With several new Google Ads updates to look out for in 2023, Google has been busy making our lives more difficult. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, with some positively affecting small businesses and others not so much. I’m here to tell you how to make the most of the positive updates and not let the others affect your clinic’s campaigns.
2022 has been a bit of a rollercoaster. With living costs and prices skyrocketing, inflation reaching new heights and consumer confidence hitting all-time lows, it hasn’t been an easy year for healthcare businesses, especially those looking for new patient enquiries.
So, when Google constantly churns out new updates, we understand that it can be hard to stay on top of it all.
If you want to learn more about what your patients are going through financially, check out our blog on consumer changes.
Before we get stuck into the latest Google Ads updates, if you aren’t using Google Ads to promote your healthcare business, what are you waiting for?
Check out our blog explaining how to use Google Ads for your clinic.
So, what are these changes, and how will they affect how you advertise with Google?
Read on to find out how you’ll need to adapt your strategy in 2023. There have been many changes in several areas, but we’ve only included the most relevant to you and your healthcare business to save you the legwork. So, let’s crack on.
New Google Ads Updates 2023
#1 Cost per lead (CPL) has increased
The CPL has increased across the board. Don’t worry if you’ve found that you are paying more for each lead you get, as you’re not alone. And this isn’t all. The conversion rate has also decreased. This has been seen in 91% of industries, including the healthcare industry.
So, what can we do?
Make our ads as effective as possible to try and decrease the CPL and increase the conversion rate. That’s easier said than done, I know. But this should serve you as motivation to get those ads optimised.
You’ll need to work on your keywords (learn about effective keyword research here) and beat the competition to try and stop your CPL from shooting up too much. It’s not all bad, though, as the click-through rate has remained stable!
If you struggle to optimise your campaigns successfully, it might be time to hire some professionals. If you’re willing to brave it alone, these tips on optimising your clinic’s campaigns will come in handy.
#2 We bid farewell to expanded text ads
One of the most talked about Google Ads updates is no longer being able to create or edit expanded text ads. This change took effect on 30th June 2022. The aim was to simplify the way in which search ads are created, driving performance with their automated tools.
Traditionally, expanded text ads allowed advertisers to include more text in their ads – about twice as much as previously allowed. This helped them convey their message better.
What will be replacing expanded text ads?
Responsive search ads. Google argues that with these ads, you can compete in a wider variety of auctions; therefore, it’s more likely that your ad will appear for a more relevant query.
If you haven’t used responsive search ads yet, you may be wondering how they work.
They allow you to type in multiple headlines and descriptions, and then Google gets to work testing different combinations to find out which combinations perform best. It’s fully automated, which means Google does most of the work. The aim is to improve your overall campaign performance while loosening your load a little bit.
#3 Sunset of similar audiences
Google is saying goodbye to similar audiences. The phasing out will start in May 2023, but it’s good to be prepared for it now. This is where, based on the recent search activity of visitors in your remarketing list, Google will automatically find new potential patients whose search behaviour is similar.
This sounds great, so why are they getting rid?
Apparently, it’s to help preserve privacy, but all is not lost.
Instead of similar audiences, you’ll have access to more automated targeting and bidding solutions that use similar signals. With these options, you are unlikely to notice a significant impact on your campaigns.
Google recommends that you turn on your Smart Bidding for search campaigns now, where the AI will make data-driven decisions that free up more of your time while getting you better results.
#4 My Ad Center
One of the more exciting changes! To offer more transparency to Google’s users, in 2021, they announced they would expand their advertiser verification program and allow users to discover how advertisers reach them.
By logging into My Ad Center, users can control what information Google uses and choose where they can get their information, such as from their Google searches, app use and YouTube searches.
What has this got to do with your healthcare business?
Well, users can also find information about the advertiser through advertiser pages by clicking on the three dots next to an ad. They will also be able to see all the ads they have been running over the previous 30 days. The benefit of this is that businesses like yours can gain a greater insight into how their competitors are marketing, what’s working for them and what’s not working.
#5 New ad assets for verified advertisers
Google has introduced this change to offer additional protection to verified advertisers. Google will notify businesses via email if they are selected to undergo the verification.
Too often, advertisers use other well-established businesses in the industry to boost their own website to the top of the search engine results page. They can get ahead using specific keywords or even another business’s brand name.
These new assets include the business name and logo. They are more visually compelling as ads, and Google hopes it will help to reduce impersonation and fraud.
How to tackle these Google Ads updates and keep those new patients coming in
Make sure you keep up to date with any updates Google makes to their ads and how they work. While some may benefit you and your business, you may find other changes have made your life a little more complicated.
Get an advertising agency that understands you and your needs
At Ignite, we’re well-adjusted to these Google Ads updates and are ready for any coming changes they may throw at us, but we understand it can be tricky to keep up with it all.
If you have tried your hand at using Google Ads for your clinic but are feeling overwhelmed or need help figuring out where to start, book a call with our team. During our call, we will explain how we use Google Ads to get new patients for healthcare businesses just like yours.
