How to Set Up Google Ads for Healthcare Businesses in 2025

Key Points:

• A complete breakdown of campaign types, targeting strategies, and ad structure tailored for healthcare providers
• Real-world tips to avoid compliance pitfalls and drive conversions in regulated industries
• Conversion tracking, budgeting, and optimization strategies for predictable growth

The healthcare market is growing fast—projected to hit $6.8 trillion globally by 2027. And with more ABA clinics and therapy providers entering the scene, competition isn’t just rising—it’s evolving. Traditional outreach is fading. If your clinic isn’t running smart, strategic Google Ads, you're missing families actively searching for services right now.

How to Set Up Google Ads for Healthcare Businesses in 2025

Setting up Google Ads for healthcare business success in 2025 starts with compliance, campaign clarity, and laser-focused targeting. To do it right, you need to map out your goals, choose the right campaign types, write compelling ad copy, and track conversions properly—all while staying HIPAA-compliant. Skip the guesswork. Get strategic from day one.

Why Google Ads Is Essential for Healthcare Providers in 2025

With digital advertising now accounting for 75% of all healthcare marketing budgets, paid search isn’t optional—it’s foundational. Google Ads offers immediate visibility to families who are actively looking for care. Think about that: your next client could be searching “ABA therapy near me” this very moment.

Google Ads for healthcare businesses offers unmatched control over who sees your services, when, and why. This is especially powerful in areas like autism therapy, mental health, senior care, and other high-intent niches. The data backs it up: search ads convert 50% better than organic traffic for service-based industries.

And here’s the kicker: you don’t need massive budgets. You just need the right structure.

What Campaign Types Work Best for Healthcare?

Different goals require different campaigns. Choosing the wrong one wastes budget. Choosing the right one accelerates growth.

Search Campaigns
These are your bread and butter. They appear when someone types relevant terms like “ABA therapy Indianapolis” or “speech therapy clinic near me.” These are high-intent searches—families are ready to act.

Display Campaigns
Great for remarketing. Display ads follow website visitors around the web, reminding them to book an assessment or revisit your services. Not ideal for cold leads, but gold for nurturing warm ones.

Local Services Ads (where available)
In some healthcare niches, Google’s pay-per-lead model can deliver high-converting calls directly to your clinic. Availability varies, but it’s worth checking.

Performance Max
Google’s AI-powered campaign type uses machine learning across all channels—Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail, and Maps. It’s efficient, but only if you feed it the right signals (audience data, location, and call conversion tracking).

Here’s how to align campaign types to your goals:

• New patient inquiries → Search or Performance Max
• Brand awareness in a new area → Display or YouTube via Performance Max
• Retention and re-engagement → Remarketing Display Campaigns

Don’t just guess—test. But test smart. Start with one campaign type per goal to isolate what’s working.

How to Structure Your Campaigns for Maximum Results

Too many clinics run one bloated campaign with too many services jammed in. That’s a conversion killer.

Instead, break your campaigns into silos based on services or locations. If you offer ABA therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy, that’s three separate campaigns. Each should speak directly to a specific audience.

Here’s what a clean campaign structure looks like:

1. Campaign Level: ABA Therapy - Indianapolis
2. Ad Group Level: Parent keywords grouped by intent (e.g., “ABA therapy near me,” “autism treatment for toddlers”)
3. Ads: Three variations that include location, benefit statements, and a strong call to action
4. Extensions: Sitelinks to “Schedule Assessment,” “Insurance Info,” and “About Us”

This setup makes your account easier to optimize and scale.

Bonus: It also helps you qualify for higher ad quality scores, which lowers your cost per click.

Which Keywords Should Healthcare Providers Target?

Targeting the right keywords isn’t just about volume. It’s about intent. A term like “autism help” is too broad. “ABA therapy for 3-year-old Indianapolis” is gold.

Start with these keyword categories:

• Service-based: ABA therapy, speech therapy, pediatric counseling
• Location-based: “near me,” “in [city],” “local”
• Urgency-based: “accepting new patients,” “immediate appointment”
• Insurance-based: “takes Medicaid,” “accepts Anthem”
• Condition-based: autism therapy, behavioral therapy, early intervention

Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Ahrefs to identify real search terms in your area. Add negative keywords like “jobs,” “certification,” and “courses” to avoid wasting spend.

