Google Ads For Therapists

What Is Google Ads?

Google Ads (previously known as AdWords) is Google’s system for advertising in the search results.

Google shows an ad for your business in the search results and you pay when it gets clicked. For instance, you can create an ad that shows up when someone searches for “local therapist.”

In this photo, the results along the top and along the right side are Google ads.

Why Do Therapists Need Google Ads?

Google Ads help you bring new clients to your therapy practice for a very affordable price. I recommend them for almost any therapist.

Here’s why.

The average client does about 9 sessions of therapy (source). Let’s assume you charge $150 per session. At 9 sessions per client, that means a new client is worth $1350 to you.

Google Ads can bring most therapists new client referrals for $200 or less. I know this because I’ve helped hundreds of therapists with their ads and I see these numbers in most of the campaigns I run.

If you spend $200 to land a client and they pay you $1350, your $200 investment has earned you a $1150 profit. That’s a fantastic margin.

Best of all, you can track exactly how well Google is performing. You can see how much you’re spending, and how much each new client referral is costing you. So there’s no guesswork. You can know with certainty how successful Google Ads is for you.

Why Hire an Google Ads Expert?

Here’s the catch.

The $200 per referral number I quoted you? You probably can’t get that on your own.

Google Ads is much like poker at the casino — anyone can play, but usually only the pros make money. There’s a lot of strategy that goes into it, and if you don’t know what you’re doing, you’ll lose money.

For instance, you pay for every single click that you receive. If someone searches for “physical therapist” and clicks on your ad, you’ve wasted money. So you need to set your ads to make sure they show up for someone searching for “therapist” and “mental health therapist” but not “physical therapist” — and this can be tricky to do.

Moreover, Google Ads rewards effective advertisements. If your ad text gets clicked more than your competitors, Google gives you a discount. Similarly, if your ad text gets clicked less, you have to pay more. So one advertiser might pay $3 and one might pay $7 for the same click. Making sure your ads are as good as possible is again something where expertise helps a lot.

And Google Ads have lots of different features that a novice probably doesn’t know how to use. You probably don’t know the best strategies for things like ad extensions, automated bidding, and match types, but a professional does.

I could go on, but the point is pretty straightforward — you get much better results from your ads when you have a professional manage it. Of course, I’m hoping you’ll decide that professional will be me 🙂

Why Work With Me?

I’ve helped clients with Google Ads for over ten years, and I’ve worked exclusively with therapists since founding Marketing For Therapists in 2015. I’m also a licensed psychologist myself, so I understand how to translate your therapeutic voice into your ad campaign.

Best of all, I handle all our Google Ads campaigns personally. You can be confident your work will be handled by someone with genuine expertise, not passed to some faceless intern.

The bottom line?

When I say you’re in good hands with me — trust me, you’re in good hands 🙂

What I Offer

Unlike some marketing agencies that try to lock you into a long-term contract, I offer straightforward packages with no required commitments.

You pick one of my three packages based on your marketing goals and pay a one-time fee. This fee covers the setup, customization, and launch of your campaign.

In most cases, it will also include your first month of management. I’ll carefully monitor your account performance and provide ongoing optimizations to ensure you’re getting the best possible results. (Accounts spending $2500 or more per month will need to choose the Concierge package to avoid an extra management fee.)

After your first month, I send a detailed performance report. Based on the results, you choose if you want to let the ads run on autopilot or if you’d prefer that I continue managing your account. You can also choose to change your budget or pause your ads entirely if you’d like – remember, you’re not locked into anything! (More on how ongoing management works later on)

No matter which plan you pick, you get the same core features:

1. Keyword Research: I research all the different ways potential clients could search for your specialties and create a unique keyword for each one. No matter how someone types in their search, they’ll be able to find you
2. Ad Writing: I match each keyword with its own unique ad, which means that potential clients see ads that reflect exactly what they’re looking for.
3. Landing Pages: I configure these ads to land users on the exact page on your site that has the highest chance of turning them into a new client.
4. Negative Keywords: I block irrelevant searches from matching to your ads, so you don’t appear when someone searches for something you don’t offer.
5. Technical Wizardry: I also handle all of the technical factors, like configuring your campaign settings, setting a bid strategy, and assisting with Google policy issues.

Google Ads Packages For Therapists

I offer three different packages: Starter, Growth and Concierge.

The main way the packages vary is the number of specialties they include. The Starter package includes three specialties, the Growth package includes eight, and the Concierge package allows you to advertise for every specialty you offer.

