Want More Patients? You Need PPC for Doctors

Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising has become an indispensable component of patient acquisition strategies in recent years. As prospective patients increasingly turn to online searches to explore their options for elective procedures, PPC campaigns offer surgeons a direct line to those actively seeking their services.

Significant changes in digital experience (and patient expectations) are afoot in 2024. Thanks to the rise of AI-generated content, the digital healthcare landscape is vastly different than it was a few short months ago. Patient expectations are changing, too, and if you want to grow your practice by providing great experiences, you need to be at the top of your game.

Put simply, there is no better tool than expertly-managed PPC campaigns to help surgeons appear prominently at the critical moment when a potential patient is making a decision.

But are your PPC campaigns performing as well as they could be? In today’s article, we’re taking a look at the best ways to attract more patients with PPC ads for doctors in 2024, the PPC mistakes to avoid, and how you can grow your practice with PPC campaigns.

Part 1: Understanding PPC in Healthcare

What is Healthcare PPC?

First, a definition: Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising is a model of internet marketing where advertisers pay a fee each time one of their ads is clicked. Essentially, it’s a way of buying visits to your site, rather than attempting to earn those visits organically through strategies like SEO. For healthcare providers, this means you can place ads for your services directly in front of prospects who are actively searching for them. PPC is crucial for doctors and healthcare providers because it allows for immediate visibility in search engine results, unlike SEO, which can take months to rank well.

Has PPC Always Been Popular in Healthcare?

PPC has not always been a big factor in healthcare. In the past, healthcare providers primarily relied on traditional forms of advertising such as print ads, billboards, television, and word-of-mouth referrals to attract patients. Now the use of PPC in healthcare marketing has grown significantly with the rise of search engines such as Google and Bing. This isn’t just because of search engines’ popularity: healthcare marketers realized that the leads they got from PPC were much better than leads from other channels, because the ad was matched with the intent of the search.

The adoption of PPC in healthcare has accelerated over the years due to its effectiveness in targeting specific audiences, the ability to track and measure results, and the overall increase in competition for patients’ attention online.

So, as technology and patient behavior have evolved, so has the importance of PPC in healthcare. Today, PPC is considered an essential component of digital marketing strategies for many healthcare providers – especially elective surgeons – as it allows them to reach potential patients at critical moments in their decision-making process.

However, PPC for healthcare comes with its unique challenges, such as adhering to strict advertising regulations and maintaining patient confidentiality. Additionally, there’s a need for sensitive and ethical marketing messaging, as well as the complexity of targeting the right audience with the right medical services, which requires a deep understanding of patient needs, behaviors, demographics, and the patient journey.

Risks of Not Using PPC Campaigns as a Private Practice

Still, PPC is important. Elective surgical practices that do not embrace PPC advertising risk falling behind in a competitive healthcare environment. The immediacy and visibility that PPC campaigns bring is crucial, as PPC campaigns can quickly attract high-intent individuals who are ready to take action, leading to a faster and more efficient patient acquisition process. Practices abstaining from PPC (for whatever reason) may find themselves overshadowed by competitors who are leveraging these ads to capture the attention of prospective patients, securing a larger share of the market and growing their patient base more effectively.

Part 2: Common Pitfalls in Current PPC Strategies

Ok, so PPC is important. If you want more patients, there’s no better way than to pay to be the #1 spot on Google when motivated patients are researching their options for surgery. But too often we hear complaints from physicians that PPC is too expensive, or that they aren’t sure whether or not their ad spend is worth it. Are they getting results? Or are they just wasting resources?

When it comes to PPC for doctors, there are several pitfalls that can hinder the effectiveness of their digital advertising efforts. Let’s take a look at some of the most common PPC mistakes.

Lack of Targeting

One frequent mistake is the lack of specific targeting, where ads are not finely tuned to the unique demographics, interests, or geographic locations of the practice’s prospects. This leads to wasted ad spend on clicks that do not convert into patient consults (and it’s incredibly common – we see this all the time).

Not Using Negative Keywords

Another issue is neglecting to use negative keywords, which intentionally prevent ads from appearing in irrelevant searches and thus improve the quality of leads. Negative keywords are one of the most underused elements of a PPC campaign, but they are vital, as they actively mitigate damage done by lazy targeting.

For instance, we helped Lake Lazer Eye Center increase impressions 57% and increase patient leads 65% by strategically using negative keywords to reduce wasted ad spend and spend more efficiently.

