2026 Guide to PPC for Plastic Surgery

Right now, thousands of people are searching for plastic surgeons in your area. They’re typing things like “rhinoplasty near me” or “best breast augmentation surgeon” into Google, ready to book consultations.

The question is: are they finding you, or your competitors?

Pay-per-click advertising, commonly called PPC, is the fastest way to get in front of these high-intent searchers. Unlike building organic rankings through SEO, which can take months, PPC puts your practice at the top of search results immediately.

In this guide, you’ll learn exactly how to set up and run profitable Google Ads campaigns for your plastic surgery practice. We’ll cover everything from choosing the right keywords to writing compliant ad copy, optimizing landing pages, and tracking what actually matters.

Whether you’re new to PPC or looking to improve existing campaigns, this is your practical roadmap to turning clicks into consultations.

What Is PPC and Why It Matters for Plastic Surgeons

Let’s start with the basics.

PPC (pay-per-click) is a type of online advertising where you only pay when someone clicks your ad. The most common platform is Google Ads, which displays your ads at the top of search results when people search for specific keywords.

Here’s how it works: You bid on keywords related to your services (like “facelift surgeon Chicago”). When someone searches that term, Google runs an auction and decides which ads to show. If your ad appears and someone clicks it, you pay the amount you bid—usually somewhere between $2 and $10 for plastic surgery keywords.

Why PPC Works So Well for Plastic Surgeons

Unlike general healthcare, plastic surgery is elective. People actively research procedures, compare surgeons, and often make decisions within days or weeks. This makes PPC incredibly effective because:

• Intent is high – Someone searching “tummy tuck cost” is much further along than someone browsing your Instagram
• Competition is local – You’re typically competing with practices in your metro area, not nationally
• Patient value is high – A single consultation can lead to procedures worth $5,000 to $15,000+
• Results are immediate – Your ads can start running within hours of setup

How PPC Differs from SEO

Both PPC and SEO aim to get you visibility on Google, but they work differently:

PPC:

• Paid placement at the top of search results
• Results are immediate
• You have precise control over targeting
• Traffic stops when you stop paying
• Costs can add up quickly without optimization

SEO:

• Organic rankings below paid ads
• Takes 3-6 months to see results
• Less control over when/where you appear
• Traffic continues even if you stop investing
• Requires ongoing content and technical work

Most successful practices use both. PPC gives you immediate patient flow while you build long-term SEO equity. But if you need consultations this month, PPC is your answer.

Building Your Keyword Strategy

Your keyword selection makes or breaks your campaign. Target the wrong keywords and you’ll burn through budget without getting qualified leads. Get it right and every dollar works harder.

High-Intent Procedure Keywords

Focus on searches that indicate someone is ready to take action. These typically follow a few patterns:

Procedure + Location

• “rhinoplasty Dallas”
• “breast augmentation near me”
• “facelift surgeon Houston”

These are your bread and butter. Someone searching this way has decided on a procedure and is looking for a local provider.

Procedure + Qualifier

• “best plastic surgeon for tummy tuck”
• “board certified rhinoplasty surgeon”
• “experienced facelift doctor”

These searchers are being selective, which often means they’re serious buyers.

Cost and Consultation Searches

• “rhinoplasty cost Chicago”
• “breast augmentation consultation”
• “how much does liposuction cost”

Don’t shy away from cost-related keywords. Yes, some searchers are just researching, but many are trying to understand if they can afford the procedure. These can convert extremely well.

Why Local Targeting Matters

Most plastic surgery patients won’t travel more than 20-30 miles for procedures. Your campaigns should reflect this reality.

Set up location targeting with:

• A 20-30 mile radius around your practice
• Specific cities or zip codes you serve
• Exclusions for areas too far away

This prevents wasted spend on clicks from people who will never book with you.

The Critical Role of Negative Keywords

Negative keywords are terms you DON’T want to trigger your ads. Without them, you’ll waste money on irrelevant clicks.

Add these negative keywords to every campaign:

• “free” – filters out people looking for free consultations or procedures
• “salary” – eliminates searches about plastic surgeon salaries
• “school” or “training” – removes educational searches
• “jobs” or “career” – blocks job seekers
• “DIY” or “at home” – excludes people looking for self-administered options
• “recovery” or “complications” (sometimes) – these can indicate existing patients, not new prospects
• Procedure names you don’t offer – if you don’t do body procedures, add “liposuction,” “tummy tuck,” etc.

Review your search terms report weekly and keep adding negatives. This single habit can improve your cost-per-lead by 30-40%.

