Bringing in new patients to your allied health practice is crucial but choosing between Google Ads and Facebook Ads can be tough. Both have their strengths but which one is right for you?
The answer is in understanding the differences and how they fit your goals. Let’s dive in with some key stats.
Google Ads: Catch people who are searching
Google Ads is designed to target people who are searching for solutions to their health issues.
For example, if someone is searching “physiotherapy near me” they are likely to book an appointment soon. This is what makes Google Ads a high intent platform.
Pros of Google Ads in healthcare
High intent traffic
Google processes 40,000 searches every second or 1.2 trillion searches per year. Many of these are people actively looking for services, including healthcare.
Cost per lead is competitive
For health related services like osteopathy or physiotherapy the average cost per lead on Google Ads can be as high as $50-$60 (WordStream). This may seem high but it’s but when you consider your patient lifetime value, it’s actually pretty good.
For example, many of our clients will see a patient on average 6-10 times throughout the course of a particular treatment (of course this varies wildly depending on the modality). If we lean on the conservative side of around $100 per session, we’re looking at a patient revenue of $600-$1000 – so now that $50-60 per lead is looking pretty good at a 10-15:1 return on investment!
Local precision
Google Ads allows you to set location parameters so your clinic can target people within a specific radius.
Cons of Google Ads in healthcare
High competition
Keywords in healthcare can be competitive and expensive, with an average cost per click (CPC) for health and fitness ads at $3.60 (WordStream).
Complexity in management
Google Ads require ongoing optimisation, including keyword management and bidding strategies which may require external expertise to manage well.
When to use Google Ads?
If you need to fill appointments fast, Google Ads is the way to go. People searching for “psychologist near me” or “NDIS physiotherapist in Brisbane” are ready to book an appointment, so you’re reaching them at a high intent.
Facebook Ads: Build trust and awareness over time
On the other hand, Facebook Ads is great for building brand awareness and nurturing relationships over time. Instead of waiting for patients to search for you, you’re putting your clinic in front of an audience based on their interests and demographics.
Pros of Facebook Ads
Targeting granularity
With 2.96 billion monthly active users, Facebook’s power is in its ability to target specific audiences based on life events, interests and demographics (WordStream).
For example you can target new parents needing postnatal care or people interested in post injury physical rehabilitation resources.
Lower cost per click
Facebook Ads have a lower CPC than Google. For healthcare services the CPC is $1.08-$3.63, much lower than Google (Wordstream).
Engagement focused
The platform is ideal for engagement campaigns, patient success stories or educational videos. This allows you to build trust and connection over time.
Cons of Facebook Ads in healthcare
Lower immediate intent
People scrolling through Facebook aren’t searching for solutions so the conversion rates are lower than Google Ads. You may get lots of clicks and views but fewer people ready to book an appointment immediately.
Ad fatigue
Facebook users are exposed to many ads and your ad content can become stale quickly. You need to update your ads regularly to keep engagement high.
When to use Facebook Ads?
Facebook Ads work best when your goal is to build awareness and educate potential clients over time. This is great for services like mental health support or speech pathology where clients may need more education and nurturing before booking an appointment.
Can they work together? Yes.
Using Google Ads and Facebook Ads together can get you the best results. Here’s why:
- Google Ads gets you in front of people searching for your services, while Facebook Ads gets you in front of those who may not even know they need your help.
- For example you could run Google search ads for people searching for “back pain physio” and your Facebook Ads could target users with videos about recovery exercises or success stories.
By using both platforms you can cover every stage of the patient journey—from awareness to decision making.
In summary: Which one to choose?
Both Google Ads and Facebook Ads have their own benefits depending on your clinic’s goals. Google Ads are good for high intent traffic and Facebook Ads are good for building awareness and nurturing over time.
For many allied health practices a combination of both will get the best results. Use Google Ads to drive immediate bookings and Facebook Ads to build trust and familiarity over time.