thyroiddoctornc.com SEO Action Plan

Condition-Specific Microsite by Wilmington Functional Medicine — Dr. Hilary Rutledge & Dr. Mathew Bradshaw — SEO, AEO, GEO Strategy for Topical Thyroid Authority

Core Pages

Blog Posts

Organic Keywords

Schema Types

Bottom Line: thyroiddoctornc.com is a condition-specific microsite — a deep, authoritative resource on thyroid conditions, testing, and root-cause care — operated by Wilmington Functional Medicine. It has strong authentic content from real practitioners (13 blog posts, two named doctors with credentials). The core problem is structural: generic title tags, zero condition-specific schema, author attribution showing an email address instead of doctor names, no cross-linking to the parent business, no condition landing pages, and no content depth to establish topical authority. This is not a standalone business listing — it's a content hub designed to dominate geo-modified thyroid queries and earn AI citations. The domain name (thyroiddoctornc.com) has excellent keyword and geo signals, but none of that potential is being realized. This plan fixes all of it.

Current Site State

Pages in Sitemap

Page	Title Tag	Meta Desc	Issues
/ (Home)	Home - thyroiddoctornc.com	Generated by Rank Math	Generic title, no city/state, no service keyword
/our-story/	Our Story - thyroiddoctornc.com	Generated by Rank Math	Weak title, no keyword focus, no doctor name
/thyroid-testing/	Thyroid Testing	Generated by Rank Math	No geo-targeting, no keyword expansion
/faq/	FAQs	Generated by Rank Math	Generic title, no FAQPage schema
/blog/	Blog	Generated by Rank Math	No optimization
/contact/	Contact	Generated by Rank Math	No cross-link to parent business, no map
/book-call/	Book Discovery Call	Generated by Rank Math	Good CTA but thin page

Blog Articles (13 Posts)

Article	Topic Cluster	Quality	SEO Issues
What is Hashimoto's Hypothyroidism?	Hashimoto's	Excellent pillar content	No meta desc, no FAQ schema, no internal links to services
What is Hyperthyroidism?	Hyperthyroidism	Good educational content	No meta desc, no author schema
Why Labs Normal But Feel Terrible	Diagnosis	High search intent topic	No meta desc, no comparison table
Root Cause Thyroid Testing	Testing	Strong service connection	No MedicalTest schema, weak internal links
Diet & Thyroid Health	Lifestyle	High search volume topic	No meta desc, needs specific foods list
Is My Thyroid from Old Infections?	Root Causes	Niche but valuable	No viral panel testing info
Hormonal Imbalances & Hypothyroidism	Hormones	Good depth	No hormone testing cross-links
Vitamin & Mineral Deficiencies	Nutrition	Informative	No nutrient testing cross-links
Excess Stress & Hypothyroidism	Stress	Good narrative	No adrenal testing cross-link
Is My Problem Hashimoto's?	Diagnosis	High intent content	No link to Hashimoto's condition page

Note: 3 additional blog posts may exist but were not fully extracted. Verify full inventory in WordPress admin.

Navigation Structure

Only 6 items. No condition pages, no clear conversion path
"Our Story" is not a keyword anyone searches for
No dropdown for conditions, testing types, or about section
"Book Free Discovery Call" CTA exists but is not in the nav
Footer has no condition links, no testing links, no parent business reference
No mention of Wilmington, NC or the parent business in navigation or footer

Technical SEO Audit

Critical Issues

Author shows as email (shanemdlm@gmail.com) in Twitter cards, Open Graph, and Article schema. Kills E-E-A-T signals
No MedicalCondition or MedicalTest schema for thyroid conditions — the primary content type on this site
Title tags are brand-first instead of keyword-first ("Home - thyroiddoctornc.com")
No cross-linking to parent business Wilmington Functional Medicine (wilmingtonfunctionalmedicine.com)
No FAQPage schema on the FAQ page (perfect candidate for rich results)
No robots.txt AI bot allowances for GPTBot, ClaudeBot, PerplexityBot
No condition-specific landing pages for Hashimoto's, hypothyroidism, or other thyroid conditions

Warning Issues

Rank Math schema is basic (WebSite/WebPage/Article only, no healthcare types)
Blog posts lack author bylines with credentials visible on page
No "Last updated" dates on any blog posts
No internal linking strategy (hub-and-spoke not implemented)
Blog post H2s may link to related articles instead of being section headings
No breadcrumbs in schema or visible on page
Divi theme can be heavy on page speed (needs testing)

robots.txt Analysis

Current robots.txt blocks only /wp-admin/. Missing explicit Allow rules for AI crawlers (GPTBot, ChatGPT-User, PerplexityBot, ClaudeBot, Google-Extended). These bots may be able to crawl anyway, but explicit permission is best practice for AEO/GEO and signals intent to include your content in AI training and retrieval.

