Time to dive deep on our patients' questions about targeting new customers on Google Ads, bringing a PMax campaign back from the dead, and advertising on Meta as a healthcare brand. Got a question for the PPC doctors? Share it here.
Q: I’m a B2B software marketer, and I want to make sure my Google Ads only target new site visitors. I don’t want to spend money on returning visitors. How can I do that?
A: To ensure your Google Ads only target new site visitors and avoid spending on returning visitors, you'll want to use audience exclusions. Here’s how:
Set up a custom audience in Google Ads that includes all users who have previously visited your website. Then, apply this audience as an exclusion to your campaigns. This tells Google Ads not to show your ads to anyone who has already visited your site.
Alternatively, you could use GA4 to create an audience segment specifically for new users and import it into Google Ads. You can create the custom segment by defining conditions that exclude users who have already visited your website. You can also exclude users who have triggered specific events or pageviews associated with returning visitors. Once this segment is created, you can import it into Google Ads and use it to target only new users. This option is great if you want to exclude specific types of past visitors, like those who engaged with your site.
Lastly, Google recently released a new ‘customer acquisition’ bidding goal for PMax and search campaigns. If you navigate to a search or PMax campaign’s settings, you’ll see ‘customer acquisition.’ There, you can set your campaign to bid for new customers only. This only works for a few campaign types, but it is a quick and easy way to target new customers!
Q: I’m trying to recover from a month-long data outage after an agency broke our tracking setup. Before the outage, my PMax campaign was spending about $1,000 a day and close to hitting my target ROAS of 3. But since there is no data for the past month, it’s hardly spending anything now. I just finished fixing the tracking setup, so I have conversion data for the past few days. What is the fastest way to get my PMax campaign to bounce back?
A: I'm sorry to hear about the agency's error and understand your frustration, but rest assured we can get things back on track. There are two routes you can take:
First, you could loosen your target ROAS and increase your daily budget. This will give the algorithm some breathing room to find new conversions while gathering fresh data. Adding high-quality audience signals, like customer lists or past converters, can help guide the algorithm toward likely converters.
Alternatively, you could switch to a “Maximize Conversions” strategy. This will help the algorithm quickly gather data. Once you have enough conversions, switch back to your original settings. Aim for at least 20-30 conversions over a few days to give the algorithm enough data to identify patterns and optimize effectively.
And don’t forget to exclude the outage dates from bidding calculations!
Q: I’m doing marketing for my dental clinic and currently run ads on Google. Should I try advertising on Meta, too? Any insight on how medical clinic ads perform on Instagram and Facebook?
A: First thing’s first, make sure you're running Local Services Ads on Google—those are usually the best way for a dental clinic to find new patients. But adding Meta ads can absolutely help, too!
To make the most of it, you'll want to offer a compelling new patient special. A discount or a unique package can grab attention and entice people to book an appointment. Make sure your ad creative is visually appealing and "scroll-stopping." Think high-quality images or videos of your beautiful office, friendly staff, or even short testimonials from happy patients (just be mindful of HIPAA regulations). Remember, Instagram thrives on visuals, so this platform could be especially effective for you.
Targeting is key on Meta. Use their advanced targeting tools to reach people in your area who may be looking for a new dentist. You can focus on specific demographics or even interests, like those related to dental health. Research shows that a significant percentage of consumers use social media to make informed health decisions, so having a presence there can build trust and attract new patients.
Lastly, keep it easy for users to book an appointment. The call to action in your ad should link directly to a form where they can schedule an appointment in just a few clicks. The less friction, the better your chances of converting viewers into patients.
So yes, advertising on Meta can be a great complement to your existing Google Ads, especially if you craft compelling offers and engaging content that showcases the best of what your dental clinic has to offer.
And that's it for this week! Share your questions here to get answers from your PPC Docs ASAP and be featured in our next edition.
Lauren Neels
Marin Software
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