Urgent care centers are a unique business, with patients that typically need an option close by and on short notice. With careful planning and management, Google Ads can be an extremely effective tool for getting these patients through the door. We have run successful Google Ads campaigns for a wide variety of industries, including healthcare, and we specifically have had success working with urgent care clients. From our years of experience, here are some things to consider when planning a Google Ads campaign for your urgent care business.
What Can Google Ads Do For My Urgent Care Center?
Google Ads can help urgent care practices connect with patients at the right moment, driving walk-in traffic and enhancing visibility in their local area.
- Generate Leads: With Google Ads, you can maximize your return on investment and increase patient conversions with a carefully managed PPC campaign. Our accounts usually average double the industry standard conversion rate.
- Increased Visibility: Appear at the top of search results when people search for terms like “urgent care near me,” drawing attention from potential patients in need of immediate care.
- Reach Your Target Audience: Target ads to specific locations and audiences, ensuring visibility among users close to the practice who are likely to visit.
- Ad Extensions: Display key information like location, phone numbers, and hours directly in the ad, making it easy for users to get details at a glance.
- Immediate Call-to-Action: With click-to-call features, users can instantly connect with the practice, which is especially valuable for urgent healthcare needs.
- Cost Control: Set budgets and bid on high-value keywords, controlling ad spend and focusing on the best-performing search terms. With Google Ads, you’ll only pay when people click.
Urgent Care Center Google Ads: Things To Consider
When working with a Google Ads professional, here are a few questions to ask to make the most of your ads budget:
- When Should I Run My Ads? What hours is your practice open? This is usually when you should be running your ads. Urgent care patients will want to be seen as soon as possible, so it’s a waste of ad spend to run your ads when your office is closed.
- Where Should I Target Potential Clients? Think about the radius you want to target and where your competitors are. According to the Urgent Care Association, 78.6% of Americans live within 10 minutes of an urgent care. You will probably want to target a tight radius that doesn’t overlap with other urgent care centers. If you have multiple locations, you can set up a separate campaign for each one, each with its own location target.
- What Unique Services Do I Offer? Your Google Ads extensions are a great way to highlight your office’s special offerings, so it’s important to take advantage of them. If you are open 24/7, take walk-ins, offer pediatric/kids urgent care services, serve clients in multiple languages, or hold virtual appointments, make sure to get the word out to clients.
- What Season Are We In? Seasonality is a big factor in urgent care, so if you are offering certain vaccines, helping patients with seasonal allergies, or treating a bug that’s going around, it’s a good idea to incorporate that messaging in your ads.
Common Google Ads Mistakes To Avoid
While Google Ads can bring in a lot of revenue for your business, it can also waste money quickly in inexperienced hands. Here are a few common mistakes to avoid:
- ‘Opening The Faucet:’ Setting your targeting too wide open can result in a lot of clicks from people who would never visit your office. When it comes to hours, locations, and demographics, it’s better to set a tight net and then expand as necessary.
- Getting Too Specific: Urgent care patients are most likely to search with phrases like ‘urgent care center near me’ or ‘urgent care [town].’ Targeting overly specific keywords like ‘urgent care for burns’ or ‘broken bone care’ can take resources away from your key focus.
- Taking Google’s Recommendations: Google’s ad recommendations have one goal: making Google money. This does not necessarily line up with your best interests. Regardless of what the data shows, Google will recommend that you target a wider audience, open up your keyword targeting, and maximize your budget. Ignore their recommendations and stick to a disciplined, data-driven approach.
- No Landing Pages: With Google Ads, you are paying by click, so if you pay to have someone click on your ads, make sure they are going to a great landing page. Your landing pages should be relevant to your ads, with pertinent info and a clear call to action immediately visible.
- Set It And Forget It: Probably the biggest mistake you can make with a Google Ads campaign is leaving it alone. Results should be checked and adjustments should be made on a weekly basis to make sure you are getting the most out of your ads budget.
Are you ready to grow your urgent care business with increased revenue and new patients? Contact JSMT Media today to discuss Google Ads PPC Management for your urgent care center.
