Mental health PPC campaign: 13.7× return on ad spend for a US clinic
A US mental health clinic wanted more patient inquiries and appointment bookings. We managed its Google Ads campaign from February 2023 to June 2025, using behavioral keyword targeting and geo-optimized campaigns. Over that period it delivered 5.28K conversions at $3.85 each.
- 13.7×return on ad spend
- 5.28Kconversions
- $3.85cost per conversion
The project
More inquiries and booked appointments for a mental health clinic
The brief
A mental health clinic in the United States wanted more patient inquiries and appointment bookings from Google Ads, at a cost that made each new client worthwhile.
What we did
We managed a Google Ads campaign built on behavioral keyword targeting, matching ads to the services people search for, and geo-optimized campaigns focused on the areas the clinic serves, designed to scale lead generation.
What changed
From February 2023 to June 2025, the account turned 31.8K quality clicks into 5.28K conversions at $3.85 each, on $20.3K of total spend, with a 13.7× return on ad spend. On average that is about $700 of ad spend and 182 conversions a month.
Kept private: the clinic's name, location and ad copy, to protect the practice and its clients. Ask us on a call about the setup in more detail.
Results · Feb 2023 to Jun 2025
What the account delivered
Figures as reported from the clinic's Google Ads account. Conversions are the actions the account was set up to count.
- 13.7×ROAS
Return on ad spend
Recorded conversion value divided by ad spend.
- 5.28KConversions
Inquiries and bookings
Counted by the account's conversion tracking.
- $3.85Cost
Cost per conversion
Average across the full period.
- 31.8KClicks
Quality clicks
On $20.3K of total ad spend.
| Metric | This account | Mental health median* |
|---|---|---|
| Cost per conversion | $3.85 | $141.17 |
| Cost per click | $0.64 | $4.22 |
| Clicks that converted | 16.6% | 1.85% |
| Ad spend per month | $700 | Not reported |
This account's rates are approximate because the published figures are rounded. *Medians for mental health search campaigns in LocaliQ's healthcare benchmarks (US, Oct 2024 to Sep 2025), which measure cost per lead. This account covers Feb 2023 to Jun 2025 and counts its own conversion actions, so read the comparison as context, not like for like. Source: LocaliQ
Reading the 13.7× figure. Return on ad spend divides the conversion value recorded in the account by ad spend: 13.7 × $20.3K is about $278K of recorded value. That depends on the value set for each conversion, so for your practice we'd base it on booked first sessions and your real session fees.
How we ran it
How the campaign worked, and what mental health changes
Here is what each part of this account's setup does, and how mental health marketing changes the way it works.
-
Behavioral keyword targeting
- What it does
- Builds campaigns around the words people use when they look for help, such as a type of therapy, a concern or "therapist near me", each matched to the right service page.
- In mental health
- Copy that names the service rather than the person's condition, such as "Anxiety therapy in your city" instead of "Are you anxious?", feels safer and doesn't imply you know someone's health.
-
Geo-optimized campaigns
- What it does
- Focuses ads on the areas the clinic serves, with budgets and bids adjusted by location.
- In mental health
- Online sessions should only be advertised where clinicians are licensed, while in-person services target a realistic travel distance from the office.
-
Conversion tracking
- What it does
- Counts appointment requests and calls, so bids and reports follow real bookings rather than clicks.
- In mental health
- Keep condition details out of tracking: no diagnoses in page URLs, form fields or conversion names sent to Google.
Want this for your practice?
For your practice
What could Google Ads return for your practice?
Return on ad spend depends on what a new client is worth to you. Put in your own numbers to see what you could afford to pay for each enquiry.
Return on ad spend
3.7× estimated
- Enquiries a month
- 12.5
- New clients a month
- 4.4
- Client revenue a month
- $3,675
You break even on ad spend while each enquiry costs less than $294. For reference, this clinic's conversions averaged $3.85 each over 29 months; your cost depends on your market and services.
Revenue counts session fees over each new client's course of care. It leaves out clinician time and other costs, and only works if your team has room for the new clients.
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See what clients say about us
Read reviews from clients we have worked with on these platforms.
Who was the client?
A mental health clinic in the United States. We don't name healthcare clients without their written permission, so this page describes the type of practice, the goal and the results instead.
What counted as a conversion?
Conversions are the actions the clinic's Google Ads account was set up to count. For your practice, we agree which actions count before launch, such as calls, appointment requests and contact forms, and keep condition details out of what's sent to Google.
How is the 13.7× return on ad spend calculated?
Return on ad spend divides the conversion value recorded in the account by the ad spend. It depends on the value set for each conversion, so for your practice we'd base those values on booked first sessions and your real session fees.
Can you advertise therapy and mental health services on Google?
Yes, within Google's policies. Health is a sensitive category, so ads can't use remarketing lists, Customer Match or lookalike segments, and we rely on search intent and location instead. Drug and alcohol addiction treatment ads need certification before they can run.
Do you keep patient information out of Google Ads?
Yes. We keep diagnoses and conditions out of page URLs, form fields and conversion names, and keep ad tags off intake forms. Google only receives that a request or call happened, not who made it or why.
Can you run ads for telehealth sessions?
Yes. Online-session ads run only in the states where your clinicians are licensed, and in-person services target a realistic travel distance from your offices.
How much should a therapy practice spend on Google Ads?
It depends on your market, services and how many new clients your clinicians can take. This clinic's spend averaged about $700 a month over the period shown. We recommend a budget that matches your open caseload, so you don't pay for enquiries you can't book.
Will we own the Google Ads account?
Yes. We work in your own Google Ads account or create one in your practice's name, so the campaigns and their history stay with you.
Free Google Ads proposal
Want more of the right clients for your practice?
Tell us about your practice, your clinicians' availability and the services you want to fill. We'll review your website and any Google Ads account, then recommend a plan that keeps patient details private.
Request a free proposal
We review your website first, then reply with the services and scope that fit.