Are you running (or thinking of running) Google Ads for your therapy practice or coaching business? Perhaps you've heard that "Google Ads aren't profitable" or that "Google Ads don't work". The truth is, they do. In nine out of 10 cases, the lack of success with Google Ads stems from a poor website, poor offer, or poor campaign optimization.
If you want to succeed with this marketing channel, you need to make sure all those elements are in place, and your entire business is ready to be promoted on Google.
And below, you will find some of the Google Ads best practices for therapists and coaches that will help you optimize your campaign, your website, and even your offer. Let's get right to it!
Before we begin, just a quick clarification: This article focuses on Search Google Ads only. Google Ads (formerly known as Google AdWords) has different campaign types (e.g., Google Shopping, Performance Max, and display campaigns), but we're not discussing them in this article.
Google Ads best practices: Your account and campaign
First off, let's talk about the crucial aspects of your campaign. If you don't get the campaign settings right, your campaign will not be effective or will drive low-quality traffic to your business.
Add negative keywords (regularly)
First of all, you need to regularly add negative keywords to your account. That's what the Negative Keyword List is for.
Negative keywords are terms or phrases that you choose to exclude from your ad targeting. By preventing your ads from appearing in irrelevant searches, you can significantly improve your ad relevance and ensure that your budget is spent wisely. In other words - your ads don't show up for keywords that don't bring in the right traffic.
How can you add negative keywords to your account? Just use the search engine and look for "negative keywords"; it will take you directly to the right place. You can also go to
Tools -> Shared library -> Exclusions lists.
Another important way to add negative key phrases is by going through the search terms report. Do so regularly and eliminate irrelevant searches from your account.
Use broad match keywords sparingly
In most cases, broad match keywords are too... Well, broad. You want to focus your efforts on queries that are as close to your target audience's interests as possible. That's why it's better to concentrate on two other keyword match types:
Phrase-match keywords (e.g., "anxiety therapy" -> with quotes)
Exact-match keywords (e.g., [anxiety therapy] -> with brackets)
In most cases, we prefer phrase match ones, but it's good to test both types, as they can yield different results (that's right, even though "anxiety therapy" should also trigger [anxiety therapy]).
And what about broad match keywords? Be very careful with them; you can test them in small doses, but monitor their results, as they can quickly drain your budget.
Ensure conversion tracking is in place
Conversion tracking is Google's way of finding out what actions you want your prospects to take on your website. For therapists and coaches, typical conversions include:
Sending a contact form
Booking a free initial consultation
Signing up for a newsletter
Calling your business
Sending you an email, etc.
With conversion tracking, you can "tell" Google when such a conversion action takes place so that its algorithms can optimize your campaigns towards those actions.
Setting up conversion tracking is a story for several articles, that's why here, we'll only tell you that typically, you set up conversion tracking using Google Ads and Google Tag Manager. Oftentimes, it's also a good idea to track conversions via Google Analytics.
Remember: High conversion rates are your primary end goal when it comes to Google Ads. And you can't track those rates without conversion tracking!
Focus on responsive search ads
Right now, RSAs (responsive search ads) are the main type of ads that you can use in a search campaign. And that's good because they can be very effective. Just remember to include all the headlines and descriptions in your RSAs so that Google algorithms have enough copy to work with.
RSAs leverage Google's machine-learning capabilities to deliver tailored messages to potential customers. This adaptability allows your therapy/coaching business to engage with audiences more effectively by presenting the most relevant ad combinations based on user search behavior.
Use effective bidding strategies
On the campaign level, bidding strategies can make or break your campaign. In most cases, you will start either with maximize clicks or manual bidding and then move on to maximize conversions as your account gathers at least some conversion tracking data (that's why it's so important to track the actions taken by your target audience on your website).
As your account grows, you may need to switch to more advanced, automated strategies (so-called smart bidding strategies), such as tCPA (target cost per action), but again, that's a story for a different article.
If you're just starting out, you don't have a lot (or any) conversion tracking data from your potential customers, focus on maximize clicks as your bidding strategy.
Depending on your budget, it's a good idea to set a cap for your CPC (cost per click), but don't go too low, you don't want to suffocate your account. Typically, a good place to start with max CPC bid is at around $8.00.
Target relevant keywords ONLY
And by relevant, we mean BOFU (bottom of the funnel) ones. You don't want to waste your budget targeting keywords such as:
What's the best therapy for...
EMDR side effects
How much does therapy cost in... Etc.
Because such keywords don't communicate readiness to book therapy. Those are not relevant searches, and you shouldn't pay for them. Clients using those keywords are just researching available options, perhaps they're not even looking for themselves! In such a situation, showing them ads would be just a waste of time and budget.
Think of the keywords your target audience would use to start working with you. Then, create a list of keywords and include them in your Google Ads account.
Set a sufficient daily budget
Be in no doubt, most likely, you can't run successful Google Ads with $5.00 daily budget. Your account should produce, on average, 10 clicks per day. Given that one click is anywhere between $1.00 and $10.00, your daily budget should revolve around $40 per day (around $1,200 per month).
Of course, you can start with a lower budget, but our experience shows that going below $800 per month will mean you will struggle to get enough traffic to see the results.
Target the right locations
Depending on the search volume, your budget, and your offer, you can target broader geographic locations (e.g., the entire province). However, if you have a brick-and-mortar office and you see you clients in-person, it's usually good to start with your city or area.
When it comes to coaching and therapy, many clients prefer to go to a physical office, so you should primarily target people living nearby. On the other hand, if you work virtually, you can try and target the entire province, but pay attention to your budget. If it's not huge, it's better to pick a specific area/region and focus on it.