Writing Effective Ad Copy

Google Ads has strict policies for medical advertising. You can’t make guarantees, use before/after images in ads, or make exaggerated claims. This actually works in your favor—it levels the playing field and rewards truthful, professional messaging.

How to Write Compliant, Trust-Focused Headlines

Your headline needs to accomplish two things: capture attention and build credibility.

What to emphasize:

• Board certification and credentials
• Years of experience
• Specific procedures you specialize in
• Consultation availability
• Financing options
• Patient care philosophy

What to avoid:

• Guarantees (“guaranteed results”)
• Superlatives without proof (“the best surgeon”)
• Before/after claims in the ad itself
• Price comparisons that seem too good to be true
• Sensational language

Realistic Ad Copy Examples

Example 1: Rhinoplasty Ad

Headline 1: Board Certified Rhinoplasty Surgeon
Headline 2: 15+ Years Experience in Dallas
Headline 3: Free Consultation Available

Description: Schedule your rhinoplasty consultation with Dr. [Name], double board-certified facial plastic surgeon. Financing options available. Call today or book online.

Why it works: Clear credentials, location, and action step. No hype, just facts.

Example 2: Breast Augmentation Ad

Headline 1: Breast Augmentation Specialist
Headline 2: Houston’s Most Experienced Team
Headline 3: Financing From $99/Month

Description: Over 1,000 successful breast augmentation procedures performed. See our patient gallery and schedule your consultation. Same-day appointments available.

Why it works: Demonstrates experience through volume, addresses cost concerns upfront, and makes scheduling easy.

Use Ad Extensions Strategically

Extensions don’t cost extra and can dramatically improve your click-through rate:

• Call extensions – Critical for mobile searchers who want to call immediately
• Sitelink extensions – Link to “Before & After Gallery,” “Patient Reviews,” “Financing Options”
• Location extensions – Show your address and get directions clicks
• Callout extensions – Highlight “Board Certified,” “Free Consultations,” “Same-Day Appointments”

These expansions make your ad larger and more visible, which improves performance even if people don’t click the extensions themselves.

Optimizing Landing Pages for Conversions

Getting clicks is only half the battle. If your landing page doesn’t convert visitors into leads, you’re wasting money.

The #1 mistake practices make is sending all traffic to their homepage. Never do this.

Match the Landing Page to the Specific Procedure

If someone clicks your “rhinoplasty Dallas” ad, they should land on a dedicated rhinoplasty page—not your general services page.

Each landing page should include:

Clear, Matching Headline
If your ad says “Board Certified Rhinoplasty Surgeon,” your landing page headline should echo that. This creates consistency and reassures the visitor they’re in the right place.

Specific Procedure Information
Answer the questions prospects have:

• What to expect during the procedure
• Recovery timeline
• Ideal candidates
• Why choose this approach

Don’t make them hunt for information.

Use Trust Signals Throughout

People are entrusting you with their appearance and safety. Build credibility with:

• Board certifications – Display them prominently
• Years of experience – Quantify your expertise
• Patient reviews – Real testimonials build trust
• Before/after gallery – Visual proof of results
• Professional photos – Avoid stock images; use real photos of your practice and team

Clear, Single Call-to-Action

Every landing page should have ONE primary action you want visitors to take. Usually that’s:

• “Schedule Your Free Consultation”
• “Call Now to Book”
• “Get Your Custom Quote”

Put this CTA above the fold and repeat it at least 2-3 times throughout the page. Make the button large, use contrasting colors, and remove friction from the process.

Don’t:

• Offer multiple competing CTAs (“Call us! Or email! Or read more! Or check our blog!”)
• Hide contact forms below the fold
• Require too much information upfront (name, email, and phone is usually enough for a consultation request)

Mobile Usability Is Non-Negotiable

Over 70% of plastic surgery searches happen on mobile devices. Your landing pages must:

• Load in under 3 seconds
• Be readable without zooming
• Have thumb-friendly buttons
• Work perfectly on all screen sizes

Google prioritizes mobile-friendly pages in ad auctions. A slow or poorly designed mobile experience will cost you in both rankings and conversions.

Compliance & Policy Considerations

Google and medical advertising boards have strict rules about what you can and cannot say. Violating these policies can get your ads disapproved—or worse, your account suspended.

Ad Policy Limitations in Medical Advertising

Google doesn’t allow:

• Guaranteed outcomes or results
• Claims that procedures are “safe” or “without risk”
• Before/after images directly in the ad creative (you can mention them in copy and show them on landing pages)
• Targeting based on health conditions
• Remarketing to people who visited specific procedure pages

Read Google’s healthcare advertising policies carefully. When in doubt, err on the side of conservative, factual claims.

