7 Must-Try PPC Strategies for Orthopedic Practices in 2025: Mastering Google Ads

To attract new patients and grow your orthopedic practice, you need a comprehensive digital marketing approach that includes PPC (Pay-Per-Click) advertising.

Organic search engine optimization is great—but it’s only one piece of the puzzle. To attract new patients and grow your orthopedic practice, you need a comprehensive digital marketing approach that includes PPC (Pay-Per-Click) advertising. Here’s how you can ace Google Ads and turn clicks into new patient bookings.

What is Orthopedic PPC?

Let’s break it down: Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising is a type of online ad where you pay a fee every time someone clicks your ad. Think of it as buying visits to your website rather than earning them organically. The most popular form of PPC? Search engine ads like Google Ads.

Done right, PPC can be a goldmine for new patient opportunities. But it’s not just about throwing cash at ads. It’s about targeting the right audience, choosing the best keywords, writing compelling ad copy, and having conversion-focused landing pages. Here’s how to make it happen.

1. Highlight What Makes Your Practice Special

What sets your orthopedic practice apart? This isn’t the time to be humble—lean into your unique selling points (USPs). Whether it’s your cutting-edge technology, same-day appointments, or specialized treatments, these need to shine in your ads.

Example USPs:

• “Over 200 5-Star Patient Reviews”
• “Evening & Weekend Appointments Available”
• “Specialized in Sports Injuries”
• “State-of-the-Art Joint Replacement Techniques”
• “Walk-In X-Ray Services”

Make sure these key benefits are front and center in your ad copy. They’ll not only catch attention but also build trust.

2. Keep Your Account Organized

A well-organized Google Ads account isn’t just nice—it’s critical. An orderly account helps you:

• Spend less time managing campaigns.
• Track results more effectively.
• Run risk-free experimental campaigns.
• Lower your cost-per-click.

Start with these four areas:

• Campaign Types: Separate search and display campaigns for easier management.
• Networks: Test including Search Partners to see if they work for your campaigns.
• Devices: Adjust campaigns based on which devices (mobile, desktop, tablet) perform best.
• Bid Strategies: If you’re new to PPC, start with automated bidding strategies like Enhanced CPC (eCPC) to let Google adjust bids for higher-performing keywords.

3. Target the Right Keywords

The key to a successful PPC campaign is… well, the keywords! Focus on these two categories:

Location-Based Keywords Patients often search for services near them, so include keywords like:

• “Orthopedic surgeon near me”
• “Sports injury specialist in [City]”
• “Joint replacement surgeon [City]”

Niche Keywords More specific terms might not have huge search volume, but they tend to have less competition and a higher ROI. Think:

• “ACL repair specialist in [City]”
• “Non-surgical back pain treatment near me”

Pro Tips:

• Group similar keywords into separate ad groups for better targeting.
• Use negative keywords to exclude irrelevant searches (e.g., “orthopedic jobs” if you’re looking for patients, not employees).

4. Maximize Your Ad Real Estate with Extensions

Google Ads limits your character count, but ad extensions let you pack in more information. Use them to:

• Display your phone number.
• Link directly to service-specific landing pages.
• Show your Google Reviews rating.
• Highlight special offers like free consultations or discounts.

These extensions don’t just make your ads look more robust—they also increase click-through rates by giving patients more reasons to choose you.

5. Optimize for Phone Calls

Let’s face it: Clicking an ad is great, but a direct phone call? Even better. Make it easy for potential patients to reach out by:

• Including your phone number in every ad.
• Using Call Extensions during office hours only.
• Tracking calls with dynamic call tracking or Google’s free forwarding number feature.

Pro Tip: All of our plans include three free call tracking lines through Jet, our AI-powered assistant, which doesn’t just track calls but analyzes them to provide insights like whether the caller is new or returning, the services they’re interested in, and if they scheduled an appointment. With Jet, you’ll know exactly how well your campaigns are converting and where to improve.

6. Build Killer Landing Pages

Your ad’s job is to get the click. Your landing page’s job? Seal the deal. Each ad should lead to a page designed specifically for the service advertised—no exceptions.

For example:

• An ad for knee replacement surgery should lead to a page with detailed information about the procedure, patient testimonials, and a clear call-to-action like “Schedule Your Consultation Today.”

Avoid these mistakes:

• Sending users to your homepage instead of a service-specific page.
• Providing too little information or too many distractions.
• Making it hard for visitors to take the next step (e.g., contact forms buried at the bottom of the page).

7. Always Be Testing and Adapting

In the world of PPC, testing isn’t optional—it’s essential. Keep an eye on these metrics:

• Click-through rates (CTR)
• Conversion rates (appointments booked, forms submitted, etc.)
• Cost per click (CPC)
• Cost per conversion (CPCv)

Experiment with different headlines, ad copy, and landing page designs to see what works best. And remember: What works today might not work tomorrow—so keep tweaking and improving.

Don’t Waste Money on Ineffective Campaigns

PPC advertising is powerful, but it’s not a set-it-and-forget-it strategy. If you don’t have the time or expertise to manage it effectively, consider partnering with a professional. A well-run campaign will more than pay for itself in new patient bookings and a lower cost-per-click.

Ready to grow your orthopedic practice with PPC? Start implementing these strategies today and watch your patient list grow faster than a post-op recovery success story!