It’s not rocket science that Dentist Accounts benefit majorly from Google PPC and Local Service Ads (LSAs) aka “Google Guaranteed” Ads.
When users search for “Dentist Near Me,” all that matters is that your client’s Dentist Account shows up on top. That’s all your client wants, and that’s all they care about.
Let’s think about it this way: when did you last search for a new dentist in your area?
Chances are, you went straight to Google and did what most of us would do – Ask Google for “Dentists Near Me.”
And voila! Google gave you a list of dental clinics in your proximity, including their ratings, addresses, and operational hours. Did this make life easy for you as a user? Heck yes!
And what did it do for the business? It gave them the visibility to stand out and get more leads. In a way, Google is the breadwinner for Dentists.
Whether it’s looking for a regular check-up, emergency services, or cosmetic dental procedures, people search online for everything. Even if they know a Dental Practice, they want to check out the reviews before making their final decision. It’s the fastest way to get in front of potential patients who are actively searching for dental services.
Before we start talking about Google and what it can do for your Dental client, Let’s dive into the basics of how you manage this client.
Understanding the Dental Practices and Why they chose you as their Marketing Agency?
Most often, Agencies are so focused on closing the client that they lose track of what was promised on the Sales Call. What makes the Client confident about signing up? Do they want more new patients? Do they want new patients at a cheaper rate? Do they want patients for the new service they launched? Are they looking to expand to a new location? How many new leads can they comfortably manage? Do they want more leads for Cosmetic vs General Dentistry? Do they have a New Patient Special Discount that they want to promote?
It is fairly common for a Dental Practice to decide to sign up with an Agency with great excitement, only to cancel in two months, but the Agency never saw it coming.
It is important to understand why the owner of the Dental Practice chose you. In terms of client management and future relationships, it is important to understand what the client is expecting out of this relationship and engagement. If they already had a Marketing Partner before, what do they want changed? What is their definition of success? It is crucial to be conscious of these expectations when you’re working on the client’s account. It is even more important to convey these expectations to your team or white label partner, who will be working on the account behind the scenes.
Let’s assume you have this covered and look into what you can offer to your Client.
Google PPC Ads Vs. LSAs Vs. Local SEO for Dental Practices. How do you choose?
The choice between the three purely depends on the business and how they answer 2 below questions:
How much are they willing to pay? How much are they willing to wait for the leads to come?
Local SEO efforts take time to show results. They require consistent work on content strategy, including content optimizations, Google Business Profile (GBP) Setup, Reviews & Reputation Management, Blog writing, Local link building, Citations, and much more. It takes somewhere between 4 and 8 months to see the expected number of leads. But guess what? These leads will be organic, with no Ad dollars being spent on Google.
Local Service Ads (LSAs), aka “Google Guaranteed” Ads, are a step ahead of Local SEO. If a business has good Reviews and Reputation, you can consider running LSAs. With a little money behind your Google Business Profile, your GBP can show up at the top of the page on relevant searches. The only drawback is that Google almost entirely manages these ads and does not allow for control over bids. The Lead quality is great, but the number of leads month over month varies dramatically.
Google PPC is the best option if the business has a few thousand dollars for Ad Spend each month and is in need of consistent leads. Google PPC is a fairly comprehensive setup offering multiple levers for bid adjustments and optimizations at each level to get the most out of the relevant searches. Basically, you get the benefit of ranking on top without waiting for months to build your SEO. Dental clinics willing to grow their patient base with online leads and conversions need Google Ads.
The power of Google Ads lies in its precise targeting. Your clients’ ads don’t just scatter across the web; they land squarely in front of the right people at the right time. And the best part? Every click, every conversion, and every dollar spent is measurable, giving you—and your clients—complete transparency into what’s working and what’s not.
So, if you’re an agency owner aiming to knock it out of the park with your dental clients, you’re in the right place. This guide will help you master Google Ads for dental marketing so you can deliver jaw-dropping results that keep your clients smiling.
The Dental Patient Journey: Understanding the Funnel
Before we dive into the nuts and bolts of Google Ads for Dental Accounts, we need to understand the typical journey of a dental patient.
This journey can be broken down into three main stages: Awareness, Interest, Consideration, and Decision.
