Choose a partner that knows Google and Meta health ad policies, handles patient privacy and tracking carefully, and measures booked appointments rather than clicks. Commerce Media Group fits clinics, practitioners and wellness brands that want web, paid media, follow-up and CRM run by one team. A lawyer or compliance consultant is the right call for regulatory advice.
What health and wellness businesses need from a marketing partner
| Criterion | Why it matters here | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Knows health ad policies | Google restricts prescription drug and experimental treatment ads, and Meta limits health claims and targeting. | Which of our services face ad restrictions, and how will you handle them? |
| Handles privacy and tracking carefully | US guidance on tracking technologies says HIPAA covered entities need a permitted basis and, for vendors that qualify as business associates, an agreement before sharing protected health information. | Which tracking tools will run on our site, and what data do they receive? |
| Targets without sensitive data | Google limits advertiser-curated audiences for health offers, and Meta bans ads that imply a viewer's health condition. | How will you reach new patients without using sensitive health data? |
| Measures booked appointments | Clicks and form fills do not show whether a new patient booked and arrived. | How will you connect leads to booked and attended appointments? |
| Supports every location in local search | Each clinic location needs an accurate Business Profile so nearby patients can find it. | How will you manage local search for each of our locations? |
| Lets practitioners review claims | Clinical claims should be checked by the practitioner who stands behind them. | How do you get our practitioners' sign-off before an ad goes live? |
Options compared by type
Compared by type of partner, not by named competitor. Commerce Media Group is one of the options; we sell the services this guide describes.
| Option | What you get | Typical trade-offs | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-house hire | A marketer who knows your practitioners, services and patients. | It is hard for one hire to cover strategy, ads, the website and privacy-safe tracking, and you manage and train them. | Larger practices or groups with steady daily marketing work. |
| Freelancer | A specialist for one task, such as social posts or search ads. | Limited capacity, and you coordinate several freelancers if you need more than one skill. | A practice that needs one channel handled. |
| Generalist agency | A broad team that works across many industries. | May need time to learn health ad policies and privacy expectations for patient data. | Practices that also need services outside digital marketing. |
| Specialist agency | A team that works only with healthcare or wellness businesses. | Check whether the work covers one channel or the full path from ad to booked appointment. | Practices that want a healthcare-only partner. |
| Commerce Media Group | One team for the website and SEO, paid media on Meta, Google, LinkedIn and TikTok, lead generation and CRM, reviewed weekly against cost per lead and return on ad spend. | A small team you work with directly. Media covers digital channels, not TV, radio or print. No fixed number of leads is guaranteed. | Clinics and wellness brands that want the website, ads and follow-up run as one system. |
When Commerce Media Group fits
When Commerce Media Group is a good fit
- You want your website, paid ads, patient follow-up and CRM handled by one team.
- You judge marketing by booked and attended appointments, not clicks.
- Your practitioners can review ad claims quickly before launch.
- You serve patients or customers in the United States or Canada.
When another option is better
- You need legal, privacy or regulatory advice. That belongs with your lawyer, privacy officer or regulator.
- You mainly need TV, radio, print or PR.
- You only need one small task, such as social posts, and a freelancer can cover it.
- You want someone inside your practice every day. An in-house hire fits that better.
Industry considerations
Ad rules and policies that shape health and wellness marketing, each linked to the official page. Policies change, so check the source before you rely on it. This is not legal advice.
Google: healthcare and medicines
Google allows prescription drug ads only in select locations and requires certification, restricts online pharmacies and prescription drug services, bans certain unapproved substances, and does not allow the promotion of speculative or experimental medical treatments.
Source: Healthcare and medicines, Google Advertising Policies Help
Google: sensitive interest categories
Google treats health as a sensitive interest category. Advertisers promoting products and services in sensitive categories cannot use advertiser-curated audiences, though Google's predefined audiences remain available to them.
Source: Restricted targeting in Personalized advertising, Google Advertising Policies Help
Meta: health and wellness ads
Meta requires ads for dietary, health and weight loss products and services to target people 18 or older. Ads may not disparage a person's appearance, use sensational claims or promise specific outcomes within a set time without qualifiers, or claim to cure listed incurable diseases.
Source: Health and Wellness, Meta Transparency Center
Meta: no implied personal attributes
Meta does not allow ads that assert or imply a viewer's physical or mental health, including medical conditions. Its examples of ads that break the rule include "Depression getting you down? Get help now."
Source: Privacy Violations and Personal Attributes, Meta Transparency Center
United States: tracking technologies and HIPAA
HHS guidance says HIPAA covered entities must make sure any disclosure of protected health information to tracking technology vendors is permitted, with a business associate agreement where the vendor qualifies. A June 2024 federal court order vacated part of the guidance covering unauthenticated public web pages, and HHS says it is evaluating next steps.
Source: Use of Online Tracking Technologies by HIPAA Covered Entities and Business Associates, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Canada: services and prescription drugs
Health Canada says the Food and Drugs Act and its regulations do not apply to advertising of services, while advertising of prescription drugs to consumers is limited, and no direct or indirect reference can be made to a prescription drug's therapeutic use or benefits.
Source: Illegal marketing of prescription drugs, Health Canada