Not Writing Compelling Ad Copy

Healthcare providers also frequently overlook the importance of crafting compelling ad copy that resonates with potential patients. Using too much jargon (instead of the words patients actually use), or writing overly generic ad copy fails to clearly communicate the benefits of choosing their practice over others. Too often physicians forget that an ad might be the first interaction a patient ever has with their practice – and they forget that every touchpoint matters.

Lack of Optimization and Testing

A failure to continuously test and optimize ad campaigns based on performance data can also leave providers with stagnant strategies that don’t adapt to changing patient behavior or broader market trends. Well-managed PPC campaigns are updated frequently, because what worked last year (or last month, for that matter) may not work well anymore. Being on top of analytics and reporting is vital if you want to make sure you’re getting the most bang for you buck.

Failing to Comply with Regulations

Finally, failing to adhere to regulations and policies governing healthcare advertising and personally-identifying information (PII) can land you in a world of trouble. Not only will this result in ineffective campaigns but could also have potential legal repercussions.

Part 3: Implications for Poorly Run PPC Campaigns

Financial Implications

In PPC, mistakes are many, and poorly managed PPC campaigns can lead to significant financial costs for healthcare providers. When campaigns are not well-optimized, providers may end up spending a lot of money on ads that don’t reach the right audience or convert clicks into appointments. This results in a low (or zero) ROI, which drains resources that could have been allocated to more effective marketing strategies or other areas of the practice.

Reputational Risk

Beyond the financial implications, there are also reputational costs associated with poorly managed PPC campaigns. Ads that aren’t well-targeted or that appear in inappropriate contexts can damage the professional image of a practice.

If potential patients encounter ads that seem irrelevant or intrusive, it can create a negative perception of the practice, suggesting a lack of understanding and care for patient needs. The damage done by these risks are hard to come back from: once a patient has decided your practice isn’t trustworthy, they’re not sticking around. That’s wasted ad spend with no result.

Part 4: The Anatomy of a Successful PPC Campaign for Doctors

With an understanding of the pitfalls and the high stakes involved in PPC campaigns for healthcare providers, let’s dive into the key elements that make for a successful PPC campaign so you can harness the full potential of PPC advertising to attract and retain patients.

Target Audience Research

Campaign managers should conduct thorough research to define the ideal patient profile, considering factors like age, location, and health concerns. Ignoring this step can lead to ads being shown to a broad, uninterested audience, resulting in low conversion rates.

Keyword Selection

Select keywords that potential patients are likely to use when searching for healthcare services, focusing on relevance and search volume. Poor keyword choices can lead to irrelevant traffic and increased costs without conversions. Tools like Google Keyword Planner can help here.

Negative Keywords

Use negative keywords to exclude unwanted search terms, ensuring ads are not triggered by irrelevant queries. Neglecting this can waste budget on clicks that will never convert and decrease overall campaign effectiveness. This is something that should be reviewed weekly at a minimum to ensure ad spend isn’t being wasted.

Ad Copywriting

Write clear, engaging ad copy that communicates the benefits of the healthcare services offered. Weak ad copy can fail to capture attention or inspire action, diminishing the chances of attracting new patients. We recommend checking your ad copy at least quarterly to ensure that language is up-to-date; making more minor changes to underperforming ad copy on a monthly basis is also a best practice.

Landing Pages

Create landing pages that are informative, easy to navigate, and have a clear call-to-action. Ineffective landing pages can lead to high bounce rates and lost opportunities for patient engagement. Landing pages have to look great – and more importantly, work well – on both desktop and mobile devices.

Bid Management

Adjust bids to compete effectively for ad placement while maintaining cost-efficiency. Inadequate bid management can result in overspending or poor ad visibility. These days, most bids are set automatically, but if you’re using enhanced Cost per Click bidding, ensuring you’re within the right bid range will improve your visibility and results.

Ad Extensions

Implement ad extensions to provide additional information, such as location or phone numbers, which can enhance ad performance. Overlooking ad extensions may result in less informative ads and lower click-through rates; unfortunately, it’s incredibly common for healthcare practices to forget to implement all of the extensions available to them.

Quality Score Optimization

Optimize ad relevance and landing page quality to improve the Quality Score, which can lower costs and improve ad placement. Ignoring Quality Score can lead to higher costs per click, reduced ad positions, and higher CPA.

