1) When to use search ads
- • Best for services with strong intent: dentists, lawyers, plumbers, emergency services.
- • Keywords = demand. You capture people already looking to buy/book.
- • Pricing: usually higher CPC than display, but stronger conversion rates.
Tip
If budget is limited, start with search ads first. They convert faster.
Search ads show when people actively type in queries. Great for high-intent leads. For a dental practice, 80% of revenue typically comes from search ads because they capture people ready to book today.
Search ads give you immediate feedback on ROI. You know within 2-3 weeks if a keyword is profitable or not. This makes search the ideal testing ground for new practices. Scale what works, pause what doesn't.
2) When to use display ads
- • Great for building brand awareness and staying visible.
- • Cheaper CPCs than search, but lower immediate conversion rates.
- • Perfect for remarketing campaigns to past visitors.
Example
A dentist runs search ads for 'emergency dentist near me,' and display ads to retarget people who visited their implant page but didn't book.
Display ads show banners across websites, apps, and YouTube. They're more about awareness and retargeting. Most people aren't looking for a dentist right now, so display fills the awareness gap for when they do.
Display is perfect for remarketing. A person visits your implant page but leaves without booking. Display retargets them across 2 million websites for 7-30 days, keeping your practice top-of-mind. Remarketing CPA is typically 40-60% cheaper than search CPA because the audience is already warm.
3) Pros and cons of each
- • Pros: High intent, fast results, measurable ROI, keyword control.
- • Cons: Competitive, higher CPC, limited by search volume.
- • Pros: Broad reach, cheap impressions ($0.50-$2 CPC), remarketing power, brand awareness.
- • Cons: Lower CTR (0.5-1% vs 3-5% for search), banner blindness, less immediate intent.
4) Using both together
- • Search for acquisition: capture demand at high intent moments.
- • Display for remarketing: bring back visitors who didn't convert.
- • Display for awareness: keep your brand in front of people before they're ready.
- • Measure synergy: search + display combined often improve overall CPA by 10-30%.
Running both together creates a powerful top-of-funnel and bottom-of-funnel strategy. Search captures hot leads ready to buy. Display keeps you in mind for the 70% who aren't ready yet. When someone finally decides they need a dentist 3-4 weeks later, your display ad reminds them of you.
Measure synergy by looking at assisted conversions. Some people see your display ad 3 times before clicking your search ad and converting. Google's data-driven attribution will show that both channels contributed. Typically, the combination of search + display improves overall CPA by 10-30% compared to search alone.
Budget Allocation Between Search and Display
Most dental practices should use this allocation formula: Start with 80 percent budget on search, 20 percent on display remarketing. This weights toward high-intent, high-conversion search while building remarketing audience. After 3-4 months, review performance. If search CPA is below $150 and growing conversions monthly, increase search to 85 percent. If search is flat or CPA is rising, shift 5-10 percent to display to diversify your reach.
Never allocate more than 30 percent to display unless you are a mature practice with search fully optimized and CPA stable. Display is a secondary channel. New practices that lead with display often waste budget on visitors with low purchase intent. Proven practices use display to scale after search is proven.
Test different remarketing audiences in display. Your website visitors are one audience. Email list is another. Past patients are another. Create separate display campaigns for each audience with tailored messages. Past patients see "come back in for your six-month checkup" messaging. Website visitors see "schedule your first exam" messaging. Strategic PPC management means tailoring messages to audience intent, not just splitting budget evenly.
- • Success requires careful planning and execution of every step covered in this guide.
- • The quality of your audience matters far more than the size of your reach.
- • Data-driven decisions lead to better results and higher ROI on your marketing investment.
- • Consistency and optimization over time compound your success and build sustainable growth.
You now have a comprehensive framework for success. The next step is implementation. Pick one element from this guide and start executing today. Momentum builds with consistent action.
If managing these campaigns feels overwhelming, that's exactly what our team at DDS Web Solutions handles every day. We specialize in advertising marketing for dental and medical practices, and we'd be happy to discuss how we can accelerate your growth.
Talk to Our Advertising Experts- • Success requires careful planning and execution of every step covered in this guide.
- • The quality of your audience matters far more than the size of your reach.
- • Data-driven decisions lead to better results and higher ROI on your marketing investment.
- • Consistency and optimization over time compound your success and build sustainable growth.
You now have a comprehensive framework for success. The next step is implementation. Pick one element from this guide and start executing today. Momentum builds with consistent action.
If managing these campaigns feels overwhelming, that's exactly what our team at DDS Web Solutions handles every day. We specialize in advertising marketing for dental and medical practices, and we'd be happy to discuss how we can accelerate your growth.
Talk to Our Advertising ExpertsFrequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, search or display?
Display is cheaper per click ($0.50-$2 vs $3-$15 for search in healthcare), but search delivers cheaper cost per acquisition due to much higher intent. A display click from a random website visitor rarely converts; a search click from someone typing "dentist near me" converts 5-10x more often.
Do I need display if search is working?
Not mandatory for immediate ROI, but display adds 10-30% to overall conversions when paired with search through remarketing. Without display remarketing, you lose 60-70% of visitors who don't convert on first visit.
Should I split budget evenly?
No. Start 70-90% on search (proven high-intent channel) and 10-30% on display (remarketing + awareness). Once search is optimized and CPA is known, add more display for scale. Never lead with display for new practices.
Is YouTube considered display?
Yes, YouTube campaigns run under the Google Display Network (GDN) with video placements. YouTube is premium inventory within Display, so CPCs are higher ($1-$5 range) but targeting is tighter.
Can I run search and display with the same budget?
Yes, and most practices do. Start with search, prove ROI, then allocate 15-20% of search budget to display remarketing. This captures cooler prospects at low cost while search captures hot prospects.
What if I only have $500/month budget?
100% to search ads. Run 8-10 high-intent keywords, optimize for 3-4 weeks, then if CPA is good, shift $75-100 to display remarketing. Small budgets need maximum efficiency (search first).
Does running both increase competition and costs?
No. Running display doesn't increase search costs. The two channels have different auction dynamics. Search goes to the highest bidder per keyword; display goes to the highest bidder per placement. They're separate ecosystems.
How do I measure if display is actually working?
Use conversion tracking to measure display-attributed conversions separately. In Google Ads, view conversion paths to see how many conversions come from display clicks vs impressions (view-through conversions). Aim for 5-10% of conversions from display if running 15-20% of budget there.