How to run compliant, effective medical and mental health ads

PPC advertising for medical and mental health services comes with many restrictions, but it remains an effective way for practices to maintain a steady flow of new patients and clients. 

Whether you manage ads for clients, run them for your own practice, or are just getting started, these tips will help you launch or improve your campaigns.

Choosing keywords for medical and mental health advertising

Consider the three main ways potential patients tend to search on Google.

• Symptoms and treatments
  • Many people search for symptoms or treatment options without naming the professional they need, such as “treatment options for depression” or “why does my ankle hurt when I run.” 
  • These broader terms can still lead to new patients or clients even if the searcher has not identified the correct professional yet.
• What they think it’s called
  • People often use incorrect or simplified terms, such as “therapist to manage bipolar medications” or “foot pain doctor,” which relate to the service but may not use proper medical terminology.
• The correct term
  • Some people search using the correct medical term because they know what they need and are ready to hire a professional.  They may look for “psychiatrist” or “endodontist near me.” 
  • Still, people often confuse similar roles, such as therapist, psychologist, and counselor.

Most of your budget will go to the first two categories, where searchers are at the bottom of the funnel and ready to start treatment. 

With a larger budget, you can also test broader symptom and informational searches that may convert later. 

You’ll usually see the best results from more specific keywords, since informational searchers may or may not take action.

Use negative keywords to block searches you don’t want your ads to appear for, especially services you don’t provide. 

Dig deeper: A guide to Google Ads for regulated and sensitive categories

Staying compliant with your ad copy

Be careful with your ad copy. You can’t be too direct in this industry, but you still need to make it clear that you can help with the problem. 

It may take several attempts before the ad platform approves your copy. 

A rejection doesn’t mean your account is suspended. It simply means the ad wasn’t accepted, so try adjusting the wording or requesting a manual review. 

Ads that are too blunt are often rejected. Test less direct and less aggressive language for medical and mental health services.

Highlight different benefits to stand out from competitors, such as:

• Insurance acceptance.
• Payment options. 
• Specialized treatments.
• Distinctions like being family-owned, local, award-winning, certified, or licensed.

Be cautious about using terms like “cure” or other guaranteed results. 

Google and Meta’s ad policies explain these restrictions. 

If an ad is rejected, reword it in a way that still communicates your value while staying compliant.

For some psychiatrists, doctors, and other medical service providers, Google Ads may require a LegitScript.com listing, especially for addiction treatment services. 

Google Ads support or its documentation will specify whether this applies to your practice.

Building effective landing pages

The easiest way to build effective landing or service pages is to use the information your front office already shares with patients. 

Pull details from existing pamphlets or office materials and highlight key points, such as accepted insurance, cash payment options, payment plans, financing, and any specialized treatments.

Any common questions you receive in person or over the phone should also be answered on the landing page, and you can keep adding to it as new questions come up. 

These may include whether you work with kids, accept Medicare, offer phone or virtual sessions, or provide specific treatments.

Make the next step clear. This could be:

• Booking an appointment or scheduling an initial consultation.
• Requesting a free phone consultation.
• Completing a form, questionnaire, or contact request.
• Calling with questions.

Avoid vague forms or generic phone numbers with no instructions. Clearly outline the process from pre-treatment to treatment to post-treatment. 

Include a FAQ section that answers “what is the process?” or “how does treatment work?” 

The more questions you address on the site, the more likely you are to convert new patients and clients from your ads.

Choosing the best campaign types

For medical and mental health services, most advertising strategies center on Search campaigns. 

Automated or audience-based options, like Performance Max or Demand Gen, can run into privacy and targeting limitations. Depending on the service, your ads may not be approved. 

Remarketing is typically not allowed for the same reason. Video campaigns may be possible, but targeting restrictions often limit them to local branding.

Search campaigns are effective because people are actively looking for answers or treatment and are typing in keywords for the exact services they need. 

Many providers use directories like Psychology Today or ZocDoc for lead generation.

Still, supplementing them with Google or Microsoft Search campaigns gives you more control over your patient and client flow by driving traffic directly to your own site. 

Run campaigns targeting very specific terms for people ready to hire a professional and test broader symptom or research-related terms that may lead to new patients or clients. Larger budgets let you explore both.

Meta Ads can be an option, but targeting is limited due to privacy laws. You also need to be careful with ad copy, images, and landing pages to stay compliant. 

Reviewing its ad policies before launching campaigns can help avoid issues. 

Meta Ads can support larger budgets, but Google Search campaigns remain the most reliable option for medical and mental health marketing.

Dig deeper: How to prevent Meta Ads restrictions on health and wellness campaigns

Tracking lead quality

With any online advertising – especially for medical and mental health services – you need to track lead quality and how many leads turn into new patients or clients to understand your ROI.

A simple CRM, whether generic or tailored for your industry, can track incoming leads and indicate which ones have converted. 

Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, and Meta Ads all offer built-in connections to CRMs. You can also use a service like Zapier to connect software without a programmer.

Beyond website form submissions, you should also track all inbound calls driven by your marketing. 

Call tracking tools like CallTrackingMetrics, CallRail, and WhatConverts integrate with CRMs and major ad platforms to measure lead quality. 

They offer call recording and are HIPAA-compliant.

Keeping medical and mental health ads effective

By targeting the right searches, keeping your ads compliant, optimizing your landing pages, and tracking lead quality, you can build campaigns that reliably attract new patients and clients. 

A consistent, well-structured approach is the best way to sustain or expand your practice.