Which advertising channel is more relevant and successful for health and medical professionals –
Facebook Advertising or Google AdWords?
What about compliance with the advertising regulations of AHPRA and industry bodies?
Let us shed some light….
Facebook vs Google – Which Advertising Channel Should You Use?
Many people believe Facebook ads and Google Adwords compete against each other. In one sense, they compete for your advertising dollars, but as far as attracting leads, prompting conversations and promoting your brand, the two channels complement each other quite nicely.
Google AdWords
Google AdWords is all about targeting those clients or patients with high intent. In other words, capturing the attention of those patients looking to make an action then and there.
Your ad will show in a Google search result when a patient is specifically looking for your services or products. You are charged when that patient then clicks on your ad (known as pay-per-click).
For example, a patient looking for a physiotherapy appointment has a high intent of booking an appointment in that moment. When they type in “Physiotherapist in [Location]” your ad will show, encouraging them to call your practice via the ad or visit your website to contact you through your website.
Facebook Advertising
Facebook advertising is more about reach then intent.
Facebook advertising allows you to reach a broader audience in your local area. Facebook ads are brilliant for educating patients by promoting a video or article you created and for raising awareness of a health condition.
Facebook ads are about creating awareness, building trust and rapport and nurturing your online audiences. We often recommend Facebook ads as a way of educating your online patient audiences, forming a relationship and building creditability.
Your ads on Facebook will help you warm up your audiences so that if and when they need your services they will likely head over to Google to search for you and if you’re also running Google Ads, your ad appears!
Industry Rules and Regulations
Health professionals in Australia should abide by the advertising guidelines set out by AHPRA and the regulatory bodies. Whether you’re using Facebook or Googles Ads, make sure you avoid:
- using testimonials in your ads
- promoting a benefit without disclosing the terms and conditions
- misleading information
If you want to read more into compliance and marketing, read our blog titled “What You Need To Know To Stay Compliant.“
The Verdict
Whether you invest in Google Ads or Facebook Ads really depends on the goal you’re trying to achieve – patient booking or education and awareness. The content you put in your ad will also make or break your advertising campaign so make sure you invest the time up front to ensure you get the best return on investment.
If you’d like one of our marketers to analyse whether Facebook or Google is best for you, call us to schedule in for a FREE 30-min consult.
