How much to spend on Google Ads: a budget comes from a calculation, not a guess

“How much should we spend a month?” is the first question almost every clinic asks about Google Ads. No figure fits every clinic. The right budget comes from a calculation built on your own numbers.

1. Why there is no universal figure

The cost of a click changes with the city, the area, the treatment and how many clinics compete for the same search. Injectables consultations in a busy city centre and facials in a small town sit in very different auctions. Averages quoted on blogs mix countries, industries and years. To plan, use your own data.

2. Work the numbers backwards

• Average value of the treatment you will advertise, and its margin.
• Bookings per month your diary and team can handle.
• Booking rate: out of every 10 enquiries, how many book?
• Cost per enquiry: cost per click divided by the share of clicks that become a message or call.

Monthly budget = bookings wanted ÷ booking rate × cost per enquiry.

Hypothetical example, illustrative numbers only: the clinic wants 20 consultations a month and 1 in 4 enquiries books, so it needs 80 enquiries. If the estimated click costs $3 and 1 in 10 clicks becomes an enquiry, each enquiry costs $30. The budget is $2,400 a month, about $79 a day. Now compare that with the treatment value and margin. If the numbers don't work, more budget won't fix them: review the offer, the price or the audience.

3. Estimate costs with Google's own tool

Keyword Planner in Google Ads forecasts clicks, cost and average CPC for the searches and location you choose, and shows top-of-page bid ranges. Google notes that forecasts for new advertisers use average data from all advertisers and are less accurate for small areas. Treat the figure as a starting point and replace it with your real data.

4. Test, measure, then scale

Set up measurement before spending: message clicks, calls and forms as conversions, and bookings logged with their source. According to Google, a bid strategy's learning period never lasts more than 7 days, and performance can take 1 to 2 conversion cycles to settle. Review over two cycles or two weeks, whichever is longer. Raise the budget only once cost per booking is measured and fits the calculation.

5. What sinks results even with budget

• A generic landing page that sends people to the home page instead of the treatment they searched for.
• Slow replies: an enquiry you paid for goes cold within hours.
• A confusing offer: people can't tell what they are booking, how long it takes or with whom.
• Google's healthcare rules: the Healthcare and medicines policy restricts prescription drug terms in ads, landing pages and keywords depending on country, and violations can lead to suspension. Add local rules, covered in our guide to aesthetics advertising rules.

6. When it is not yet time to invest

Without clear positioning, ads only buy price comparison. Without a treatment page, the click lands nowhere useful. With an incomplete Google Business Profile, people who search your name hesitate. Fix the groundwork first. Our guide Instagram Ads or Google Ads helps you choose the channel, and the brand assessment shows what is missing.

Before you set the budget, check

Do you know the value and margin of the treatment you will advertise? How many enquiries become bookings today? Did the cost estimate come from Keyword Planner, for your area? Is tracking live? Is there a treatment page, an up-to-date Business Profile and a same-day reply? Can cash flow carry the full test period?

With those answers written down, the budget becomes a decision you review every month.

Sources (Google Ads): Keyword Planner forecasts; learning period; Healthcare and medicines policy. Checked in November 2026.

Download the free brand checklist↗