Healthcare · USA
First-ever social media ads for a US dental clinic: about 680 inquiries in a month
A dental clinic in the US: its first Instagram and Facebook ad launch — from a test week to a steady stream of bookings.
Starting point
Where things stood
The clinic got patients from a range of sources but had never tried Instagram or Facebook ads. The goals: more new patients, stronger brand awareness, and more online bookings.
Goal
What needed to happen
Bring in new patients at up to $4 per inquiry, with no gaps in ad delivery — at least 20 patients a week. It started with a $150 test week so the clinic could see results before committing a bigger budget.
Strategy
The plan
We started by studying competitors and pinning down why patients should choose this clinic: experienced dentists, new equipment, and award-winning service. That shaped the offers and creatives, and then we tested three different booking funnels.
System
How the funnel works
- Instagram and Facebook ads
- Pick a concern and a time slot, or take a short quiz
- The front desk reaches out already knowing the patient’s concern
- Appointment booked
Execution
What was done
- Analyzed competitors and spelled out why patients should choose this clinic
- Created ads that get people to send a DM and book right away
- Ran three funnels: direct chat, simplified booking (pick a concern and a time), and a quiz before booking
- Kept ads running without interruption all month
Testing
What we tested
| What we tried | Test | Metric | Result | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sending people straight to chat will produce more bookings | Ads lead straight into a chat with the front desk | Leads handled | ✗ not confirmed | Messages got lost and the front desk couldn’t keep up. Switched to simplified booking |
| Letting people pick their concern and time themselves will make booking easier | Simplified funnel: pick a concern and a time slot | Bookings | ✓ confirmed | Outperformed direct chat |
| A quiz before booking will give the front desk the context it needs | A short survey about the concern before first contact | Quality of the follow-up call | ✓ confirmed | Staff call back already knowing the patient’s concern |
Result
What came of it
- ≈ 680inquiries in one monthSource: Project report
- ≈ $2.40cost per inquiry (target: up to $4)Source: Project report
- ≈ $1,600ad spendSource: Project report
- ≈ 3%CTR (click-through rate)Source: Project report
This is one of my early projects, from more than three years ago. I no longer have ad account screenshots, so the numbers are rounded from the report I wrote at the time. An inquiry is someone who sent a DM, completed the quiz, or picked an appointment time. That’s not a patient yet: there’s no data on how many inquiries turned into visits, so I’m not showing revenue.
Takeaway
What the project showed
Cheap inquiries are worthless if no one can handle them. Sending people straight into chat overwhelmed the front desk, while simple booking — pick a concern, pick a time — worked better.
Facing something similar?
Tell me about your business — we’ll start with a review.