Google Ads for optometrists that fill exam slots and move eyewear, without wasting budget on window shoppers
An optometry practice sells two things through one phone number: a health service and a retail product. Google Ads can promote both, but a single campaign for “glasses” and “eye exam” usually fails at each, because the people typing those words want different things.
We build and manage Google Ads for independent optometry practices with separate campaigns for exams, contact lenses and eyewear, each sending to a page that fits the search. You set the budget and approve the ads.
- Numbers you can check
Our figures come from a public scan of clinic homepages, and we publish how we counted.
How we count - Your accounts stay yours
Your domain, website and online profile are in your name from day one.
How we work - Month to month
No long contract. Thirty days’ notice, and your accounts and numbers stay with you.
Read the FAQ - No patient information needed
We work on your website, profiles and settings. Patient records stay in your clinic.
Privacy policy
What we found on optometry websites
In November 2026 we looked at the homepages of 1,921 optometry practices. The method and tables are in our optometry website study.
1. 51% had no online booking link or software we could find
An ad for an eye exam that lands on a page with no way to book depends on the visitor phoning during opening hours. In Canada the figure was 52% across 1,665 sites, in the US 41% across 236.
2. 382 sites ran on Shopify
About one in five. If your site is a shop, ad clicks for eyewear can go straight to a product. Clicks for exams need a different destination, and it is easy to mix them up.
3. 80% showed no star rating or review count
A paid click is a stranger. Seeing stars helps them decide whether to book or go back to the results.
4. 1% carried a new-patient offer
We looked at homepages only. A page one click deeper isn’t counted.
How optometry patients search when they are ready to act
We have no optometry keyword volumes in our research data, so we describe behaviour and not numbers.
Exam intent. “Eye exam near me”, “optometrist near me” and “eye doctor” come from people who want a test. They want to book, know the hours and learn whether the exam is covered, which differs by province, state, age and plan.
Contact lens intent. Some searchers want a fitting for their first pair. Others want to reorder. Those are different jobs: the first should book a visit, and the second should lead to your ordering route or a renewal exam.
Eyewear intent. “Glasses near me”, brand and frame searches come from people close to buying. Many will go to whichever practice lets them try the frames on. Local relevance and clear stock information matter.
Comparison and price intent. People searching for the lowest price on glasses are shopping against big online sellers and chains. For an independent practice, many of these clicks cost more than they return. We build negative keywords and messages that appeal to people who value fitting and advice.
Urgent intent. Sudden vision changes or an eye injury need medical care. We don’t run ads promising what you can’t provide, and we point to emergency services where right.
What a starting set-up might look like
This is an illustration of how the three groups differ in practice. We adjust it to your clinic.
1. The exam group
A small number of tightly matched searches around eye exams and your town. Ads show hours and a Book button. Budget is capped, and the group pauses when the schedule is full.
2. The contact lens group
Searches from people who want a fitting or a renewal. The landing page asks one question first, “Is this your first fitting or a reorder?”, then sends each to the right place. Reorders go to your ordering route and never to a booking form.
3. The eyewear group
Searches for frames and glasses near you, with ads about trying frames on and getting help with fitting. We avoid generic price terms. If you carry specific brands, they get their own ad groups, provided you are allowed to name them.
4. The review after a month
We compare cost per booking in the exam group with cost per order in the eyewear group, and cost per reorder click. You see all three side by side and decide where the budget goes next.
What we do for optometry practices
1. Three campaign groups, not one
Exams, contact lenses and eyewear each get a budget, ads and a landing page. A practice that doesn’t fit contact lenses doesn’t advertise them.
2. Landing pages for each job
The exam campaign lands on a page with a booking button and a phone number. The contact lens campaign lands on a page that sorts first fittings from reorders. The eyewear campaign lands on frames you actually stock.
3. Ads that describe, not boast
Headlines state the service, the town, the hours and how to book. We avoid superlatives and claims about price or quality that you can’t support. You approve every ad before it runs.
4. Tracking that counts bookings
We agree with you what to track, such as booking requests and calls, before any ads run. Where your online shop is on Shopify, we track orders separately from exams so both can be judged fairly. We don’t access patient records. Google ended Business Profile call history in July 2024, so ad call data is tracked on its own.
5. Seasonal planning from your own data
Back-to-school is a natural time for children’s exams, and benefits that renew on a set date may bring people in as it nears. We schedule budget around the peaks you see in your appointment book, rather than a generic calendar.
6. A monthly note in plain language
What you spent, what came back as bookings, calls and orders, which searches worked and what we changed.
Not sure where your clinic stands? We’ll look at it the way a new patient does and send a short written report. No pitch.
The rules for optometry advertising
Optometry advertising is regulated, and Google has its own policies. We don’t give legal advice.
1. Your college or board
Rules on advertising claims, fee statements and titles differ by province and state. We could not verify a single standard, so we read the published guidance for yours and show you what we found. You decide what to publish.
2. US contact lens prescriptions
In the US, the FTC’s Contact Lens Rule requires prescribers to give the patient a copy of the contact lens prescription at the end of the fitting, even without a request. Prescribers cannot require patients to buy lenses, pay additional fees or sign a waiver in exchange for it. An ad that implies a patient must buy lenses from you to get their prescription would conflict with this. Source: FTC, Contact Lens Rule guide for prescribers and sellers.
3. Google’s ad policies
Google Ads has its own rules about what can be advertised and how, including for health services and product claims. We review them for your account and tell you if a claim needs a closer look.
Common problems on optometry ad accounts
1. Exams and eyewear in one campaign
The cheaper retail clicks take the budget, and the exam slots stay empty.
2. Sending every click to the homepage
A visitor who searched for “eye exam” lands on a page of frames and has to hunt for the booking.
3. Competing with online sellers on price
Bidding on generic “cheap glasses” terms against large retailers drains a small budget.
4. Ads running when the shop is closed
Phone ads outside hours go to voicemail. Schedule them, or add a booking route.
5. No negative keywords
Searches for jobs, repairs you don’t do, wholesale and unrelated eye topics eat spend.
6. Counting orders and exams together
Without separate tracking, strong shop sales can hide weak exam bookings, or the reverse.
Questions owners ask
How much should we spend?
It depends on your area and goals. We suggest a starting budget after looking at what clicks cost near you. We can’t promise a result.
Do you guarantee new patients?
No. We can’t promise a result. You approve every ad, and we report calls and bookings we can track.
Should we advertise eyewear or exams?
Often the exam. It brings the patient in, and eyewear can follow. But it depends on your business, so we look at your numbers first.
Can you advertise brands we carry?
Yes, where you are permitted to use the brand’s name and images. We check this with you.
Who owns the Google Ads account?
You do. We ask for invited access to an account in your name.
Do you need patient information?
No. We work from ad data and your tracking. We never handle patient records.
Can you run ads for our online shop too?
Yes, if it is on a platform we can track. Tell us what you use.
Will ads help our Google Maps ranking?
They are separate, and each supports the other. See our optometry SEO page.