A “specialty” is a catch-all term for the different ways someone might search for the services you offer. For instance, someone might search for:

• A condition you treat (like “depression therapy”)
• A type of therapy you offer (like “couples counseling”)
• A specific group you work with (like “therapy for women”)

Each specialty you advertise for creates another opportunity to reach your ideal clients – the people who are actively searching for the exact services that you offer.

If you want to get more traffic each month, having lots of specialties is essential. More specialties makes it easier to spend a larger budget, and it can reduce the amount you pay to get a new client because you can focus your efforts on the best-performing specialties.

Of course, bigger isn’t always better. If you only plan to invest a limited budget, or you have a specific niche that you serve, a smaller package will be just fine for you. That’s why I offer three different packages so every therapist can find the right fit for them.

So what package will suit you best? Well, read on!

Starter Package – $1650

Suggested monthly budget: $250 – $400

The Starter package is designed for therapists who are just getting started in their online marketing (thus the name!). It allows you to target your top three specialty areas and successfully spend up to $400 per month.

It’s great if you:

• Only need a few more referrals per month
• Have a limited budget for advertising
• Have a very specific niche

Although it’s basic, the Starter package is solid. It has fewer frills, but it doesn’t cut corners. Think of it like the Ikea of Google Ads packages. It’s not fancy, but you won’t be sorry you picked it (and you don’t even after to assemble it yourself!)

However, the Starter package does have some drawbacks. Having only three specialties means you’ll struggle to spend more than $400 per month, and you miss out on some optimization opportunities that require a larger scale. You also miss out on the clinical variety from having a wider assortment of referral types.

So if you’re just starting out, the Starter package is a great choice. But if you want to make a more significant investment in your ads, you’ll probably benefit from a more comprehensive package so you can cast a wider net.

Growth Package – $1980

Suggested monthly budget: $500 – $1000

The Growth package is designed as an excellent mid-range pick that balances features and cost. You get to advertise for eight specialty areas, and most Growth package therapists can successfully spend up to $1000 per month.

It’s great if you:

• Want a consistent stream of advertising referrals
• Plan to increase your advertising budget if you get good results
• Offer a variety of services

When in doubt, I usually suggest most therapists choose the Growth package. It’s a great value, and offers a lot of future flexibility. Want to raise or lower your budget? Want to pause some specialties and focus on others? The Growth package makes it easy.

While this is a great option for most therapists, it’s not for everyone. If you’re running a group practice, plan on investing heavily into your ads, or otherwise have an extensive variety of specialties to advertise, you might benefit from the best package I offer.

Concierge Package – $3200

Suggested monthly budget: $1000+

With the Concierge package, I pull out all the stops. Everything that I did for my clients that were spending $100,000+ per month during my agency days, I’ll do for you.

I’ll research every single one of your specialties, no matter how niche or esoteric, and write out custom ad text for every single relevant keyword I can find. I’ll review your website to ensure your ads are fully supported by your site layout. Oh, I’ll also set up your conversion tracking for free, ensuring that you have total insight into how your ads are doing.

The Concierge package definitely isn’t for everyone. But it could be perfect if you:

• Need a substantial amount of new referrals
• Plan to start with a large monthly budget and potentially go higher over time
• Have significantly more than eight specialties to advertise

If you want the best possible results from Google – or if you have a unique practice that needs a customized touch on every level of your advertising campaign – the Concierge package is the way to go.

Ongoing Account Management

Once your account is launched, I’m available to partner with you for the long haul. However, I don’t insist on long-term commitments – you choose as much or as little management as you need.

My ongoing account management includes careful review of your performance, optimization of your keywords, settings, and bid strategy, and a detailed performance report at the end of the month. It helps you get the best possible results from your ads, and ensures that you’re protected against any unexpected problems that can arise.

My account management covers all services necessary to manage and optimize your existing ads and keywords. If you’d like to add new ads or keywords, I can do that too for an additional fee.

I offer three different tiers of management, based on your monthly budget. This allows me to dedicate the amount of time necessary to fully optimize large and complex accounts, while providing affordable services to smaller accounts.

Small account size (Less than $2500 in monthly budget)

I offer monthly management for a cost of $375 per month. This doesn’t mean you are obligated to have me manage the account every single month – instead, you could let the account run on autopilot for some months, then have me do a month of management when you need a tune-up.

I also offer a discounted package of four months of management for $325/mo, or $1300 total. This is a great option if you’d like me to check on the account one month per quarter for a year. However, it requires prepayment of the $1300 to lock in your slot.

