Cardinal Digital Marketing

We’ve entered a new era of patient acquisition—one driven by data, media expertise, and an in-depth understanding of the complex patient journey. Today’s consumers demand more information and deeper connections. Imagine knowing what it’ll take to grow. Imagine understanding every lead outcome in real time. Imagine a seamless digital experience for patients and the certainty of knowing exactly how your marketing dollars are working. Explore our new brand to see how we’re conquering the complexity of patient acquisition—so you can focus on what matters most: delivering care: https://lnkd.in/gJ9RiwCb

Cardinal Takes Miami! (no, not like that long-forgotten Kardashian spin-off) Our team (Alex Membrillo & Lauren Leone) are heading to HPE to get the inside scoop on what private equity really wants from their healthcare portcos. Think less reality drama and more real talk on how healthcare groups can build value and stand out in a crowded market. If you’ll be in South Beach on March 5-6, hit us up, and let’s connect. ?? McDermott Will & Emery #HPEMiami

Want to keep your ad creative fresh without driving up costs? Here’s how: 1. Small Audience + High Spend = Burnout - If you overexpose one ad to a tight group, they’ll tune out fast. 2. Broad Targeting = Longer Lifespan With a bigger audience & lower frequency, the same creative can run for MONTHS. 3. Let Data Is Your Compass Track frequency & engagement. Refresh only when you see signs of fatigue. 4. Iterate Your Creative Don’t rely on a single ad forever—plan a creative journey so each impression offers something new/unique. 5. Not One-Size-Fits-All Every campaign is unique. Let the numbers (and audience behavior) guide your ad strategy. For more on what defines performance creative in 2025, tune into our latest episode of Ignite here: https://lnkd.in/erjNJkDW?

Healthcare SEO is diversifying—Google is no longer the only game in town. Yes, you still need strong local visibility (think Google Business Profile, Maps, reviews, etc.), but don’t stop there. Patients also check Reddit threads, news sites, listing platforms (Yelp, ZocDoc), and more. It’s not just about clicks. It’s about patient experience. Seamless multi-channel journeys, consistent UX/UI best practices, and measuring overall effectiveness (not just siloed ROI) are crucial. Brands that stand out will win. Don’t rely on clever title tags alone. You should invest in unique messaging and compelling content strategies and show why you’re more than just the “closest option.”

Did you know the health industry tops the charts with the most AI overviews via desktop? So let's dissect the anatomy of a Google AI search result. Right now, most AI citations pull from the top 12 organic results—so if you want to show up in those AI answers, you need strong SEO fundamentals. Plus, an AI search box can take up over 65% of the screen (even more on mobile!), which makes ranking in those top spots more important than ever. And because AI relies heavily on matching user intent, creating content that truly speaks to what people are searching for will help you get ahead. So, what does this actually look like in the search results? When you plug in a query that qualifies for an AI result - you will be served at the top of the page a “Search Labs | AI Overview - which will feature a few key elements to consider: 1. Your Query 2. The Core Result 3. Images (if available) 4. Sources - each linked via this icon: 6. Action options The AI Search ecosystem is built on the back of the ‘legacy’ SEO environment, there are no shortcuts or cheat codes to cut to the front of the line during this paradigm shift. Strategy, depth, and content quality (guided by E-E-A-T) are what make your business stand out. Know your patients and their intent, align a focused plan, and decide where and how you want to rank in AI—particularly up the funnel and with long-tail queries to stay visible.

Structuring your marketing team isn’t just about adding more & more in-house hires… It’s about strategically leveraging outside expertise for scalable growth. Tune in to our latest episode of Ignite with Anna Carlsmith (Operating Partner at H.I.G. Capital) to get a firsthand look at what makes a marketing function truly successful in the eyes of investors: https://lnkd.in/ebmCXm5a

We know Performance Max can be a black box of sorts… But here’s a quick success story to prove not all is lost if you’re having trouble seeing results. We created separate asset groups around specific search themes—like “dentist” or “dental clinic”—while keeping the same location targets for all of them. By layering on audience signals (such as people who browsed competitor sites), our campaign did more than just generate leads: it outperformed traditional Search campaigns with a notably lower cost-per-lead and higher conversion rates. It’s all about feeding the algorithm the right signals. Think of it as giving PMax a roadmap instead of just a final destination. If you’re looking to test PMax for your org, consider segmenting your asset groups by theme and adding competitor audiences. The boost in performance might surprise you.

Healthcare marketers, don't put all your ($15) eggs in one basket. In 2024, we helped one of our major healthcare partners grow by optimizing their channel mix. They saw a: ? 78% increase in EBITDA year-over-year ? 74% increase over 12-month ROI goal ? 11% increase in overall ROI We enhanced their paid search by refining budgets, consolidating ad accounts, and adding new channels like Performance Max and Local Service Ads (LSAs). Our Performance Max campaigns in high-performing areas made leads more affordable, increased branded searches, and nearly halved the cost-per-click in competitive regions. Plus, our rollout of LSAs delivered better cost-per-lead results than traditional search campaigns, and we're expanding these to more locations for even more growth and better lead quality.

Our team is always on top of the latest trends, and if you're investing in SEO in 2025, this is one to watch. In a world where AI is the future of SEO, staying on top of the little details can make all the difference. ??

Smart budgeting is hard… but it’s kind of a big deal. Aligning your marketing spend with what your operations can handle and your financial goals is crucial. That's why we dug deep with one of our multi-location partners. Together, we built a dynamic budgeting approach that makes sure every dollar is spent where it counts, not just looking good on paper, but really driving results. We brought in three key data streams: ? Marketing Data: We kept an eye on ad spend, impression share, leads, and cost per lead to see how our campaigns were performing. ? Capacity Data: We checked lead-to-booking rates, appointment availability, doctor visits per day, and even unanswered call rates to make sure everything could handle the incoming demand. ? Financial Data: We looked at contribution profit, acquisitions, and 12-month new client revenue/ROI to steer our budget decisions with solid financial outcomes. This all-in approach ensures that every marketing investment is perfectly in sync with operational capacity and financial goals, paving the way for scalable growth and a dazzling ROI.