Let’s get you more information on these:
- Awareness: This is where potential patients realize “Uh-oh, my tooth is giving me a hard time” or “Hmm, maybe it’s time for a cleaning.” They have a problem, but no interest in looking for a Dentist yet.
- Interest: This is the stage when patients are ready to start searching for a Dentist near them. It is also the info-gathering phase.
- Consideration: This is where things are getting serious, and patients are looking at their options, comparing different dental practices, reading reviews, and looking at their services. This is where YOU want to shine.
- Decision: This is the final stop, where the patient is ready to make a choice, book an appointment, or pick up the phone and call.
Understanding this funnel is important to gaining a sense of your target audience and tailoring your Ads to reach your patients at just the right moment.
Study the “Consideration” Phase carefully: During the “Consideration” Stage, users evaluate the available Dental Offices near them based on multiple factors, such as proximity, reviews, ratings, available services, accepted insurance, the experience of the dentists, testimonials from other patients, and, most importantly, offers.
Setting Up Your Google Ads for Dental Account: The Basics
First things first—let’s set up your Google Ads account correctly. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just dipping your toes into the PPC pool, it’s always good to start with the basics.
Account Structure
A well-structured account is like a well-organized toolbox—it makes everything easier.
Account History: The first and most important step in the Google PPC Campaign build is understanding the account’s history. Did they run ads before? What kind of campaigns? What budget? What was working? What was not working? What keywords were converting? What do they want differently from this new campaign? This information helps in laying a foundation for your campaign architecture and managing future expectations with the client.
Campaigns: Campaigns are like the big drawers in your toolbox – they should be broad and based on major goals, like “New Patient Acquisition” or niches like “Cosmetic Dentistry.”
Ad Groups: Ad Groups are like the smaller compartments inside those big drawers. Within each campaign, create ad groups that target specific services or keywords, like “Teeth Whitening,” “Emergency Dental Services,” or “Pediatric Dentistry.”
Keywords: Keywords are the individual tools within those compartments. This is where you get specific. Your keywords should align with the services you offer, and it’s crucial to include a mix of broad match, phrase match, and exact match keywords.
Ads: Each ad group should have multiple ads to test what works best. Your ads should be compelling and include a clear call to action (CTA), like “Book an Appointment Today” or “Get That Perfect Smile at 10% OFF.” You want to address all the pain points of the “Consideration” phase.
The goal here is to ensure that your Ads account is as sharp as your dentist’s drill (but way less scary!). Hiring white label PPC agencies is a smart move if you wish to set up your account with an expert approach without giving away the credit for the results.
Keyword Research: Finding the Right Words
Thorough keyword research is important for any business, of course, but understanding what users type is more important than what your client wants their ads to be run for. This is a skillful tactic and takes practice on the agency’s front. Many times, Dentists want you to run ads for complex dental procedures that they take pride in fulfilling. However, it is important to note that a user is often not concerned with heavy technical terms; they primarily use the pain points in their searches, e.g., something as simple as “toothache” rather than “wisdom teeth extraction.”
Long-Tail Keywords
Don’t just focus on broad keywords like “dentist” or “dental services.” Instead, target long-tail keywords like “affordable teeth whitening in [City]” or “emergency dentist near me.” These are more specific and often have lower competition, making them cheaper and more effective.
Negative Keywords: Avoiding Irrelevant Clicks
Negative keywords are just as important for preventing your ads from showing up in irrelevant searches. For example, if your client doesn’t offer orthodontics, add “braces” or “Invisalign” as negative keywords. This way, you’re not wasting money on clicks that won’t convert into patients. If the client is an “orthodontist,” you might benefit from launching the campaign by negating the term “orthopedic” to avoid wrong impressions because of auto-fill.
Geo-Targeting: Reaching the Right Audience
Dental practices are local businesses, so geo-targeting is a must. Google Ads allows you to target specific locations, ensuring your ads are seen by people in your client’s service area. You can get as granular as you want, targeting by city, ZIP code, or even a specific radius around the practice. Consider targeting by breaking the areas into smaller sections to allow for better optimizations based on performance.
Crafting the Perfect Ad Copy for Dental Accounts
Now that your account is set up and your keywords are locked and loaded, it’s time to create the ads. This is where creativity meets strategy.
Headline: Grab Their Attention
Your headline is the first thing people see, so make it count. Include your primary keyword and a compelling offer.
