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Google Ads for Doctors: Why is It Important for Healthcare?

January 9, 2024

Google Ads allows medical professionals to run online advertisements, helping them reach potential patients actively searching for healthcare services on Google. Imagine sitting in your clinic but still getting in touch with clients online, at the right time. Sounds good right? Keep reading for how to use Google Ads for Doctors and real case studies from us!

Table of Contents

Why should doctors use Google Ads for Healthcare?

For Medical Clinics and Healthcare providers who are wondering whether it makes sense to dive into Google Ads for medical practices. Spoiler alert: YES, and here’s the lowdown on why Google Ads is a total game-changer for your practice:

Pinpoint Targeting

Imagine reaching patients actively looking for your services. With Google Ads, you can hit the bullseye by targeting specific keywords and demographics.

Visibility

Be the first name patients see when they’re actively seeking answers. Google Ads secures that prime spot in search results, putting you front and center where it counts.

Better patient engagement

Google Ads can help doctors engage with their patients better by promoting patient events or sharing health tips and advice. By doing so, doctors can build trust and establish themselves as thought leaders in their field.

Google Ads is a powerful tool that can help doctors grow their practice and reach a wider audience. By using the right targeting, budgeting, and messaging, doctors can promote their services and connect with potential patients in a meaningful way. To expand their practice, medical professionals can consider using Google Ads as part of their digital marketing strategy.

Real-Time Insights

Dive into the data and tweak your strategy on the fly. Google Ads gives you the power of analytics to make informed decisions.

Over the past years, we’ve witnessed many success stories running Google Ads campaigns for various healthcare practices. The Return on Investment (ROI) has been really good so far.

The key takeaway of our experience? Choosing the right management approach is vital. Doctors should grasp the Quality Score – the credit score of your ad’s effectiveness, and it directly impacts your Cost Per Click (CPC) and ad rank.

Keep on reading as we’ll delve deeper into a case study, and the right strategies for high Quality Score, which means success to Google Ads for medical practice.

How does Google Ads reach patients?

Google Ads operates on a simple yet potent principle: when potential patients search for healthcare services on Google, strategically placed ads from doctors appear at the top of the search results. This prime real estate ensures that your medical practice captures the attention of individuals actively seeking your expertise.

For doctors looking to serve their local communities, Google Ads allows for precision in geographic targeting. Whether you’re a family physician, specialist, or clinic, you can ensure that your ads are seen by individuals within your service area, maximizing the impact of your online presence on a local scale.

Google Ads operates on a pay-per-click (PPC) model, meaning you only pay when someone clicks on your ad. This lets doctors set a budget that aligns with their goals, ensuring a measurable approach to digital advertising.

Medical content you can’t advertise

Some examples of restricted medical content on Google Ads include:

Online pharmacies and prescription drug sales
Prescription drug brand names & active ingredients
Unapproved substances
Healthcare-related services

Google has specific guidelines and limitations for advertising these types of healthcare and medical-related content. For example, only Google-certified advertisers can promote restricted medical content, and it can only be targeted to approved countries. The blog post also provides tips on how to get your medical content approved by Google, such as examining your entire website, checking your ad targeting, and contacting Google support. By following these tips, you can avoid having your medical ads disapproved or restricted by Google.

How to create effective Google Ads for doctors

These are the strategies that we have successfully implemented in our client’s case and I think you can apply them to your ads too.

#1 Use Keyword Targeting

How to create effective Google Ads for doctors

Let’s conduct extensive research to identify the most relevant and high-converting keywords related to medical services, healthcare, and specialized treatments.

When someone is searching, it’s because they’re genuinely interested in a specific term, product, or service. My top tip here is to invest time in solid keyword research. Whether it’s your team, a PPC agency, or yourself, identifying the right keywords – those intended to convert – is key.

For example, “doctor near me” gets over 200,000 searches monthly. Imagine the potential if your ad pops up when someone is actively looking for a doctor.

Search campaigns were created to target potential patients actively searching for medical services, utilizing a mix of phrase and exact match keywords.

>>> Google Ads Keyword Match Types Explained: A Comprehensive Guide

#2 Create Engaging Ad Copy and Extensions

Doctors should create compelling and relevant advertisements that showcase their medical services, expertise, and any special offers. These ads usually include a headline, description, and a link to the doctor’s website.

For example, we’ve crafted an engaging ad copy that highlighted our client’s unique selling points, such as experienced staff, state-of-the-art facilities, and patient-focused care.

You should also utilize ad extensions, including location, callout, and site link extensions, to provide additional information to users.

These little details below your ads, like location and phone number, are golden. Especially for local businesses, adding location extensions can land your ad in the coveted maps area. So, quiz your team on having sufficient negative words and the right extensions.

