Kobe Conrad, Head of Growth at Rupa Health and Onleet, took the stage at SaaStr Annual to break down the five growth channels that transformed Rupa Health from a $20M seed-stage startup into a platform with hundreds of millions in equity and a 4,000% increase in user acquisition over three and a half years.
Rupa Health is often described as the “Amazon for lab work.” It’s a platform where doctors can order from over 35 different labs, serving practitioners, patients, and labs themselves. But how did they scale so quickly?
Conrad’s answer: Channels are everything.
“All users come from channels,” Conrad explained. “Once you identify a channel that works, you can optimize it to drive massive growth.”
Here are the five channels that worked for Rupa:
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- Social Proof and Trust Building
- Educational Partnerships and Rupa University
- Conferences and Event Sponsorships
- Outbound Sales and Data Quality
Let’s dive into each.
1. SEO: How Rupa Health Dominated Search with Programmatic SEO and AI
Rupa Health invested heavily in search, aiming to own the top spots for specific lab tests and biomarkers. Conrad shared that Google’s Pmax has been a game-changer in recent years, but the real secret sauce was their programmatic SEO strategy.
Key Tactics:
- Expanded Lab Catalog into a Reference Guide: Rupa turned their lab catalog into a searchable, indexable resource for Google. This included creating landing pages for every lab company, test, biomarker, and category of test.
- AI-Enhanced Content: By layering AI on top of metadata, Rupa scaled content creation, publishing 150 articles a month written by medical professionals. These articles targeted valuable keywords and longtail phrases, resulting in 300,000 organic views per month (now nearly 500,000).
- High-Quality Content at Scale: Conrad emphasized that the key to SEO success is publishing content that’s better than what already exists. Rupa achieved this by combining AI with a small army of medical doctors and editors.
Pro Tip: “Programmatic SEO works best when you layer AI on top of metadata relevant to your product. It’s about creating high-quality content at scale.”
2. Social Proof and Trust Building: The Underrated Growth Channel
In industries where trust is critical, social proof is a powerful growth lever. For Rupa, this meant building trust with early partners and users.
Key Tactics:
- YouTube Strategy: Rupa focused on trending topics with low competition, like Nitric Oxide and Hpylori. They hired doctors to create high-quality content, equipped them with good gear, and taught them how to be influencers.
- Twitter and Facebook: On Twitter, Rupa leveraged their CEO’s personal brand, as people tend to follow personalities over corporate accounts. On Facebook, they found success by posting links in the comments instead of the main post, boosting engagement by 100x.
Pro Tip: “On YouTube, 80% of success is content-based. Find trending topics, hire experts, and create the best content available for that topic.”
3. Educational Partnerships and Rupa University: Building a Profitable Acquisition Channel
Partnerships are often underrated, but Rupa took this channel to the next level by creating Rupa University, a paid boot camp for doctors.
Key Tactics:
- From Free Calls to Paid Boot Camps: Rupa started with weekly live calls and evolved into paid boot camps costing $400, including a lab test. These boot camps became a profitable acquisition channel, driving users to Rupa’s core product and generating millions in revenue.
- Service Businesses as Acquisition Tools: Conrad highlighted that building service businesses (like Rupa University) on top of core products can drive more users and create organic versions of paid services.
Pro Tip: “Look for partnerships beyond influencers—schools, licensing organizations, and media outlets can be goldmines for growth.”
4. Conferences and Event Sponsorships: Maximizing ROI
Conferences can be hit-or-miss, but Rupa cracked the code by focusing on standing out visually and targeting the right attendees.
Key Tactics:
- Tailored Approaches: Rupa segmented conference attendees into doctors, patients, and lab partners, tailoring their approach to each group.
- Creative Perks: Instead of just buying a booth, Rupa negotiated for perks like dedicated email sends and speaking opportunities. They also found success with lanyard sponsorships, which provided high ROI and credibility.
Pro Tip: “When it comes to event sponsorships, it’s not just about showing up—it’s about how you show up. Bigger-ticket impressions often provide higher ROI.”
5. Outbound Sales and Data Quality: The Power of Scraping and Personalization
Outbound sales can be a grind, but Rupa made it work by focusing on data quality and personalization.
Key Tactics:
- Python Scrapers for Lead Generation: Rupa used a Python scraper to collect data on local functional medicine businesses, then layered in tools like Hunter IO and Phantom Buster to clean and enhance the data.
- Personalized Emails: Conrad stressed that generic emails get ignored. Rupa’s sales team sent highly specific emails, doubling their ROI.
Pro Tip: “Outbound sales rely on data quality. Invest in scraping and cleaning tools, and make sure your emails are personalized to grab attention.”
Key Takeaways: Diversify Your Channels and Build for the Long Term
Conrad closed with a reminder to diversify growth channels and build owned assets for long-term sustainability. While paid acquisition can provide quick wins, it doesn’t scale well. Instead, focus on creating organic versions of paid channels and building trust through influencers, partnerships, and high-quality content.
Final Thought: “Growth is about finding channels that work, optimizing them, and then scaling. But don’t put all your eggs in one basket—diversify your bets to future-proof your growth.”