For example:
- “Top-Rated Dentist in [City] – Book Now!”
- “Get a Brighter Smile Today – Teeth Whitening $99!”
- “Emergency Dental Services – Open 24/7!”
Use Dynamic Keyword Insertion techniques wherever needed. They work like magic for Click-Through-Rates.
Description: Be Clear and Compelling
The description is where you provide more details and convince the potential patient to take action. Highlight what makes your client’s practice unique—whether it’s flexible hours, a new patient special, state-of-the-art technology, insurance they accept, etc.
Call to Action (CTA): Tell Them What to Do
A strong CTA is essential for driving conversions. Use action-oriented language like “Schedule Your Appointment Today,” “Call Now for a Free Consultation,” or “Book Online in Minutes.” Make it clear, easy, and urgent.
Ad Extensions: Add Extra Value
Ad extensions are like the sprinkles on your ad cupcake—they add that extra bit of value. Use site link extensions to link to specific pages on your client’s website, call extensions for a direct phone link, and location extensions to show the practice’s address.
Landing Pages for Dental Practices: Where the Magic Happens
The journey doesn’t end when someone clicks on your ad. The landing page is where conversions happen, so it needs to be optimized to turn visitors into patients. The Landing Page delivers on the promise made by the Ad. It is very important to have consistent language and copy across the Ads and the Landing Pages.
Keep It Relevant
The landing page should match the ad in terms of content and offer. If your ad is about teeth whitening, the landing page should focus on teeth whitening, not general dental services. This consistency builds trust and increases the likelihood of conversion.
Simplify the Form
Don’t overwhelm visitors with a long, complicated form. Keep it short and sweet—ask for the essentials like name, phone number, and email. The goal is to make it as easy as possible for someone to book an appointment. Remember to ask the client about HIPAA regulations and how they stay compliant.
Mobile Responsiveness
65% of traffic is from mobile (since the launch of iPhone 6 🙂)
More and more people are using their phones to search for services, including dental care. Make sure your landing pages are mobile-friendly with fast load times, easy navigation, and clickable phone numbers.
Use Drop-down Options on Forms for Dental Services
This is very useful, especially if the Clinic offers multiple services and is running ads for multiple services. Adding Drop-down lists to your Forms on the Landing Pages for service options, e.g., Dentures, Invisalign, routine check-up, etc., allows the user to provide context to their inquiry and allows for better lead management on the Client’s side. Additionally, it helps the Ad Specialist co-relate the actual intent with the Search Term and optimize the ads accordingly.
Monitoring and Optimization: Keep the Engine Running
Your job isn’t done once the ads are live. Monitoring and optimization are super important for ensuring your campaigns continue to perform well.
Track Conversions
Set up conversion tracking in Google Ads to see how many people are booking appointments or calling through your ads. This data is invaluable for understanding what’s working and what’s not.
Listen to the call recordings, analyze the form fills, and get feedback on show-up rates for the booked appointments. Remember! None of your efforts matter if the client does not see a return on investment. Set up systems to track ROI and report regularly.
A/B Testing: Always Be Improving
Continuously test headlines, descriptions, CTAs, and even images to find the winning combination. You might also want to do A/B testing for Offers such as the $60 New Patient Special, Free Teeth Whitening with the First Consultation, or a 10% off new Patient Discount. Check offers being run by the competitors and find one that will make yours stand out.
Adjust Bids: Maximize ROI
Regularly review your bids to ensure you’re getting the most bang for your buck. Increase bids for high-performing keywords, locations, demographics, ad schedules, etc., to give the campaign’s most successful aspects a fair chance and a sufficient budget.
Monitor the Quality Score
Quality Score is Google’s way of grading your ads. It checks the relevancy of your chosen keywords with your ads and your Landing Page copy. The higher the Quality score, the better chances for your ads to get the most impressions.
Google is known to discourage impression-share of ads that have low-quality scores. A high Quality Score can lead to lower costs and better ad placements, so it’s definitely worth paying attention to.
If you keep your ads relevant, useful, and aligned with Google’s guidelines, you’ll score an A+ in the dental ad world.
Local Service Ads For Dental Practices
Local Service Ads (LSAs) or “Google Guaranteed” Ads are a way of putting some money behind your Google Business Profile and allowing it to show up on top of the Search Results.
