Pay per click advertising

for rehab centers

PPC Services For Rehab Centers

With traditional advertising methods, it’s extremely difficult – if not impossible – to determine ROI. If you purchase a newspaper ad, TV commercial, or billboard, there’s really no way to know how many people see it, or if any of those people are in need of your services.

Plus, even if these tactics generate calls, the only way to know is by directly asking your clients how they heard about you, which likely isn’t a top priority to discuss for someone who wants to learn more about drug and alcohol rehab services. As a result, many rehab centers find themselves investing their marketing budgets in a variety of channels with no idea which ones are actually bringing in clients.

With Internet marketing, that’s no longer the case. Your pay-per-click, or PPC, ads can be as targeted as you want them to be, and it’s easy to analyze and improve upon the results.

Reach clients with highly targeted ads

If you use search engines regularly, you probably see PPC ads on a daily basis, whether you realize it or not. Whenever you perform a search on a platform like Google, they’re the results that appear at the top of the page or in a column to the right, and are set apart from the other results with a small “Ad” label.

For example, let’s say you were looking to buy a pair of sneakers, and typed, “shoes” into the search bar. Here’s what the results page might look like:


The top three results, as well as the four in the sidebar, are all PPC ads. In fact, the only result in this screenshot that isn’t an ad is the one for

These stores all pay for their sites to appear on the first page of results for searches for shoes, even though their sites may not rank there organically.

How does PPC work?

The exact process of setting up a PPC ad varies by platform, but they all operate on the same basic premise: You create an ad, select which searches or keywords you want it to display for, then set a bid for much you’re willing to pay when someone clicks on it.

If your bid is among the highest when someone searches for one of the keywords you’ve selected, it will display. Then, if the person clicks on it, you’ll be charged the amount of your bid. If they don’t click on your ad, you won’t pay a cent.

By only paying when someone clicks on your ads, you ensure that your marketing budget is only being spent on those who are interested in your services. And although creating effective ads and setting appropriate bids can be a complicated process, an experienced PPC campaign manager can help you get started.


How long does PPC take?

One of the main benefits of PPC is that you don’t have to wait for results. After your campaign is launched, you can instantaneously increase your bid to achieve top positions in search engine rankings for terms related to your business.

If you’re looking to fill beds quickly, PPC is a great way to generate calls and leads. And it helps rehab centers gain exposure in search engines while they establish organic rankings.

Free Marketing Guide

Discover 7 ways to start marketing your rehab center online.

How is PPC different for rehab centers?

Although PPC ads can be extremely effective, using them for rehab centers presents a few unique challenges. For example, Google AdWords does not allow advertisements for drugs or alcohol, so even though your services aren’t promoting their use, you have to be careful when using the terms in your ads.

Also, because of the sensitive nature of addiction treatment services, you cannot use remarketing to advertise to previous site visitors. And although this slightly limits your options, it’s understandable that potential clients wouldn’t want to see ads for rehab centers every time they go online.

In addition to these restrictions, rehab centers have the disadvantage of competing for some of the most expensive keywords in PPC. Keywords relating to drug and alcohol rehab have some of the highest costs-per-click across the board, so you’ll need to be prepared to make a serious investment in order to see results.

Focus on targeting niche keywords that will generate more qualified traffic. Broader search terms are typically more expensive. And while they generate a significant number of searches, they don’t always convert well, even if people click on your ads.

To get the most out of your PPC campaign, think about your target market, and select keywords that cater to their search habits. This will produce leads that are more likely to convert and get more patients through the doors of your rehab center.

How WebFX can help

If you’re interested in starting a PPC campaign for your rehab center, we can help. Competing for keywords relating to addiction treatment is a sensitive and sometimes costly process, but when done right, can generate more calls and reach more clients.

For more information, don’t hesitate to contact us! Our team of PPC experts is more than happy to assist you in setting up an effective, targeted campaign.

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