By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: What Google’s New Adwords Update Means for Medical Marketers
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Business > What Google’s New Adwords Update Means for Medical Marketers
BusinesseHealthTechnology

What Google’s New Adwords Update Means for Medical Marketers

Jonathan Catley
Jonathan Catley
Share
6 Min Read
Scrabble letters spelling 'adwords'
SHARE

Scrabble letters spelling 'adwords'

Contents
  • The Short of It
  • (Likely) Big Changes for SEM and SEO
  • Diversity Will Be Key

This week, Google rolled out some significant changes to its AdWords platform. Medical marketers in particular will want to respond to this update by diversifying their efforts in order to effectively engage their intended audiences.

Scrabble letters spelling 'adwords'

This week, Google rolled out some significant changes to its AdWords platform. Medical marketers in particular will want to respond to this update by diversifying their efforts in order to effectively engage their intended audiences.

More Read

Is Southern Europe’s Debt Crisis an Omen for US Health Care?
Neuro Drug Developer iPierian Nets $30M
Mobile Stroke Unit – Does It Really Save Time? And Money?
Doctors 2.0 & You #ePatient speakers on Twitter #doctors20
What are the Legal Implications for Doctors, Nurses and Hospitals Engaging in Social Media?

Google is turning heads as it aims to turn a larger profit. The team behind AdWords unveiled significant changes this week that will affect companies and industries around the world — the shift breaks the SEO mold by moving away from two long-time search engine feature mainstays. Even before the dust settles, the question on everyone’s mind is, how exactly will this changeup impact the ad search landscape?

While the marketing world has been on the edge of its seat (or more accurately, jumping and shouting) for updates about what these changes will mean, medical marketers shouldn’t panic just yet — but they should be paying very, very close attention.

The Short of It

The first principle AdWords change is the elimination of almost all ads on the right hand window of desktop search engine results pages (SERPs) with two exceptions, which we’ll get to later. The second is that Google has increased the number of ads above organic search results from three to four — but only for “highly commercial queries,” according to Search Engine Land.

Google says that such commercial queries include ones like “car insurance” or “hotels in New York City” — in other words, those that demonstrate an intent to buy. It remains to be seen exactly which medical queries will qualify, but the inclusion of searches like “asthma treatment” and “hearing aids,” for example, already reflect the changes.

A Google search page for 'asthma treatment'

The two exceptions to Google’s elimination of sidebar ads are right sidebar desktop results for Product Listing Ads (PLAs), which feature specific product pictures and descriptions, and Knowledge Panel ads, which showcase relevant search information and local listings. Both will be unaffected by the update, which is good news for medical device marketers, local hospitals, and physicians, as their product ads and/or local search information will still show up above the fold.

A Google search page for 'hearing aids'

Above all, these changes seem to be consistent with Google’s push to make its desktop search results more similar to its mobile display (though Google shows two to three top ads on mobile).

(Likely) Big Changes for SEM and SEO

This shakeup will mostly likely create two tiers of paid search engine marketing (SEM) campaigns: expensive, but highly-effective top-of-page ads (which are overwhelmingly preferred by users) and relatively cheaper, lower-impact ad links at the bottom of the search results page, according to the media image.

While advertisers gain one additional top-of-fold ad for commercial searches, the total number of first-page ads has been reduced from 11 to a maximum of seven, observes the SEM Post. Stiff competition for this limited marketing space will probably mean a higher cost-per-click (CPC) rates for AdWords campaigns.

Google may very well have determined right-side ads to be ineffective in the first place, which, with more top spot ads, could make their removal a non-factor for top-of-page ad cost. Search Engine Land reports that CPC rates have indeed remained unchanged, at least for now — we’re not totally convinced.  

However, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategies will almost certainly suffer, as organic (non-paid) results are pushed even lower on the page. While SEO campaigns will still hold undoubted significance, especially for local search results, medical marketers may want to expect less clickthrough traffic as a direct result.  

But for those who can capture top spots, both paid and unpaid, the rewards will be massive.

Diversity Will Be Key

Social

In light of this increased competition, running a smart, well-placed campaign will be more critical than ever for medical marketers — once-dependable Google ads may now not guarantee results. As such, marketers must be sure to diversify their online efforts, extending well-managed paid advertisements across multiple channels.

Paid social ads, particularly on Facebook, will be increasingly central for online medical outreach. And, of course, SEM and SEO campaigns will need to be seeded more deliberately than ever.

While we’re not quite ready to make any final judgements on Google’s AdWords update, what does seem certain is that medical marketers will need to adapt and evolve to stay on top of the game.

(Main image credit: FirmBee/Pixabay; John LeMasney/flickr)

Targeted Medical Marketing, Digital Marketing

TAGGED:AdWordsGoogle
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

Nurse Scheduling Software
Evaluating 7 Best Nurse Scheduling Software
Nursing Technology
October 28, 2025
contamination
Batch Failures And The Hidden Costs Of Contamination
Health Infographics
October 21, 2025
Medication Management For Seniors
Simplifying Medication Management For Seniors
Infographics Senior Care
October 21, 2025
Guide To Pursuing a Career in Nursing as a Foreigner in the USA
Collaboration Is the Prescription for Better Patient Care
Health
October 20, 2025

You Might also Like

Social Media Moving into Healthcare’s Mainstream

May 3, 2011
denied medical claim
BusinessFinanceHospital Administration

Reducing Medical Denials Equals Increased Revenue

October 10, 2013

Social Media and Public Health: Using Facebook to Monitor Obesity Prevalence

June 3, 2013

Artificial Retina Approved for Sale in Europe

May 31, 2011
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?