Conversion Tracking

Set up conversion tracking to measure the success of the campaign and identify areas for improvement. Without tracking conversions, it’s impossible to gauge campaign success and ROI. This is another best practice that too many healthcare practices miss: they don’t have any conversion tracking installed, so they have no way of measuring the success of their campaigns. Did that click turn into a consultation or a surgery? Without conversion tracking, you’ll never know…

A/B Testing

Regularly test different versions of ads and landing pages to find the most effective combinations. Not testing can leave potential improvements undiscovered, leading to suboptimal campaign performance.

Analytics and Reporting

Use analytics to review campaign performance data and make informed decisions. Lack of analysis can prevent the identification of issues and opportunities for optimization. Regularly reviewing analytics weekly keeps your campaigns performing at their best and can help you identify patient trends so you can capitalize on them effectively.

Campaign Structure

Organize campaigns into logical ad groups based on services or conditions treated for targeted messaging. Poor structure is incredibly common in healthcare PPC campaigns, and can lead to confusing campaigns, diluted messaging, or irrelevant ads being shown to patients. Poor campaign structure is the #1 cause of low click-through rates and lack of traffic from PPC.

Geo-Targeting

Geo-targeting lets you display ads in specific geographic locations where the practice operates to reach local patients. Without geo-targeting, ads may reach users who cannot realistically become patients. This is another mistake we see frequently in private practice, and it’s easy to miss.

Seasonal and Time-Based Adjustments

Adjust campaigns for seasonal trends and peak hours to capture interest when it’s highest. Ignoring these patterns can result in missed opportunities during key timeframes. For instance, adjusting ad spend during the holiday season when thousands of advertisers flood the market can be a good strategy. If you know there’s a slow time of year in your market, consider adjusting ads accordingly.

Budget Allocation

Allocate budget strategically across different campaigns and ad groups to maximize impact and efficiency. Misallocation can lead to underfunding successful campaigns or wasting money on poor performers. The tools that Google Ads gives you are great for this, as they can help you understand which campaigns are limited from lack of budget or inefficient bidding.

Part 5: Advanced Healthcare PPC Strategies for 2024

As we move into 2024, PPC strategies are becoming increasingly sophisticated, especially in the healthcare industry where the competition for patients’ attention is intense.

Leveraging Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning

Leveraging AI and machine learning is at the forefront of these advancements. For healthcare providers, this technology can be a game-changer, enabling more efficient bidding and precise targeting by analyzing vast amounts of data to predict which ad placements are most likely to result in patient appointments. This not only maximizes the return on investment but also ensures that the ads are reaching individuals who are genuinely in need of a practice’s services, thereby improving the overall patient acquisition process.

Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence are becoming far more common within PPC platforms like Google Ads, and we heartily recommend using them. The fact of the matter is that there’s so much data flowing through Google’s systems that a human marketer cannot hope to contend with. In these cases, it’s best to let the AI & ML systems make recommendations for improvement that you can implement (or not) as it makes sense for your practice.

Still, there are things that AI doesn’t do well, things that require a human’s intuition. AI doesn’t know that this may be a slow time of year for your practice, or that some search terms are actually relevant because that’s what your patients are asking you about in your clinic each week. So it’s always best to

Integrating PPC with SEO

Another critical strategy is the integration of local Search Engine Optimization (SEO) with PPC campaigns. For doctors, the ability to appear at the top of organic search results for local healthcare queries is invaluable. By optimizing for local SEO, healthcare providers ensure that their PPC ads are complementing their organic search presence, which is particularly important for attracting patients who are seeking immediate care in their vicinity. Strategies like bidding on your brand name can significantly increase the visibility of a practice within the local community, leading to a higher likelihood of converting local searchers into new patients.

Consider Remarketing and Personalization

Finally, the use of remarketing and personalized ad campaigns can be highly effective in increasing conversion rates. In the healthcare sector, where the decision-making process can be more prolonged and personal, tailoring ads to the specific interests and past interactions of potential patients can create a sense of familiarity and trust.

Remarketing keeps your practice top-of-mind, gently nudging those who have previously engaged with the practice but have not yet booked an appointment. Personalization, on the other hand, can address individual health concerns or preferences, making the ads more relevant and compelling. You can segment your ads into hyper-specific ad groups so that patients see ads that match exactly what they’re searching for, increasing your click-through rates and getting more consultations.

Part 6: Measuring Success – KPIs and Analytics in Healthcare PPC

The ability to measure success accurately might be as crucial as the campaign itself. Defining and tracking the right Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) is the first step in understanding the effectiveness of your advertising efforts.

