Halfway through last Saturday’s footie match, Dave limped off the pitch after a bad tackle. When his knee was still hurting a few hours later, he consulted Dr Google and was reading about knee injuries when your clinic’s ad appeared on the page right in front of him.
That’s the power of programmatic advertising.
It’s not magic. It’s not guesswork. It’s a data-driven, automated way to serve the right ad to the right person at exactly the right time, across websites, apps, and social media platforms.
For healthcare businesses, programmatic advertising is becoming a smart, scalable way to stay visible, relevant and compliant in a crowded digital space. But where does it sit in your marketing strategy, and when should you use it?
What is programmatic advertising?
Put simply, programmatic advertising is a digital marketing method that uses software to automate the buying and placement of online ads.
Historically, this was done by advertisers calling publishers to discuss ad placement. Programmatic ads achieve this using real-time data and algorithms to:
- Buy ad space instantly
- Place ads across multiple websites, apps and social platforms
- Target users based on specific criteria such as demographics, location, interests and online behaviours.
In healthcare marketing, this means your message can be shown in real time to someone actively researching symptoms, looking for a local provider or scrolling through health-related content.
It’s like having a highly efficient digital assistant running your advertising 24/7, ensuring your brand is front and centre when your audience is most engaged.
How does it work in a healthcare context?
For healthcare businesses, programmatic advertising offers three key advantages:
- Precision targeting
Advanced data filters allow you to reach audiences based on health interests, life stage, profession or location. For example, a fertility clinic could target women aged 30–40 within a 10km radius who’ve recently searched for IVF information. - Cost efficiency
Because you’re only paying for ads shown to the right people at the right time, your budget goes further. It also reduces wasted ad spend on audiences unlikely to convert. - Compliance-focused delivery
Platforms used in healthcare programmatic campaigns (like StackAdapt and DV360) are built with privacy and healthcare advertising regulations in mind, helping you maintain industry compliance while scaling reach.
Where does programmatic advertising sit in the marketing funnel?
Understanding how programmatic fits into your broader marketing funnel is key to using it effectively.
Top of funnel (TOF): Building awareness
Programmatic excels at driving awareness by getting your brand in front of new, relevant audiences. Through eye-catching display ads, native content, or even connected TV (CTV) spots, you can introduce your practice or service to potential patients in the consideration phase.
Middle of funnel (MOF): Nurturing interest
Programmatic really shines in middle-of-funnel campaigns, especially when integrated into a multichannel strategy alongside Meta and Google Ads. Here, you can retarget users who have previously interacted with your content, website, or ads, keeping your brand top of mind and gently moving them toward conversion.
Bottom of funnel (BOF): Supporting conversion
Programmatic ads can support conversions like appointment bookings or phone calls. The key is pairing programmatic’s broad reach with Google’s high-intent keyword targeting, such as local search campaigns.
Why programmatic is gaining traction in healthcare marketing
Healthcare consumers are becoming more digitally savvy. They’re doing their own research, comparing options and expecting the seamless online experiences they receive from retail or travel brands.
Programmatic helps healthcare providers stay visible and relevant in these moments by delivering the right message at the right time.
When layered strategically into the marketing funnel, it becomes a powerful tool that helps you:
- Fill your patient pipeline
- Gain referrals from new locations
- Position your practice as a trusted brand in your niche.
Is programmatic right for your healthcare business?
If you’re already running paid campaigns through Meta or Google, programmatic advertising can enhance your reach, improve your targeting, and create a smoother journey from awareness to action.
And if you’re new to digital advertising, it offers a smart, scalable way to start reaching your ideal patients or referrers, without needing to be everywhere at once.
Explore how programmatic could support your growth goals
At Splice Marketing, we love helping healthcare brands grow into thriving businesses. If you’d like to explore how programmatic could fit into your marketing mix, please get in touch.
