Two-Sided Marketplace: How a Health Directory Attracts Professionals and Patients
A founder was building a two-part business: a service giving health professionals somewhere to work, and a directory helping people find them. Each side made the other more valuable. But both had to start from nothing. Professionals want clients. Clients want professionals. Who comes first?
That is the classic problem of any two-sided marketplace. Here is how we would tackle it in health, where trust and compliance matter more than usual.
Pick one side to lead
Trying to build both sides at once splits your budget and your message. Choose the side that is easier to win first, and focus there. Often that is the supply side, because a directory with few profiles does not help searchers. Other times it is the demand side, if you already have a strong audience. Decide deliberately.
Give early members a reason to join
Professionals join when they see clear value. That could be a free or discounted listing at the start, help creating a strong profile, or a promise of visibility. Be honest about what you can deliver. Early members are also your best source of testimonials, so look after them.
Use your existing network
A founder with an existing business already has relationships. Invite the professionals you already work with. Ask them to introduce colleagues. Personal introductions convert far better than cold messages, and they bring in people who fit the quality standard you want.
Attract patients with helpful content
Once profiles exist, bring in patients through search. Guides that explain what different professionals do, what to expect and how to choose attract people who are researching. Link each guide to the relevant listings. It costs more time than money, and it builds a lasting audience. See our article on directory website SEO.
Use paid ads carefully
Ads can bring people to the directory quickly, but they only make sense once there are enough profiles to show. Send visitors to a category or location page that matches the search, not the home page. Track which searches lead to enquiries. Start small, and grow only what works. Our article on low-quality leads explains the pitfalls.
Keep the revenue model simple
Whether you charge professionals a listing fee, a monthly subscription or take a share, keep it easy to understand. Confusing fees put people off. Test a simple model first, and adjust once you have real feedback. Be clear about what each tier includes and what is not guaranteed.
A two-sided marketplace needs trust from day one
In health, people care who is listed. Check qualifications and registration, set clear standards and explain how you verify them. Make it easy to report problems. A directory that visibly cares about quality earns trust, which helps both sides.
Measure both sides separately
Track professional sign-ups, active profiles, visitors, enquiries and repeat use. A healthy marketplace grows on both sides. If one side stalls, focus there. Do not judge success on visitor numbers alone, as they mean little if there are no professionals to see.
Be clear about what you offer each side
Professionals want to know what they gain: visibility, support, enquiries or a place to work. Visitors want to know why the directory is worth their time. Write a short, honest promise for each side and keep it consistent across your website and messages. Clarity attracts the right people.
Learn from early feedback
Your first members and visitors will tell you what works. Ask what made them join, what they expected and what is missing. Use the answers to improve profiles, guides and pricing. Early feedback is cheap, and it stops you building features nobody needs.
Set realistic milestones
A new marketplace rarely grows in a straight line. Set small milestones for each side, such as a first set of complete profiles, a first set of enquiries and a first repeat visit. Celebrate them, then raise the bar. Milestones keep you focused on real traction and give any partner or investor a clear picture of progress.
Be careful with claims about members
Describe listed professionals accurately, and avoid implying endorsement you cannot support. Explain how you verify credentials. Honest wording protects patients, members and you, and it meets advertising and consumer rules.
Support members after they join
A member who gets no enquiries will leave. Offer simple guidance on writing a strong profile, keeping information current and responding to enquiries promptly. Helping members succeed keeps supply healthy and improves the experience for patients.
Plan your first ninety days
In the first three months, aim for a set of complete profiles in one category and area, a set of helpful guides, and a small number of tested campaigns. Review weekly, and adjust. Early focus beats early breadth.
Keep the promise you make
Whatever you promise members and visitors, deliver it. If you say listings are verified, verify them. If you say enquiries are passed on quickly, make it so. A marketplace lives on trust, and one broken promise can undo a lot of careful growth.
A simple growth plan
- Choose the side to lead with.
- Recruit early members through your network.
- Build strong profiles and category pages.
- Attract patients with helpful guides.
- Add small, focused paid campaigns once profiles are ready.
- Track both sides every month.
Our companion article on directory website SEO covers structure. If you would like help, we are glad at Pulse Digital Health to talk.
Frequently asked questions
What is a two-sided marketplace?
A business that connects two groups, such as professionals and clients, where each side is more valuable when the other is present. Sketch how each side benefits and what each needs from the other, so your message to each is clear and honest. Both sides need a clear reason to take part.
Which side should I build first?
Usually the side that is easier to win, often the supply side. Choose deliberately and focus your effort there. Choose the side you can win fastest, and focus your early effort and budget there. Winning one side first gives the other something to join.
How do I get early professionals to join?
Offer clear value, such as a free start and help with profiles. Use your existing network and personal introductions. Offer clear value to early members, such as a free start and help writing a strong profile, and be honest about what you can deliver. Early members are also your best source of testimonials.
Should I use paid ads for a new directory?
Only once there are enough profiles to show. Send visitors to relevant category pages and track results. Test paid campaigns with a small budget first, and send visitors to a category page that matches what they searched. Small tests protect your budget while you learn.
How do I build trust in a health directory?
Verify qualifications, set clear standards, explain your checks and make it easy to report problems. Explain openly how you check qualifications and standards, so both sides know what your listing means. Openness about checks builds trust on both sides.
How should I measure a marketplace?
Track both sides separately: professional sign-ups, active profiles, visitors, enquiries and repeat use. Review sign-ups, active profiles, visitors and enquiries every month, and focus on whichever side is lagging. A lagging side is where your effort should go next.