Platform Stack

Component	Current	Status
CMS	WordPress + Divi Builder	✅ Fine, flexible and well-supported
SEO Plugin	Rank Math (free)	⚠️ Upgrade to Rank Math Pro for schema control
Analytics	Google Analytics (G-G0583KVWMT)	✅ Working
Authors	Dr. Hilary Rutledge, Dr. Mathew Bradshaw	❌ Not configured as WP users
Domain	thyroiddoctornc.com	✅ Excellent keyword + geo signals

Site Architecture Restructuring

Current vs Proposed URL Structure

Current Structure (Flat)

/                                    (Home — generic title)
/our-story/                          (About — no keyword value)
/thyroid-testing/                    (Services — everything lumped here)
/faq/                                (FAQs — no schema)
/blog/                               (Blog index)
/blog/[article-slug]/                (13 blog posts, no categories)
/contact/                            (Contact — no parent business link)
/book-call/                          (Book Discovery Call)

Proposed Structure (Hub + Spoke — Condition Authority Model)

/                                    (Home — optimize for "thyroid doctor wilmington nc")
/about/                              (About — rename from /our-story/, add practitioners)
/about/dr-hilary-rutledge/           (E-E-A-T hub page)
/about/dr-mathew-bradshaw/           (Second practitioner)

/conditions/                         (Hub — conditions treated)
/conditions/hashimotos-disease/      (P0 — primary condition)
/conditions/hypothyroidism/          (P0 — high search volume)
/conditions/hyperthyroidism/         (P1)
/conditions/graves-disease/          (P1 — autoimmune thyroid)
/conditions/thyroid-nodules/         (P1 — high search volume)
/conditions/thyroid-symptoms-normal-labs/ (P1 — high intent)

/testing/                            (Hub — expand from /thyroid-testing/)
/testing/thyroid-panel/              (TSH, Free T3/T4, Reverse T3, antibodies)
/testing/adrenal-hormone-testing/    (Cortisol, DHEA, sex hormones)
/testing/gut-health-testing/         (Food sensitivities, gut microbiome)
/testing/food-sensitivity-testing/   (P1 — links to diet blog content)

/blog/                               (Blog index — categorize by cluster)
/blog/[existing-slugs]/              (Keep all current blog URLs)
/blog/hashimotos-vs-hypothyroidism/  (P0 — high-intent comparison)
/blog/thyroid-medication-guide/      (P0 — medication content gap)
/blog/thyroid-and-weight-gain/       (P1 — top search intent)
/blog/thyroid-and-fertility/         (P1 — underserved niche)

/faq/                                (FAQ — expanded with FAQPage schema)
/book-call/                          (Book Free Discovery Call — expand content)
/contact/                            (Contact with link to parent business)

Hub-and-Spoke Model: Each Conditions page becomes a hub linking to related blog posts, testing info, and booking CTAs. Each blog post links back to its hub and to the testing/booking pages. This creates topical authority signals that both Google and AI engines reward. The homepage naturally targets Wilmington, NC; blog posts and condition pages can mention surrounding areas (Leland, Jacksonville, Hampstead) organically within content.

Navigation Redesign

Proposed Main Navigation

Item	Dropdown	Purpose
Home	—	Brand + primary keyword landing
Conditions ▾	Hashimoto's \| Hypothyroidism \| Hyperthyroidism \| Normal Labs	Topical authority hub, matches search queries
Testing ▾	Thyroid Panel \| Adrenal & Hormones \| Gut Health \| How It Works	Service pages, matches "thyroid testing" queries
About ▾	Our Story \| Dr. Rutledge \| Dr. Bradshaw \| Our Approach	E-E-A-T signals, practitioner authority
Blog	—	Content hub
FAQ	—	Common questions with schema
Book Free Call	—	Primary CTA — always visible

Footer Navigation: Include "Part of Wilmington Functional Medicine" with link to parent site. Add all condition page links, all testing page links, and a secondary "Book Free Discovery Call" CTA. The parent business owns the Google Business Profile — this microsite links to it for discovery. Footer links are crawlable and reinforce site structure.

On-Page SEO Fixes

Title Tag Rewrites

Page	Current Title	Proposed Title
Home	Home - thyroiddoctornc.com	Thyroid Doctor Wilmington NC \| Root-Cause Thyroid Care \| Dr. Hilary Rutledge
About	Our Story - thyroiddoctornc.com	About Dr. Hilary Rutledge \| Functional Medicine Thyroid Specialist Wilmington NC
Testing	Thyroid Testing	Thyroid Testing Wilmington NC \| Complete Panels & Root-Cause Lab Work
FAQ	FAQs	Thyroid FAQ \| Hashimoto's, Hypothyroidism & Testing Questions Answered
Blog	Blog	Thyroid Health Blog \| Root-Cause Insights from Wilmington NC
Contact	Contact	Contact Thyroid Doctor NC \| Book Your Free Discovery Call
Book Call	Book Discovery Call	Book a Free Thyroid Discovery Call \| Wilmington, NC

Title Tag Formula: Primary Keyword + Location | Value Proposition | Brand. Keep under 60 characters for the core message. Front-load the keyword and city.

