Google Ads vs Facebook Ads for Treatment Centers — Which One Should You Use?

Both work. They work differently. And the right answer depends on your facility's stage, budget, and admissions capacity.

Here is what each one does, when each one makes sense, and how to decide where to put your money.

What Google Ads Does

Google Ads captures demand. When someone searches "drug rehab near me" or "IOP for anxiety in [city]," they have already decided they need help. Your ad appears at the moment of highest intent. They click, they call, they fill out a form.

This is the highest-intent traffic in behavioral health marketing. The person on the other end of that click is not browsing. They are not considering. They are looking for a facility right now.

The tradeoff: Google Ads for treatment centers requires LegitScript certification. The certification process takes two to four weeks and costs $1,000 to $2,000 per year. Additionally, Google's healthcare advertising policies are strict — certain keywords are restricted, ad copy must be carefully written, and landing pages must meet specific compliance requirements.

Cost per click for treatment-related keywords ranges from $5 to $40 depending on your market and level of care. Competitive markets like South Florida, Southern California, and the Northeast trend toward the higher end.

What Facebook Ads Does

Facebook Ads creates demand. People on Facebook are not searching for treatment. But you can reach families who are researching options, facility owners who are your referral sources, or individuals in the consideration phase who have not yet decided to act.

Facebook's targeting capabilities let you reach people by demographics, interests, behaviors, and lookalike audiences based on your existing patient or inquiry data. You cannot target based on health conditions specifically — Meta's policies prohibit that — but you can build audiences around adjacent behaviors and demographics that correlate with your ideal patient or referral source.

The tradeoff: because you are interrupting rather than capturing intent, conversion rates are typically lower than Google. People who click a Facebook ad are earlier in their decision process. They need more nurturing. But the cost per click is also significantly lower — often $1 to $5 compared to Google's $5 to $40.

When to Use Google First

Use Google Ads first when your primary goal is admissions this month. Google captures people who are ready to enroll. If your census is low and you need beds filled quickly, Google Ads is the fastest path to admissions because you are reaching people at their moment of decision.

Google Ads is also the better starting point if you are in a competitive market where Facebook ads face heavy compliance scrutiny, or if your facility treats substance use disorders and you already have (or are pursuing) LegitScript certification.

When to Use Facebook First

Use Facebook first when your budget is under $2,000 per month and the cost per click on Google in your market is above $15. At that budget level, Google might only generate 100 to 130 clicks per month, which may not be enough data to optimize campaigns effectively. Facebook at the same budget could generate 400 to 2,000 clicks depending on your targeting, giving you significantly more data to work with.

Facebook is also the better starting point for mental health programs (not substance abuse) that do not require LegitScript certification. You can start running ads immediately without the certification process.

When to Use Both

When your budget exceeds $3,000 per month and your admissions team can handle increased inquiry volume. Google captures the highest-intent searches. Facebook fills the top of the funnel with people who are earlier in their decision process but will eventually search on Google.

This combination is how our recovery center client went from $50,000 to $120,000 per month. Google Ads for direct admissions. Facebook for visibility and demand generation. Both feeding into an admissions team that responded in under fifteen minutes.

The Decision Framework

• Under $2,000 per month: Pick one. Google if you need admissions immediately and have LegitScript. Facebook if you need volume and data first.
• $2,000 to $5,000 per month: Start with Google at $1,500 to $3,000, Facebook at the remainder. Prove Google ROI first.
• Above $5,000 per month: Run both simultaneously. Allocate based on where cost per admission is lowest.

No matter which platform you choose, the single most important factor is not the ads themselves — it is how fast your admissions team responds to the inquiries those ads generate. The best campaign in the world fails if nobody calls the person back.