Omnichannel Healthcare Marketing Strategies to Drive Patient Acquisition 

How Google Ads, Video and Paid Social Generate Trust and Connections 

In the modern consumer healthcare industry, omnichannel healthcare marketing strategies are no longer a luxury—they're a necessity. From providers and payers to healthcare technology firms, organizations across the healthcare ecosystem are actively looking for ways to meaningfully connect with patients and members on their terms, across every touchpoint.  

To stay competitive, healthcare marketers must meet patients where they are—across platforms, devices and decision-making moments. Keep reading as we explore how omnichannel strategies including Google Ads, video and paid social can drive brand awareness, build trust and ultimately boost patient acquisition. (And be sure to look at the FAQ section following the blog. It’s filled with helpful definitions that relate to the topic.)

Why Omnichannel Works in Healthcare Marketing 

Today’s patients are savvy, and their journey is anything but linear. They don’t just read an ad and book an appointment. They’re conducting research: comparing options, reading reviews and formulating opinions—often across multiple devices and platforms—long before they ever make contact.  

They might interact with your brand by: 

• Clicking a Google ad 
• Watching a YouTube video about your services 
• Seeing your brand on Facebook or Instagram 
• Reading a patient testimonial 
• Visiting your website on a mobile device 

Each touchpoint plays a role in creating awareness, sparking engagement and more importantly, generating trust. In healthcare, where decisions are deeply personal and the stakes are high, establishing comfort and confidence is paramount. Consistent omnichannel advertising in healthcare ensures that every platform reinforces your value proposition, delivers a seamless experience and nudges the user closer to taking action. 

Nearly 75% of patients turn to online reviews as the first step in searching for a new physician. ¹ 

Google Ads: Capture High-Intent Patients When It Matters Most 

Paid search advertising allows your healthcare brand to appear at the top of search engine results when potential patients are actively looking for services you offer. One of the most popular platforms for paid search is Google Ads—a tool that lets you bid on specific keywords. 

Say for example you choose keywords like “pediatric urgent care near me” or “orthopedic specialist Tampa.” Your ad is displayed to users actively searching for those services. They’re already halfway through the decision-making process at that point. Google Ads puts your brand front and center—right when prospective patients are ready to act. This makes Google Ads one of the most effective tools for reaching patients with immediate intent.  

When paired with optimized landing pages and call tracking, Google Ads is a direct line to patient acquisition. It also provides fast feedback, allowing marketers to see which services, messaging and locations are driving the most conversions and adjust campaigns accordingly. 

With the right paid search strategy, healthcare marketers can: 

• Reach patients actively looking for care 
• Use branded and non-branded keyword strategies to expand visibility 
• Leverage location targeting and ad extensions (call, directions, appointment booking) to make it easy to act 
• Track performance with industry compliant solutions 

By being present at the exact moment a patient seeks care, you not only increase visibility but also instill confidence that your organization is responsive and accessible. 

Video Marketing: Build Trust and Humanize Your Brand 

Video is one of the most underutilized tools in healthcare marketing, especially when building patient trust is paramount. Whether it’s a physician introduction, a virtual tour of your facility or a patient success story, video can: 

• Humanize your brand and build emotional connection 
• Ease anxiety related to medical care environments 
• Increase time on site and engagement across your website 
• Provide valuable SEO benefits when optimized for YouTube and on-page search 
• Retarget viewers across Google Display and paid social networks 

Video provides prospective patients with a preview of the experience they can expect in a way no other medium can. This is critical in an industry where comfort, confidence and care are deeply personal. By showcasing real stories and authentic experiences, video helps demystify the healthcare process, making it more approachable and less intimidating. 

Viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it on video, compared to 10% when reading it in a text. ² 

Paid Social: Reach and Retarget with Precision 

Paid social advertising is an essential component of any omnichannel healthcare strategy. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn offer powerful targeting capabilities that allow you to: 

• Reach users based on location, age, interests or health-related behaviors 
• Retarget website visitors, video viewers or email recipients with personalized messages 
• Deliver testimonial ads, educational content or limited-time offers to move users through the funnel 

Social is a space where people gather peer opinions, explore lifestyle content and discover brands organically. Strategic ad placement here keeps your brand top of mind while users are in the consideration and decision phases. Moreover, engaging content on these platforms can foster a sense of community and support, reinforcing the personal connection patients seek in their healthcare journey. 

Content and Messaging: Speak Clearly to Build Trust 

In healthcare marketing, what you say—and how you say it—can be the difference between a new patient scheduling an appointment or clicking away in confusion. Too often, providers default to medical jargon or industry acronyms that are second nature to insiders but completely foreign to the average patient. 

Complex language works against you. Even if the content is technically correct, overwhelming or hard-to-understand messaging often causes patients to disengage. 

That’s why it’s critical to create content that is: 

• Plainspoken and approachable: Ditch the acronyms and clinical terms unless absolutely necessary. Instead of “ENT,” use “ear, nose and throat specialist.” Instead of “ambulatory care,” use “outpatient services.” 
• Action-oriented: Use clear calls to action like “Book an appointment,” “Call today” or “Find a location near you” so patients know what to do next. 
• Consistent across channels: Whether someone sees your content in a Google ad, a YouTube video or a social media post, the language and tone should consistently reinforce the same message of accessible, trustworthy care. 

Easy-to-digest content builds confidence and trust in your brand, follow through on next steps and return when they need care in the future.  

Conclusion 

Today’s healthcare consumers are more informed, selective and digitally engaged than ever before. To earn their trust—and their business—healthcare marketers need omnichannel strategies that meet patients where they are. From paid search and social media to video campaigns and beyond, an integrated approach increases visibility, builds credibility and drives measurable growth. 

Take the Next Step with Roger West 

Looking to attract more patients and elevate your brand? Roger West helps healthcare and healthcare tech organizations create high-performing omnichannel strategies that deliver results. Let’s talk about how we can help you grow with confidence. 

1-Beckers Hospital Review, 2023: https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/hospital-physician-relationships/online-rating-platforms-direct-patients-to-higher-quality-physicians-study/ 

2-Forbes, 2017: https://www.forbes.com/sites/yec/2017/07/13/how-to-incorporate-video-into-your-social-media-strategy/ 

FAQs: Omnichannel Marketing Terms Explained 

What’s the difference between branded and non-branded keywords?
Branded keywords include your organization’s name or branded services—for example, “Bayview Health urgent care.” These keywords target people already familiar with your brand. 

Non-branded keywords are more general—for example, “pediatrician accepting new patients.” These keywords help attract new patients who may not know your brand yet. 

What are Google Ads?
Google Ads is a paid advertising platform that allows your organization to show up at the top of Google search results. You choose keywords and create ads that appear when people search for those terms, helping you reach patients who are actively looking for care. 

What does omnichannel healthcare marketing mean?
Omnichannel healthcare marketing isn’t so much about being everywhere for everyone. It’s about reaching and meaningfully connecting with patients where they are—across multiple platforms and touchpoints—while staying true to your brand experience.  

Why is omnichannel healthcare marketing important?
Today’s patients are harder to reach—and easier to lose— than ever before. That’s why the entire healthcare ecosystem, from providers, to payers to healthtech software firms—is leveraging omnichannel healthcare marketing strategies to drive brand awareness, build trust and ultimately boost patient acquisition. 

What are ad extensions?
Ad extensions are additional elements you can add to a paid search ad—like your phone number, location, links to specific services or callout text. They make your ad more informative and clickable. 

What is retargeting?
Retargeting (also called remarketing) shows ads to people who have already visited your website or interacted with your brand online while they browse other areas of the internet. It helps keep your services top-of-mind and encourages people to come back and take action.