There are countless digital marketing strategies that a mental health center can implement — What do you think is quickest to have a positive ROI? If you said Google Ads — correct!
When done correctly, PPC (Pay Per Click) marketing for mental health services can effectively gauge a target audience, drive qualified traffic to your website, reach potential clients help you generate leads and ultimately, and drive revenue for your business.
However, a digital marketing strategy in the mental health industry is a sensitive and regulated field, so it’s important to follow best practices and adhere to industry guidelines when implementing a PPC campaign. This blog post will cover some best practices for PPC advertising behavioral health centers and those in the mental health field.
Use Targeted Keywords and Ad Copy
As it would be for Search Engine Optimization, one of the key components of a successful PPC campaign is using the right keywords. When creating your keyword list, consider the specific services you offer and the types of clients you want to target. For example, if you offer counseling services for anxiety and depression, you might include keywords like “anxiety counseling,” “depression therapy,” and “mental health treatment.”
Using sensitive and respectful language in your ad groups is also important. Avoid using triggering or inflammatory language, and make sure to clearly communicate the unique features of your program, like treatment approaches or top mental health issues.
Use Negative Keywords
In addition to targeting specific keywords, an important marketing strategy is to use negative keywords in mental health services to exclude irrelevant search terms from triggering your ads. This can help reduce your cost-per-click (CPC) and improve the relevance of your ads for potential clients.
For example, if you offer counseling services for individuals struggling with behavioral health issues, you might use negative keywords like “addiction services” or “recovery centers” to exclude Google searches for these highly targeted services.
Follow Industry Guidelines and Regulations
The mental health industry is heavily regulated, so you must familiarize yourself with relevant guidelines and regulations before launching a Pay Per Click (PPC) campaign. This includes HIPAA regulations, which protect the privacy of patient health information, and the National Advertising Division (NAD) guidelines for advertising in the healthcare industry.
Use Landing Pages Specifically Designed for PPC
A well-designed landing page can be an effective way to convert PPC traffic into leads. Makes sense?! When creating a landing page for your PPC campaign, make sure to include a clear call-to-action (CTA), such as a form to schedule an appointment or a phone number to call for more information. This makes the PPC journey easier to connect people searching and finding your Ad Copy relevant.
Optimizing your landing page for mobile devices is also important, as more and more people are using their phones to search for finding behavioral health services. Make sure the page loads quickly and all the information and forms are easy to read and fill out on a small screen. Ensuring the PPC ad is a seamless transaction will mean better success.
Monitor and Optimize Your Campaigns
Finally, it’s important to regularly monitor and optimize your PPC campaigns to ensure they are performing at their best. If you have multiple locations, how is each performing? Is the campaign’s purpose to drive referrals, if so how many did you receive? Are you utilizing call extensions to increase the amount your intake team validates leads?
Tracking your conversions, analyzing your data, and making changes to your campaigns based on what you learn are vital to marketing efforts.
Some key metrics to track include your CPC, cost-per-acquisition (CPA), and conversion rate. By analyzing this data, you can identify areas for improvement and make changes to your campaigns to increase their effectiveness.
How Lead to Recovery Can Help You!
In conclusion, PPC advertising can be an effective way for mental health facilities to reach potential clients and drive revenue. By following best practices, such as targeting relevant keywords, using negative keywords, adhering to industry guidelines and regulations, creating effective landing pages, and regularly monitoring and optimizing your campaigns, you can create a successful PPC strategy for your business.
Does this sound daunting? Don’t fret — Lead to Recovery is the premier digital marketing team that will increase your mental health services center’s census, make you appear higher on Google search results, further develop your web design and (most importantly) ensure your PPC campaign is optimized to give you the best bang-for-your-buck. Call Lead to Recovery today to hear how we can take your marketing strategy to the next level!
