Google, Facebook, and Instagram: you know them, you love them. With a worldwide reach of 4.77 billion users on Google and 1.98 billion users on Facebook alone, posting an internet billboard puts your orthodontic ads in front of more eyes than you could ever market to from your hometown practice – all with the technological capabilities of selecting for your targeted demographics at the same time. So, are digital ads worth the investment for orthodontists? The answer is a resounding yes, and here’s why.
Google & Meta Ads: How They Work
From pay-per-click to audience targeting, your orthodontic ad presence just got digital.
As two of the largest digital advertising platforms in the world, Google and Meta use sophisticated algorithms to pair users with ads tailored to their unique wants and needs. Here’s how they’ll likely be incorporated into your orthodontic marketing strategy.
Google Ads
Google Ads operate primarily on a pay-per-click (PPC) model, where advertisers pay a fee each time their ad is clicked. With search ads, display ads, video ads, and more, Google uses machine learning technology to optimize ad delivery at every turn.
Keyword Targeting
When creating your orthodontic ads strategy, you’ll choose keywords related to your business. Then, when users search for these keywords on Google, your ads may appear in the search results, depending on your ad investment.
Ad Auction
Each time a user performs a search, Google runs an auction to determine which ads will be displayed and in what order. The auction considers factors like the relevance of the ad to the search query, the quality of the ad, and the amount the advertiser is willing to pay per click (bid).
Quality Score
Google assigns a Quality Score to each ad, which is based on click-through rate (CTR), relevance, and the quality of the landing page. A higher Quality Score can lead to lower costs and better ad placement, which means Google rewards highly-optimized and easy-to-use sites as well as ads.
Ad Formats
Google offers various ad formats, including text ads, image ads, shopping ads, and video ads, which can appear on Google’s search results pages, websites that are part of Google’s Display Network, YouTube, and other places.
Performance Measurement
Google provides tools for tracking ad performance, including metrics like impressions, clicks, conversion rate, and return on ad spend (ROAS).
Meta Ads
Formerly known as Facebook ads, Meta ads dominate various user platforms to increase your reach across social media. Meta’s family of apps capitalizes on the social nature of its networks, leveraging its users’ rich demographic and psychographic data to push your orthodontic ads to the top.
Detailed Targeting
Meta allows advertisers to drill down into detailed audience segments. This includes not just basic demographics but also user interests, behaviors, life events, and more, derived from their activity on Facebook and Instagram.
Interactive Ad Formats
Beyond traditional image or video ads, Meta offers interactive orthodontic marketing formats like Instant Experiences (full-screen ad experiences), augmented reality ads, and orthodontic ads in Facebook Stories or Instagram Stories that allow for user interaction.
Ad Auction
Similar to Google, Meta uses an auction system to determine which ads to display. The auction considers the advertiser’s bid, the ad’s quality and relevance, and the estimated action rates (how likely a user is to take the desired action).
Performance Tracking
Meta provides analytics tools to track ad performance, including metrics like reach, engagement, conversions, and sales.
Digital Ads by the Benefits
Invest now, and watch the new patients roll in.
No orthodontic marketing strategy is complete without Google and Meta ads – that much is clear. Leveraging these digital platforms for your orthodontic ads can make a huge difference in the outcome of your efforts. Here’s what they make possible.
Increase Your Brand Awareness
Brand awareness plays a key role in orthodontic marketing strategies because trust and reputation are significant factors in patient choice. Meta ads are particularly effective for this purpose.
With their visually driven platforms, orthodontists can showcase their work, share patient testimonials, and provide educational content. This not only educates the audience but also establishes the practice as a trustworthy and knowledgeable entity. Google Ads complement this strategy by increasing visibility at the moment someone searches for orthodontic services to reinforce your brand recognition.
Target Your Audience
It’s one thing to make your community generally aware that you’re the best orthodontist in your city. It’s another to connect with the people in your community who are already interested in getting braces or clear aligners for their families.
Google allows orthodontists to target potential new patients based on queries they are actively searching for, such as “Invisalign consultation” or “orthodontist near me.” By putting your orthodontic ads in front of people who are already looking for services like yours, you’ll benefit from more efficient orthodontic marketing efforts.
Meta, on the other hand, lets you channel your ads based on demographics, interests, and behaviors. This means you can target specific groups and reach the most relevant audience, like parents looking for early orthodontic treatment or college students interested in cosmetic dentistry.
Boost Your Promotions
Both Google and Meta ads can be powerful tools for promoting special offers, new patient deals, or information sessions. Google Ads can capture the attention of those actively seeking orthodontic services, while Meta ads can create excitement and engagement around your promotions, reaching a broader audience that might be interested even if they aren’t actively searching.
Generate Site Traffic & Rank Higher
Driving traffic to your orthodontic practice’s website is a key goal of digital advertising. Google Ads can significantly boost site traffic by placing your site at the top of search results, leading to higher organic rankings over time. Meta ads, with their engaging formats, can also direct potential patients to your website, increasing overall online visibility and contributing to higher search engine rankings.
Measurable ROI
One of the greatest advantages of digital advertising is the ability to track and measure return on investment (ROI). Both Google and Meta provide detailed analytics, allowing you to see exactly how many people are viewing your orthodontic ads, clicking on them, and taking action (like scheduling an appointment). This data is invaluable for understanding which ads are most effective and where to allocate your budget for the best return.
Put Your Practice On Top
All in all, there’s no doubt digital orthodontic ads are worth the investment. In fact, if you’re not already using Google and Meta ads, you’re likely to fall behind – but before that happens, turn to the orthodontic marketing experts you trust at Neon Canvas.
Call to learn more about how we can put your practice on top with a digital orthodontic marketing strategy of your own today.