If you are an optometrist running your own practice, you likely spend most of your time on patient care and not on your practice marketing. If your practice is in an area with lots of competition, though, understanding how to attract more patients online is crucial.
When we need locally provided services, we’re likely to turn to Google to see what our options are. As of May 2024, Google remains the dominant search engine in the United States, with a market share of approximately 86.99% (StatCounter Global Stats) (Kinsta®).
Your practice website and Google business profile(s) where people leave reviews are ways to position your practice on Google. Another way to market your practice and compete on Google is through Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising.
But what exactly is PPC, and how can it help your optometry practice?
What is PPC?
PPC stands for Pay-Per-Click. It’s a type of online advertising where you only pay when someone clicks on your ad. These ads appear in Google search results when potential patients search for services you offer, such as “eye exams” or “contact lenses.”
Types of Google ads
Search ads
The most common type of Google ad is a search ad. These text-based ads appear in Google’s search results when people look for specific keywords related to your services. For example, if someone types “optometrist near me,” your ad could be at the top of the results.
Display ads
Display ads appear on various websites across the internet that are part of Google’s Display Network. These ads can include images and text.
Local service ads
Local service ads can appear when someone in your area searches for eye care services you offer. They emphasize local relevance and can include your business’s contact information, making it easy for potential patients to reach you. There is an extra step to get verified as a Local Service Provider with Google prior to being eligible to run this type of PPC ad campaign.
Other ad types include video ads, run on YouTube and other Google partner sites, and shopping ads, designed for businesses which sell products online.
Why work with a Google ads expert?
As a business owner or manager you can set up a Google ads account and pay Google to run ads. That said, managing PPC campaigns effectively requires knowledge and experience.
I’ve consulted with practice owners and managers who are running their own Google ads. What tends to happen is the owner or manager gets into a situation where their CPC (cost-per-click) is super-high, or they don’t know how to use the keyword planning tool, or they’re spending a lot of time and money on the ads and not seeing results.
A good Google ads specialist understands the intricacies of PPC advertising, from keyword selection to ad creation and bidding strategies. Their expertise ensures your ads are set up correctly and optimized for success, and that you aren’t wasting money on the ads.
Getting started with Google ads
Here are a few tips on getting started with advertising on Google.
Set clear goals
Define what you want to achieve with your PPC campaigns, such as increasing appointments or promoting specific services. Most optometry practices want to increase scheduled appointments, so we track the number of phone calls or form fills from people who click on the ad for this purpose.
If you have a provider managing your PPC, you should have visibility to how they’re measuring the performance of your ads. Clicks are nice, but getting those phone calls or form fills to schedule appointments are probably what matter the most to you!
Choose the right ad type
We manage search ads and local service ads, and these are the types of ads I recommend.
Search and local service ads appear when people search for words and phrases which are relevant for what optometrists provide. If someone is searching for your services using a key word or phrase, they have intent. They are ready to act. Most practice owners and managers are interested in capturing appointment bookings, so search and local service ads are ideal for this purpose.
Monitor and adjust
It’s important to regularly review the performance of the ads and make necessary adjustments to improve results. Most optometrists in private practice have limited budgets for ads, so it’s vital to make every dollar count!
Conclusion
If your practice is in an area with lots of competition, Google ads can be a powerful tool to position your practice on search and capture more appointments. While you can set up and administer your own ads, it may be best to work with an expert to drive ROI for your budget!