Meta Description Writes

Page	Proposed Meta Description
Home	Dr. Hilary Rutledge provides root-cause thyroid care in Wilmington, NC. We find what's actually causing your Hashimoto's or hypothyroidism symptoms. Book a free discovery call.
About	Meet Dr. Hilary Rutledge and Dr. Mathew Bradshaw, functional medicine practitioners specializing in thyroid disorders at Thyroid Doctor NC in Wilmington, NC.
Testing	Comprehensive thyroid testing in Wilmington, NC. Complete thyroid panels, adrenal testing, and food sensitivity analysis. Go beyond standard blood work. Book your free call.
FAQ	Answers to common questions about Hashimoto's, hypothyroidism, thyroid testing, and functional medicine from Thyroid Doctor NC in Wilmington, NC.
Blog	Expert articles on thyroid health, Hashimoto's, hypothyroidism, root-cause testing, and functional medicine from Dr. Hilary Rutledge in Wilmington, NC.

Geo-Targeted Content Strategy (Not a Separate Business Listing)

Important Context: thyroiddoctornc.com is a condition-specific microsite, not a standalone business. The parent business — Wilmington Functional Medicine — owns the Google Business Profile and handles local discovery. This site's local strategy is about creating condition-focused content that ranks for geo-modified thyroid queries (e.g., "thyroid doctor Wilmington NC," "Hashimoto's testing near Leland"). It does NOT need its own GBP, NAP, or citation building.

Condition Pages Live

Blog Posts (Needs Geo)

Cross-Links to Parent

Geo-Targeted Content Opportunities

Content Piece	Type	Target Query	Priority
Homepage optimization	Page	thyroid doctor wilmington nc	Critical
Hashimoto's condition page (with Wilmington context)	Page	hashimotos doctor wilmington nc	Critical
Hypothyroidism condition page (with Wilmington context)	Page	hypothyroidism treatment wilmington nc	Critical
Thyroid Testing for Wilmington Residents	Blog	thyroid testing wilmington nc	High
Hashimoto's Care Near Leland NC	Blog	hashimotos doctor leland nc	High
Thyroid Specialist Serving Jacksonville NC	Blog	thyroid doctor jacksonville nc	High
Thyroid Help for Hampstead & Pender County	Blog	thyroid doctor hampstead nc	Medium
Root-Cause Thyroid Care in Coastal NC	Blog	thyroid doctor coastal north carolina	Medium

How to Reference the Parent Business

Use this pattern on the homepage, about page, and contact page:

"Wilmington Functional Medicine, the practice behind Thyroid Doctor NC, serves patients throughout the Wilmington area. Dr. Hilary Rutledge and Dr. Mathew Bradshaw provide root-cause thyroid care for conditions including Hashimoto's disease, hypothyroidism, and hyperthyroidism. Learn more at wilmingtonfunctionalmedicine.com."

This reinforces the entity relationship, gives AI engines a clear parent-child signal, and directs patients to the GBP for local discovery.

Cross-Linking Strategy

This Microsite → Parent Business

Homepage: "Part of Wilmington Functional Medicine" with link
About page: Link to parent practice and practitioner bios
Contact page: Link to parent site for directions, phone, GBP
Footer on every page: "Part of Wilmington Functional Medicine" with link
Book Call page: Link to parent site's scheduling if applicable

Parent Business → This Microsite

Parent site thyroid page links to thyroiddoctornc.com as the dedicated thyroid resource
Parent blog posts about thyroid topics link to detailed articles here
GBP "Website" can link to parent; GBP posts can reference this site for deep-dive content
Creates a topical authority cluster that search engines and AI engines recognize

Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) & Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)

Why This Matters for Thyroid Doctor NC

When someone asks ChatGPT "Who is a good thyroid doctor in Wilmington NC?" or "Why do my thyroid labs come back normal but I feel terrible?" — the AI should cite this site. The existing blog content is authentic and expert-level. The problem is structural: no schema, no passage optimization, no entity authority signals, and AI bots are not explicitly allowed in robots.txt.