Pro tip: Always match ad copy to keyword intent. If someone searches “autism therapy for toddlers,” don’t serve them an ad that says “comprehensive behavioral health services.” Be specific.

How Do You Stay Compliant While Advertising Healthcare Services?

Healthcare ads operate in a stricter world. One misstep could result in disapprovals or worse—violations. Avoid it by playing within the rules.

Here’s what to watch for:

1. HIPAA compliance: Never include Protected Health Information (PHI) in ads or on landing pages.
2. No misleading claims: Avoid language like “guaranteed outcomes” or “cure for autism.” Use clinically accurate, responsible messaging.
3. Sensitive content: Google restricts retargeting in healthcare. Your display ads won’t work the same way they do for e-commerce brands.
4. Location targeting sensitivity: Avoid targeting users based on health conditions. Always segment by geography or interest-based signals instead.

Work with a team familiar with Google’s healthcare ad policies. Mistakes are expensive—and avoidable.

What Makes a High-Converting Ad for Healthcare?

The best ads don’t just describe your service—they speak to your audience’s problem. For example, in the autism care niche , parents aren’t just looking for “ABA therapy.” They’re looking for help managing meltdowns, improving communication, or navigating autism diagnoses.

A strong healthcare ad includes:

• Emotional hooks: “Support for your child starts today”
• Credibility: “Board-Certified Behavior Analysts” or “15+ years in pediatric therapy”
• Urgency: “Now accepting new clients” or “Limited spots available”
• Location: Be hyper-specific—“Serving families in Charlotte & Raleigh”
• Call to Action: “Book your child’s free consultation” or “Start therapy this week”

Don't forget ad extensions. They increase click-through rate and add depth:

• Call Extensions – Instant dials from mobile
• Sitelinks – Drive traffic to insurance details, intake forms, or team bios
• Structured Snippets – Highlight services like “Early Intervention,” “In-Home ABA,” or “Parent Training”

How Should You Set Budgets and Bidding Strategies?

Budgeting isn’t about what you can afford—it’s about what a lead is worth.

If your average client brings in $5,000 over six months of therapy, and you’re spending $300 to acquire them through ads, that’s a winning ROI. Work backwards from your goal.

Budget and bidding tips for healthcare:

• Start with at least $50/day per service line you’re promoting.
• Use Maximize Conversions bidding if you have conversion tracking set up.
• If you don’t yet, start with Manual CPC or Enhanced CPC.
• Avoid Smart Campaigns unless you want zero control (spoiler: you don’t).

Monitor your cost-per-lead weekly. A $25 lead sounds great—until you realize they’re not qualified. Look beyond lead volume. Track actual conversions.

How Do You Track and Optimize Conversions?

No tracking = no strategy. You can’t improve what you don’t measure.

Set up conversion tracking inside Google Ads and Google Analytics 4. Track actions like:

• Phone calls from ads
• Form submissions
• Chat engagements
• Appointment bookings
• Insurance verification requests

Go deeper with call tracking tools like CallRail or WhatConverts to understand lead quality, not just quantity.

From there, optimize based on real outcomes:

• Pause underperforming keywords
• Double down on high-converting locations
• Adjust bids on weekdays or hours that drive better calls

The more data you feed your campaigns, the smarter Google becomes.

What Are Common Mistakes to Avoid?

Mistakes in healthcare PPC don’t just waste money—they hurt trust. Avoid these pitfalls:

1. Combining all services into one campaign
2. Not excluding negative keywords like “jobs” or “free”
3. Forgetting HIPAA compliance in lead forms
4. Using generic landing pages not tailored to the ad
5. Failing to follow up on leads within 24 hours

And the biggest? Thinking that running ads is a set-it-and-forget-it game. It’s not. It’s a performance machine that needs consistent tuning.

Partner With a Healthcare Marketing Agency That Gets It

If you’re serious about growing your ABA clinic or healthcare practice, stop wasting budget on poorly structured campaigns or guessing at compliance rules.

CMG is a healthcare marketing agency built to drive predictable, profitable growth. From Google Ads to SEO, Facebook Ads, and conversion optimization, our team helps ABA clinics and other healthcare providers attract the right clients and convert more leads—without the guesswork.

Let’s build a campaign that delivers more than clicks—let’s drive real outcomes. Start your journey with CMG today.