Google ads clicks for searches related to addiction treatment can be well over $100, depending on where you are. Over the past year, I’ve kept my best-performing account at a cost per lead below $500. That means our campaigns have been generating calls and contact form submissions under $500 and as low as $240 per contact for every month of 2023.
In the article below, I’ll discuss what I’ve learned running Google Ads for addiction services and how I achieved my consistent cost per lead.
What is “PPC For Addiction Services?”
PPC stands for “pay-per-click,” a type of online advertising in which a business or organization pays a fee each time one of its ads is clicked on. These ads are displayed in search engine results or on websites relevant to the services being advertised. Organizations can set a budget and bid for specific keywords to target their ads to specific audiences.
There are various forms of PPC advertising, such as Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, and Facebook Ads. Google Ads is often a good place to start, as it allows organizations to target people who are searching for specific products or services, such as “addiction treatment near me” or “methadone +city.” By targeting these searches, your ads are reaching people who are already looking for a product or service that you provide.
When users make a search that includes a keyword that you are targeting, or a close variant, your Google search ad will show up above or below the search results. The position of your ad is determined by the Ad rank, which is determined by the impact of your assets. It is only possible for four ads to show above the search results; after that, your ad may appear below the organic search results or on the following pages.
PPC can be used to promote addiction treatment and recovery services, and it can be a useful way for organizations to reach people who are searching for help with addiction or substance abuse issues.
How PPC for Addiction Services Works
Many assume that paying the highest amount will automatically land them at the top of search results, but this is not entirely accurate. While the amount you bid is a crucial factor, it’s not the sole consideration that Google Ads takes into account before displaying your ad.
PPC is an incredibly beneficial aspect of any marketing strategy because it allows you to target very specific audiences. By categorizing your market and selecting relevant keywords effectively, you can create highly targeted PPC campaigns that reach the right people at the right time.
When used correctly, you can optimize your campaigns so that your ads appear for users who are searching for your specific product or service. You also have the option to exclude certain demographics, accurately tailoring your ad campaigns to the right audience.
Here is what you’ll need to know before starting your Google Ads campaign.
The Bidding Process in Google Ads
In the auction, Google considers several factors to determine which ads to show and in what order, including the bid amount, the relevance of the ad to the search query, and the quality score of your keyword. This process occurs every time a search is performed, and the ads shown to the user are determined in real time based on the current state of the auction.
The amount you bid on a specific keyword is the amount of money you are willing to spend to receive one click, but it is just one factor in determining whether or not your ad will be shown. Whenever a search occurs for one of your campaign’s target keywords, an auction will begin. Your bid will help determine the chances of your ad being shown.
It is important to note that your willingness to pay the most money for clicks does not automatically mean that your ads will be shown. The quality score and relevance of your ads play a very large role in determining their position and whether they’re shown at all.
How Google Determines Positions of the Ads
Your Ad’s position on Google, which is referred to as the Ad rank, is determined by several factors. Improving these factors will help boost your ad’s position so it can be shown to more potential customers. These factors include:
- Bid Amount
- Quality score
- Expected CTR
- Landing Page Experience
- Ad Relevance
- Search context
- Competitiveness of the keyword.
Google uses the quality score to evaluate how relevant your ad is to the user who made the search, using the expected click-through rate, the Ad relevance, and the landing page experience. Improving all of these factors can help increase your quality score and, as a result, your Ad rank. We’ll discuss tips on how to improve these factors later in the article.
How Much Does PPC for Addiction Services Cost?
There are a few factors that will determine how much PPC for addiction services is going to cost, but we can design your PPC strategy around your budget so that you can get results at a price you are comfortable with. In our experience, the cost/lead has fluctuated from, at the lowest, around $350, to the highest at $550. That said, a larger advertising budget will be necessary to make the most out of your addiction services Google Ads account. In our experience, our clients have spent anywhere from $10,000-$15,000 per month.
Common Issues Inherent to Addiction Services PPC
While marketing your addiction services using PPC provides many benefits, there are some common issues you may encounter, including the following:
- Because addiction treatment services are covered by Google Ads’ healthcare policy, you must become certified by Legit Scripts to advertise.
- Google Ads also restricts healthcare providers’ ability to retarget consumers.
- Regulations and rules regarding the advertising of addiction treatment services can vary by state and country, so it’s important to be aware of and comply with these rules to avoid legal issues.
- When working in healthcare and medical services, Google Ads policy violations are common, and an agency like ours can help you understand how to navigate these regulations. Egregious or repetitive policy violations can result in the suspension of your account, so it is important to avoid them.
