7 Dental PPC Mistakes to Avoid (And How to Fix Them)

Running a successful dental PPC (Pay-Per-Click) campaign can be tricky.

With so many moving parts—ad copy, targeting, budgets, and landing pages—it’s easy to make mistakes that waste your ad spend.

The good news?

These mistakes are avoidable, and when corrected, can significantly boost your campaign’s effectiveness, helping you attract more patients.

Let’s look at some of the most common dental PPC mistakes and how you can avoid them.

1. Ignoring Landing Page Optimization

A well-designed landing page is the key to turning clicks into appointments.

Many dental practices make the mistake of running PPC ads that direct users to a generic homepage or an unoptimized landing page.

This confuses potential patients and results in a high bounce rate.

How to Fix It:

Make sure your landing pages are specifically tailored to the ad content.

If you’re advertising teeth whitening, the landing page should focus on that service.

Make sure the page loads quickly, works smoothly on mobile devices, and has clear calls to action like “Book Your Appointment” or “Call Us Now.”

Use patient testimonials or certifications to build trust and boost conversions.

2. Neglecting Mobile Optimization

In today’s mobile-first world, many potential patients will encounter your ads on their smartphones.

If your landing page isn’t mobile-friendly, you risk losing a significant portion of your traffic.

Slow load times or hard-to-navigate pages can cause visitors to leave without taking any action.

How to Fix It:

Make sure your ads and landing pages are optimized for mobile.

This includes having a responsive design, easy-to-click phone numbers, and a fast-loading page.

Your content should be concise and visually clear to accommodate smaller screens.

3. Ineffective Ad Copy

The words you use in your PPC ads are critical.

If your ad copy doesn’t catch attention or fails to communicate the benefits of your dental services, potential patients will scroll right past.

Ads with generic phrases or lacking a clear call to action often result in low click-through rates (CTR) and wasted ad spend.

How to Fix It:

Craft ad copy that is clear, concise, and highlights the unique benefits of your dental practice.

Mention any special offers, such as discounts on first-time visits or free consultations, and include a strong call to action like “Schedule Your Appointment Today.”

A/B testing different versions of your ad copy can help you identify what resonates most with your audience.

4. Not Using Ad Extensions

Ad extensions are a powerful tool in Google Ads, providing additional information that can increase the visibility and clickability of your ads.

Many dental practices overlook these, missing out on valuable real estate in the search results.

How to Fix It:

Make use of ad extensions such as call extensions, which allow users to click and call your practice directly from the ad.

Location extensions can show your clinic’s address, helping potential patients find you more easily.

Review extensions can display patient testimonials, building credibility before someone even clicks on your ad.

5. Overlooking Negative Keywords

Negative keywords prevent your ads from showing up for irrelevant searches.

For example, if your practice specializes in cosmetic dentistry, you don’t want your ads to show up for “orthodontics” or “pediatric dentistry” unless you offer those services.

Many practices fail to use negative keywords, leading to wasted clicks and budget.

How to Fix It:

Use the Google Ads search term report to identify which keywords are triggering your ads.

Add irrelevant terms as negative keywords to avoid showing your ads for searches that won’t convert into patients.

This will help you stretch your budget further by focusing on high-intent searches.

6. Failing to Monitor and Adjust Campaigns

PPC campaigns are not “set it and forget it.”

Dental practices often make the mistake of launching a campaign and then leaving it to run without regular monitoring.

This leads to missed opportunities for optimization, such as adjusting bids, improving ad copy, or reallocating budget.

How to Fix It:

Regularly review key performance indicators (KPIs) like CTR, conversion rates, and cost-per-click (CPC).

If certain keywords or ads aren’t performing, adjust or pause them.

Running routine PPC audits can help you stay competitive and ensure your budget is being spent wisely.

7. Overly Broad Targeting

Targeting too broad an audience is another common mistake.

If your dental practice is in a specific location, showing ads to people outside of that area will only waste your budget on clicks from people who are unlikely to convert.

How to Fix It:

Use geo-targeting to narrow your audience to people who live or work near your practice.

Mention your location in the ad copy to make it clear you’re a local dental practice.

For example, phrases like “Your trusted dentist in [City Name]” can attract local patients who are actively searching for services nearby.

How ACED Digital Can Help with Your Dental PPC Campaign

ACED Digital specializes in creating and managing effective PPC campaigns tailored to dental practices.

From optimizing your ad copy and landing pages to setting up geo-targeting and ad extensions, we ensure your campaigns are designed to drive more patients to your practice.

Our team will regularly monitor and adjust your campaigns to make sure your budget is being used efficiently, giving you the best possible return on investment.

Avoiding these common mistakes will help you get the most out of your PPC budget.

If you’re ready to level up your dental marketing, ACED Digital can help you fine-tune every aspect of your campaign, ensuring more clicks, calls, and appointments for your practice.

Contact us if you're ready to boost your bottom line!

FAQs

What is a PPC in dentistry?
PPC in dentistry refers to Pay-Per-Click advertising, a digital marketing strategy where dental practices pay a fee each time someone clicks on their ad. These ads appear on search engines like Google, helping dental practices attract potential patients who are searching for services like teeth whitening, braces, or dental implants.

What are dental PPC mistakes?
Common dental PPC mistakes include ignoring landing page optimization, using ineffective ad copy, not targeting local audiences properly, and failing to monitor campaigns regularly. These mistakes can lead to poor performance, wasted budget, and fewer conversions.

Does PPC for dental marketing work?
Yes, PPC can be very effective for dental marketing when done correctly. It allows practices to target specific keywords and local audiences, driving traffic to their website and generating more appointments. However, it requires proper management to avoid common pitfalls like overspending and ineffective targeting.

What is the most common OSHA violation in dental offices?
The most common OSHA violation in dental offices often relates to improper handling and disposal of hazardous materials, such as not following the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard. This includes improper labeling of sharps containers, failure to provide protective equipment, or insufficient training on infection control.