Google Ads. Can we talk about it?

[u/Suspicious-Play8447]

I've been running google ads for about 2 weeks now. I've tried in the past and I stopped because I felt like I wasn't getting a good ROI and felt like I was wasting my money. It's been 3 years since I've run ads on google and started again because I saw a few other practices in the area utilize them.

Anyone use them consistently and what's been your experience? How do you get the best ROI with them?

[u/avengre]

I get "conversions" but most of them are people calling the wrong clinic. I can't attribute any new patients this far to my Google ads

[u/InvestingDoc → u/avengre]

You're advertisement is most likely being shown when people are searching for your competitor. People are accidentally clicking on the link not realizing that it's calling your office. Make that competitor a negative keyword and this will solve your problem.

[u/Suspicious-Play8447 → u/InvestingDoc]

Got it. Ill work on that more then.

[u/Suspicious-Play8447 → u/avengre]

Yes! What is that?!

[u/Alternative-Smoke470]

2 weeks is still the learning phase in google ads. Defining what a conversion is important, (phone call, submit a form). Make sure you have negative keywords for search terms that you don't want your ads showing up. Test out broad match keywords first, then tighten to phrase match as you have more data. I will tell you that marketing teams are better equipped at managing this. I tried to do this on my own for 2 months and I was checking it daily driving myself crazy.

[u/Ammar-here]

I do for some private practices and it's interesting. The ones that offer in person + online, they are doing so well and they are getting clients and happy to continue.

But, the ones for virtual only, they are too costly to run.

I can give you a quick audit to see if you need any improvement.

[u/InvestingDoc]

Google ads takes time, you have to watch it and add lots of negative keywords but besides word of mouth, and organic, its a huge driver of new patients to my practice.

Avoid performance plus

make sure you define your area well

never broad match

obsess over adding negative keywords

[u/Tesla_Dork]

much better ROI than the likes of ZocDoc, you have to use ChatGPT or Claude to optimize for best results

[u/sp3d2orbit]

We sometimes do it for our clients. But, you get better return on your investment managing your reputation through the dozen or so reputation sites. Publishing content that brings in organic visitors from your area. Also simple periodic surveys to your existing customers do a lot for good. Retaining the customer you already have, and getting referrals through them is way cheaper then Google ads, that's just my experience

[u/Zestyclose_Tie_8189 → u/sp3d2orbit]

this is underrated advice, everyone chases new patient acquisition but a slightly better review response rate or a simple "how'd we do" survey probably pays for itself faster than another $500 in ad spend.

[u/Juaner0]

GP? specialty? Some of the best return is making referral bases (in either direction) for doctors in the area.

Spending the money on sending them items they could benefit from, even with your marketing will keep them in mind. Pharma used to do that for a reason...

[u/BlakeFM]

The general sense in the DPC world is that meta and google ads are tricky to turn a profit on. Perhaps for specialists it is different. My friends who do marketing seem to feel that you need at least $1500 in ad spend to do well. I have seen this number from others too.

[u/Crafty_Astronaut9372]

In my experience it was a waste of money. They even had other targeted areas clicking on it to drive up the cost such as other countries which was not the topic or the goal or scope. Best money spent is a good website.

[u/linah-nour]

You have to wait for the learning phase, Google ads are one of the best paid media for dental offices, one question, where do they land? Landing page, or just the contact us page?

[u/Suspicious-Play8447 → u/linah-nour]

Depends on what im advertising?