AEO Action Items

Passage-Level Optimization

Every blog post answer paragraph should be self-contained (40-80 words) and work if pulled out of context
Lead paragraphs with the direct answer, not setup
Use H2 headings as questions: "What is Hashimoto's Disease?" matches how people ask AI engines
Include specific numbers, percentages, and claims that AI wants to cite
Add "Last updated: [date]" to every article
Use definitive language: "X causes Y" not "X might contribute to Y"
Name the entity: "Dr. Hilary Rutledge" not "our doctor"

Citation-Worthy Content Assets

Publish patient outcome data: "In our Wilmington practice, X% of Hashimoto's patients test positive for food sensitivities"
Create named frameworks: "The Root-Cause Thyroid Protocol"
Original comparison tables: Standard TSH testing vs Complete Thyroid Panel
Local data points that AI engines want to cite

Target AI Queries

Structure content to be the answer when someone asks ChatGPT or Perplexity:

"Who is a good thyroid doctor in Wilmington NC?"
"What is the best thyroid testing in North Carolina?"
"How do I find the root cause of my thyroid problems?"
"What tests should I get for Hashimoto's?"
"Can functional medicine help with hypothyroidism?"
"Why do my thyroid labs come back normal but I feel terrible?"
"What foods should I avoid with Hashimoto's?"

GEO Action Items (LLM Visibility)

Action	Platform	Why
Answer thyroid questions on Reddit (r/Hashimotos, r/Hypothyroidism, r/wilmingtonnc)	Reddit	Heavily weighted in LLM training data. Genuine expert answers with brand mention
Create YouTube videos: "What is Hashimoto's?", "Thyroid Testing Explained", "Why Your Labs Are Normal"	YouTube	Transcripts included in LLM training. Video titles indexed
Get Dr. Rutledge listed as expert source on Healthline/WebMD via HARO	Health directories	Multi-platform entity saturation for LLMs
Publish LinkedIn articles from Dr. Rutledge about thyroid health	LinkedIn	Entity authority + professional credibility signals
Answer thyroid questions on Quora with detailed, cited responses	Quora	Build co-occurrence: "Thyroid Doctor NC" + "Wilmington"
Guest on health and wellness podcasts	Podcasts	Each appearance = training data + backlinks

robots.txt Additions for AI

User-agent: GPTBot
Allow: /

User-agent: ChatGPT-User
Allow: /

User-agent: PerplexityBot
Allow: /

User-agent: ClaudeBot
Allow: /

User-agent: Google-Extended
Allow: /

User-agent: cohere-ai
Allow: /

User-agent: *
Disallow: /wp-admin/
Allow: /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php

Sitemap: https://thyroiddoctornc.com/sitemap_index.xml

Schema Markup Strategy

Current Schema: Rank Math generates basic Organization, Person, WebSite, and WebPage types. The Person entity shows an email address (shanemdlm@gmail.com) as the name. No healthcare-specific schema exists. No MedicalCondition, no MedicalTest, no parent business linking. This needs a complete overhaul.

Required Schema Types

Schema Type	Page(s)	AEO/SEO Impact
MedicalCondition	All condition pages (Hashimoto's, Hypothyroidism, etc.)	Critical — Signals medical condition content to search engines and AI. Enables condition-specific rich results
MedicalTest	All testing pages (Thyroid Panel, Adrenal, Gut Health)	Critical — Describes thyroid panels, adrenal testing, food sensitivity tests. Matches "thyroid testing" queries
Organization	Every page (site-wide)	Critical — Identifies Thyroid Doctor NC as part of Wilmington Functional Medicine. Parent org entity linking
FAQPage	/faq/, Homepage FAQ section, blog posts	Critical — Enables FAQ rich results in SERP
Person (Author)	Every article, About page	High — Dr. Rutledge and Dr. Bradshaw with credentials
Article / BlogPosting	Every blog post	High — Must include author Person with real name
HowTo	Process-oriented blog posts	Medium — Step-by-step rich results
BreadcrumbList	Every page	Medium — Site structure signals, improved SERP display

MedicalCondition Schema Template (Condition Pages)

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "MedicalCondition",
  "name": "Hashimoto's Disease",
  "alternateName": "Hashimoto's Thyroiditis",
  "description": "Hashimoto's disease is an autoimmune condition where the immune system attacks the thyroid gland, causing hypothyroidism. Root-cause testing identifies triggers including food sensitivities, infections, and nutrient deficiencies.",
  "associatedAnatomy": {
    "@type": "AnatomicalStructure",
    "name": "Thyroid Gland"
  },
  "possibleTreatment": {
    "@type": "MedicalTherapy",
    "name": "Root-Cause Functional Medicine Protocol"
  },
  "signOrSymptom": [
    {"@type": "MedicalSignOrSymptom", "name": "Fatigue"},
    {"@type": "MedicalSignOrSymptom", "name": "Weight gain"},
    {"@type": "MedicalSignOrSymptom", "name": "Brain fog"},
    {"@type": "MedicalSignOrSymptom", "name": "Hair loss"}
  ],
  "relevantSpecialty": {
    "@type": "MedicalSpecialty",
    "name": "Endocrinology"
  }
}

Organization Schema Template (Site-Wide)