- If you’ve done any advertising yourself, your ads are probably “Eligible, Limited.” This is incredibly common, and due to the nature of what you’re advertising, you won’t be able to remove these restrictions entirely. That said, the best thing you can do is optimize all other parts of your ads to compensate for the limitations imposed on all advertisers.
Google Ads has strict regulations for advertising within the healthcare sphere, but it’s necessary to maintain an ethical advertising environment for users. We have helped many addiction services and other healthcare-related businesses meet all of the verification requirements to ensure that their ads can run without interruption.
Legit Scripts
LegitScript provides certification and verification services for online pharmacies, addiction treatment facilities, and other entities. Its services are intended to help protect consumers from fraudulent or rogue online pharmacies and to help legitimate online pharmacies demonstrate their commitment to safety and compliance.
To advertise for addiction services, you will be required to obtain certification and verification from LegitScripts.
What Are Some Typical Results for an Addiction Services PPC Campaign?
Your campaign’s results will vary depending on variables like location and budget. However, a typical PPC campaign for addiction services has historically cost around $500 per conversion. In my experience, our best account generated a $240 cost per lead, which was the lowest we’ve seen in the entire time we’ve been running the account. That said, we typically see the cost per lead fluctuate between $300 and $400 from month to month.
Our highest-ranking keywords have an average cost per click between $30 and $40, so budget is one of the largest determining factors in the monthly results.
The 6 Types of PPC Ads
Traditional Paid Search
Paid search ads are displayed in search engine results, usually above organic results, but they can also be found below them. Also known as responsive search ads, they are triggered by specific keywords that are relevant to the ad and the user’s search query. Compared to other PPC ads, traditional paid search ads can give you the highest level of customization and control.
Smart Campaigns
Google Smart campaigns are a type of automated advertising solution offered by Google Ads. These campaigns use artificial intelligence to optimize ad delivery, and for some addiction treatment centers, this can reduce the cost per lead significantly. As I mentioned earlier, our best account generated a $240 cost per lead, which is noteworthy considering the average cost per click for many of our targeted keywords.
Smart campaigns can reach users across various Google platforms, but in our experience, the best results tend to come from ads that are primarily displayed on Google searches and maps. We have found success in split-testing search campaigns and smart campaigns side by side at the start, which has helped us determine which one provides more cost-effective results since the results of these kinds of campaigns can vary.
Performance Max
Performance Max campaigns offer the advantage of displaying ads across all of Google’s extended ad networks, such as YouTube, Gmail, Maps, Search, Display, and Discovery, all from a single campaign.
By utilizing custom audiences, you can effectively target users who have conducted specific searches, such as “addiction treatment centers near me,” as well as similar queries. These targeting capabilities can significantly improve the relevance of the ads and increase the chances of conversions. Ultimately, these campaigns can deliver mixed results, so we’d recommend trying responsive search ads first.
YouTube Ads
YouTube ads can target specific audiences and appear in various formats, including video ads, display ads, and sponsored content. Since retargeting isn’t allowed with healthcare-related advertisers, achieving actual leads from a YouTube campaign will be difficult, and we usually don’t recommend it for addiction treatment centers. That said, video is a great way to instill trust, which can be the deciding factor in some cases.
Display Ads and the Google Display Network
The Google display network is a collection of websites, apps, and other properties that have partnered with Google to show display ads. These ads can take various forms, including banner ads, video ads, or interactive ads, and they are typically designed to attract the attention of users and drive them to take a specific action, such as visiting a website or making a purchase. Again, since retargeting isn’t allowed for healthcare-related advertisers, you’ll more than likely see mixed results with this, and if you’re not consistently checking your placement reports, you may find your ad showing on sites you don’t want it to.
Paid Social
Paid social refers to advertising on social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok. If your addiction services business already has a social media presence, you can use the same platforms for PPC advertising and attract new patients to your accounts and your website. With paid social, you can create ads that are shown to specific audiences based on factors such as demographics, interests, behaviors, or location.
One major benefit of advertising, specifically on Facebook, is retargeting. Google Ads restricts healthcare services from retargeting audiences, but Facebook is an option for circumventing this restriction and reaching individuals who have already shown an interest in your services.
What Are the Best PPC Campaign Types for Addiction Services?
There is no clear-cut answer as to which campaign type will perform best for your addiction services, but we can help you determine which strategy will most effectively meet your advertising goals.
If you are interested in learning more about effective marketing strategies for addiction treatment, our PPC team is ready to help.
How to Optimize PPC for Addiction Services
Understanding where to start is the most difficult part of improving and optimizing your addiction service PPC campaigns. We have compiled our recommendations on simple ways to optimize your campaigns to boost their performance and increase conversions.
Click here if you are interested in working with our PPC team to learn more about how we can help you start and grow your PPC advertising campaigns.
