Helping a Community Hospital Compete with National Providers
When it comes to choosing healthcare, bigger isn’t always better. A regional hospital in Gonzales, Texas needed help reminding locals that world-class care was available right in their own backyard. Despite having advanced facilities and highly trained staff, community members were driving past their hometown hospital to seek treatment in neighboring cities.
A Nice Guy Marketing stepped in to help change that.
The Challenge
Community loyalty wasn’t the issue—the community simply wasn’t aware of the hospital’s full range of services. Locals were commuting many miles for medical services the regional hospital already offered, from specialized procedures to wellness programs. The problem boiled down to a lack of education and outreach.
The hospital needed to get the word out and bring healthcare decisions back home.
The Goals
Our strategy centered around three key objectives:
- Promote in-demand services offered by the hospital that patients typically associated with nationally recognized providers.
- Preserve a community-first tone in all messaging—highlighting the hospital staff’s deep local ties, like seeing patients at school events or the grocery store.
- Track real-world visits to the hospital from users who had seen or engaged with our advertisements.
With these goals in mind, we built a custom strategy focused on local relevance and digital precision.
The Strategy
To increase awareness and drive in-person visits, we launched a multi-pronged geofencing for healthcare campaign:
Community-Based Targeting
We focused on nearby zip codes and tailored messaging to specific services. For example, to promote the hospital’s on-site community gym, we targeted users interested in fitness, wellness, and personal development—making it easy for them to see value in what was already available nearby.
Keyword Retargeting
We developed keyword sets based on the services being promoted at the time—ranging from physical therapy to diagnostic imaging. When people searched for or read about those topics online, we served them timely, relevant ads pointing to the regional hospital.
Competitor Geofencing
Many patients seek second opinions before major treatments. We geofenced competing hospitals within a 20-mile radius. When someone visited those locations, we followed up with ads promoting the same services offered closer to home.
The Results
Over the course of one year, we helped the hospital fine-tune its messaging, zero in on key audience segments, and drive real-world foot traffic. Reporting was broken down by zip code and demographic, allowing the hospital to see exactly who was clicking, converting, and returning.
The data revealed a clear win: the hospital was reaching more of its community and earning trust one visit at a time.
Campaign Highlights:
- 2,567 Clicks
- 0.11% Click-Through Rate
- 406 In-Person Visits from Ad-Engaged Users
By leveraging geofencing for healthcare, keyword targeting, and community-focused messaging, we helped this rural hospital punch above its weight—and keep care local.
If you’re a healthcare provider looking to connect with your community and increase awareness of your services, A Nice Guy Marketing can help you bring patients back home.