Urgent Care Marketing with Google Ads: Best Practices for Maximum ROI

Urgent care facilities are uniquely positioned to succeed on Google Ads in 2026. 

The urgent care industry is evolving. New players are entering the market. Patient expectations are as high as ever. There has been an overall increase in competitor density. To compete in the modern marketplace, urgent care facilities have needed to expand their reach online. Gone are the days when an urgent care facility can stay open and generate plenty of business in even a moderately-sized city based on drive-by traffic and word of mouth. 

To compete in 2026, urgent care facilities will need to have strong websites that generate phone calls and online bookings, as well as a strong presence elsewhere on the internet, including Google. Google is still the top generator of website traffic across the United States (and most of the world). Google is the top driver of online sales and website traffic for urgent care facilities. There are several ways for businesses to leverage Google, and Google Ads, specifically, has become the preferred and highest-performing paid digital marketing channel for urgent care clinics. Urgent care facilities should consider Google Ads as mission-critical in any competitive location.

The Changing Landscape of Urgent Care Marketing

Even 10 years ago, the urgent care business still primarily relied on “traditional” marketing & growth channels such as word of mouth referrals, print marketing, and drive-by traffic. Even forward-thinking urgent care facilities were not utilizing the internet as well as other industries. The tides have been turning in recent years; 72% of overall healthcare marketing spend was spent through digital marketing channels in 2025.

The move towards heavily increased digital marketing for urgent care facilities ultimately came from a rise in demand. Google was really the first tool that created this pocket of in-need potential clients who were proactively looking for relevant services. As people relied more heavily on Google and other search engines to find information on local businesses, urgent care facilities needed to compete where the actual decision-making process of which urgent care to visit was occurring. The total number of urgent care businesses opening their doors has also been on the rise over the last few years, raising competitor density overall. 

Growth of on-demand healthcare services related to map-based queries and “near me” searches drove a rise in competition and value around search engine optimization, Google reviews, and paid Google Ads. Every search like “urgent care near me” or “get a flu shot in Orlando, FL” is a warm lead and potential customer for an urgent care. One interesting outcome of the online customer acquisition change has been an increase in the percentage of total pre-booked appointments vs walk-ins over time. That being said, there are still plenty of walk-ins generated online as well.

Based on insights and data collected from Render Analytics’ work with urgent care centers across multiple regions, Google is consistently the #1 online lead driver, far ahead of social media or any directory listings. Depending on the location, the split between organic and paid Google traffic and lead generation varied, but Google was holistically the top traffic source online compared to other websites or sources. This trend holds across both urban and suburban markets.

The Power of Google Ads in Healthcare Marketing

Google Ads matters for local businesses in general. Between the visibility and intent-driven searches it generates, Google’s impact online stands alone. Urgent care facilities are especially suited for Google Ads. When it comes to urgent care, people search at the moment of need, whether that means scheduling an appointment or walking in immediately. 

There are two primary entry points for urgent care on Google Ads: Google search ads for terms like “urgent care near me” and Google Maps ad placements. Google Gemini and Google’s full suite of AI-powered ad features are also becoming increasingly relevant. With all of these tools at the disposal of local urgent care facilities, it is clear why Google Ads has become the top choice for digital marketing within the industry. 

The real power comes from the intent-driven searches matched with the seamless flow into the customer conversion flow. By pushing potential customers either to the website or the Google Business Profile of the facility, they are putting these users one step closer to becoming a customer, despite no physical interaction, drive-by, or referral. An opportunity has emerged to serve people who would have never otherwise known about a specific urgent care facility. Of course, in an increasingly competitive market, it also allows facilities to get to the precious top placements in the Google Search results, where the vast majority of users start and end their search. The first three search results at the top of a Google search consume over two-thirds of the total clicks and website traffic generated.

Core Google Ads Best Practices Across All Industries

There are some best practices to follow universally when it comes to Google Ads, regardless of whether the business in question is an urgent care facility:

• Split campaigns into more relevant targeted ad groups, each with a sub-group of keywords being serviced (i.e., sub-services, descriptors).

• Separate branded vs unbranded searches by campaign or ad group.

• Manage a negative keyword list to filter out irrelevant clicks/search terms

• Track conversion data, including phone calls, appointment bookings, direction clicks, etc.

• Promote clarity, urgency, and trust signals in ad copy text

• Leverage extensions, including sitelinks, call extensions, location extensions, and callouts. 

• Optimize geographic targeting based on historical data and performance.

Urgent Care-Specific Tips & Tricks for Google Ads

Beyond the basic best practices for Google Ads, there are some best practices specifically for urgent care clinics that should be considered to help optimize performance:

• Use precision when it comes to geo-targeting. Simply setting a radius around the location is often not precise enough for urgent care clinics. Zip code or even custom boundaries are suggested based on the uniqueness of the area and competitor density. “Near me” urgency makes precision essential. How far is someone willing to travel for an urgent care visit? Does that vary based on services provided (i.e., x-ray vs illness)? The best potential geographic targeting may not be obvious on day one. Use segmentation of services and historical data to inform the highest potential areas over time. 

• Consider hours-based bidding. While many industries are better off allowing Google Ads to run without any time-based conditions or filters, urgent care clinics are unique in the sense that a more custom approach is warranted. Urgent care clinics are better off ramping up budgets during evenings and weekends when ER alternatives are closed. This does not mean one should pause ads during other times, only to ramp up the budget during these opportune periods during the week.

• Segment campaigns by service-based ad groups. Do not roll up different services into the same ad group. Each service or service grouping deserves its own set of keywords and corresponding ads. In some cases, it is even worthwhile to segment campaigns by service to control budget allocation and other filtering considerations, such as geographic targeting. X-Ray services should not be sharing the same ads as COVID or strep testing, for example. 

• Highlight speed and convenience. Every business and industry has its own different push and pull factors. One of the key considerations for many potential customers seeking a local urgent care clinic is how quickly they can be seen without having to wait. Walk-in availability, short wait times, and insurance coverage are all proven to be effective selling points within ads for urgent care clinics.  

• Leverage reviews in ad copy. Potential patients will check reviews to ensure the quality of care is up to their standards. This is especially true in competitor-dense areas. Don’t be afraid to connect to your Google Business Profile and show off review scores in ad text. 5-Star Rated or 500+ 5-Star Reviews are a couple of examples of simple headlines that can be used to emphasize the quality of care and track record with satisfied customers.

  
  

Wrap-Up

Google is the #1 driver of new urgent care patients online. No other digital marketing platform generates leads at the same efficiency for urgent care clinics as Google. A strong Google Ads strategy can lead to consistent lead flow and a measurable return on investment for urgent cares across the United States. If you are currently running Google Ads, it is recommended to audit your account at least every 4-6 months to ensure everything is working to the best of its ability. If you are not currently running Google Ads, your urgent care facility should consider this as one of your primary marketing channels, not just online, but overall.

If you’d like to further discuss the specifics for an urgent care facility under your management, feel free to schedule a free consultation with Render Analytics.