Connecting with potential patients where they spend time online is essential. That’s the advantage of Meta Ads for healthcare practices. They offer highly targeted advertising across the Meta platforms – Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger – to help your healthcare practice reach the right people at the right time.
What Is Meta Advertising?
Meta Advertising is Meta’s ad platform that allows your practice to run campaigns across Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger. Depending on the placement, your ads can show up in news feeds, Stories, Reels, inboxes or messaging threads. This gives you the flexibility to use both visual and conversational formats that match the way people already use these platforms every day.
76% of Australians actively use social media, with Facebook being the country’s most popular social media platform. Australians who use Facebook spend an average of 1.7 hours per day on the platform. YouTube ranks second in the popularity rankings, and Instagram third. For healthcare practices, that adds up to countless opportunities to be seen by the right audience through Meta Ads.
How it works
With Meta Ads, you choose the outcome you’re aiming to achieve, such as encouraging people to book a specific high-value service like teeth whitening or Invisalign. You can then drill down and target people in your local area who are most likely to be interested in that service, selecting factors like age and interests to refine your audience. This means your ads aren’t wasted on the wrong audience and your budget works harder to deliver results.
Why Meta Ads work well for healthcare practices
Meta Ads offer a range of benefits that make them particularly effective for connecting with potential patients in your local area.
- Local and precise reach: Zero in on your local area and specific patient profiles based on demographics and interests with pinpoint accuracy.
- Multi-channel integration: Whether users scroll through Instagram Stories or chat via Messenger, your ad can appear seamlessly across a range of formats.
- Cost-effective and scalable: You can start small with budget controls and easily scale as you see success.
- Measurable outcomes: You can monitor how your ads are performing with detailed reporting, including the ability to see how many enquiries or appointments they generate.
Meta Ads vs Google Ads
Google Ads and Meta Ads both play important roles in a well-rounded marketing strategy and can be used separately or together. Google Ads are highly effective when patients are actively searching for a healthcare service. For example, someone typing “dentist near me” or “GP open late” into Google is showing clear intent, and Google Ads help capture those ready-to-book enquiries.
Meta Ads, on the other hand, are a great option for targeting high-value patients who may be interested in particular services. They allow you to reach people based on their location, age, interests, and behaviours – even if they’re not yet actively looking for your services. The visual, immersive ad formats also make it easier to showcase your practice personality and services in a more engaging way.
In short, Google Ads excel at converting intent-driven searches into appointments, while Meta Ads allow you to target precise sub-sets of new or returning patients. Together, they ensure your practice is visible both when people are actively searching and when they’re simply scrolling on social media.
Want to know more?
Whether you want to attract new patients, promote a specific service or strengthen your brand awareness in your local community, MedDigital can design a Meta Ads strategy tailored to your practice. Ready to get started, or find out more? Fill out our contact form or call us on 1300 75 75 22.
