Health tourism is one of Turkey's globally shining stars. Thousands of patients come to our country each year for services such as hair transplantation, cosmetic surgery, and dental treatment. However, making a difference in this competitive sector doesn't end with just providing quality service; reaching the right audience and winning over undecided patients is also critical. While working with a health tourism clinic, we at Whi combined these two elements: target audience segmentation and retargeting. The strategy we designed with tools like Display & Video 360 (DV360) and Search Ads 360 increased the clinic's conversions and helped it stand out in the international market. In this article, we'll share how this approach works and why it's so effective in health tourism.
Why Target Audience Segmentation and Retargeting?
Health tourism is a niche market. Not every patient is looking for the same service; while one is researching hair transplantation, another is comparing dental implant prices. This diversity renders a general advertising approach ineffective. Target audience segmentation comes into play at exactly this point. Matching the right patients with the right message is the key to using the budget efficiently and increasing interest.
However, health decisions are generally not made instantly. A patient may visit a clinic's site and then evaluate other options, extending the decision process. This is where retargeting (remarketing) comes in. This method is essential for bringing back undecided patients, building trust, and increasing the chance of conversion. Our observation is this: Segmentation makes the first contact strong; retargeting converts this contact into a sale.
How Did We Structure Our Strategy?
We developed a multi-channel strategy to promote a health tourism clinic's hair transplantation and cosmetic surgery services. We optimized both segmentation and supported conversions with retargeting using DV360, Meta, and Search Ads. Here are our steps:
1. Precise Segmentation and Retargeting with DV360
DV360 was an ideal tool for both wide reach and reaching niche audiences.
- Segmentation: We targeted men aged 25-45 from Europe and Gulf countries looking for hair transplantation, and women aged 30-55 considering cosmetic surgery. We identified users who had searched for "hair transplantation Turkey" or "cosmetic surgery prices" in the last 90 days, or who had visited health tourism blogs.
- Retargeting: We brought back those who entered the clinic's site but left without filling out a form or booking a virtual consultation appointment with DV360. We caught attention with the message "Don't miss the free consultation opportunity!"
- Result: Segmentation ensured the ads reached the right audience; retargeting activated this audience.
2. Personalized Approach with Social Media
Meta platforms provided a strong foundation for segmentation and remarketing.
- Segmentation: We prepared images for men interested in hair transplantation and special content for women interested in cosmetic surgery on Facebook and Instagram. We created similar audiences with data obtained from previous campaigns.
- Retargeting: We showed a "Book an appointment now with a special discount!" campaign on Meta to users who visited the site but didn't convert.
- Result: Meta increased engagement with personalized messages and strengthened requests with retargeting.
3. Search and Conversion Focus with SA360
Search Ads 360 was used to capture high-intent patients.
- Segmentation: We reached specific audiences with keywords such as "Turkey hair transplantation prices" or "cosmetic surgery Istanbul".
The Power of Segmentation and Retargeting in Health Tourism
- Increased Engagement: Segmentation ensured the ads reached the right audience and increased interest.
- Brand Awareness: Campaigns focusing on niche audiences spread the clinic's name and created trust.
- Conversion Support: Retargeting increased the rate of undecided patients filling out forms and making appointments.
Campaign Results
At the end of the seven-month campaign, we exceeded our goals. We achieved wide reach, collected thousands of qualified requests, and increased the number of patients coming to the clinic. Segmentation and retargeting were the cornerstones of our strategy.
