When managing a healthcare business’ digital marketing strategy, the question of whether to bid on branded keywords often arises. Branded keywords include your practice name or unique service names, such as “[Your Practice Name] GP clinic” or “[Your Clinic] bulk billing dentist.” While this strategy may seem straightforward, it’s crucial to weigh its pros and cons before allocating your advertising budget. Let’s explore the value of bidding on branded keywords and how to decide if brand name bidding is the right choice for your healthcare business.
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What Are Branded Keywords?
Branded keywords are search terms that specifically reference your business, such as your practice’s name, services, or products. For example, a medical clinic might target “[Clinic Name] flu vaccinations” as a branded keyword in a Google Ads campaign. These ads typically appear at the top of search engine results pages (SERPs), above organic listings, allowing your business to occupy prime real estate.
While your website may already rank organically for branded searches, paid ads give you additional control over messaging, drive visibility, and can help prevent competitors from stealing clicks. But is this tactic always necessary?
The Pros of Bidding on Branded Keywords
1. Improved Visibility
Bidding on branded keywords ensures your business appears prominently in search results. This is particularly useful if other competitors or aggregators are targeting your name. For instance, a directory service might bid on “[Your Practice Name] medical centre,” potentially diverting patients to their platform instead of directly to you. Branded ads help you retain control over how your business is presented to potential patients.
2. Defence Against Competitors
In competitive markets, it’s not uncommon for rival practices or corporate healthcare chains to bid on competitors’ branded keywords. By bidding on your own, you can block competitors from outranking your organic listing and redirecting traffic meant for you.
3. High Conversion Rate
Branded keywords align with high user intent and carry strong Quality Scores. Patients searching for your name are likely already familiar with your services, making them easier to convert.
4. Customised Messaging Opportunities
Branded ads allow you to highlight promotions, new services, or seasonal campaigns that might not be apparent in organic listings. For example, a dental clinic could promote “Dental check-ups for children this school holiday” directly in their ad copy.
5. Boosted Click-Through Rates (CTR)
Branded ads tend to attract higher click-through rates due to their relevance to the searcher’s intent. This can enhance your overall account performance.
The Cons of Bidding on Branded Keywords
1. Additional Costs
Paying for clicks on branded keywords can feel redundant when your website already ranks organically for these terms. This additional expenditure might not make sense for practices with tight marketing budgets.
2. Cannibalisation of Organic Traffic
Branded ads may siphon clicks from your organic search results, effectively making you pay for traffic that would have otherwise been free. For example, if your practice’s homepage already ranks as the top organic result, a paid ad might only duplicate that exposure without adding significant value.
3. Unnecessary in Low-Competition Environments
If no competitors are bidding on your branded terms and your organic rankings are solid, investing in branded ads might not deliver meaningful returns. In such cases, the budget could be better allocated to non-branded keywords that capture new patient inquiries.
When Should You Bid on Branded Keywords?
Branded keyword campaigns aren’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Here are scenarios where they’re particularly effective:
1. Competitive Environments
If competitors are actively bidding on your practice’s name, branded ads are a critical defence mechanism. Without them, you risk losing visibility and patient inquiries to rival businesses.
2. Low Organic Visibility
For newly established practices or clinics that have recently rebranded, organic rankings might not yet be strong. In such cases, branded ads ensure your business appears at the top of search results while your SEO efforts mature.
3. Promoting Seasonal or Time-Sensitive Offers
When running promotions or special campaigns, branded ads can ensure patients are aware of these offers. For instance, a medical centre could advertise “Flu shots available now” or “Extended hours this holiday season.”
4. Testing Messaging and Features
Branded campaigns offer a controlled environment for testing ad copy, extensions, or landing pages. The data gathered can be invaluable for optimising broader advertising efforts.
When Should You Avoid Bidding on Branded Keywords?
1. Strong Organic Performance
If your practice consistently ranks at the top of organic search results for branded queries and no competitors are bidding on these terms, investing in ads may not be necessary.
2. Budget Constraints
When ad spend is limited, focus on high-intent non-branded keywords that capture new patient inquiries, such as “GP near me” or “dental implants [location].”
3. Minimal Competition
If no competitors are targeting your branded keywords, the urgency to bid on them diminishes. Regularly monitor the landscape to ensure this remains the case.
Real-World Examples
A multi-location dental chain found that competitors were bidding on their branded keywords, leading to a drop in patient inquiries. By launching branded campaigns with compelling ad copy and promotions, they regained traffic and even increased bookings.
Conversely, a GP clinic dominating local organic search results decided to pause branded ads to allocate their budget toward non-branded campaigns. This shift improved their overall ROI, as they attracted new patients searching for services rather than those already familiar with their brand.
Should You Bid on Branded Keywords?
Bidding on branded keywords can be a valuable strategy for healthcare businesses, but it’s not always essential. Assess your competition, organic visibility, and marketing objectives to determine whether the benefits outweigh the costs. For practices in competitive markets or those promoting special campaigns, branded ads can provide significant advantages. However, for well-established practices with limited competition, other strategies might offer better ROI.
Not sure if branded keyword bidding is right for your healthcare business? Contact our digital marketing experts at practiceedge to tailor a strategy that aligns with your goals and budget.
