Real PPC Lessons from Mental Health Marketing
Paid search can be a powerful growth engine for healthcare practices—but only when it’s done right. We’ve seen accounts spend thousands with little to show for it simply because of vague targeting, missing tracking, or neglected campaign settings.
In this post, we break down how to stop wasting ad spend and proven tactics that deliver more leads for less, drawing from real performance data. One recent PPC overhaul was for a fast-growing psychiatric clinic in North Texas. Over 11 months, we:
- Cut their cost per conversion from over $125 to $10
- Increased lead volume from 15 to 200/month on the same budget
- Boosted conversion rate to over 19%
Here’s how we got those results and what you can test in your own account.
1. Eliminate Wasted Spend First
When we audited this account, we saw targeting for broad, low-intent terms like “Spanish speaking” or “lawyer near me,” without mention of specific services. Common issues to watch for:
- Overly broad match types
- Lack of negative keyword use
- Campaigns optimized for traffic, not leads
Fix: Tighten keyword targeting and use negative keywords across campaigns to focus budget where it matters.
2. Be Intentional with Geographic Targeting
Not every business should target the entire state. This client initially covered a wide area but converted better within 5 to 10 miles. We used tiered bidding based on distance:
- Higher bids within close radius
- Lower bids for outlying areas
- Excluded regions with low conversion history
Tip: Align targeting with how patients use your service. Office visits, language accessibility, or price differentiators can influence reach.
3. Track the Metrics That Matter
Tracking only conversions isn’t enough. We track:
- Lead volume by type (form, call, click-to-text)
- Estimated lead value or lifetime value
- Return on ad spend (ROAS) when possible
Example: After launch, the clinic’s tracked conversion rate jumped from 0.2% to 6% (August), and ultimately to over 19% (February).
4. Refresh and Align Your Ads
We tested new headlines, added location and call extensions, and used image assets early through Google’s beta. Our CTR improved month over month as a result.
Your test list:
- Ads with location and image extensions
- Separate campaigns for brand and non-brand searches
- Video or display for retargeting (if HIPAA compliant)
5. Reduce Click Fraud and Noise
We used tools to exclude repeated IPs and international clicks. We also:
- Excluded Google Search Partners and Display Network
- Focused ad delivery on mobile or desktop depending on conversion behavior
Bonus: This also helped improve impression share in the target region.
6. Test Landing Pages and Offers
Your best data is your own. We tested:
- New service pages for TMS and Spravato
- Different offer formats
- Alternative layouts for mobile vs. desktop
Every good test—win or lose—gave us insight we reused across campaigns.
Final Thought: Optimize for Value, Not Just Volume
Tony Robbins said it best: set a goal, take action, measure, adjust. That’s how we manage PPC.
Our goal wasn’t just more leads. It was more valuable leads at a lower cost. By tracking performance and constantly adjusting strategy, this mental health clinic transformed its ad spend into a high-converting channel.
Want us to take a look at your PPC setup? Call us at (888) 301-9525. We offer a no-obligation review of your ad account to help you spot opportunities, cut wasted spend, and boost lead performance. Whether you’re looking to fix what’s not working or build on what is, we help ambitious practice owners turn their ad budget into a driver of real growth.