When it comes to digital marketing, Google Ads and social media ads each have their strengths. Google Ads are targeted and precise, allowing you to catch people exactly when they’re searching for dental treatment. With their clear, intent-driven offering, they’re perfect for dental practices. And social media ads? They’re broader in scope, sparking interest among those casually scrolling. For this reason, they’re like a cost-effective television campaign: ideal for building brand and treatment awareness and storytelling.

So, which is best?

I’d argue that to sustainably run profitable marketing, most dental businesses should use both. Google Ads for picking up that immediate intent, and social for meeting people in “discovery” mode. Slot the two together and you have the ultimate power couple, successfully generating demand (social) and capturing it (Google).

One fuels the other, but what are the key differences between the two?

Platform and audience reach

Google Ads captures immediate demand by targeting those users actively searching for products or services. If you’re using the search network, your ads will appear alongside search engine results for specific keywords. If you’re using the display network, Google Ads allows you to position banner ads across a vast network of websites and apps, including YouTube. These can target users based on demographics, their interests, and their browsing behaviour. The obvious benefit of this is that these ads connect with users who are ready to act, which often leads to a higher return on investment (ROI).

On the other hand, social media ads are better for broad reach and engagement. This makes them excellent for demand generation; capturing people who are NOT actively searching for your services. Social media platforms – like Meta – offer detailed targeting options based on behaviour, interests, and engagement, allowing you to refine your audience to those who are most likely to enjoy discovering your content. Social media offers a more interactive environment than Google, encouraging likes, shares, comments, and other forms of engagement that can boost your brand’s visibility.

Targeting options

Google Ads targets based on specific keywords that users type into the search engine. This allows for precise targeting based on what users are actively searching for, making your adverts (and your services) more appealing. Alongside this, Google’s remarketing tools allow you to target users who have previously visited your website or interacted with your ads, encouraging them to return and convert.

As I’ve mentioned, social media platforms offer advanced targeting based on user demographics (age, gender, location), interests, behaviours, and even life events. On platforms like Meta, you can also create lookalike audiences, which finds new potential customers who mirror your existing audience.

Cost and budgeting

Google Ads often operates on a cost-per-click (CPC) model, meaning you’ll pay whenever someone clicks on your ad. CPC can vary hugely, depending on the level of competition around the keywords you’re bidding on; terms like Invisalign, for instance, usually cost far more per click because they’re widely known and highly sought after. This might be something you’re happy to spend money on – Google’s users are actively searching for products or services, so they’re often leads with higher purchase intent, potentially leading to a higher ROI. However, we can often also find gaps in the market at a lower CPC rate. It’s also important to look at the quality of your landing pages – if you’re directing users to your website, it should provide the answers to their problems when they get there.

Social media platforms often operate on a cost-per-thousand-impressions model. Social media ads can be more cost-effective in terms of impressions, but the conversion intent may be lower, meaning your audiences may be less likely to buy at that time. Social media platforms typically allow for more flexible budgeting, making them accessible for small practices or those who’d like to test campaigns with a smaller initial investment.

The best of both worlds

Both types of ads can work their magic in different contexts. The days of old-fashioned sales funnels are gone, but it holds true that customers like to discover, research and seek out businesses on their own terms, according to where they are in the decision-making process.

Running a social ad campaign yields good results in reaching your target audience and introducing them to your practice. Social media helps to build brand awareness, engage with specific demographics, and promote visual or interactive content. Some of the users you reach through social ads might click and enquire, but others will instead choose to research or engage with you in their own time. This means that many will turn to Google and search for your business; either to find out more, or to check if you’re trustworthy.

The choice between the two depends on your campaign goals, target audience, and budget, and the nature of your products or services. Often, a combination yields the best results, allowing you to reach users at different stages of their buying journey.

Would you like a free Google Ads strategy?

If you’d like to see what Google Ads can do for your practice, we’d love to help. We’re offering a free, personalised Google Ads strategy, tailored to your dental practice, to the first 10 people to get in touch. There’s no need to give us access to your Ads account – everything is designed based on your website alone.

You’ll receive:

• 50 keyword suggestions: Optimised for dental procedures and local searches to increase visibility in Search and Performance Max campaigns.
• 25 tailored headlines: Crafted to engage potential patients and boost click-through rates.
• 8 ad descriptions: Targeted descriptions that address common patient concerns and highlight your services, driving engagement.
• 10 audience suggestions: Focused on dental care seekers, helping refine your Performance Max campaigns for improved conversions.
• Account structure recommendations: Expert guidance on organising your campaigns for maximum efficiency and relevance.

Sounds good? Just drop us a line with your website URL, and we’ll deliver your custom plan directly to your inbox within the week.

Google Ads is a fantastic tool for your practice, so if you haven’t been getting the results you’d like, or you’re keen to take it further, this could be the perfect opportunity to take a fresh approach. Accelerate your Ads results, attract more enquiries and grow your practice – all at no cost to you.