Structure Your Campaigns and Ad Groups Around Keywords
When creating your campaigns, it is best practice to create separate ad groups for each of the services you offer. This allows you to tailor your ads and landing pages to the unique intent the like keywords have and ensure that they are relevant to the users who are searching for those keywords. For example, “methadone clinic near me” shouldn’t be in the same ad group as “alcohol addiction treatment near me” since the intent behind each search is radically different.
This will also increase your ad relevance, which can improve its overall performance and lower its cost.
Limit Your Ad Schedule to Times When They Perform Best
Limiting your ad schedule to times when they perform best is important because it allows you to maximize the return on investment of your advertising campaigns. By showing your ads only during the times when they are most likely to be successful, you can increase the chances of attracting qualified leads and customers and drive more conversions. You also won’t waste resources on clicks unlikely to turn into patients.
In addition to limiting your ad schedule, we suggest that you set it into 3-hour blocks. Over time, this will give you a better idea of when your leads are converting the most. Then, you can adjust your ad schedule and times to maximize conversions during peak hours and avoid wasting money during the times your ads are not converting.
Use Negative Keywords to Minimize Irrelevant Clicks
Regularly checking your search terms reports and using negative keywords to exclude irrelevant searches from triggering your ads is a great way to optimize your campaign. If you aren’t doing so already, our PPC strategists recommend reviewing your search terms report at least twice a month, and in some cases more often, in order to consistently optimize your campaigns.
Use Audiences to See Who Is Most Likely to Convert
An important aspect of Google Ads that is commonly overlooked is audiences. This feature can give you helpful insights into who exactly is converting so you can target other potential customers like them.
Google Ads breaks its audiences down into three categories: detailed demographics, in-market segments, and affinity segments.
- Detailed demographics include information such as education, employment status, gender, and more.
- Affinity segments are based on people’s interests.
- In-market segments are those who are “in the market” to purchase a good or service.
When determining target audiences, consider who needs your services most, who makes up the majority of your current patients, and who can afford them. Also consider age, education level, family status, income, and housing. For example, if you currently serve people between the ages of 30 and 50, targeting only these age demographics can help improve the accuracy of your ads.
Split Test Landing Pages
A good landing page experience is essential for turning clicks into conversions when advertising addiction treatment services. Even small differences, such as a more effective headline or fewer navigational links, can improve the landing page experience for visitors.
Use as Many Extensions as Possible
Extensions are additional pieces of information that can be added to your ads to provide users with more information about your business and the products or services you offer. There are several types of extensions available, including site link extensions, callout extensions, location extensions, and image extensions.
Maximize Ad Score When Creating Responsive Search Ads
Ad strength is a critical factor in getting your ads to appear more frequently and, in some cases, at a lower cost. We have mentioned that maximizing your ad score is essential to improving the ad’s overall quality score. Ads with a higher quality score usually show up more frequently and generally have a lower cost per click, which is great for making the most of your budget.
Receiving an excellent score can be tricky, and it may take a few tries to get it right, but there are some tips and tricks that can help. Ad copy should appeal to readers while also being persuasive, and including popular keywords related to your ads can help improve its relevance.
After trying these things several times, you may have trouble getting your ad from “good” to “excellent.” Our addiction treatment PPC team uses trial and error to modify and adjust ad descriptions and headlines continuously. It is important to keep trying and not give up to receive excellent scores for your ads.
Target Mobile Primarily
Around 80 to 90 percent of all your ad traffic will come from mobile devices, so targeting mobile users can help you improve the relevance and effectiveness of your ads. Mobile users often have different needs and preferences than desktop users, and by targeting mobile devices specifically, you can create ads and landing pages that are tailored to the needs and interests of a wider audience.
Adjust Bids by Location Through Geotargeting
By breaking up your targeting by zip code, county, town, or city and using the “presence” option, you can gather valuable insights about your campaigns’ performance and optimize your targeting to reach the most relevant and valuable audience.
The presence setting will only target individuals in your targeted area and can be found under the campaign settings tab in the location. Additionally, splitting up the targeting into smaller groups will give you more insight into which areas of your geotargeting perform well and which do not. This can help improve the efficiency of your advertising efforts and drive more value for your business.
Sagapixel Specializes in Addiction Services PPC
At Sagapixel, our PPC team specializes in creating and optimizing PPC for addiction services. With our expertise in keyword research, ad copywriting, and landing page optimization, we can help you attract qualified leads and drive more conversions for your addiction services. Our PPC team will work closely with you to understand your business goals and create a customized strategy tailored to your needs.
If you’re ready to learn more about how our PPC team can create or improve the performance of your Google ads campaigns, click here.