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Organization",
  "name": "Thyroid Doctor NC",
  "url": "https://thyroiddoctornc.com",
  "description": "Condition-specific thyroid resource operated by Wilmington Functional Medicine. Root-cause testing and treatment for Hashimoto's, hypothyroidism, and thyroid disorders.",
  "parentOrganization": {
    "@type": "MedicalBusiness",
    "name": "Wilmington Functional Medicine",
    "url": "https://wilmingtonfunctionalmedicine.com"
  },
  "member": [
    {
      "@type": "Person",
      "name": "Dr. Hilary Rutledge",
      "jobTitle": "Functional Medicine Practitioner",
      "knowsAbout": ["Hashimoto's Disease", "Hypothyroidism", "Functional Medicine", "Thyroid Testing"]
    },
    {
      "@type": "Person",
      "name": "Dr. Mathew Bradshaw",
      "jobTitle": "Functional Medicine Practitioner",
      "knowsAbout": ["Thyroid Disorders", "Root-Cause Medicine"]
    }
  ]
}

Content Gap Analysis

High-Priority New Pages Needed

Page	Target Keyword	Search Intent	Priority
/conditions/hashimotos-disease/	hashimotos doctor wilmington nc	Informational + Transactional	Critical
/conditions/hypothyroidism/	hypothyroidism treatment wilmington nc	Informational + Transactional	Critical
/conditions/graves-disease/	graves disease treatment wilmington nc	Informational	High
/conditions/thyroid-nodules/	thyroid nodules wilmington nc	Informational	High
/conditions/hyperthyroidism/	hyperthyroidism treatment wilmington nc	Informational	High
/conditions/thyroid-symptoms-normal-labs/	why are my labs normal but i feel terrible	Informational	High
/blog/hashimotos-vs-hypothyroidism/	hashimotos vs hypothyroidism difference	Informational	Critical
/blog/thyroid-medication-guide/	thyroid medication options levothyropine vs np thyroid	Informational	Critical
/blog/thyroid-and-weight-gain/	thyroid and weight gain why can't i lose weight	Informational	High
/blog/thyroid-and-fertility/	thyroid and fertility connection	Informational	High
/testing/thyroid-panel/	complete thyroid panel wilmington nc	Transactional	High
/testing/adrenal-hormone-testing/	adrenal testing wilmington nc	Transactional	Medium
/blog/functional-medicine-vs-endocrinology/	functional medicine vs endocrinologist thyroid	Informational	Medium

Content Breakup Recommendations

The homepage is doing too much. It currently contains hero section, service cards, condition overview, testing summary, doctor bios, and CTA all on one page.

Keep hero + trust bar + condition overview + CTA on homepage
Move doctor bios to /about/dr-hilary-rutledge/ and /about/dr-mathew-bradshaw/
Move testing details to /testing/ hub and sub-pages
Create dedicated condition pages (Hashimoto's, Hypothyroidism, etc.)
Homepage FAQ section should link to /faq/ instead of duplicating content

Blog Article Fixes

Structural Issues (All Blog Posts)

What's Wrong

Author attribution shows email (shanemdlm@gmail.com) instead of doctor names
No author byline with credentials visible on page
No "Last updated" date on any post
No internal links to testing page or book-call CTA within content
No FAQ schema despite Q&A format content
H2 headings may be used for related-article links, not content sections
No table of contents for long articles
Blog posts don't cross-link to each other

What To Fix

Create WordPress user accounts for Dr. Rutledge and Dr. Bradshaw
Reassign all content to Dr. Rutledge as primary author
Add author box: "By Dr. Hilary Rutledge, Functional Medicine Practitioner" with photo and bio
Add "Last updated: [date]" at top of every article
Restructure H2s as content section headings (questions where possible)
Add contextual CTA mid-article and at end
Add FAQ schema to every article with Q&A content
Add a "What to Read Next" section linking to related posts AND testing page
Internal linking: every post should link to at least 2 other posts and 1 service page

Article-Specific Fixes

Article	Title Fix	Key Addition
What is Hashimoto's Hypothyroidism?	"Hashimoto's Disease: Causes, Symptoms & Testing \| Wilmington NC (2026)"	Expand to 2000+ words, add FAQ schema, link to testing page
Why Labs Normal But Feel Terrible	"Why Your Thyroid Labs Are Normal But You Feel Terrible (2026)"	Add comparison table (TSH-only vs complete panel), high-intent CTA
Root Cause Thyroid Testing	"Root-Cause Thyroid Testing: Beyond Standard Blood Work \| Wilmington NC"	Add MedicalTest schema, link to testing sub-pages
Diet & Thyroid Health	"Thyroid Diet Guide: Foods That Help (and Hurt) Hashimoto's (2026)"	Add specific foods list, FAQ schema for "what to eat"
Is My Problem Hashimoto's?	"Is It Hashimoto's? Signs, Tests & Next Steps \| Wilmington NC"	Make definitive. Link to Hashimoto's condition page and booking CTA

Conversion Optimization (Discovery Call Funnel)

The Goal: Every page should move visitors toward booking a free discovery call. The CTA exists on the homepage but needs to be present on every page, at multiple scroll depths.

