Health marketing
Google Ads
for clinics.
Search ads on what patients type are the core of it, and they're allowed. What's restricted is targeting: health is a sensitive category, so Customer Match, your own data segments and lookalikes can't be used for health content. In Australia, ads also can't use prescription drug terms in the ad or on the landing page.
Written by Dan Picken, a marketer who checks the sources. Last checked 2 November 2026.Start with
search.
Patients search the problem, then the service, then someone nearby: 'sore lower back', 'physio near me', 'physio Erina'. Search ads let you show up at each step, and the targeting is the words and the area, which the health policies don't restrict.
Build campaigns around the services you most want to fill, and send each one to that service's page. Someone searching 'jaw pain when chewing' should land on a page about jaw pain.
Which searches
to pay for.
Not every health search is someone looking to book. Sort them before you bid.
| Search type | Example | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Service and place | 'physio Erina', 'dentist Gosford' | Bid here first. They want a clinic, near them. |
| Near me | 'chiro near me open Saturday' | Bid, with your hours and next available time in the ad. |
| Symptom | 'heel pain in the morning' | Usually cheaper to reach with a good condition page and SEO. Test small. |
| Your clinic name | '[your clinic] bookings' | Cheap to cover. Check whether others are bidding on it. |
| Not patients | 'physio jobs', 'physiotherapy degree', 'exercises for' | Add as negative keywords so the ads never show. |
What the health
rules restrict.
Google's policy says content related to health is a sensitive interest category. For those ads, advertiser-curated audiences can't be used: Customer Match, your data segments, audience expansion and lookalikes. Google's own predefined audiences, like in-market and life events, can be used, some with conditions, and nobody under 18 can be shown personalised ads.
Remarketing to website visitors is now called 'your data segments' in Google Ads, and it's on the not-allowed list. The policy covers ads about health conditions and treatments, so a plain 'dentist Gosford' ad may sit outside it. Plan as if your own lists are out.
Can I target this?
Check a targeting
option first.
Pick your clinic and how you want to reach people. You'll see whether Google's health policies allow it, with the policy to read. Checked 2 November 2026.
Answer
Prescription
medicines.
Since May 2024, ads targeting Australia can't use prescription drug terms in the ad or on the landing page, and online pharmacies and telehealth prescribing need certification first. This matters most for cosmetic injectable clinics, because the products are prescription medicines: promote the consultation, never the product.
Track bookings,
not clicks.
Google Ads can count calls from ads, calls from your website and imported calls as conversions. Online bookings need tracking too, and a booking system hosted on another website needs extra set-up, or bookings go uncounted.
Then the bidding learns from bookings. Without them it chases whoever clicks most, which isn't the same person. Keep health details out of anything sent back to Google: count the booking, never what it was for.
What I see most often
What I see
most often.
- 1
Old audience lists still attached
Remarketing or customer lists from years ago, still sitting on health campaigns.
- 2
Every service in one ad group
Physio, massage, pilates and dry needling sharing one set of ads, so nothing matches the search.
- 3
Button clicks counted as bookings
Clicks on 'book now' counted as conversions, not completed bookings, so the numbers look better than the diary.
- 4
Call ads with nobody to answer
Call ads running after hours, with no one on the phone and no online booking.
The honest bit. Google Ads can fill gaps in the diary. It won't fix a clinic people don't come back to. If most new patients only visit once, look at that first.
Questions
people ask.
Can clinics use Google Ads in Australia?
Yes. Search ads are allowed for health services, within Ahpra's rules on what the ad says. Some targeting is restricted, and prescription drug terms can't be used.
Can I remarket to my patients?
No. Customer Match and website remarketing (now called 'your data segments') can't be used for ads about health conditions or treatments.
Why was my clinic's ad disapproved?
Common reasons are prescription drug terms in the ad or on the page, which aren't allowed in Australia, or targeting with your own audience lists.
How do I track bookings from Google Ads?
Set up conversions for completed bookings and for calls from ads and your website. Count the booking, never the reason for it.
Related
Keep
going.
Get a free
Google Ads audit.
Takes a minute. Audits come back within 1 to 2 business days. For anything else, I'll get back to you as soon as possible.
What happens next
- 1I'll ask for read-only access, or just your website for a search audit.
- 2I go through it and write up the 3 biggest fixes.
- 3A 20-minute call to walk you through it. No pitch unless you ask.