From Zero to Page One: Hightop Breaks Through in Competitive Mental Health Market
Building a Digital Foundation for Growth
With no website and an ambitious growth plan, Hightop Health had to build its digital presence from the ground up—fast. As a newly formed MSO in the mental health space, they initially planned multiple sites for each brand in their network. However, a decentralized approach would limit scalability and dilute SEO performance.
We quickly pivoted to a centralized site strategy, focused on patient acquisition and long-term growth. Working closely with Hightop’s branding team, we modernized their existing design system and implemented a robust SEO content strategy to attract high-intent traffic.
The result? A scalable, patient-friendly site that delivers both function and performance. In just a few months, Hightop saw a 450% increase in keyword rankings and a 300% lift in top 3 positions—cementing their digital foundation for future expansion.
Hightop Health
Hightop Health is a fast-growing outpatient mental health MSO supporting a network of top-tier clinicians. It’s committed to personalized treatment plans with services like Ketamine therapy, psychiatric medication, psychotherapy, and more.
In addition to its branded locations, Hightop Health includes a family of trusted mental health brands, such as:
- Georgia Psychiatry & Sleep
- Psych Atlanta
- Roots Behavioral Health
Challenges:
- No existing website or SEO foundation
- Complex brand structure with multiple sub-brands
- Evolving business priorities that needed flexibility & creativity
Goals:
- Launch a scalable website to support future growth
- Boost keyword rankings and drive site traffic
- Create a patient-first, engaging digital experience
Designing for Trust + Engagement
The Building Blocks of a Patient-First Brand
To support modular design and ensure brand consistency across pages, we focused on three key visual elements:
Color Palette
Hightop’s color palette is all about breaking away from tradition: a blend of calming purples and earthy tones interspersed with electric greens and oranges. This eye-catching color scheme gives Hightop’s site a modern twist that patients might not expect.
Typography
Typography choices reflect both clarity and comfort. We used PP Writer Regular for bold headers and Marr Sans for the body copy. Both fonts have a classic but comfortable style. We avoided a sterile look, matched the playful color palette, and evoked a sense of trustworthy professionalism.
Iconography & Art Style
Circular design motifs carried throughout icons and imagery support Hightop’s visual identity and patient-first philosophy. The clean, rounded style invites users into a digital experience that feels human, safe, and approachable—not sterile or overwhelming.
Optimizing for Search Visibility
With zero organic presence at launch, our SEO strategy was built from the ground up. We:
- Developed SEO-rich content targeting local and service-specific terms
- Focused on high-converting keywords that aligned with patient search intent
- Structured site architecture to support future content and location growth
Content was written in plain language to support patients at every stage of their journey, while maintaining the authority needed for strong rankings.
Built to Be Found: A New Site That Converts & Ranks
A fluid digital strategy was key in this partnership. We adapted to Hightop’s evolving priorities in real time, shifting from clinician-centric messaging to an SEO-powered patient-acquisition strategy.
Cardinal built a website that’s visually stunning, easy to use, and brings in more new patients. Major results include a 450% increase in overall keyword rankings and a 300% increase in top 3 keyword rankings. They also saw:
- Local SEO wins: Targeting local patients was a must for Hightop, and their rankings expanded from branded terms to high-value local keywords instead (e.g., “psychiatrist douglasville ga”).
- Expanded reach beyond branded terms: Hightop moved from only ranking for brand names to capturing high-intent, non-branded searches tied to services and local care (e.g., “integrative mental health services,” “mental health diagnostic assessment”).
- Patient experience: A clean, intuitive site that helps users take action quickly.
With a flexible site structure and scalable SEO foundation, Hightop is now positioned to grow with confidence and help more patients find the care they need.
