The marketing of addiction treatment centers is specific. Its goal is to reach people who are looking for professional, medical help. Due to the nature of the addiction problem, patients tend to avoid seeking referrals from friends, so the most common direction to seek help is through a search engine. However, promoting this industry on Google is not easy. In addition to the huge competition, advertising is made more difficult by Google itself – banning Google Ads campaigns. What can you do to make your addiction treatment center appear in the search engine? How to promote yourself on Google? Read tips based on experience in promoting this industry.

Promoting an addiction treatment center – where to start?

Before you embark on promotional activities, it’s a good idea to determine which services you want and can promote. The first step is called service segmentation. You can make it by answering a few questions, such as:

• What type of therapy does the center provide? Outpatient or inpatient?
• Does the center also handle detox? Alcohol or drug-related? It provides it stationary under the care of a medical team? Or does the paramedic commute to the client? How far is the access area?

The above, and probably many more questions, allow you to segment your services to choose the right key phrases and operate within a reasonable budget. Some ready conclusions, resulting from the segmentation of therapy center services:

• Detox is worth promoting stationary and within a radius of, say, max. Up to 100 km from the location of the resort. This type of service is primarily sought locally.
• Closed addiction therapy is worth promoting even nationwide. However, it pays off when the agent has a good reputation, inspiring confidence – for example, with a professional and comprehensive website.

Promoting an addiction treatment center online

1. Google Ads for addiction treatment centers

The advertising giant restricts the possibility of promoting the industry – it is on the list of those whose promotion in Google Ads according to the regulations is prohibited. Specifically, the advertising of alcohol and drug treatment services is prohibited. There are only a few countries where the ban does not work, but Poland is not among them. Google allows certain concessions that are only available to advertisers promoting addiction treatment services or only if the advertiser is Google-certified. Therefore, it is valuable to have experience in creating such campaigns that, through appropriate exclusions, effectively promote addiction treatment centers.

Google Ads is a form of advertising that is effective, but quite expensive. There is another aspect to consider when promoting a resort using Google Ads – Google can completely block this form of advertising for an industry at any time. It is useful to have a contingency plan at that time, go to the next point and you will know my proposal for action.

2. Visibility in organic results, i.e. positioning

The benefits of good page positions in Google are undeniable. However, in the addiction treatment business, the stakes are higher than in other industries. In case Google Ads is blocked, the only thing left is just visibility in the search engine’s organic results. It is definitely worth investing in. Positioning is, of course, the result of effective work by the positioner, but not only. Again, to be successful in this area, you should read the next section of the article.

3. Addiction treatment center needs a very good website

A website that, through its design and content, will provide value to search engine robots and potential patients of the center. A good website, meaning what kind of website?

• With clear and effective navigation and communication. Customers in this specific industry require an approach that will enable them (even in a state of diminished ability to function effectively) to easily reach the items of interest to them – e.g., address information, phone number, etc.
• With unique and valuable content. They are the ones that will support the strong position of the site in the search engine.
• With a blog and regularly enriched expert content. Only such appeals to Internet users, especially in an industry that must rely on trust in the center’s professionalism and efficiency. This way you will build authority and social proof, which in the industry is priceless.
• With a presentation of the specialized staff – preferably with photos and a comprehensive biography, which together will inspire confidence and convince those in need of treatment.
• With a presentation of the facility itself to encourage patients to choose just your facility.

4. What else is worth doing:

• Google My Business card Strengthens credibility and local promotion,
• profile on Instagram and Facebook – which can be used, for example, to showcase the staff, the center itself, and therapy methods.

How to advertise an addiction treatment center online?

It is worth looking for individual solutions, but if you want quick and effective action you should definitely use proven methods. The best is a combination of the above elements of Internet marketing. If you are looking for help in this area – welcome! Take advantage of my knowledge and experience in your industry.