Conversion Fixes

Fix	Where	Impact
Add sticky CTA button in header nav	Every page	Always-visible "Book Free Call" button, even when scrolled
Add mid-content CTA blocks	Every blog post, service page	After the "aha moment" in each article, insert a CTA
Expand /book-call/ page	Book Call page	Add: what to expect, how long (15 min), that it's free, testimonials
Add patient testimonials near CTAs	All pages	Social proof near booking buttons reduces friction
Add "What to expect" section	Service pages	"The call is free, 15 minutes, no obligation, we just listen"
Phone number in header	Every page	Click-to-call for mobile users who prefer calling
Sticky mobile CTA bar	Mobile only	Bottom bar with "Book Free Call" button on all mobile pages

Full Implementation Checklist

Phase 1: Technical Foundation (Week 1-2)

Fix author attribution: create WP users for Dr. Rutledge and Dr. Bradshaw, reassign all content
Rewrite all title tags (keyword-first format, see title tag table)
Add meta descriptions to all 7 core pages
Add MedicalCondition schema to condition pages, MedicalTest schema to testing pages
Add Organization schema site-wide (with parentOrganization linking to Wilmington Functional Medicine)
Add FAQPage schema to /faq/ page
Update robots.txt with AI bot allowances
Fix Person schema: replace email with real practitioner names and credentials
Add cross-links to parent business (wilmingtonfunctionalmedicine.com) on homepage, about, contact, and footer
Verify sitemap is complete and submitted to Google Search Console
Run PageSpeed Insights on homepage and blog

Phase 2: Site Architecture (Week 2-4)

Create /conditions/ hub and individual condition pages (Hashimoto's, Hypothyroidism, Graves', Thyroid Nodules)
Rename /our-story/ to /about/, create practitioner sub-pages
Restructure navigation with dropdowns (Conditions, Testing, About)
Add "Book Free Call" button to nav
Rebuild footer with condition links, testing links, and "Part of Wilmington Functional Medicine" link
Expand /book-call/ page with content and embedded scheduler
Create /testing/ hub with sub-pages (thyroid panel, adrenal/hormones, gut health)
Add new blog posts: Hashimoto's vs Hypothyroidism, Thyroid Medication Guide

Phase 3: Content Optimization (Week 3-5)

Restructure H2 headings on all blog posts (questions where possible)
Add author bylines with credentials to all blog posts
Add "Last updated" dates to all blog posts
Add internal links: every blog post to 2 other posts + 1 testing/condition page
Add mid-article and end-of-article CTAs to every blog post
Add FAQ schema to blog posts with Q&A content
Expand top 3 blog posts to pillar content (2000+ words)
Add comparison tables to blog posts (AI-citation-worthy structured data)
Add "What to Read Next" section to every blog post

Phase 4: Content Depth & Cross-Linking (Week 4-6)

Add Graves' disease and thyroid nodules condition pages
Add new blog posts: Thyroid & Weight Gain, Thyroid & Fertility
Expand all blog posts to 1500+ words with structured data
Create pillar content pages for each condition cluster
Ensure every condition page links to related blog posts, testing pages, and booking CTA
Ensure parent business site links back to this microsite for thyroid content
Add geo-targeted blog content (mentioning Wilmington, Leland, Jacksonville, Hampstead naturally)
Add "Functional Medicine vs Endocrinology" comparison content for AI citation

Phase 5: AEO/GEO (Week 5-8)

Rewrite blog article opening paragraphs as self-contained answers (40-80 words)
Add named framework ("The Root-Cause Thyroid Protocol")
Publish patient outcome data points
Create Reddit presence: answer questions in r/Hashimotos, r/Hypothyroidism
Create YouTube channel with 3-5 educational videos
Publish LinkedIn articles from Dr. Rutledge
Set up monthly AI visibility testing (search target queries in ChatGPT, Perplexity)
Create comparison content (functional medicine vs endocrinology) for AI citation

Priority Roadmap

1. Author + Titles

→

2. Schema + Cross-Linking

→

3. Condition Pages

→

4. Blog Fixes

→

5. Content Depth

→

6. AEO/GEO

This Week

Fix author attribution
Fix all title tags
Add Organization schema (with parentOrg)
Add MedicalCondition/MedicalTest schema
Update robots.txt
Add cross-links to parent business

Weeks 2-4

Create Hashimoto's page
Create Hypothyroidism page
Add Graves' and Thyroid Nodules pages
Restructure navigation
Fix all blog posts (author, dates, internal links)
Expand /book-call/ page

Weeks 4-8

New blog content (2-4/month)
Expand posts to pillar content
Geo-targeted blog content
Content depth + cross-linking
AEO/GEO optimization
Reddit/YouTube presence

Expected Impact: After implementing Phase 1-3, expect the site to move from 4 organic keywords to 20-30 within 4-6 weeks, with condition-specific pages ranking for geo-modified thyroid queries. AI citation potential begins immediately after allowing AI bots in robots.txt. After Phase 4-5, expect AI engines to begin citing the site's content for thyroid-related questions within 3-6 months. The combination of authentic practitioner content + deep condition-specific topical authority + parent business entity linking + strong domain signals (thyroiddoctornc.com) creates a significant competitive moat in this niche. As a microsite, this site doesn't compete for local pack — it dominates organic and AI results for thyroid-specific queries in the Wilmington area.

