain conditions. Based on this large discrepancy between patient search terms and informational websites’ keywords, we offer suggestions to improve searchability of providers and societies websites, such as using patients’ search terms in headers and webpage titles, blogging, and including links in content.

Conclusions

Women with vulvovaginal pain conditions, e.g. vulvodynia, vestibulodynia, clitorodynia, and pelvic floor muscle dysfunction, struggle to find information about these medical conditions online, in part due to discrepancy between the search terms they are using and the keywords of the desired websites. Simple changes to provider and society websites can begin to bridge this gap and help women find information and knowledgeable providers faster.

Disclosure

No.