Before/After Photo Restrictions

You cannot show before/after photos in your Google Ads. You CAN:

• Mention you have a gallery available (“See Our Before & After Results”)
• Show these photos prominently on your landing pages
• Include them in your social media ads (Facebook/Instagram have different rules)

Always get written consent from patients before using their photos, and follow HIPAA guidelines for patient privacy.

HIPAA Considerations for Lead Forms

Any form that collects patient information must be HIPAA-compliant:

• Use secure, encrypted forms
• Include a privacy notice
• Don’t collect medical history in initial lead forms
• Store data securely and limit access

Many practices make the mistake of asking too many medical questions upfront. Keep initial forms simple—just enough to schedule a consultation. Detailed medical information can be gathered during the actual appointment.

Why Compliance Matters for Account Longevity

Google takes medical advertising seriously. Accounts that repeatedly violate policies can be permanently banned, and it’s extremely difficult to appeal.

Build your campaigns to last by:

• Keeping claims factual and verifiable
• Following all formatting and content rules
• Regularly reviewing policy updates
• Working with an agency or specialist who knows medical advertising

The short-term gain from bending rules isn’t worth losing your entire advertising channel.

Tracking Performance and What Actually Matters

Most practices track the wrong metrics. They celebrate low cost-per-click or high impression counts while ignoring whether campaigns actually generate revenue.

Here’s what you should focus on—and why.

The Metrics That Matter

Click-Through Rate (CTR)
This measures how often people click your ad after seeing it.

• Industry average: 3-5% for medical ads
• What it tells you: Whether your ads are relevant and compelling
• Red flag: CTR below 2% means your ads aren’t resonating—test new copy or adjust targeting

Cost Per Click (CPC)
How much you pay each time someone clicks your ad.

• Typical range: $2-10 for plastic surgery keywords
• What it tells you: How competitive your keywords are
• Important note: Low CPC isn’t always good—sometimes cheap clicks come from low-quality traffic

Conversion Rate
The percentage of website visitors who complete your goal (usually a form fill or phone call).

• Target: 5-10% for well-optimized landing pages
• What it tells you: Whether your landing page is effective
• Red flag: Below 3% usually indicates landing page problems

Cost Per Acquisition (CPA)
How much you spend to get one qualified lead (consultation request).

• Typical range: $100-300 depending on procedure and market
• What it tells you: The true efficiency of your campaign
• Most important metric: This is what actually impacts your bottom line

Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)
Revenue generated for every dollar spent on ads.

• Target: 4:1 minimum (for every $1 spent, you get $4 back)
• What it tells you: Overall campaign profitability
• Long-term goal: Most successful practices aim for 6:1 or higher

Why “Cheap Clicks” Don’t Always Mean Good Performance

Beginners often optimize for low cost-per-click. This is a mistake.

Would you rather pay $3 per click and convert 10% of visitors, or pay $1 per click and convert 1%?

In the first scenario, each lead costs you $30. In the second, it costs $100.

Focus on cost per lead and ROAS, not individual click costs.

Sometimes the most expensive keywords are the most profitable because they attract the most qualified prospects. A surgeon-specific search like “board certified facelift surgeon” might cost $8 per click, but if those visitors convert at 12%, it’s worth every penny.

Set Up Proper Conversion Tracking

You can’t optimize what you don’t measure. Make sure you’re tracking:

• Form submissions (consultation requests)
• Phone calls from ads (use Google’s call tracking)
• Thank you page visits
• Appointment bookings if you use online scheduling

Without this data, you’re flying blind. You might be getting clicks and even leads, but you won’t know which keywords, ads, or audiences are actually driving results.

Local vs Seasonal Strategy

Plastic surgery demand isn’t constant year-round, and your geographic reach has limits. Smart practices adjust their strategy accordingly.

Local vs National Targeting

For most plastic surgeons, local targeting is essential. Patients want a surgeon they can visit for consultations and follow-ups. The exception is if you’re known for a highly specialized procedure that draws patients from across the country.

Local campaign tips:

• Target a 20-30 mile radius around your practice
• Use city names in your keywords and ad copy
• Bid more aggressively in your immediate area
• Consider separate campaigns for each location if you have multiple offices

National targeting only makes sense if:

• You perform rare or highly specialized procedures
• You have a strong brand reputation that draws travel patients
• You’re comfortable with longer sales cycles
• You can compete with local surgeons on price despite travel costs

For 95% of practices, local is the way to go.

