Google is, without a doubt, the most powerful search engine in the world. Research suggests it holds around 94% of the market share, with over 5.6 billion daily searches. That translates into 63,000 searches per second or 2 trillion global searches annually.
It makes sense, therefore, to utilise its powerful advertising tool known as Google AdWords. But how does Google ads work for dentists? Let’s take a look.
What are Google Ads?
Google ads are, in essence, Google’s advertising program. Through Google Ads, you can create online advertising to target those already interested in the services you provide.
The AdWords platform lets you choose when the ad appears, how much you want to spend (unfortunately, it’s not free), and allows you to measure the impact of each ad.
For example, if you search for ‘implant dentist Sydney’, you’ll notice 3-4 ads at the top of the first page and another 3-4 ads at the bottom of the page. This is paid advertising – in other words, unlike organic rankings, dental practices have paid to place their dental implant ads front and centre on page one of the search results.
Ads with the highest bid and best search relevancy will show, while others remain hidden.
How does Google ads work for dentists – An example
Let’s say that you have recently opened a state-of-the-art dental clinic in Brisbane and are looking to attract patients in need of dental implants. Here’s how AdWords might work.
| Keyword | Intent | Reasoning | Ad Cost |
| Implant dentist | Low | The intent of the searcher could be anything. They could be looking for what an implant dentist is or how to find one. The keyword isn’t clear, and therefore, the intent is low | Low – we don’t yet know whether this person is ready to book an appointment or even what their search intent is |
| Implant dentist Brisbane | Medium | We know that the searcher is clearly looking for an implant dentist in Brisbane. But at this stage, they’re probably exploring their options | Medium to high – The increased competition from implant dentists in Brisbane pushes the cost of the ad up. The higher the intent, the likelihood of obtaining a lead. |
| Book Implant dentist Brisbane | High | This search term tells us that the person is ready to book a consultation with an implant dentist. In other words, they’re prepared to take action. | High – This person has already thought through their options and is now at the buying cycle’s final stages. Competition for this type of searcher will be high, and so too will the cost. |
As you can see, as a general rule of thumb, the higher the intent, the more it will cost you. That’s how it works. This goes for all aspects of dental services and treatment, not just dental implant ads.
So what are the main advantages of running Google ads for dentists?
Every business aims to be on the front page of the search results as those on page one enjoy significantly more clicks than those on page two and below. It’s estimated around 71% more.
Instead of heavily investing a great deal of time (and probably money) to climb the search results organically, dental practices can pay to appear on page one.
Also, compared to other ads like Facebook, Google ads only show when a user types in a specific search query. So right off the bat, we know that the searcher is already interested.
However, as with the dental implant ads example above, getting the mix between search intent and the right targeted keywords is tricky.
Finally, ad extensions allow you to display your exact business location to make it easy for customers to find you.
So, how much do Google ads cost?
Unfortunately, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. That’s because several variables need to be addressed, including industry, customer lifecycle, and current trends.
For example, industries or businesses like real estate, legal and accounting will cost more because they are among the most competitive sectors and will incorporate more expensive costs per click (CPC).
Price is partly because one client could yield over 10k in return, so $50 per click may be a small price to pay.
But what about dentists?
On average, dentists will pay somewhere between $1 and $3 per click. However, this can also vary if various dental practices bid on and compete for specific keywords for their dental implant ads.
Additionally, current trends may also push prices or costs up. Take clear aligners, for example; their popularity has exploded in recent years. As such, more and more dentists are taking out Google ads for teeth straightening in their bid to get their ad on page one of the search results. Inevitably, demand drives cost, which in turn pushes up ad prices.
How does Google ads work in auction form?
When a user types a search query into the search engine, Google will see whether that query contains keywords that advertisers are currently bidding on. If the answer is yes, then the auction begins.
Google will then calculate each contending ads ‘ad rank’. This determines where in the search results an ad will be placed. Your maximum bid and quality score determine ad rank.
Because Google only charges for ad clicks, not ad impressions, dentists will only pay for the actual times a searcher clicks and opens their dental implant ad – not the number of times the ad is displayed.
In essence, it can cost less than $3.00 for dentists to get started with Google ads but do bear in mind that it is likely to cost more because not every click or lead will result in a new patient. It depends upon the quality of your ads and more besides.
How many clicks you convert will inevitably be down to not only the quality of your ads but the skill of your team and the persuasive nature of your copy (landing page or website).
How does Google ads work – where should dentists start?
As a dentist trying AdWords for the first time, it would be an idea to set yourself a budget and avoid generalised keywords like ‘cosmetic dentist’ and instead concentrate on treatment specific keywords that are closer to the buying/action cycle, such as’ book dental implants dentist Brisbane’ (if you are opting for dental implant ads).
Hopefully, this has given you a small insight into Google AdWords, how they work, and some hints and tips to boot.
If you would like to know more about how Google ads work for your dental practice, then talk to the team at Mediboost. We’re Australia’s #1 patient growth agency and use various proven techniques and strategies like Google ads to turn traffic and leads into patients.
Call today on 1300 163 058 or book a chat with us and let us help you turn your online visitors into patients.