For healthcare providers, KPIs might include the cost per acquisition (CPA), which reflects the cost of acquiring a new patient, the click-through rate (CTR), which measures user engagement with the ads, and the conversion rate, indicating the percentage of clicks that result in a booked appointment. By focusing on these healthcare-specific KPIs, campaign managers can gain insights into both the financial and practical impact of their PPC campaigns, ensuring that they are investing wisely and reaching potential patients effectively.

To keep a pulse on these KPIs, healthcare marketers must leverage the right tools and technologies. Platforms like Google Ads and Bing Ads offer built-in analytics that provide a wealth of data on campaign performance (provided that conversion tracking is set up appropriately).

Additionally, third-party analytics tools and customer relationship management (CRM) systems may be able offer deeper insights into patient behavior and campaign attribution. These technologies can work together to help healthcare providers track a patient’s journey from the initial ad click through to the final appointment booking, giving a comprehensive view of the campaign’s success.

However, collecting data is only half the battle. Interpreting this data is where the real value lies. Healthcare marketers must analyze their PPC data to understand what it’s telling them about patient behavior and campaign performance.

This analysis can reveal which ads resonate with potential patients, which keywords drive the most appointments, and where there might be bottlenecks in the conversion funnel. Armed with this knowledge, healthcare marketers can make informed adjustments to their strategy, such as refining their targeting, tweaking their ad copy, or optimizing their landing pages.

By continually interpreting and acting on PPC campaign data, healthcare providers can not only improve their ROI but also better serve the needs of their patients, ultimately leading to a more successful practice.

Part 7: Why Partner with a Healthcare Marketing Agency for your healthcare PPC campaigns?

Navigating the intricacies of PPC campaigns while avoiding mistakes and pitfalls – especially in a highly-regulated industry like healthcare – can be a daunting task for providers. The complexity arises not only from the need to create effective marketing strategies but also from the necessity to comply with strict advertising regulations that protect patient privacy and ensure ethical promotion of medical services.

This is where the expertise of a healthcare marketing agency becomes invaluable. Healthcare marketing agencies are well-versed in both the art of PPC and the specific compliance requirements of the healthcare sector, ensuring that campaigns are not only successful but also adhere to all legal guidelines.

Too many practices try to save money by running their PPC campaigns in house, but oftentimes this is a mistake. Often, the staff running PPC campaigns have other responsibilities too, and they likely aren’t experts in PPC campaigns. Not only is their attention split between multiple projects, but they may be wasting ad spend without even knowing it. Without dedicating the time and attention necessary to optimizing a PPC campaign on a daily basis, the practice is likely wasting much more money than they would have if they had hired an agency.

Agencies can bring a wealth of industry-specific knowledge and expertise that can significantly enhance the effectiveness of PPC campaigns. When an agency focuses in healthcare, they understand patient behavior, the patient journey, and the nuances of communicating with potential patients in a way that is both informative and sensitive to their needs. Their experience in targeting and messaging for healthcare-specific services can lead to higher quality leads, more efficient use of advertising budgets, and ultimately, better patient acquisition rates.

Case studies from healthcare practices that have engaged with professional PPC management services often highlight the tangible impact of such partnerships. These real-world examples typically showcase how a strategic, well-managed PPC campaign can lead to a substantial increase in patient appointments and practice growth. They illustrate the power of expertly crafted ads, optimized landing pages, and data-driven decision-making in reaching more patients and growing a healthcare practice.

By entrusting their PPC campaigns to specialized agencies, healthcare providers can focus on what they do best—caring for their patients—while leaving the complexities of digital marketing to the experts, resulting in a synergistic relationship that drives practice success.

Part 8: How to Choose the Right Healthcare Marketing Agency for Your Practice

When selecting a healthcare marketing agency for your practice, there are several key factors to consider to ensure that you find a partner that aligns with your goals and can navigate the complexities of the healthcare industry:

• Experience in the healthcare sector is paramount; you want an agency that has a proven track record of working with healthcare providers and understands the nuances of medical marketing.
• Look for an agency that demonstrates a clear knowledge of healthcare regulations, such as HIPAA, and has robust strategies for patient privacy and data security.
• Additionally, consider the agency’s expertise in the digital landscape, including PPC, SEO, and content marketing, as well as their ability to provide comprehensive analytics and reporting.

