I’ve been thinking about something lately and figured I’d drop it here because I’m curious how others see it too. When people talk about healthcare ad campaigns, they usually focus on clicks or general awareness. But I keep wondering about the folks who are already pretty serious about getting help—the high intent people. Are these ads actually effective for them, or are they more for casual browsers who are still in the early stages of deciding?
Another pain point was how expensive the leads felt. Even when someone did book, the cost to get that one person in the door didn’t always feel worth it. When people say “high intent audiences,” it sounds great, but actually reaching them feels like guessing more than strategy. So yeah, I had my doubts.
That alone changed the quality of the audience. People who clicked weren’t just browsing—they had real questions, and some even messaged immediately after clicking. It felt more like these people were already halfway through their decision before they even saw the ad.
Something that didn’t work at all was broad interest targeting. I used to think adding interests like “health,” “wellness,” or “fitness” would help ads reach people who care about their health. But honestly, that audience was way too wide. Most of them weren’t looking for services—they were just people who followed health content. Once I removed all that generic stuff, the leads actually improved.
Another thing that worked surprisingly well was running ads during the hours when people tend to search for health issues—early mornings, after work, and late at night. I guess that’s when people finally slow down enough to deal with that nagging pain or concern they’ve been ignoring all day. That’s also when the “high intent” crowd seems the most active.
I found a write-up that explains this idea pretty clearly, so in case anyone else is digging into this topic, here’s the link I saved: Are Healthcare Ad Campaigns Effective for High-Intent Audiences.
It lines up with what I’ve been noticing: if the message fits the user’s exact need, the effectiveness goes way up. Not because the ad is fancy—just because the person was already ready.
I’m still learning as I go, so none of this is meant to sound like some official marketing advice. These are just the patterns I noticed after trying things, adjusting, messing up, and trying again. If anyone else here has experience with high intent targeting for healthcare services, I’d honestly love to hear what worked for you or what didn’t. It feels like there’s always something new to learn with this stuff.
Where my doubt originally came from
The reason I even started questioning this is because of a small clinic I was helping last year. They kept attracting tons of people clicking on their ads, but almost none of those clicks turned into appointments. It started to feel like most of the audience was just curious, not committed. And that made me wonder if healthcare ads even reach the people who are ready to take action—those who already know they need a specific treatment or service.Another pain point was how expensive the leads felt. Even when someone did book, the cost to get that one person in the door didn’t always feel worth it. When people say “high intent audiences,” it sounds great, but actually reaching them feels like guessing more than strategy. So yeah, I had my doubts.
What I tried and what ended up surprising me
Eventually I decided to tweak a few campaigns to see if anything would change. I’m definitely not a pro marketer, so I kept things simple. Instead of pushing general healthcare ads—like “Book a checkup” or “Find a clinic near you”—I tried focusing on very specific needs: back pain therapy, skin screening, post-surgery rehab, stuff like that.That alone changed the quality of the audience. People who clicked weren’t just browsing—they had real questions, and some even messaged immediately after clicking. It felt more like these people were already halfway through their decision before they even saw the ad.
Something that didn’t work at all was broad interest targeting. I used to think adding interests like “health,” “wellness,” or “fitness” would help ads reach people who care about their health. But honestly, that audience was way too wide. Most of them weren’t looking for services—they were just people who followed health content. Once I removed all that generic stuff, the leads actually improved.
Another thing that worked surprisingly well was running ads during the hours when people tend to search for health issues—early mornings, after work, and late at night. I guess that’s when people finally slow down enough to deal with that nagging pain or concern they’ve been ignoring all day. That’s also when the “high intent” crowd seems the most active.
The small insight that made things click
The biggest shift in my thinking came when I realized high-intent audiences don’t need convincing—they need direction. They’re already Googling their symptoms or searching for a provider. When the ad shows up at that exact moment and actually matches what they’re looking for, they respond fast. It almost feels like you’re stepping into a conversation they were already having with themselves.I found a write-up that explains this idea pretty clearly, so in case anyone else is digging into this topic, here’s the link I saved: Are Healthcare Ad Campaigns Effective for High-Intent Audiences.
It lines up with what I’ve been noticing: if the message fits the user’s exact need, the effectiveness goes way up. Not because the ad is fancy—just because the person was already ready.
Where I landed after lots of trial and error
After messing around with different targeting styles, I’m pretty convinced that healthcare ads can work really well for high intent audiences, but only when the campaign is super specific. Broad ads feel like throwing information into the wind. But focused ads—aimed at people already searching for answers—tend to get straight to the point and lead to quicker conversions.I’m still learning as I go, so none of this is meant to sound like some official marketing advice. These are just the patterns I noticed after trying things, adjusting, messing up, and trying again. If anyone else here has experience with high intent targeting for healthcare services, I’d honestly love to hear what worked for you or what didn’t. It feels like there’s always something new to learn with this stuff.