Google Search ads can put a clinic in front of patients at the moment they search. Since 6 October 2026, though, the NMC’s advertising guidelines treat search-engine promotion as advertising, so how a doctor uses Google Ads matters as much as whether they use it. This guide covers a setup that brings enquiries while staying within the rules.
What the guidelines mean for Google Ads
- Ads should be factual: who you are, what you treat, where and when you’re available.
- No success rates, superlatives, guaranteed results, testimonials or offers.
- Show your name, qualifications and registration details where you feature as a doctor, including on the landing page.
- Agency payments should not be linked to individual patients, so avoid “pay per patient” arrangements.
Choose what to advertise
Advertise specific treatments that patients search for, rather than your clinic name or a broad specialty. Separate campaigns for each main treatment let you see which ones bring calls, and keep spend under control.
Write factual ad copy
Good, compliant ads describe the service, the location and the practical details: timings, appointment availability, languages spoken, and how to book. That is often more persuasive to a patient than a claim would be.
Send clicks to the right page
Each ad should land on a page about that treatment, with clear information, the doctor’s details and a one-tap call or WhatsApp button. Sending ad traffic to a homepage wastes budget.
Measure calls and WhatsApp enquiries
Track calls, WhatsApp messages and form enquiries as conversions. Clicks alone don’t tell you whether an ad is working.
Google’s own rules
Google has its own healthcare advertising policies, which restrict some medical products and services and require certification in certain categories. Your ads have to meet both Google’s policies and the NMC guidelines.
For the full rules, read our plain-English guide to the 2026 NMC guidelines. For specialty examples, see our guides to Google Ads for orthopaedic surgeons and dermatologists.
This article is general information, not legal advice.