When engaging with potential agencies, it’s crucial to ask the right questions to gauge their suitability for your needs. Inquire about their experience with other healthcare clients, asking for case studies or testimonials that demonstrate their success in patient acquisition and practice growth. Question them on how they stay current with healthcare advertising regulations and what strategies they use to ensure compliance. Discuss their approach to measuring and reporting campaign performance, and how they would tailor their strategies to meet the specific goals and challenges of your practice.

Choosing a healthcare marketing agency that understands the unique challenges of healthcare marketing is essential. Healthcare marketing is not just about selling a product or service; it’s about providing valuable information to potential patients and building trust with them. The right agency will recognize the importance of creating empathetic and informative campaigns that resonate with patients’ needs and concerns. They will also appreciate the longer decision-making process often involved in healthcare and will have strategies in place to nurture leads effectively through this journey.

By selecting a partner that is well-versed in the intricacies of healthcare marketing, your practice can ensure that your marketing efforts are both ethical and effective, helping you to reach and engage potential patients in meaningful ways.

Conclusion: Grow Your Practice with Healthcare PPC

As we have explored throughout this comprehensive note, Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising has cemented its place as a cornerstone of modern patient acquisition strategies. In the ever-evolving healthcare landscape of 2024, PPC stands as a direct and dynamic conduit connecting doctors with patients who are actively seeking their services. The targeted nature of PPC campaigns, especially when it comes to elective procedures, ensures that healthcare providers are visible to potential patients at the most pivotal moments of their decision-making journey.

However, the path to PPC success is fraught with potential pitfalls, particularly for those attempting to manage campaigns without specialized expertise. The challenges of navigating a regulated industry, crafting sensitive and compliant messaging, and optimizing campaigns for maximum efficiency can overwhelm even the most diligent providers. Self-managed campaigns run the risk of misallocated budgets, legal complications, and missed opportunities for patient engagement.

In light of these complexities, the benefits of professional PPC management are clear. Expert agencies offer not only an understanding of the healthcare market and patient behaviors but also the ability to stay ahead of emerging trends. The impact of such professional management is often reflected in increased patient appointments and substantial practice growth, and the revenue growth far outweighs the costs.

It’s our hope that with this Ultimate Guide to Winning More Patients with Pay Per Click Ads in 2024, you feel empowered to hit your growth goals with the power of PPC.

And if you need help with your healthcare PPC – even if you’ve never done PPC before – we’d love to talk with you. Book a free discovery call with us, and our healthcare PPC experts will assess your practice’s needs and see if we’re a good fit to work together.

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Glossary of PPC Terms

• PPC (Pay Per Click): An advertising model where advertisers pay a fee each time one of their ads is clicked.
• KPI (Key Performance Indicator): A measurable value that demonstrates how effectively a company is achieving key business objectives. In PPC, common KPIs include cost per acquisition (CPA), click-through rate (CTR), and conversion rate.
• CPA (Cost Per Acquisition): The total cost of acquiring a new customer through a specific channel or campaign.
• CTR (Click-Through Rate): The percentage of people who click on an ad after seeing it.
• Conversion Rate: The percentage of users who take a desired action after clicking on an ad, such as booking an appointment.
• Keyword: A word or phrase that users enter into search engines, which PPC campaigns can target to display relevant ads.
• Negative Keywords: Keywords that prevent an ad from being triggered by certain word or phrase searches, reducing irrelevant traffic and wasted spend.
• Ad Copy: The text of a clickable advertisement, which should be compelling and relevant to the target audience.
• Landing Page: The webpage where people end up after they click on your ad. The content should be relevant to the ad and encourage users to take action.
• Bid Management: The process of setting and adjusting the amount you’re willing to pay for clicks on your PPC ads.
• Ad Extensions: Additional pieces of information about your business, like an address or phone number, that can be included in your PPC ads.
• Quality Score: A metric used by search engines to determine the relevance and quality of your PPC ads and landing pages, influencing your cost per click and ad rank.
• Conversion Tracking: A tool that shows you what happens after a customer interacts with your ads, such as whether they booked an appointment or called your practice.
• A/B Testing: Comparing two versions of a webpage or ad to see which one performs better.
• Geo-Targeting: The practice of delivering content or advertisements to a user based on their geographic locations.
• Remarketing: A type of advertising that allows you to show ads to users who have previously visited your website, as they browse the web.
• SEO (Search Engine Optimization): The practice of increasing the quantity and quality of traffic to your website through organic search engine results.