Nearby Dentists Mobile Ad Format
To be clear, Google is not posting up mobile ad slots just for “dentists near me” or “dentist nearby” location-based searches from a mobile phone.
The new mobile ad format announced today is a boon for all local businesses…at least the ones that effectively run Google Adwords campaigns.
And by effectively we mean mobile formatted ads replete with call extensions, location extension, & review extensions – if you can get ’em – among other cost-reduction, call-producing tactics.
What Does Google’s New Mobile Ad Format Mean for Dentists?
In case your ears & eyes haven’t been glued to the latest updates emanating out of the Google empire, it means dentists best start paying them to get some play in the local searches for a dentist near your office.
The organic real estate you’ve been (in most cases) over-paying for with what used to be shady link-building tactics and what is now fresh, beneficial & relevant content driven strategy – is disappearing quicker than a duck on a junebug.
It’s expensive real estate, why wouldn’t Google start charging for it?
Here’s exactly what Google has to say about the latest addition to Adwords:
Now more than ever, people search online to find things nearby. In fact, Google search interest in “near me” has doubled since last year,1 with 80% coming from mobile.2
In these moments, consumers have heightened expectations for immediacy and relevance — 4 out of 5 say they want search ads to be customized to their city, zip code or immediate surroundings.3
That’s why we continue to develop richer local ad formats that deliver more relevant information based on what someone searches for.
“Where’s the nearest location?”
Last year we enhanced location extensions to show up to three different locations for a business in a single ad unit. This improvement offers consumers the flexibility to choose which of your locations is most convenient for them.
“What businesses are near me?”
Starting today, we’ll show three or four different businesses for location-related searches like “nearby auto repair.” Each ad unit will feature click-to-call and directions right at people’s fingertips. This new format organizes the information that your on-the-go customers need so they can easily compare options and take action, like calling your business or visiting your store.
Substitute the terms auto repair with dental office (or any derivative thereof), and customers with patients…then kick back & ponder the possibilities – but you already did that ’cause your wicked smaaaaaht!
Why Dentists Can Benefit from Google’s New Nearby Mobile Ad Format
What’s that you say, PPC (pay-per-click) is useless…yes, yes, I hear you. So is brushing my teeth and flossing, but why do my teeth looked so busted and my breath stink so bad?
It doesn’t matter what you think, it’s what Google knows. And they know that people click on ads, and if you’re not the dentist to enter the Adwords mobile auction for new patients near you, your local competitor is.
Savvy dentists, or more likely those tasked with managing effective Google Adwords campaigns for dentists, know they need to be in it to win it.
“Where’s the nearest dentist?”
Hello, dental practice owners with multiple locations in the same area…were you listening back when Google updated location extensions last year?!?
“What emergency dentists are near me?”
Again, change out ’emergency’ for any particular focus area (cosmetic, teeth whitening, root canal, implant…etc) – since Google will now be showing three or four different dental offices for location-related searches like “nearby dentist,” will you be one of them?
Each ad unit will feature a click-to-call button & icon to get directions right at people’s fingertips.
This new format organizes the information that your on-the-go patients need so they can easily compare options and take action – like calling your office.
How Dentists Can Benefit from Google’s New Nearby Mobile Ad Format
By adorning your ads with the proper ad extensions.
When people go on the search for a dentist – especially an emergency dentist – they want to find what they’re looking for quick, fast, in a hurry.
image credit: TMZWithout getting too into the weeds with Adwords ad extensions – there are several types – these are attributes added to your ads that make them more useful and engaging — and according to Google they deliver, on average, a 10% increase in click-through-rate.4
Showing more than one extension on an ad tends to see even higher engagement than that.
Search ads can trigger up to four extensions at the same time, with the most effective ones for dentists being location extensions, call extensions, sitelink extensions, & callout extensions.
And of course – review extensions – again if you can get ’em, their tough to come by for most dentists since Google draws from select third parties, not just your Google+ page, or Yelp, or Facebook.
To take off on what Google says on the subject, here are some tips for the best ways dentists can use ad extensions for new patient acquisition campaigns:
- Sitelinks: Try to enable at least six sitelinks for both desktop and mobile users. Briefer sitelinks are generally the most effective, so try to keep them short and crisp. (Links to appointments pages, reviews pages, insurance…etc.)
- Location: Running ads with Google, this one is a no brainer – activate an account wide location extension to show the address of your dental practice.
- Call: You want your phone number – or a call tracking number – to show along with your expertly written ad copy & compelling call to action? Sure you do, that’s why we have call extensions!
- Reviews: As long as you’re quoting or paraphrasing from a reputable third-party source, you can apply one review to your entire account.
* get reviews on local newspaper sites, maybe the BBB…think local, organic, genuine.
So, having said all that…
Will You Use Google’s New Mobile Ad Format to Acquire More New Patients at Your Dental Practice?
1 Google Trends, Data pulled March 30, 2015.
2 Google Data, Q4 2014.
3 Google/Ipsos MediaCT/Purchased, Research: Understanding Consumers’ Local Search Behavior, May 2014.
4 Google Internal Data, results vary by client, business type and extension type (among other factors) and Google cannot guarantee this or any uplift.