What We Learned from $400,000 in Sinus Ad Spend (Google Ads)
- Jeremy McGrew
- Sep 25, 2025
- 4 min read
Over the past year, we've spent over $400,000 in advertising for nasosinus campaigns. 2 million people saw our ads, nearly 90,000 clicked on them, and over 4,800 became new patient leads.
The insights below are not theory, but raw behavioral data straight from the search bar — millions of moments where nasosinus patients told us, in their own words, exactly what they were looking for.
Every single search term is a snapshot of intent. It’s what people type when their head is pounding, when they can’t sleep because they can’t breathe, or when they’ve finally reached the point of needing a specialist. After analyzing 392,000 individual search terms (thanks AI!), a clear picture emerges — and some of it flies directly in the face of what most practices assume about their patients.
Here are five data-driven truths we uncovered.
1. Procedure searches are only part of the picture — patients start with symptoms and providers.
At Clickcase, we fervently believe practices should focus on specific procedures as the ultimate outcome of their marketing. After all, outcomes — not just new patients — are what drive growth. But here’s the counterintuitive part: most patients don’t start by searching for the procedure.
They begin with symptoms (“chronic sinus infection,” “blocked nose won’t go away”) or providers (“ENT near me,” “ear nose and throat doctor in [city]”). These dominate the top and middle of the funnel. The procedure-specific searches, like “balloon sinuplasty,” show up later — they’re a smaller slice of the overall pie, but they’re highly qualified.
This means your practice needs a two-pronged strategy: cast a wide net with symptom and provider terms to capture early interest, then funnel patients toward procedure-based education and scheduling as they progress.
2. Geography beats everything.
One of the strongest predictors of readiness to schedule is whether the patient includes geography in their search. Terms like “ENT near me” or “ENT doctor in [city]” convert at rates multiple times higher than generic terms like “sinusitis.”
Why? Because geography signals intent and immediacy. Patients don’t just want information — they want a solution that feels accessible. Seeing a local option bridges the psychological gap between knowing they need help and actually booking the appointment.
For practices, this reinforces the importance of local SEO (which we don't do, sorry), tightly geofenced ad campaigns, and making sure your online presence screams: we are here, close to you, and ready to help.
3. Desperation lives in the symptom searches.
When someone types “remove nasal polyps” or “constant sinus headache won’t go away,” they’re not browsing casually. They’re desperate. These terms don’t always convert directly into booked procedures — not because the patients aren’t real, but because they’re at the top or middle of the funnel.
Right now, they’re seeking clarity more than they’re seeking a surgery date. That makes them prime candidates for nurturing. If you meet them with genuinely useful information — a quiz, a guide, or an educational video — and collect their contact info, you can walk with them from awareness to action.
(This is the sweet spot where Clickcase thrives: turning symptom-driven chaos into procedure-driven clarity over time.)
4. Big names get clicks, but patients still choose local.
The data shows something subtle: people often search for large, recognizable healthcare names. The impressions are strong, but the conversions lag far behind.
The insight here isn’t about any one brand — it’s about psychology. Patients may check out big names out of curiosity, but when it comes time to choose a doctor, they overwhelmingly prefer someone local and accessible. The “brand halo” draws them in, but trust is built on proximity and an enjoyable (yes, enjoyable) patient experience.
For private practices, this is great news. You don’t need a giant advertising budget to win. You just need to show up consistently, locally, and with authority. Most of our practices start with a small budget and dominate.
5. Generic terms are expensive training wheels.
Broad searches like “ENT” rack up thousands of impressions, but they’re costly and convert poorly. They’re also competitive — everyone is bidding on them, which drives prices up.
But here’s the nuance: these broad terms aren’t useless. In the early stages of a campaign, they help you gather data and train your targeting. You can see what kinds of patients surface, what language they use, and where the strongest signals are hiding.
Once you’ve dialed in, though, the smart move is to (carefully!) start shifting budget toward more precise terms — symptoms, geography, and procedures — where conversion rates are higher and costs are lower. Think of these generic broad terms as scaffolding: useful to build with, but not where you want to stay forever.
Lessons Learned (and how to market your practice)
Put it all together and you see the real psychology of sinus patients:
They start with symptoms and chaos.
They quickly anchor to geography when they’re serious.
They pour their desperation into the search bar long before they’re ready to schedule.
They’ll glance at big names but ultimately trust local providers.
And Google will waste your money if you chase broad traffic without a plan to refine.
That’s the beauty of analyzing millions of searches: you stop guessing and start seeing patients exactly as they are.
And when you understand them that clearly, you can meet them at every stage of the journey — and guide them all the way to the treatments that change their lives....and grow your practice.