Google Ads for Care Homes: Avoid Costly Mistakes & Drive More Enquiries
In an era where families turn to Google for help with critical decisions – including choosing care for their loved ones – care homes can no longer afford to leave their digital visibility to chance. Google Ads offers a high-impact route to reaching local families actively seeking care services. But with great opportunity comes great complexity – and too many care providers waste budget chasing the wrong clicks.
This tactical guide will walk you through how to use Google Ads strategically to attract qualified enquiries for care homes. We’ll cover the most common pitfalls, how to avoid them, and what to focus on to make every pound count – even if you’re working with limited resources.
Whether you’re an operator, marketing manager or agency partner, this advice is built to help care businesses grow occupancy, protect ROI, and stay compliant.
Why Google Ads Works for Care Homes
Families searching for care often use high-intent phrases like:
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“residential care home near me”
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“dementia care costs”
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“respite care availability”
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“nursing home with good reviews”
Google Ads lets you appear at the top of those searches – giving your care home a competitive edge at the exact moment people are ready to enquire.
However, without a well-structured campaign and ongoing optimisation, it’s easy to waste budget on irrelevant traffic (like job seekers or researchers), or show ads to people too far from your location to ever convert.
Top Google Ads Mistakes Care Homes Should Avoid
1. Unclear Goals & Poor Setup
Jumping into a campaign without clear objectives leads to mismatched targeting, vague ads, and poor results.
✅ Fix it: Define specific outcomes – e.g., 20 form submissions/month or calls under £50 CPL (Cost Per Lead). Structure campaigns around those goals, not just clicks.
2. One-Size-Fits-All Campaigns
Mixing all care services (e.g., residential, nursing, dementia) into one ad group is a common mistake. It lowers ad relevance and Quality Score, increasing your cost per click.
✅ Fix it: Create separate ad groups for each service and location. Write ad copy tailored to the search intent (e.g., “Compassionate dementia care in [Location]”).
3. Broad Match Overuse
Google’s default match type (“Broad Match”) can cause ads to show for unrelated searches like “nursing jobs” or “social care training”.
✅ Fix it: Start with Phrase Match and Exact Match keywords. Monitor the Search Terms report weekly to add irrelevant searches as negative keywords.
4. Poor Location Targeting
If your care home is in the South East but your ads show in Manchester, you’re burning budget.
✅ Fix it: Use postcode or radius targeting around your care home. Set location options to “Presence” rather than “Presence or Interest” to only show ads to people in your service area.
5. Neglecting Compliance
Google restricts ads in healthcare. Use of misleading claims or references to specific medical conditions can get your account suspended.
✅ Fix it: Avoid claims like “guaranteed care outcomes” or using prescription drug names. Stick to factual language, include your CQC rating, and ensure your landing page respects privacy rules.
How to Optimise Campaigns for More Enquiries
✅ Write Ad Copy That Builds Trust
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Use empathetic language (e.g., “safe, homely, trusted”)
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Include location terms (e.g., “Nursing care in [Town]”)
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Show trust signals (e.g., “CQC Rated Good” or testimonials)
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Strong CTAs: “Book a Tour”, “Download Our Brochure”
✅ Use Ad Extensions
Enhance visibility and improve click-through rates with:
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Sitelinks (e.g., “Meet Our Team”, “Fees & Funding”)
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Call Extensions (for one-click calling)
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Location Extensions (show map & distance)
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Callout Extensions (e.g., “En-Suite Rooms”, “24/7 Care”)
✅ Optimise Landing Pages
Don’t send traffic to your homepage. A landing page tailored to the service advertised will convert better.
Must-haves:
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A relevant headline (“Expert Dementia Care in [Town]”)
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Short, simple enquiry form
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CQC rating, testimonials, and professional images
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Mobile-friendly and fast loading
✅ Choose the Right Budget & Bidding Strategy
Start with a realistic monthly budget (e.g., £1,000–£2,000 depending on goals). Use “Maximise Conversions” or “Target CPA” bid strategies only once conversion tracking is properly set up.
Avoid “Maximise Clicks” unless you’re gathering data – it chases cheap clicks, not quality ones.
✅ Track What Matters
Set up conversion tracking to measure:
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Calls from your ads and website (with duration filter)
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Form submissions (tours, brochures, contact requests)
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Chat engagement (if applicable)
Avoid tracking vanity metrics like time on site or pageviews as conversions – they mislead the algorithm.
Strategic Keyword Planning
Focus on high-intent, local keywords like:
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“dementia care home [Town]”
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“respite care availability near me”
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“nursing home [Postcode] with good reviews”
Add negative keywords to block:
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“jobs”, “training”, “free care”, “CQC reports”, “scandal”, competitor brand names
This ensures budget goes towards potential residents, not irrelevant clicks.
Conclusion: Make Google Ads Work Harder for You
Care homes can no longer afford to dabble in digital marketing. Google Ads, when set up and managed correctly, is one of the most effective tools to increase qualified enquiries and fill vacancies.
But success requires clarity, precision, and ongoing attention. From structuring your campaigns correctly to writing empathetic ad copy and tracking meaningful conversions, the details matter.
If you’re unsure where to start or feel your current ads aren’t performing, consider partnering with a care-specialist agency that understands the sector’s unique needs.