#3 Use Location Targeting

Medical practices can target their ads to appear for users in specific geographic locations. This ensures that the ads are seen by potential patients within the doctor’s service area. We employed geo-targeting for the client to refine ad visibility based on their geographic location.

Living in the digital age doesn’t mean we overlook the power of local. If you’re a healthcare provider, leveraging Google Ads locally can put you front and center. People want services nearby, so make sure your ad is the first one they see.

#4 Enable Ad Scheduling and Conversion Tracking

Ad scheduling, also known as dayparting, played a crucial role in optimizing the effectiveness of our Google Ads campaign for the clinic. This strategy involved strategically determining when our ads would be displayed during the clinic’s operating hours.

By aligning the ad display with the clinic’s operational times, we aimed to maximize relevancy and increase the likelihood of user engagement.

As for conversion tracking, it includes phone call tracking and form submissions. Google Ads also provides detailed analytics and insights into the performance of the advertisements.

Doctors can track metrics such as the number of clicks, impressions, and conversions, allowing them to assess the effectiveness of their campaign.

#5 Optimize Landing Page

Landing pages – a critical yet sometimes overlooked aspect. Check the loading speed, the headlines, and, crucially, make sure it’s mobile-friendly. With so many users on mobile, a slow site could cost you. It’s all about keeping the user experience top-notch.

When you have solid website contents, let’s not forget the Dynamic Search Ads (DSA). If you’re in the medical field, chances are you’ve got a lot of services to talk about. I recommend DSA as a staple – it’s like the foundation of your Google Ads strategy.

Ongoing AB testing of ad variations, landing pages, and keywords was also implemented to continually refine the campaign for optimal results.

#6 Utilize the Google Display Network

The Google Display Network can be helpful with those eye-catching display ads. Having a variety of sizes is a game-changer. Responsive ads for different devices ensure your brand looks good everywhere.

Don’t forget the importance of retargeting. Placing a code on your site allows you to follow users around the web, showing them tailored ads based on their interactions.

Here’s a pro tip: Create distinct sets of display network ads for first-time visitors and those you’re retargeting. It’s all about personalization. Introduce your brand to new visitors and then follow up with a retargeting campaign, showing tailored ads to those who’ve already engaged.

#7 Target Competitor

Competitors can be your allies. The idea here is not to compete head-to-head but rather to identify scenarios where potential patients might be looking for alternatives or additional options due to various reasons: unavailability, long waiting times, specific services not offered, or simply seeking a second opinion.

Start small – focus on one-to-one competitors – those who offer services similar to yours. If you’re a chiropractor, look for chiropractors; if you’re a specialty dentist, find competitors offering the same specialization. If they can work with your competitor, they might just work with you.

Understand the potential gaps your competitors might have. If users are vocal about certain issues on reviews or forums, those could be your opportunities.

Case Study from Mega Digital

I’m excited to share insights from one of our longest-running PPC clients in the medical field, particularly a Medical Clinic that also specializes in cosmetic surgery. It’s a diverse account with various aspects that I think you’ll find really applicable.

The clinic, equipped with both general and specialized medical practitioners, faced persistent challenges despite years of experience. Acknowledging the need for a strategic solution, they decided to leverage Google Ads to drive more business and enhance its online presence.

The challenges faced by the clinic were multifaceted, including:

Limited online visibility.
A highly competitive market in the US.
Inadequately designed landing pages. The existing landing page lacked crucial elements such as testimonials, relevant information, and pricing.
Additionally, a poorly structured campaign further compounded these challenges.

To address the challenges, we initiated a comprehensive Google Ads campaign. This involved strategic planning and implementation of various tactics to optimize the campaign effectively.

The implemented Google Ads campaign yielded commendable results. The firm maintained a quality score above eight, contributing to a lower Cost Per Click (CPC). The top-converting keywords included terms like “doctors near me”, “GP near me”, and “Medical Clinic near me”. These efforts led to increased inquiries, website inquiries, phone calls, and contact form submissions, significantly enhancing the Medical Clinic’s brand visibility and online presence.

After several months of meticulous campaign management, the turning point occurred in October 2023:

300 leads/month.
CPA: $30/lead.

This marked a substantial achievement, showcasing the effectiveness of the implemented PPC practices and adherence to Google guidelines on Healthcare and Medicines.

Conclusion

Google Ads for Doctors can be a powerful tool to increase the online visibility of medical practices, attract new patients, and promote specific healthcare services. By leveraging targeted advertising, doctors can connect with individuals actively seeking medical information or services, at the right time.

Feel like you can do better than your competitors? Don’t be shy to elevate your advertising now. Mega Digital is a trusted Google partner that can help you with that.

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