Understanding Seasonal Demand Patterns

Plastic surgery has predictable seasonal trends:

High demand periods:

• January-March: New Year’s resolution effect, people planning for summer
• September-November: Preparing for holiday events, using end-of-year FSA/HSA funds

Lower demand periods:

• June-August: People don’t want to recover during summer activities
• December: Holiday spending, family commitments

How to Adjust Budgets Throughout the Year

Don’t set your budget in January and forget about it.

During high-demand months:

• Increase budgets by 20-30%
• Expand keyword lists to capture more long-tail searches
• Test new ad variations
• Speed up follow-up processes to handle increased volume

During slower months:

• Maintain presence but reduce spend by 15-25%
• Focus budgets on highest-converting keywords only
• Test new landing pages or offers
• Build out content and optimization for the next peak season

Some practices make the mistake of cutting PPC completely during slow months. This hands market share to competitors and makes it harder to ramp back up. Instead, scale intelligently while maintaining visibility.

Pro tip: Non-surgical procedures (Botox, fillers) tend to have more consistent demand year-round. If you offer both surgical and non-surgical options, shift budget toward non-surgical during traditional slow periods.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much should I budget for plastic surgery PPC?

Start with at least $3,000-5,000 per month. This gives you enough data to test keywords, optimize campaigns, and generate meaningful leads. Anything less spreads your budget too thin across too many potential searches.

As you prove ROI, many practices scale to $10,000-20,000+ monthly because the returns justify the investment.

Which procedures convert best through PPC?

Non-surgical procedures like Botox and dermal fillers typically convert fastest because they have lower commitment and cost. Patients make decisions within days.

Major surgeries like breast augmentation, rhinoplasty, and facelifts have longer consideration periods—often 2-8 weeks from first search to booking. However, the patient lifetime value is much higher, making them extremely profitable.

Don’t avoid advertising major procedures just because the sales cycle is longer. You need to be visible when people start researching.

How long until I see results from PPC?

Your ads can start running immediately, and you’ll see clicks within hours.

However, expect 30-60 days to gather enough conversion data to properly optimize campaigns. Most practices see positive ROI within 90 days if campaigns are set up correctly.

If you’re not seeing consultations within the first month, something is wrong—check your targeting, ad copy, or landing pages.

Should I hire an agency or manage PPC myself?

Managing medical PPC requires knowledge of healthcare advertising policies, HIPAA compliance, competitive keyword bidding, and constant optimization.

Most plastic surgeons find that hiring an experienced agency delivers better results than DIY management. A good agency pays for itself through improved performance and time savings.

However, if you’re starting with a very small budget (under $2,000/month), you might need to learn the basics yourself first.

What’s the difference between Google Ads and Facebook Ads for plastic surgery?

Google Ads captures active demand—people who are already searching for procedures. These are high-intent prospects close to making a decision.

Facebook/Instagram Ads create demand—showing your services to people who fit your ideal patient profile but might not be actively searching yet. These work well for awareness and consideration, especially for less common procedures.

For most practices, Google Ads should be your primary investment because it delivers more immediate, qualified leads. Add social advertising once you’ve maximized Google performance.

Can I advertise before/after photos in my ads?

No. Google prohibits before/after images directly in ad creatives for medical procedures.

You can and should mention them in your ad text (“View Our Before & After Gallery”) and display them prominently on your landing pages. Just ensure you have proper patient consent and follow HIPAA guidelines.

How do I know if my PPC campaigns are actually working?

Track these three things:

1. Number of qualified consultation requests per month
2. Cost per consultation request
3. How many consultations convert to booked procedures

If you’re getting consultation requests for under $200 each, and 30-40% of those consultations convert to procedures, your campaigns are working well.

Everything else—clicks, impressions, CTR—is just data that helps you optimize toward these real business outcomes.

Start Attracting More Qualified Patient Searches

Every day without a strategic PPC campaign is another day your competitors are booking the patients who should be finding you.

The practices that win in 2026 aren’t necessarily the ones with the biggest budgets. They’re the ones who understand their target patients, build compliant campaigns, optimize relentlessly, and track what actually matters.

If you’re ready to fill your consultation calendar with qualified prospects who are actively searching for the procedures you offer, PPC is your fastest path forward.

Whether you decide to manage campaigns yourself or work with specialists, the fundamentals in this guide will set you up for success. Start with one or two of your most popular procedures, test and optimize, then scale what works.

The patients are searching. Make sure they find you first.