Best Practices For Therapists Running Google Ads
Let’s Break it down: What Are Google Ads?
Google Ads is an advertising platform that allows you to reach a wide audience using Google's many different advertising tools. From showing up on Google search results to trying out a YouTube video campaign, there is no limit to the paths you could take to fulfill your marketing needs. When it comes to therapists, counselors, psychologists - and everything in between - there are some key factors to consider when you begin the process of utilizing Google Ads.
image courtesy of PPC Ad Editor: Google Performance Max Ad Mock Up
Making An Action Plan
Before you jump straight into running a Google Ads campaign, there are a few aspects of your practice and overall business goals that need to be addressed. For example, since the pandemic erupted normalcy, you may have moved your practice primarily online and found success in that stream of business. However, now that the market is shifting to a more hybrid workplace (meaning both in-person and online sessions can be available) you may be looking to expand the type of services you offer. The difference between these two options may seem like a simple move to make, especially if you already have a physical location readily available, but when it comes to Google Ads it can make a huge difference in the way you set up your campaign.
What Should I Consider?
Launching a successful Google Ads campaign for therapy services requires a thoughtful and strategic approach. Whether you are just starting your practice or you have been in the game for a while, advertising efforts can be an entirely different language when you don’t know what to look for.
By considering some of the factors mentioned below, you will find that creating the goals for your campaigns will begin to align with the overall goals of your practice. Your Google Ads campaign is one tool of many that can be relied on when jumpstarting your marketing efforts, and with the right guidance it can provide you with the clientele, referrals, and brand recognition you need long term.
Some key components of a great Google Ads strategy include:
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Define clear and specific goals for the campaign. Whether it's increasing website traffic, generating leads, or promoting a specific service, having well-defined objectives will help to give the campaign some structure.
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Identify your ideal clients and their demographics, interests, and behaviors. This can be anything from gender, household income, and age ranges. Think of what your actual client demographics are currently and who you want to be coming to you in the future.
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Think about your services - specifically your niches. Keywords play a huge role in what searches you pop up for, so keep them simple and straightforward. You can use the Google Keyword Planner to discover relevant keywords and how much they get searched.
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This is the first thing that users will see when they search for a service so create compelling ad copy that resonates with your target audience. Clearly communicate the value of your therapy services and highlight what sets you apart from competitors.
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Make sure that the landing page you're directing users to is relevant to the ad (has the keywords) and provides relevant and valuable information. The page should have a clear call to action and be user-friendly.
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When picking a budget, you want to make sure that it is sustainable for your marketing budget as well as competitive in the Google Ads space. It is customizable at any point, so increasing and decreasing the budget can be considered further down the line.
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Choosing an appropriate bidding strategy can be confusing, but it really comes down to your budget and overall campaign goals. You can use this link to find out more about the different bidding strategies that Google offers.
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Specify the geographic locations where you want your ads to be displayed. This will play a huge role when you are considering in-person or online appointments. In-person means a more local campaign while online means you can branch out a little more.
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You can use ad extensions to provide additional practice information like location, phone number, site links, and reviews. These extensions can enhance the visibility and effectiveness of your ads.
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You don’t want to be showing up for massage therapy when people are searching for your services. Adding irrelevant searches to the negative keyword list gives you the control to improve your targeting by blocking your ads from showing up for those searches.
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Knowing who is in the business around you can be helpful when running a campaign with general services. It can also help you add those names to the negative keyword list in advance so that your ads don’t pop up for competitors name searches.
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Set up conversion tracking and analytics tools to monitor the performance of your ads. This is crucial not just for the campaign, but also for keeping track of your organic and referral results as well.
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Consider any seasonal trends that might affect the demand for therapy services. Summer time, back to school, and the winter holidays are all major factors to consider when thinking about a campaign's results.
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How much time do you want to spend on Google Ads yourself? Do you want to set it up and let it run by itself or do you want to be hands-on in the platform? These are important to consider when setting up the campaign as it can help guide which type of campaign will be best for you.
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Keep in mind that it might take time to see significant results from your campaign. Be patient and willing to go back through the campaign to see where things are falling flat.
Why Are These Important?
I’m Ready To Create My Campaign But Don’t Know How
If you’re ready to get started on implementing a Google Ads campaign, then you’re in the right place. Google makes it incredibly user-friendly to get a campaign up and running, but if you want more information about what each of the terms means and how the campaign is going to run, then the best place to start would be the Google Ads certification.
While it is not necessary to be certified before you start a campaign, going through the course will help you gain a better overall understanding of what you will be doing and seeing in the ads platform. From definitions to breaking down the different types of bidding strategies, the course and certification can be a great starting point if you are looking to run and maintain a campaign on your own.
From there, it’s all practice and resources. The certification course and test are a great starting point, but you won’t be able to understand the ins and outs of the Google Ads platform until you have run a campaign yourself. Putting your skills and knowledge into the practical experience will be the best boost for seeing the full picture of services that Google Ads offers while boosting your confidence to make more meaningful and impactful changes to your campaign.
But I Don’t Have The Time To Run It Myself
That's where Google Ads experts - like RevKey - come into play. If you are wanting to jumpstart your Google Ads campaign but know that your life as a therapist and business owner won’t allow for the free time to maintain it, then relying on a Google Ads marketing company may be your best option.
These specific teams will be able to identify your Google Ads needs, provide you with a solid foundation of how to get started, and can maintain the campaign while you’re away being the boss of a successful business. Outsourcing this type of marketing can prove especially fruitful when you are ready to begin expanding your practice and need someone on the back end to make sure that your ads are ready to support your new ventures.
Let’s Get Started
Starting Google Ads can be a handful sometimes, especially when you are navigating it by yourself, but with the right tools and resources you will be able to create a campaign that fulfills your marketing expectations and gives you the freedom to take the stress off your plate. Google Ads is a great tool when used correctly, and will continue to be a pillar in the marketing world. When you’re ready, you can start at this page to learn more about how Google Ads can help grow your business. If you know a marketing agency is the best option for you, click the button below to learn more about how a Google Ads specialist can help ignite positive change in your marketing strategy.