Medium account size ($2500 -$10,000 in monthly budget)

I charge 15% of ad spend, rounded to the nearest thousand.

For instance:

Monthly budget of $3000 = $450 management fee
Monthly budget of $5000 = $750 management fee.
Monthly budget of $10,000 = $1500 management fee.

You pay at the beginning of the month based on your desired budget. If we end up adjusting the budget mid-month (or spending less than your desired budget), the difference will be applied to your next payment.

There is a minimum fee of $450, even if our total spend drops below $2500.

Large account size (Greater than $10,000 in monthly budget)

I charge $1500 for the first 10K, then 12% of ad spend after that (again, rounded to the nearest thousand.)

As above, you pay at the beginning of the month based on the estimate, and there is a minimum fee of $1500.

For instance:

Monthly budget of $12,000 = $1500 + $240 = $1740 management fee
Monthly budget of $15,00 = $1500 + $600 = $2100 management fee
Monthly budget of $20,000 = $1500 + $1200 = $2700 management fee

Other Google Ads services

Account upgrades – custom pricing

My management services include management and optimization of your existing ads, keywords and campaigns. If you’d like me to write new ads, research new keywords, or make other substantial changes to your account structure there will sometimes be an additional per-project cost. I’ll quote the cost up front so you always have control over how much you spend.

Conversion Tracking – $250

Google offers several powerful tools for monitoring the effectiveness of your ad campaigns. The most useful tool is known as conversion tracking, which allows you to see exactly how many clients actually contacted you as a result of your ads.

We normally recommend therapists set up their conversion tracking within Google Analytics (since that lets you see conversions from all sources, not just ads.) This requires installing the Analytics tracking code on your site, configuring your Analytics account to track conversions, and then linking your Ads and Analytics account so they can share data. We also recommend adding an extra call tracking code directly from Google Ads that lets you see if someone calls a phone number on your site after clicking on an ad.

If you have an existing web designer, they may be able to handle this process for you. Otherwise, my web designer is available for a small fee of $250.

Consultation calls – $350 for one hour, $225 for a half hour

Want to discuss your ad performance, or ask questions about anything else related to Google Ads or online marketing? I’m available for a live consultation call for a rate of $350 per hour, or $225 for a half-hour call.

Account audits – $495

Did you build your own Google Ad campaign (or hire someone else), and you’d like me to look it over? I can do a comprehensive account review where I’ll provide you with a list of detailed suggestions for improvement, and I will implement all improvements that are possible without changing your account structure (ie, without creating new ads/keywords).

This service costs $495, and you get a $100 credit towards any of my packages if you decide you want to fully upgrade to a new campaign.

Informed Consent

Costs

While most of my therapist clients are able to turn a profit using Google Ads, I cannot guarantee success, so you should never put money into your advertising campaign you can’t afford to lose. Fortunately, on the rare occasions where your ads are not successful, it’s usually apparent within the first 1-2 months. I suggest that you consider the total amount you would be investing in your ads over this period (considering both my fees and the amount you pay directly to Google) and make sure you are comfortable with the risks involved. If you need help with this calculation, feel free to contact me!

Code of Ethics

As a therapist myself, I have a responsibility to ensure that people in need of mental health care are only connected to providers who will help them. Therefore, I have a code of ethics which prohibits me from advertising mental health services for providers who are not qualified to provide those services or whose approach is not evidence-based.

You can read the exact policy here. If you are not a qualified mental health provider, I may still be able to work with you, as long as your website does not claim to treat mental health issues and our advertisements do not target people looking for mental health treatment.

Testimonials

“Dan is a great guy and the real deal. He’s genuine, approachable, and knows how to optimize paid advertising for therapists.” Joe Sanok, MA, LLP, LPC, NCC, PracticeOfThePractice.com

“Daniel Wendler knows his stuff. He has helped so many people get their private practice marketing moving like a well-oiled machine, and his warm, engaging personality makes him a pleasure to work with.Jane Carter, LPC, President of the National Association of Counselors in Private Practice, PrivatePracticeCounselors.com

“I couldn’t be more pleased with Dan’s work! He has essentially taken his vast knowledge and formidable skill set and applied it to my practice as if it were his own. I unhesitatingly recommend him.” Mike Pecosh, M.Ed., NCC, LPC, WashingtonTherapist.com

“Whenever a client is looking to grow their practice through Google Ads, we always refer them to Dan. He consistently goes above and beyond for our clients and we view him as the best Google Ads expert in the industry for therapists.” Perry Rosenbloom, CEO, BrighterVision.com

FAQ

Got questions? I’ve got answers.

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