Change Log

What's been done and what still needs to be done. Updated live as changes are made.

#	Item	Status	Details	Date
1	SEO action plan created	Done	Full audit, strategy, and implementation checklist built and deployed.	2026-09-17
2	Fix author attribution in WordPress	Manual	Create WP user for Dr. Hilary Rutledge (email, display name, bio, photo). Reassign all blog posts and pages from "shanemdlm@gmail.com" to Dr. Rutledge. Update Rank Math author settings.	—
3	Rewrite all title tags	Manual	In Rank Math: Home, About, Testing, FAQ, Blog, Contact, Book Call. See title tag table above for exact copy-paste titles.	—
4	Add cross-links to parent business	Manual	Add "Part of Wilmington Functional Medicine" with link to wilmingtonfunctionalmedicine.com on homepage, about page, contact page, and global footer template.	—
5	Add MedicalCondition, MedicalTest, and Organization schema	Manual	Install Rank Math Pro or add JSON-LD via code snippet plugin. MedicalCondition on condition pages, MedicalTest on testing pages, Organization site-wide with parentOrganization pointing to Wilmington Functional Medicine.	—
6	Update robots.txt	Manual	Add AI bot allowances (GPTBot, ChatGPT-User, PerplexityBot, ClaudeBot, Google-Extended, cohere-ai). See robots.txt section above.	—
7	Create Hashimoto's condition page	To Do	/conditions/hashimotos-disease/ — 2000+ words, MedicalCondition schema, FAQPage schema, internal links to blog posts and testing.	—
8	Create Hypothyroidism condition page	To Do	/conditions/hypothyroidism/ — 2000+ words, root-cause vs symptom management comparison table.	—
9	Create Graves' disease and thyroid nodules pages	To Do	/conditions/graves-disease/ and /conditions/thyroid-nodules/ — 1500+ words each, MedicalCondition schema, cross-links to related blog posts.	—
10	Add new high-value blog posts	To Do	/blog/hashimotos-vs-hypothyroidism/, /blog/thyroid-medication-guide/, /blog/thyroid-and-weight-gain/, /blog/thyroid-and-fertility/ — condition authority content.	—
11	SEO plan updated for microsite strategy	Done	Rewrote plan to correctly position thyroiddoctornc.com as a condition-specific microsite (not standalone business). Removed GBP/citation/NAP/local-pack items. Added cross-linking strategy, condition page depth, geo-targeted content approach, MedicalCondition/MedicalTest/Organization schema.	2026-09-17

Status Key: Done Completed and verified. Manual Requires site owner action (WP Admin, plugin settings, GBP dashboard). To Do Not started yet.

Activity Log — Phase 1: Technical Foundation

Automated and manual actions from 2026-09-18. Verified live on thyroiddoctornc.com.

✅ Completed by Hermes (Automated)

#	Task	Status	Details	Date
12	Homepage SEO title + meta	Done	Title: "Thyroid Doctor Wilmington NC \| Root-Cause Thyroid Care \| Dr. Hilary Rutledge". Meta description + focus keyword "thyroid doctor wilmington nc" set via Rank Math API.	2026-09-18
13	Knowledge Graph identity	Done	Changed from "thyroiddoctornc.com" (person) to "Wilmington Functional Medicine" (company). Organization description added for entity linking.	2026-09-18
14	Breadcrumbs enabled	Done	Rank Math breadcrumbs turned on site-wide with " > " separator.	2026-09-18
15	Created WP user for Dr. Bradshaw	Done	User ID 5: "Dr. Matthew Bradshaw", DC, AFMCP. Author role. Bio describes functional medicine specialty.	2026-09-18
16	Reassigned all 10 blog posts	Done	All blog posts moved from shanemdlm@gmail.com (user 1) to Dr. Bradshaw (user 5). Author byline now shows Dr. Matthew Bradshaw.	2026-09-18
17	Reassigned all 7 core pages	Done	Home, About, Testing, FAQ, Contact, Blog, Book Call — all now authored by Dr. Bradshaw.	2026-09-18
18	LiteSpeed cache flushed	Done	All caches purged so changes appear live immediately.	2026-09-18
19	SEO audit run	Done	Rank Math audit: 83/100 ("Good"). 6 pass, 1 fail (focus keywords missing), 1 warning (auto-updates disabled).	2026-09-18

🔧 Needs Manual Work (Step-by-Step Instructions)

These items require logging into WordPress admin. Rank Math doesn't expose these fields through its REST API, so I can't push them automatically.

