Originally published by Beacon Media + Marketing. Updated and revised by Jeremiah Blanchard, Digital Marketing Copywriter on 07/12/23
Are you considering launching a Google advertising campaign for your medical spa? That’s a fantastic idea!
Let’s explain why we’re so enthusiastic about it:
Google, being the most widely used search engine globally, boasts a staggering 4.3 billion users and commands an impressive market share of 92.24 percent as of 2023.
In simple terms, if you want to reach your target audience exactly where they’re searching online, Google is undoubtedly the best platform to utilize. And we can’t wait for you to witness the immense power of Google advertising!
However, before you dive in, there are a few essential aspects you should be aware of. While Google ads are a great way to get your brand noticed and increase your consumer base, being clued in on the way Google operates is the first step toward developing and understanding your advertising campaign.
Here, we’ll dive into what Google advertising entails, how it operates (including the algorithm and associated costs), and most importantly, what steps you can take to ensure the success of your medical spa campaign.
Are you ready to learn how Google ads can help you reach the right audience? Contact us at Beacon Media + Marketing today for a free consultation.
- What Is Google Advertising?
No matter if you’re in the medical spa industry or any other, we all relate to common experiences. So, let’s illustrate a common process with a real-life example.
Have you ever had a conversation with a family member or friend about something, such as the college your sister is attending or the product your mom uses, only to find that very topic appearing in an advertisement on a website you visit the next day?
It can be a bit freaky, right?
This occurrence is likely due to being targeted by a Google display ad that utilizes a technique called “remarketing.” Google employs this tool to place ads on various websites throughout your browsing experience, tailoring them based on your interests and the websites you frequent.
As a medical spa, Google ads will give you access to similar tools.
Now, let’s dive into the two types of Google advertisements.
The first type is Google display ads, as mentioned earlier, which resemble the LastPass ad displayed below.
Source: BuzzFeed
These can be identified by the grey “ADVERTISEMENT” text that hovers over the top.
The second are the Google search ads, which display at the top of the Google results page as you can see below:
Source: Google
A Google search ad can be easily recognized by the small, green “Ad” label displayed next to the URL beneath the page title.
When you click on one of these ads, the business behind them incurs a charge. This payment model is commonly referred to as “pay-per-click” or “PPC” in the marketing industry.
Below the paid advertisements, you will find the section we commonly refer to as “organic” results.
At Beacon, we recommend that our clients running med spa Google ads also use a strategic mix of paid ads and tactics to achieve rank organically.
In addition, there are a few critical aspects you should be aware of regarding the two distinct types of Google advertisements.
Google search ads consist of three essential elements: a headline, a URL, and a description. In contrast, Google display ads provide a greater level of flexibility.
For med spas, when it comes to Google display ads, you have the opportunity to utilize up to sixteen unique combinations of logos, graphics, headlines, and descriptions! This allows for a wider range of creative options to capture the attention of your target audience.
- How Does Google Advertising Work?
To be effective in Google advertising for medical spas, you will want a solid understanding of the Google advertising algorithm, bidding structure, and cost.
All of this is managed through a program called Google AdWords, which you will want to create an account with when you are ready to get started.
The Google Advertising Algorithm
Google’s operations are truly remarkable. And it’s truly astonishing how swiftly and seamlessly everything unfolds when performing a search.
From the perspective of Google advertising when running Google ads, within that split second, Google takes stock of all the ad accounts that contain the relevant keywords or phrases utilized in the search.
Let’s say your medical spa aims to rank for the search query “botox near me.”
When someone searches for “Where can I get botox in my location?”, your ad account will be included in Google’s inventory. But how do you communicate to Google the keywords and phrases you wish to rank for?
You do so by bidding a monetary amount that you are willing to pay if someone clicks on your ad (remember, it’s pay-per-click!).
For this reason, many marketers refer to this process as the “Google AdWords auction.” And the outcome of this auction is determined by two key factors:
- The maximum bid you have set for your keyword.
- The quality score of your advertisement.
Pay close attention to that last point. As a profit-driven entity, Google places great importance on delivering a high-quality search experience to its users, and this includes the advertisements displayed!
Satisfied Google users translate into increased market share and greater revenue for Google. And this is a crucial aspect to keep in mind as you craft your Google ads for medical spas. Thus, the quality score of your advertisement itself also depends on two factors:
- The historical performance of your ad, ad group, and overall account.
- The relevance of your chosen keyword, ad (including title, URL, and description), and landing page to the search query and to each other.