Google Ads best practices: Your website
The truth is that 60% of the success with Google Ads rests on your website's shoulders. The Ads can direct potential clients to your website, but it's your website's "responsibility" to close the deal. Here's what to keep in mind:
Create specific landing pages for Google Ads
Ok, so you have a few advertising campaigns in your account, and you direct them all to the main page? Wrong! Every marketing campaign (and even every ad group) needs a separate landing page that talks only about the advertised offer/service and nothing else.
So, for example, if you offer trauma therapy, you should have a separate subpage on your website that discusses only this service and its different aspects.
At the end of such a landing page, there should be a call to action (CTA) encouraging people to reach out to you and book with you. You can even include several calls to action throughout such a page!
It's a good practice to include a contact form or a booking calendar at the end of such a landing page.
Doing it this way will help you to:
Target relevant keywords
Get a higher quality score for your keywords
Speak directly to your ideal client
Optimize customer journey on your website
Make sure your website is 100% mobile-friendly
This point is important both when it comes to organic search (SEO) and Google Ads. Your website needs to be mobile-friendly and optimized for different sizes of users' screens and devices.
Nowadays, Google is assessing the mobile version of your website, not the desktop one. This is immensely important, because if your mobile website is mediocre, you will get worse results in both SEO and Google Ads.
To check whether your website is mobile-friendly, run a quick Google Lighthouse test on your website (you can do it on your own and for free).
Add Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager to your website
Both your Google Ads account and your website should be integrated with both Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager. This way, you can ensure that all three can exchange data effectively and that everything is tracked and monitored when it comes to conversion tracking.
And Google Analytics will come in handy if you decide to improve your SEO, as well!
Make sure your website speaks to your ideal client
Always keep in mind there is a living person on the other side of the screen. They are looking at different therapists/coaches, compare options, rates, and websites. Google Ads is not a magic wand, it will not "force" anyone to work with you. That's on your website's shoulders. Your website has to work towards your business goals.
Hence, it's so important to ensure that your messaging is perfectly tailored to your ideal client - their interests and needs.
Believe us, a well-designed website can give your campaign performance a solid boost!
Add photos; many photos
Your website has one more goal to achieve. It needs to build this crucial initial connection with your potential clients. Photos will also help you speak to relevant people and build their initial trust that can trigger them to reach out and book with you.
You don't need to invest thousands of dollars in a super-professional photo shoot, but you do need to have at least four different photos of yourself and then a few of your office (ideally, taken in the middle of a sunny day).
What's also immensely important is that photos will help you create this feeling or warmth and welcoming atmosphere around your PP, and that's what will get many people to reach out to you!
Google Ads best practices: Your offer
Lastly, keep in mind that your offer also plays a huge role in your Google Ads success. Here's what to consider:
Offer free initial consultations
Over 85% of all the bookings that our clients get are for the free initial consultations. They don't need to be long, 15 minutes is enough. But you need this initial and non-committal step in the client's journey.
Your clients want to know whether they will feel comfortable talking to you about their thoughts and feelings. And they don't necessarily want to pay for this "test". If you are serious about getting more clients, offer free initial consultations.
PS. Getting bookings for those consultations is by far the most important conversion goal in your account!
Offer competitive pricing
Remember what we told you before? People are comparing different options. If your sessions cost $250 per 50 minutes and the average cost in your area is $150, you won't get many clients, regardless of how effective your Google Ads campaign is.
Sure, top therapists and coaches can charge much more than market standards, but such individuals usually have huge recognizability and many, many years of experience. Most of the time, they don't even need to advertise their services; word of mouth is all they need.
But for 85% of therapists and coaches out there, that's not the case. That's why you need competitive pricing.
Offer services your clients need/want
Here's an example: Trauma therapy. There can be many different ways to conduct trauma therapy, but if the keyword research shows that EMDR is what people want and are mostly interested in, you probably should expand your services and get certified in EMDR.
Otherwise, people will visit your website looking for a trauma therapist, but once they discover that you don't offer EMDR (something they were hoping to get from you), they will go to one of your competitors.
That's why it's important to monitor the market needs as well as your search campaigns and adjust to what your custom audiences require.
Google Ads for therapists and coaches: Summary
If you want to succeed with Google Ads, you need to make some informed decisions on how to plan your website, your offer, and your campaigns. Pay attention to the questions we mentioned in this post, and you're good to go to succeed with this marketing strategy.
And if you'd like us to help you achieve your marketing objectives, don't hesitate to reach out! In 2024, we helped our clients get over 400 potential clients, and we're happy to help you grow your therapy/coaching business as well!
Frequently asked questions about Google Ads for therapists and coaches
Does the campaign goal/advertising goal really matter?
Not really; Google uses this feature simply to present you with different options within its dashboard, but it doesn't affect your campaign's performance in any way. You can simply choose to continue without a goal's guidance, and you're good!
What is the best time of day to run Google Ads for therapists?
The best time of day to run Google Ads depends on when potential clients are most likely to search for therapy services. Many therapists find that early mornings, lunch hours, and evenings—when people are off work—yield higher engagement. You can use ad scheduling in Google Ads to optimize your campaigns for these time periods and ensure your ads appear when your audience is most active.
How can I use location extensions to attract more local clients?
Location extensions allow you to display your business address, phone number, and a clickable map link directly in your ads. For therapists, this feature is especially useful for attracting clients searching for services nearby. By enabling location extensions, you make it easier for local clients to find and contact you, improving both visibility and conversion rates.
What keyword match types should I use for my therapy practice ads?
Google Ads offers three primary keyword match types—broad match, phrase match, and exact match. Broad match captures a wide range of related searches, while phrase match narrows results to phrases that include your keywords in order. Exact match is the most specific, targeting only exact terms and close variants. For therapists, a combination of phrase match and exact match is often recommended to balance reach and relevance.