Healthcare PPC: 9 Paid Search Tips from the Experts

Healthcare PPC is pay-per-click advertising for healthcare-related businesses. These online ads are highly effective but strictly regulated, making them challenging to navigate.

Pay-per-click advertising (PPC) is a fast and effective way to increase revenue, retention, and brand awareness.

However, for healthcare-related businesses, PPC comes with more challenges than most.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through actionable tips and best practices to keep your healthcare PPC campaign compliant and successful — with insights from a panel of HawkSEM’s paid search experts.

Read over the ad guidelines to ensure you’re not spending time on a campaign that’ll end up getting rejected or pulled. (Image: Unsplash)

What is healthcare PPC?

Healthcare PPC is a digital marketing method where healthcare-related businesses pay to advertise products or services to people searching for related topics online.

Top PPC channels for healthcare professionals

“Healthcare can be an expensive vertical for PPC,” says senior lead strategist for HawkSEM, Chloe Derse. “Exploring both Google Ads as well as Microsoft Ads can be a worthwhile initiative.”

The most common PPC channels for healthcare providers include:

• Google Ads
• Microsoft Ads (formerly Bing Ads)
• Facebook Ads
• LinkedIn Ads
• YouTube

Derse advises that while Google Ads is a go-to for providers, “Microsoft Ads can help companies reach their target audience at a lower cost because competition can be lower on this channel.”

Healthcare PPC challenges

Healthcare PPC is uniquely challenging in that you must navigate strict regulations and higher costs to participate.

“PPC is a great way to capture traffic with high levels of intent (people looking for solutions to very specific problems),” says SEM manager at HawkSEM, Jackie Hazlett.

“One challenge is that you generally can’t use retargeting due to Health in Personalized Advertising restrictions.”

“Another challenge is not being able to use personalized advertising in Google,” adds our lead strategist, Katie Blatman. “This means no remarketing, no lookalike audiences, and no first-party data (which means no enabling enhanced conversions, even if the data is hashed, since it still uses first-party data).”

Some other challenges include:

• Compliance: Any health-related ads, landing pages, and websites need to comply with HIPAA regulations and the FDA’s rules. At best, non-compliance can lead to ad disapprovals or account suspensions. At worst? Legal consequences.
• Restricted keywords: Similarly, there are many restricted keywords due to sensitivity concerns (think health conditions or treatments). Words like “cure,” tend to be off-limits.
• Limited targeting: Privacy-focused restrictions for healthcare audiences make audience targeting extra difficult. PPC platforms like Google restrict targeting options for sensitive interests or conditions related to health status.
• A higher cost per click (CPC): Healthcare-related keywords are generally competitive, and therefore expensive.

Healthcare PPC best practices

1. Align your business and PPC goals
2. Review PPC compliance guidelines
3. Get LegitScript certified
4. Use patient-centered keywords
5. Craft clear (and accurate) ad copy
6. Be easily reachable
7. Leverage E-E-A-T
8. Build relevant, trustworthy landing pages
9. Make your website and landing pages mobile-friendly

1. Align your business and PPC goals

Before campaign strategy or build-out, align your PPC goals with your business objectives. This could include:

• Improved patient acquisition
• Retention
• Brand awareness
• Promoting specialty services

Your business goals will directly impact the strategy and structure of your PPC campaigns.

2. Review PPC compliance guidelines

The healthcare industry is highly regulated. To ensure advertisers stay compliant, Google clearly outlines its policies, with Microsoft following suit in 2024.

These guidelines include:

Certification requirements

While some healthcare-related content can’t be advertised at all, others can if the business is certified with Google and within approved regions.

You must apply for healthcare-related advertising if you are a:

• Prescription drug services provider
• Pharmaceutical manufacturer
• Governmental or well-established non-profit health advocacy organization
• Addiction services provider
• Health insurance advertiser (United States only)
• Business with an FDA-issued license or approval to market a cell or gene therapy (United States only)
• Verified election advertiser

Be sure to include your Google Ads customer ID, located at the top of your account pages during the application process.

Country-specific limitations

Certain healthcare ads are only permitted in specific regions; for example, Google only allows pharmaceutical manufacturers to advertise in Canada, New Zealand, and the United States.

(Over-the-counter meds have a much longer list.)

Prohibited content

Google and Microsoft prohibit unapproved substances, unauthorized pharmacies, and certain drugs like opioids from advertising.

Google’s healthcare paid search ad policies include regulations related to:

• Restricted drug terms
• Unapproved substances
• Unauthorized pharmacies
• Speculative and experimental medical treatments
• Clinical trial recruitment
• Addiction services

It’s also good to be aware of Google’s “health in personalized advertising” limitation on personal health content.