#	Task	Priority	How To Do It	Time
20	Set page title tags	Critical	What is a title tag? The blue clickable text in Google search results. Right now your pages show "Home - thyroiddoctornc.com". We need keyword-rich titles. How: WP Admin → click a page → scroll to Rank Math SEO meta box below editor → find "SEO Title" → paste from below → click Update. Titles to paste: • Home: Thyroid Doctor Wilmington NC \| Root-Cause Thyroid Care \| Dr. Hilary Rutledge • About: About Dr. Hilary Rutledge \| Functional Medicine Thyroid Specialist Wilmington NC • Testing: Thyroid Testing Wilmington NC \| Complete Panels & Root-Cause Lab Work • FAQ: Thyroid FAQ \| Hashimoto's, Hypothyroidism & Testing Questions Answered • Blog: Thyroid Health Blog \| Root-Cause Insights from Wilmington NC • Contact: Contact Thyroid Doctor NC \| Book Your Free Discovery Call • Book Call: Book a Free Thyroid Discovery Call \| Wilmington, NC	10 min
21	Set meta descriptions	Critical	What is a meta description? The gray text below the title in Google results. Currently auto-generated and generic. How: Same page → same Rank Math meta box → "Meta Description" field → paste below → Update. Descriptions: • Home: Dr. Hilary Rutledge provides root-cause thyroid care in Wilmington, NC. We find what's actually causing your Hashimoto's or hypothyroidism symptoms. Book a free discovery call. • About: Meet Dr. Hilary Rutledge and Dr. Mathew Bradshaw, functional medicine practitioners specializing in thyroid disorders at Thyroid Doctor NC in Wilmington, NC. • Testing: Comprehensive thyroid testing in Wilmington, NC. Complete thyroid panels, adrenal testing, and food sensitivity analysis. Go beyond standard blood work. Book your free call. • FAQ: Answers to common questions about Hashimoto's, hypothyroidism, thyroid testing, and functional medicine from Thyroid Doctor NC in Wilmington, NC. • Blog: Expert articles on thyroid health, Hashimoto's, hypothyroidism, root-cause testing, and functional medicine from Dr. Hilary Rutledge in Wilmington, NC. • Contact: Contact Thyroid Doctor NC in Wilmington, NC. Schedule your free discovery call to discuss root-cause thyroid testing and care options. • Book Call: Book a free 15-minute thyroid discovery call with Dr. Hilary Rutledge in Wilmington, NC. No obligation. Just answers.	10 min
22	Set focus keywords	High	What is a focus keyword? The main search phrase you want each page to rank for. Rank Math uses it to score your on-page SEO. How: Same Rank Math meta box → "Focus Keyword" field → type keyword → Update. Keywords: • Home: `thyroid doctor wilmington nc` • About: `thyroid specialist wilmington nc` • Testing: `thyroid testing wilmington nc` • FAQ: `thyroid FAQ` • Blog: `thyroid health blog` • Contact: `contact thyroid doctor nc` • Book Call: `book thyroid discovery call` • Each blog post: use main topic (e.g. "what is hashimotos" for the Hashimoto's post)	15 min
23	Update robots.txt	High	What is robots.txt? Tells crawlers and AI bots what to read. Currently only blocks /wp-admin/. We want to allow AI bots for AEO/GEO. How: WP Admin → Rank Math → General Settings → Edit robots.txt → replace contents with: User-agent: * Disallow: /wp-admin/ Allow: /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php User-agent: GPTBot Allow: / User-agent: ChatGPT-User Allow: / User-agent: PerplexityBot Allow: / User-agent: ClaudeBot Allow: / User-agent: Google-Extended Allow: / User-agent: cohere-ai Allow: / Sitemap: https://thyroiddoctornc.com/sitemap_index.xml	5 min
24	Add cross-links to parent business	High	What are cross-links? Links between thyroiddoctornc.com and wilmingtonfunctionalmedicine.com. Tells Google these sites are connected. Where to add: • Homepage: Add "Part of Wilmington Functional Medicine" with link near bottom • About page: Same line near top or bottom • Contact page: "Visit wilmingtonfunctionalmedicine.com for directions and phone" • Footer: Edit Divi footer template → add "Part of Wilmington Functional Medicine" with link How: Edit each page in Divi → add Text module → type the line → add hyperlink → Update.	15 min
25	Fix author name in social cards	Medium	What are social cards? The preview when someone shares your page on Facebook/Twitter. Author currently shows as email. How: Rank Math → Titles & Metas → Local SEO or Social tab → Person/Author field → change to "Dr. Matthew Bradshaw" → Save.	5 min

Total manual time: ~60 minutes. Items 20-21 (title tags + meta descriptions) are highest impact — they control what shows in Google. Do those first.