Dustin Hobbs

Founder & CEO of Louisville Web Lab. Based on our experience working with 50+ small businesses across Kentucky and the U.S., Dustin specializes in SEO, paid media, and marketing automation that generate real leads — not vanity metrics.

Small practices do not need a 50-channel strategy. They need three or four channels working well. Here is what actually moves new-patient flow for a small practice.

The Channels That Produce

1. Google Business Profile — the single highest-ROI channel; free
2. Google reviews — every patient who finds you reads them before they call
3. A conversion-built website — the difference between 3% and 8% of visitors booking
4. Targeted Google Ads — for immediate flow while organic compounds
5. SMS patient automation — captures the leads that would otherwise leak

The Channels to Skip (For Most Small Practices)

• Broad-match programmatic display ads
• TikTok unless your patient demo is 18–34
• Generic "boosted post" Facebook spending
• Mass email to cold lists
• Billboards and direct mail (unless very local and tested)

What a $3K–$6K/Month Marketing Budget Should Look Like

• ~30% Google Ads on high-intent service keywords
• ~25% Local SEO and GBP work
• ~20% Web/conversion improvements
• ~15% Review automation and reputation
• ~10% Content and authority building

Adjust by specialty, growth stage, and what your local competition looks like.

The 90-Day Small Practice Plan

1. Days 1–30: GBP rebuild, review automation, conversion fixes on top 3 service pages
2. Days 31–60: Targeted Google Ads launch with dedicated landing pages
3. Days 61–90: Content authority, AI-search optimization, SMS automation

Niche-Specific Small Practice Notes

• Dental & ortho — Invisalign and implant funnels often pay for themselves the first month
• Vision care — LASIK and dry-eye programs are the high-margin levers
• Pain & chiropractic — condition-specific Google Ads outperform broad chiro keywords

Book a diagnostic call for a small-practice-tailored plan based on your specialty and budget.

What is the cheapest effective marketing channel for a small practice?▼

Google Business Profile plus a steady review-request system. Both are nearly free and produce the largest share of patients in most markets.

How much should a small practice spend on marketing?▼

$3,000–$8,000/month for most established small practices, scaled up in growth mode. Below $2K, channel options are limited.

Can I run marketing in-house?▼

Partially. Most owners can manage GBP, reviews, and content with a few hours per week. Paid media and SEO usually benefit from a specialist.

What is the worst marketing spend?▼

Generic boosted Facebook posts, broad-match Google Ads, and untested traditional media (billboards, mailers) are the most common money pits.

Written and reviewed by Dustin Hobbs, Founder of Louisville Web Lab · Small Practice Marketing: What Actually Works · Last updated 2026-04-24