Even if you comply with its healthcare guidelines, Google can limit how often your PPC ads appear based on what your company aims to treat.

For example, an audiologist may be limited because Google considers hearing loss a chronic condition.

Policy violations

Any policy violations can result in an account suspension without prior warning.

3. Get LegitScript certified

LegitScript is a certification program that helps ensure online advertisements for healthcare-related services and products are compliant with industry standards.

The organization reviews and certifies businesses and their websites to ensure they meet the requirements necessary to advertise.

PPC platforms like Google typically require healthcare businesses to be certified by LegitScript before they can run ads.

For example, any mention of Botox will cause your site to be flagged without LegitScript approval. This is true even if you aren’t targeting Botox in your keywords, which is common for businesses such as medical spas.

Some industries have regulations about using words like “best” and “will.” This includes statements like “the best healthcare” and “we will cure your pain.”

Google won’t necessarily flag these, but such statements could potentially cause problems for the client. That’s why we say it’s best practice to avoid them.

A Microsoft Advertising verbiage example. (Image: Screenshot)

4. Use patient-centered keywords

Keywords are one of the most important aspects of PPC campaigns. That’s why it’s essential to build healthcare ads around the terms and phrases your prospects are using during their search.

Depending on which part of the industry your company falls under, this could include things like:

• The specific product or service you offer
• The issue or condition your product or service addresses
• Major symptoms that your product or service deals with
• Your target audience
• Company details (e.g., name, location, contact information)

If you’re too generic with your keywords, you risk getting lost in the shuffle.

Take things a step further by keeping in mind what questions prospects might be typing into search boxes, and what their concerns might be (such as cost, specialties, or location).

The more specific and targeted you can be within your budget, the better — and be sure to leverage negative keywords to keep unqualified clicks at bay.

Our complete guide walks through how to conduct effective keyword research.

5. Craft clear (and accurate) ad copy

Google may penalize healthcare-related sites that suggest users need to buy a certain product or urge searchers to call immediately if they’re showing certain signs. This rightfully forces marketers to think more like users.

As a result, brands with ad copy that includes actual facts — with the authority to back them up — are more likely to be the ones that see the most success.

Getting proper, accurate health information to people is arguably more important than ever. (Image: Rawpixel)

Just picture it: You’re frantically searching for the meaning of certain symptoms or the nearest urgent care facility. You’re probably not in the mood for quirky headlines or sensationalist claims.

The most effective healthcare paid search messaging is clear and direct. Your healthcare ads will have the best shot at cutting through the clutter by speaking your audience’s language and being concise about what you’re offering.

Sometimes a simple question, such as “Looking for a speedy urgent care center in Atlanta?” is all it takes.

Straightforward ad copy from Mommy’s Bliss, a company that sells wellness products for moms and babies (Image: Google screenshot)

6. Be easily reachable

It sounds like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how many companies (across multiple industries) make it difficult to get in touch.

What’s a lead to do?

In this case, they’ll likely keep scrolling to find a brand with a phone number, live chat, or an address that’s more readily available.

Setting up a call extension and location extension on your PPC ads is a great first step.

It’s also wise to include your contact info on each website page, as well as your landing pages and even your social media profiles. This makes it much easier for people to reach out to you quickly, no matter where they land.

Pro tip: If one of your main goals is to drive qualified leads to your location, don’t forget about correctly setting up your Google Business Profile. This can help increase local customer engagement across Google Maps and searches.

7. Focus on E-E-A-T

Yes, this is an SEO term. But the idea behind it is beneficial when it comes to healthcare PPC as well. If you’re not familiar, E-E-A-T (originally E-A-T) stands for experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness.

E-E-A-T was first introduced in 2015 via a Google Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines document that explained how the search engine gauges website quality. It was brought up again in 2018 when these guidelines expanded to also include content authors.

With the stiff competition in the healthcare industry (plus a focus on hard data and proven science), keeping E-E-A-T in mind when creating ad copy and landing page content can set your brand apart from the rest.

An effective way to improve your site’s E-E-A-T SEO is by creating — and maintaining — a positive brand reputation.

This means keeping an eye out for any negative reviews or press, and responding promptly and professionally if anything comes up.

Other methods include:

• Using and incorporating credible sources (particularly important in healthcare marketing) in your content
• Providing author details and transparency
• Regularly auditing your content to ensure it addresses your target audience’s evolving needs
• Ensuring your content corresponds with your overall marketing strategy

While E-E-A-T isn’t a direct Google ranking factor, Google still aims to serve results with strong E-E-A-T.

