Investing the majority of your healthcare practice's marketing budget in Google Ads is akin to placing a large, costly advertisement in the Yellow Pages.
Consider the Data
According to Google, branded keywords have over two times higher conversion rates compared to non-branded terms.
- Research indicates that branded search traffic typically achieves a much better conversion rate than non-branded traffic.
- You’re missing out on a ton of business because they aren’t searching specifically for you.
This means that patients who are already familiar with your healthcare practice are more likely to search for it by name and convert into appointments. However, if your healthcare marketing efforts focus solely on generic service terms like "family doctor" or "cardiologist near me," you're competing in a heavily saturated channel where differentiation is challenging.
The Core Issue
Potential patients aren't searching for your practice specifically because they don't know you yet. They're searching for healthcare providers in your category, much like flipping through the Yellow Pages in the past.
Shift Your Healthcare Marketing Strategy
Instead of solely aiming to rank at the top of search engine results pages (SERPs) for generic terms, ask yourself:
"How can I engage potential patients before they search, so they know and remember my healthcare practice?"
Brand searches, where patients look for your practice by name, convert at higher rates and are more cost-effective than generic searches. This is because these patients are specifically seeking your practice or providers, not just any provider in your specialty.
Successful Healthcare Practices
- Build strong brand awareness to ensure they are known and remembered when a health concern arises.
- Engage with their community through consistent and meaningful outreach.
- Create a memorable patient experience that encourages word-of-mouth referrals and positive online reviews.
Many healthcare providers mistakenly believe that building brand awareness is too expensive, difficult to measure, and doesn't directly lead to increased patient volume. However, those who recognize the value of a strong brand gain a significant competitive advantage.
Ready to Rethink Your Strategy?
If you're ready to rethink your healthcare marketing strategy and build a brand that attracts and retains patients, schedule a free consultation with Simple Healthcare Marketing. We'll help you develop an effective approach to grow your practice's visibility and patient panel.
