Advertising via traditional media—print, radio and television—is expensive and perhaps unseemly for a neurosurgery practice. But the Internet is a different story. Patients today frequently use the Internet to find information about neurosurgical procedures and specialists rather than solely trusting the opinion of their primary care physicians, and most practices have Web sites that provide information about themselves and their practices. Many Internet search engines offer advertising programs that will feature a Web site prominently within search results related to neurosurgery, and these programs can be a cost-effective means of informing patients about you and your practice in today’s healthcare market.
Setting Up an Ad Campaign
While several search engines offer similar offerings and setup, the following
example describes the creation of a Google AdWords advertising campaign.
First, set up an account from the Google Web site and then, through the account, access the Google AdWords link. The first step in creating a campaign is to write the ad. An important principle is to differentiate your practice from the competition. Is there some sort of service your practice provides that is unique? Do you have an additional level of training, such as a fellowship, in a particular area? In addition to a brief informational statement, the ad should also clearly state the name of your practice, telephone number, and Web site address.
The next step is to choose the keywords or search phrases under which you would like your ad to appear, being as broad or specific as you like. You also can choose negative keywords that specify the content with which your ad specifically will not appear. To help with picking keywords, the software can provide an estimate of the traffic that a particular keyword receives, and there also is an expansion tool that suggests related keywords. You will be charged every time someone clicks on your ad, so keep in mind that you want your ads to target people who actually need your services. For example, although headache can be a symptom of a brain tumor, you probably do not want patients with migraine headaches to click on your ad; therefore, “headache” would not be an optimal keyword, but you might consider using it as a negative keyword.
Lastly, determine a budget. Pick the maximum amount you would like to spend, and then determine your cost-per-click, or CPC, which is how you will be charged. Google AdWords works as an auction: The higher the CPC, the more prominently and frequently the ad will be displayed. You can choose your CPC yourself or let Google optimize your CPC based on your budget and estimated traffic.
Monitoring Ad Performance
Ideally, your advertisements actually will bring patients to your practice.
Google has a number of reports and optimization tools to determine if that
in fact is what your ad is accomplishing. Two of the most useful tools are
the Campaign Performance and Keyword reports. The Campaign Performance report
details the number of times your ad appears, or “impressions”; the number
of clicks on your ad; and the average CPC. The Keyword report helps to determine
which search phrases are generating the most impressions and clicks on your
ad so that you can better determine which keywords to eliminate and thus
increase your CPC and ad prominence.
You also should make some attempt to determine your conversion rate, or the rate at which a click on your ad results in a patient in your office. Google offers a conversion rate tool, which reports the number of times someone who clicks on your ad also performs a specific action on your Web site, such as clicking a “Request an Appointment” button. Or, you might specifically ask patients not referred by a physician how they became aware of your practice. Either way, the goal is to divide the revenue generated by patients you see as a result of your ad by the costs of running the ad, which gives you the return on your advertising investment.
Lastly, remember that your ad is likely only to send patients to your Web site. It follows that you should critique your Web site and optimize it to drive patients from the Web site to your office. One of the best ways to do this is by a call to action, such as a prominently displayed “Request Information” or “Request an Appointment” button.
In summary, Internet search engine advertising can be a cost-effective way to market your practice in this age of increased competition and choice. As with all business investments, planning carefully, tracking your results, and calculating your return on investment are essential to success.
K. Michael Webb, MD, is a founding partner with NeuroTexas PLLC, Austin, Texas, and an executive medical director of the NeuroTexas Institute at St. David’s HealthCare. The author reported no conflicts for disclosure.