In addition, two terms you may not be familiar with are “ad group” and “landing page.”
An ad group refers to the collection of keywords you are targeting with your ad.
Your landing page is the specific page to which your ad directs users — a page where they “land” after clicking on your ad. Clever, isn’t it?
Both the ad you write and the landing page you link to should incorporate your chosen keyword and maintain a focused approach on the relevant topic. And all these factors culminate in the following equation that determines the final rank of your ad on the search results page:
CPC Bid x Quality Score = Ad Rank
On the Google display ad front, the auction process differs slightly.
For display ads, maximum bids are established at the ad group level, rather than for individual keywords.
Moreover, you have the option to bid based on impressions, which represents the number of times your ad is displayed to users.
This bidding method is commonly known as “cost-per-impression” or “CPM” bidding.
Remember: “As a company that wants to make money like everybody else, Google values delivering a quality search experience to its users, which includes your advertisements! Happy Google users = more market share = more money for Google. This is an important thing to remember as you write your ads.”
How Much Google Advertising Will Cost Your Medical Spa
As mentioned, when you run Google ads, you will be charged every time someone clicks on one of your medical spa’s Google advertisements.
The equation to determine the cost-per-click (CPC) is as follows:
Next Highest Ad Rank / Quality Score + $0.01 = CPC*
If you did well with ratios and statistics in school, you will realize that the higher the quality score of your ad is, the lower your cost will be. And this reinforces Google’s commitment to quality.
*Note: The cost-per-click will never go above your maximum set bid.
- Can Google Advertising Grow My Medical Spa?
Having a great position in search engine results is one thing, but Google advertising can absolutely grow your medical spa!
However, we must emphasize that success is not guaranteed, unfortunately. This is because various factors, such as the level of competition within the medical spa industry in your specific area, can significantly impact the performance of your Google ads.
Certain industries and locations tend to have higher levels of competition than others, and the choice of search terms also plays a pivotal role.
To illustrate this point, let’s take an example from Beacon’s headquarters in Anchorage, where the cost-per-click in the legal industry has soared to as much as $50!
Given the absence of substantial profit margins, it would be unwise to allocate such a significant budget for every click through your Google ad, particularly when you consider that a click represents a lead rather than a confirmed customer (at least for the time being). It is crucial to note that these results may vary in your specific location.
Correspondingly, the bid figures we observe tend to be relatively high, indicating a high level of competition within the medical spa industry and widespread adoption of Google advertising within the community.
How do we come to this conclusion, you may wonder, apart from the “high” and “medium” markers on these results?
Because we rely on industry benchmarks to gain insights into the landscape and dynamics of the field.
Source: WordStream (at the date of this blog post)
Let’s examine the “Health & Medical” industry as a whole to gain insights. The average cost-per-click in this industry stands at $2.62, which is lower than the lower end of the bid range in our findings.
Don’t let the moderate competitiveness of the medical spa industry discourage you. Creating high-quality, relevant ads that generate valuable leads can make a significant difference for your marketing campaign.
At Beacon, our Google team consistently achieves below-average cost-per-click for our clients, resulting in substantial cost savings.
Curious about our approach? For each service we advertise, we allocate a budget of at least $300 per month, often more. This corresponds to our recommended minimum cost-per-click budget for each keyword across 1-3 ad groups.
We always strive to target niche keywords that have lower competition but effectively capture internet users searching for specific services. As an example, at Beacon headquarters in Anchorage, we focus on marketing for a holistic dentist. Instead of targeting broad terms like “family dentistry,” we prioritize “holistic dentistry” as it offers lower competition and is easier to capture. The results we’ve achieved for this client have been truly remarkable.
Our team prioritizes the creation of quality, relevant ads, and landing pages to generate leads so you can reach potential customers. And few things contribute as significantly to the success of a Google advertising campaign as this approach. Crafting clear, concise, and compelling ads that lead users to the appropriate pages with relevant keywords is paramount.
Are you feeling prepared to launch your first Google advertising campaign for your medical spa?
We hope this article serves as a valuable resource as you embark on this endeavor!
For all medical spa owners, if you feel overwhelmed or lack the time to handle Google advertising for your medical spa, we would be delighted to offer our Google advertising services to you. Our team holds Google Partner certification and stays abreast of the latest developments in Google advertising to deliver the best possible results for our clients.
Are you interested in amping up Google ads for your medical spa? Please reach out to Beacon Media + Marketing to schedule a complimentary consultation.
