Visibility of the Hair Restoration Network

[Hayden87]

So often we have new members coming to the forum who are recent recipients of a HT surgery, asking newbie questions to which they should have known the answers long before undergoing surgery; or worse, members who are rightfully concerned after having recently visited a 'hair mill'.

The question that always immediately crosses my mind is 'How did you not come straight to this forum during your initial research?', as so much anxiety and/or pain could be avoided had he done so.

It has been a thought back to which I have repeatedly come, so a couple of days ago I did a simple Google search for 'hair transplant'. The Hair Restoration Network is nowhere to be seen in the results.

A search on Yahoo does yield a link to the Hair Transplant Network on the second page of results, however Google currently holds a 92% market share of search engines.

I can't remember exactly how I found the forum six or seven years ago, but I'm guessing it was the result of a Google search. Has something changed to cause https://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com to lose visibility? 

This forum has been the single-most important information resource for all the research I have done on hair restoration; it is certainly the only online resource that I feel has any credibility. There is a stark contrast between the HRN and, for example, Reddit with all its faceless, nameless posters and of course, Google, with all its five-star reviews from single-review accounts.

Could a few other users perhaps do a search, to see if the HRN is displayed as a result?

 

 

 

[JoeMan]

It's the 1st thing that pops up under Hair Transplant Forum search but without forum, I didn't see it. 

I believe that's the search I used when I found it originally. 

[Melvin- Admin]

Google changed its matrix years ago, and severely penalized the forum and others alike. We used to be listed #1 for years. We still rank on the first page for hair transplant reviews, which is how most people find it. But the best way to generate organic growth is by sharing. A new way I’ve seen recently is telling people about the forum on Reddit. Sharing threads there, etc. 

[Marko7t4]

There’s a hair transplant page on Facebook which is run by Matt Dominance. If anyone asks for advice on there, I will usually point them in the HRN direction via Google. 

[Melvin- Admin]

5 hours ago, Marko7t4 said:

There’s a hair transplant page on Facebook which is run by Matt Dominance. If anyone asks for advice on there, I will usually point them in the HRN direction via Google. 

Yes, this is the type of organic word of mouth referrals that are the best.

[Gatsby]

Yes I know I piss off a lot of YouTubers because I always mention Eugenix!  😉

[Al - Moderator]

Years ago this forum was the first in the list, but these days you have to pay to get your site listed on the first page with most general search phrases. There's not much you can really do about it.

 

[Melvin- Admin]

I wanted to search our visibility against big names in the industry. Looks like we outrank Bosley. That’s pretty huge, seeing as we do zero paid advertisements. 

[Britanium]

Dare I ask how HRN fares against HOI/Asli Tarcan/Cinik ? 😑

[Melvin- Admin]

34 minutes ago, J.A.C said:

Dare I ask how HRN fares against HOI/Asli Tarcan/Cinik ? 😑

I think they get a lot of traffic from Instagram, not necessarily google.

[Kerma M]

On 3/25/2022 at 2:12 PM, J-C said:

Dare I ask how HRN fares against HOI/Asli Tarcan/Cinik ? 😑

I think this is the actual problem! When you google those clinic it’s unlikely that this forum will pop up or at least referenced for legit reviews! I believe those clinics spend a lot of money in marketing that they have essentially fake reviews on every search engine! I even read that google somehow won’t post negative reviews for those clinics as they get flagged immediately!
I found this forum when I googled overharvesting after HT! 

I wish if this forum appear when you google one of those hair mills!

Edited June 7, 2022 by Kerma M

[Rahal Hair Transplant]

Hayden,

in addition to some of the other comments on this thread, I want to point out that some individuals don’t do the kind of initial research that they really should prior to undergoing hair transplant surgery in the first place. Many become overzealous and enthusiastic about the possibility that they could really regrow their own naturally growing hair again. And while there’s nothing wrong with this enthusiasm, sometimes these emotions override one’s inclination to take the necessary time that’s required to really understand the procedure and whether or not their goals can really ever be met.

For example, many people trust that a doctor knows what they are doing and don’t think that they need to question them.  After all, isn’t a surgeon required to undergo certain schooling, training and testing prior to being able to operate on patients? Aren’t all surgeons the same in their ability and skill?

Those who do take their time to do the research quickly find out that not all surgeons are created equal in terms of their skill, experience and ability to create and produce consistent, dense and natural looking results.  In fact, some surgeons are absolutely stellar while other surgeons haven’t evolved their procedure since the late 1990s.  Some also just aren’t as skilled as others.

Forums such as this one give patients and prospective ones a voice and the ability to actually question whether or not a doctor or clinic actually have the ability to produce results that are worthy of praise and acceptance. Some simply miss the mark while others are quickly elevated to what many individuals refer to as their top list of “best doctors”.

One thing I really like about this community is that they recommend doctors based on standards and not just ability to pay a membership fee. Many doctors who are willing to pay have been turned down and those who have been approved for recommendation have gone through rigorous criteria and a public screening where each member of this forum has a say.  

There is also a second tier recommendation called the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians where those doctors who are members have passed an even higher level of elevated standards.  I am honored to be working for Dr. Rahal who not only has been approved for this esteemed membership but also has a stellar reputation amongst his patients, peers and forum members.

Back on point, many enthusiastic individuals end up undergoing surgery prior to doing any real research and then afterwards, while they are waiting for their results to grow in, find this and other communities to garner support and have their questions answered.  I’ve seen and heard many patients say that they wish they found this community prior to undergoing surgery because they would have chosen more wisely.

And while it may not be as easy to find this community as it was before Google’s algorithms changed, it’s still relatively easy to find if you’re looking for information about the procedure or on the best doctors that perform it.   But ultimately, the more visible websites like these are, the more likely individuals considering the procedure will be saved from potentially going to a doctor with a less than optimal reputation.

best wishes,

Rahal Hair Transplant