Google Ads work for healthcare clinics in London when campaigns are optimised for booked and attended appointments rather than simple enquiries.
Clinics that train Google’s AI using patient-level outcomes consistently achieve higher booking rates, lower wasted spend, and more predictable growth.
London is the most competitive healthcare advertising market in the UK.
Private clinics, dental practices, aesthetics clinics, and specialist providers are all competing for:
In London, healthcare CPCs regularly exceed £3–£6 per click, with cosmetic and specialist treatments costing even more. At these prices, even a small drop in lead quality quickly becomes expensive.
This is why many clinics report:
The issue is rarely Google Ads itself.
It is how campaigns are structured and trained.
Google Ads uses machine learning to prioritise users who are most likely to complete the conversion actions defined by the clinic. If those actions do not reflect real patient commitment, the system optimises for the wrong audience.
Google does not understand:
It only understands data signals.
Most healthcare clinics track only one conversion:
From Google’s perspective, this means:
Every enquiry is a success.
In reality, many enquiries come from:
When these actions are counted equally, Google learns to prioritise volume instead of intent.
Compared to Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, or Bristol, London has:
This means mistakes cost more, faster.
London searches include:
Without clear targeting, Google struggles to distinguish between them.
Smart Bidding and Performance Max are now standard.
Manual control is limited, which makes data quality critical.
MetricPoor SetupOptimised SetupEnquiry volumeHighControlledBooking rateLowConsistentNo-showsFrequentReducedCost per patientRisingPredictableDiary utilisationInconsistentStable
High-performing clinics accept fewer enquiries — but see more patients.
Instead of tracking interest alone, clinics define multiple conversion stages:
Patient ActionSignal StrengthEnquiry submittedLowCall over 60 secondsMediumAppointment bookedHighAppointment attendedVery highTreatment acceptedPrimary outcome
This hierarchy teaches Google what matters.
High-intent services (e.g. Invisalign, cosmetic dentistry, private GP consultations) are separated from:
This prevents high-value campaigns from being diluted by low-intent traffic.
Ad messaging must reflect:
This reduces unsuitable enquiries and improves patient experience.
London clinics that perform well:
This ensures ads reach patients who can actually attend.
While London is the most competitive, the same principles apply in:
Clinics that structure campaigns correctly see similar improvements across all major UK cities.
Google Ads works best when:
It is particularly effective for:
Google Ads succeed for healthcare clinics when campaigns prioritise booked and attended appointments rather than enquiry volume, especially in competitive markets like London.
Google Ads is not a volume tool for healthcare.
It is a precision channel.
Clinics that treat it as a way to generate “more leads” struggle.
Clinics that treat it as a system for attracting the right patients grow predictably.
If your clinic is investing in Google Ads but seeing inconsistent bookings, the issue is usually not spend — it is structure, targeting, and optimisation.
A specialist digital marketing agency with healthcare experience can assess whether your Google Ads campaigns are attracting suitable patients or simply generating noise.
Before increasing your budget, the next step should be to:
This approach ensures Google Ads supports sustainable, patient-focused growth rather than wasted spend.
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