By retaining a high E-E-A-T that improves user trust, you can ultimately gain more conversions on your site — and enhance your brand awareness.

8. Build relevant, trustworthy landing pages

While ad copy should be simple, we suggest your landing pages be as thorough as possible with “an attention-getting and memorable headline, competitor comparison charts, and a clear call to action,” says Derse.

With landing pages, you’ve already cleared the hurdle of getting someone to click your ad. From this point on, you need to provide them with as much information as possible to feel confident and informed before following your CTA.

Additionally, “all components need to be HIPAA compliant,” says Derse. “For example, if there is a form that is collecting sensitive information, it needs to meet all HIPAA security requirements.”

Many healthcare providers want to direct to pages that are general or highlight a specific doctor or team to build trust.

And, while it’s important to be reputable, healthcare advertising is meant to meet the immediate needs of the customer.

When it comes to optimizing your landing page, make sure the content is client-focused and directly responds to what the person is trying to fix or research.

Finally, include trust signals like certifications, testimonials, and secure contact forms to build credibility.

9. Make your website & landing pages mobile-friendly

Check that all of your landing pages render properly on mobile devices using Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test Tool.

You can even take things a step further by testing out mobile-specific ads and making mobile bid adjustments as needed.

Consider leveraging responsive ads, too. These types of ads automatically adjust in size, appearance, and format to accommodate all devices — from smartphones to desktop computers to tablets.

Experts report that 70% of searches on mobile lead to an action in less than an hour, so it’s important to ensure your healthcare PPC ads work on the device that potential patients use.

Successful healthcare PPC campaign examples

At HawkSEM, our team of PPC experts helps healthcare professionals bring in more high-quality leads for less money and a greater return on investment.

Case study: NurseRegistry doubles qualified leads in six months

NurseRegistry helps connect those looking to hire reliable, skilled nurses with qualified candidates.

The goal: To increase the number of qualified clients looking for private-duty nurses from their PPC ads and optimize existing paid search campaigns to increase performance while reducing wasted spend.

The solution: After familiarizing ourselves with NurseRegistry’s audience, goals, and current paid search marketing efforts, HawkSEM created a tailor-made action marketing plan, which included:

• Adjusting campaign and conversion settings
• Pausing underperforming ad groups and keywords
• Updating ad copy and landing pages
• Optimizing their account by funneling more ad spend to best-performing areas
• Refreshing ad campaigns to better target ideal client personas

The results: While partnering with HawkSEM, NurseRegistry was able to:

• Double qualified clients
• Decrease cost per qualified client by 46%
• Boost overall conversion rates by 32%

Case study: Hearing center sees increase in traffic, keywords & conversions

Happy Ears Hearing Center is one of the most trusted audiology practices in the greater Phoenix area — treating hearing loss with best practices and the belief that everyone should have access to high-quality and personalized hearing healthcare.

The goal:

Ready to take the next step as the industry experts for hearing issues, Happy Ears looked to bring in more users and traffic, particularly the local crowd in need of their healthcare services.

The solution:

To increase traffic, HawkSEM cast a big net.

To become the go-to resource for hearing disorders, we had to expand and optimize their on-site content to reflect popular search queries people are looking to learn more about across the U.S.

This, along with some minimal adjustments to colors, headers, and calls to action, would help improve user experience and conversion rate optimization (CRO).

The results:

While partnering with HawkSEM, Happy Ears Hearing Center was able to:

• Increase total organic keywords ranked by more than 245%
• Grow estimated organic traffic by 396%
• Increase local conversions by nearly 44%

Why healthcare needs PPC marketing

Whether you just got started with your healthcare marketing efforts or you already run PPC campaigns, implementing PPC ads is an essential part of marketing campaigns.

From search engines to social media networks to email, PPC advertising in the healthcare space allows you greater (and quicker) access to your target audience.

Even though healthcare PPC can be quite competitive, it’s an excellent way to attract new patients to your practice, accelerate your speed to market, or gain more site traffic and brand awareness.

The takeaway

“You miss 100% of the leads you don’t capture,” says Blatman. “PPC is an amazing bottom-funnel channel.”

Your future patients are already searching for you. With keywords as the main targeting method of search campaigns, you can put yourself front and center when people are looking for the exact services you offer.

At its root, healthcare searches are about people and their families wanting to get well and stay well. It’s a topic that’s personal and important, no matter the demographic.

Looking for more insight on creating strong healthcare paid search campaigns? We’d love to chat. From PPC for doctors to PPC hospital ads, our marketing services can help you create the perfect PPC strategy to improve your ROI.

This post has been updated and was originally published in November 2020.