The major benefit of LSAs is that you pay for the lead and not for the Click, and Google allows you to dispute irrelevant Leads and ask for money back. LSAs appear at the very top of the search results and are designed to help businesses like dental practices connect with local customers in an instant.
Why LSAs for Dental Marketing
- Top Placement: LSAs appear above all other ads, allowing your clients to rank high on the search results page every time a user in their neighborhood searches for “Dentists Near Me.”
- Google Screened Badge: LSAs come with a Google Screened badge, which adds credibility to your client’s dental practice and increases trust with potential patients.
- Pay-per-Lead: Unlike traditional pay-per-click (PPC) ads, LSAs only charge you when someone contacts your Dentist through the ad. This can result in a higher ROI.
Setting Up LSAs for Dental Accounts
To get started with LSAs, you’ll need to create a Google My Business (GMB) profile for your Dental account if they don’t already have one. This is important because LSAs pull information from the GMB profile, including location, reviews, and hours of operation.
Once the GMB profile is set up, you can create an LSA campaign directly through the Google Ads interface or start by creating a Local Service Ads Account.
LSAs require Business Verification from Google, which usually takes 4 to 6 weeks. Be sure to select the business category “Dentist” and choose the services your client offers. Google will ask you to upload details about dental license, insurance, areas of practice etc. This process should ideally be completed by the Business owner of the Dental practice. Once the dental practice is “verified,” the business will be officially “Google Guaranteed” and ready to launch the LSAs. LSAs also allow you to specify the geographic area you want to target, ensuring your ads are visible to the right audience and a weekly budget for running these ads. It’s as simple as that.
Optimize LSA Campaigns for Dental Accounts
You’ve set up Local Services Ads (LSAs) for your Dental account, and they’re doing well. But why settle for “nice” when you can achieve “awesome”?
Like traditional Google Ads campaigns, LSAs require ongoing optimization to ensure their best performance. Although this optimization is very limited, unlike Google PPC, LSAs are almost completely under Google’s control.
Here’s what you can do to utilize the best of LSAs for your Dental accounts:
- Focus on Reviews: Encourage satisfied patients to leave positive reviews on your client’s GMB profile. The number and quality of reviews play a great role in how LSAs are ranked – Google loves them, and so do potential patients.
- Respond to Leads Quickly: LSAs prioritize businesses that respond quickly to leads. Make sure your client has a process in place to respond to inquiries and reviews as soon as they come in. All reviews, even the Bad ones, need to be responded to within 24 hours in a professional manner.
Tip: Ask your client to use service keywords in their response. This helps build credibility for the business and shows the Dentist’s proficiency. - Monitor Performance: Regularly review your LSA dashboard to see how your campaigns are performing. Adjust your targeting, budget, and services as needed to improve results.
- Review the Incoming leads: Listen to the Call recording, and feel free to “Dispute” the low-quality leads. Google is very good about giving your money back if the lead is simply wrong and not of good quality.
Measuring Success: Key Metrics to Track for Dental Google PPC and Google LSAs
Track the below metrics to measure the performance of your Dental Google PPC and LSAs
Click-Through Rate (CTR)
CTR measures the percentage of people who click on the Dentist’s “Google Guaranteed” Ad. A high CTR means your business is showing up for the relevant terms—like they just can’t resist that “Schedule an Appointment” button. The general industry standard is 5% for CTR; if you achieve anything better than 5%, it’s pure gold.
Conversion Rate
Conversion rate is the percentage of clicks that result in booking a dental appointment. This metric is the holy grail because it directly shows the number of leads you generate from the LSAs. In the case of Google PPC, using a Landing Page can significantly improve the Conversion Rates with a magnitude of difference than what you’d expect on a website.
Cost Per Conversion
How much are you spending to get a new patient to give you a call from the LSAs? Low cost per conversion means you’re getting more out of every dollar you’re spending. It highly varies and depends on the target location and competition. In general, LSAs and Google PPCs are getting expensive across the board for all businesses. But LSAs are still cheaper than Google PPC.
Remember, Google Ads is a powerful tool for Dental marketing, but it needs ongoing attention and optimization. You need to stay on top of your campaigns, test new strategies, and always look for ways to improve.
With the right approach, you can help your dental clients attract more patients, grow their practice, and become trusted providers in their communities.
Sounds a bit complicated?
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