Does Google Adwords Really Get Dentists New Patients?
It’s amazing how much of an impact the going perception has on digital dental marketing reality.
Seems there are more than a few dentists, some dental website providers, and even a small cross-section of dental consultants that actually consider Google Adwords a waste of money for dental practices.
While we won’t look to call anyone out directly, we can certainly take a look at the perceived negatives and positives with regards to dentists acquiring new patients via Google Adwords.
“Money is only a tool, it will take you wherever you wish but it will not replace you as the driver.” -Ann Rand
Thanks to our Twitter connection, @DentalSuccess for sharing that timely tweet as I’m alternating between the Cowboys vs. Giants nail-biter and penning this pedantic Google Adwords for dentists blog post.
How Does Google Adwords Get Dentists New Patients?
In our experience – and yes, we sell Google Adwords management services for dentists – paid search can be quite a cost-effective & sustainable way to not only bypass your ineffective dental website company that just can’t seem to get your site ranked on the 1st page of search results organically, but also to acquire new patients.
Without getting too involved with the advanced segments of click to appoint, or video advertising, or the nuances of Quality Score spiking keyword, ad copy, landing page design, synergy, strategy & tactics, let’s just look at the 3 main benefits and 3 main drawbacks to dentists using Google Adwords as part of your new patient acquisition strategy.
Benefits = New Patients
- Reach – Target individual zip codes, radius around location, city…mobile, tablet…
- Relevance – Target specialties, focus on patients in need, answer their questions.
- ROI – You control the daily & monthly budget, subtract patient value from acquisition cost!
Drawbacks = Too Expensive
- Cost – too expensive, with no lasting return (misconception – see #3 above)
- Patient Perception – people know Adwords are ads (duh…so?)
- Google Adwords has no lasting value, once you stop running ads it’s done. Finito. Kaput.
No argument here for that last one, it is 100% true and void of opinionated conjecture; if you stop using Adwords, you stop receiving cost-effective & sustainable digital dental marketing ROI. Just like if I stopped brushing my teeth, they would eventually yellow and fall out all by themselves.
Similar to how that direct mail campaign leaves you with $10K worth of useless oversize postcards from which to increase your recycling efforts…or stockpile kindling for the upcoming winter.
Why Doesn’t Every Dentist Run Google Adwords To Get New Patients?
No idea.
But, the answer to that $64,000 question could be chalked up to previous piss poor performance, going at it DIY style, or having been ripped off in the past.
I’ve actually read an article that mentions how dentists can expect a barrage of sales calls from solicitors as a side-effect of using Google Adwords.
That going rationale being that ‘big companies’ see your ads and endlessly harass you because of the big budget you must have since you’re running Google Adwords.
There is no rebuttal to that mindless mindset; you shouldn’t need convincing how inaction & conjecture lead to immeasurable squat.
The point with this Google Adwords for dentists diatribe is this, digital marketing is a tool – and the benefits received from using a tool are directly related the hands responsible for deftly applying the particular tool.
So while Adwords, or any search engine marketing efforts – Bing is making a real push these days to earn your paid search business BTW – are just tools to apply toward the goal of new patient acquisition.
Results do vary greatly and are entirely dependent on the expertise, knowledge, & experience of the person in charge of the particular campaign – whether we’re talking organic local seo, a dental websites, dental social media, office signage, or shingle hanging…
“A tool in a tool’s hands makes you the fooled tool, whereas a tool in a professional’s hands consistently provides cost-effective & sustainable digital dental marketing ROI!”
Opinions are ubiquitous; due diligence & tuning in to the social dental science dropped in your lap should help you separate the useless chaff from the beneficial digital dental marketing ROI.
Don’t be such a tool!
Have Us Get You New Patients In 72 Hours Or Less…
