When to Use Google Ads for Life Science Companies

Companies in the Life Sciences or Tech industry that raise hundreds of thousands in funding almost overnight are more than happy to invest 3,000 in Google ads.

But what happens after? Usually nothing.

Many visits, lots of clicks but no new leads.

Their conclusion: “Marketing doesn’t work.”

What many people don’t realize is that content marketing is the new advertising for biotech startups.

In this post, we’ll break down when to invest in ads and when not to.

Because while both ads and content marketing have value, their timing and purpose are very different.

The Nature of Google Ads

Google paid ads are like a switch: flip it on, and your company shows up in Google searches.

But here’s the reality:

• The moment you stop paying, the traffic disappears
• Ads don’t prove your science (they only buy clicks)
• Life science keywords are expensive (think “GFP plasmid”)

Paid ads are a complement. Great for launches or events, but not your main strategy.

How Content Marketing Helps Google Ads

Google Ads game used to be a keyword-game. If you found the exact keyword your audience search + at a good price + you have a decent website, you won.

Nowadays it has changed a bit.

While keywords are still relevant, Google is shifting towards “semantic keywords”: it is not so much about the word people search but its meaning.

If your ads bids for “DNA plasmid” as a keyword it might show for somebody looking for “DNA construct” even if you set up your keywords as exact match.

Your landing page will be decisive here.

Content Marketing to Convert the Clicks your Get from Google Ads

Content marketing, on the other hand will be useful to convert those clicks your ads is attracting.

In life sciences, this is critical. Partners don’t choose a CRO or biotech supplier from an ad alone. They need proof of expertise.

They way to convince them is:

• Proof you’ve helped others in your case studies
• Target your visitors issues in blog posts
• Solve their objections with compelling copywriting

Additionally, this content will strengthen your page’s authority and quality, which is one of the metrics Google uses to rank your website.

When to Use Google Ads

Google paid ads can be powerful when used strategically.

Minimum requirements before running ads:

• A deep understanding of your target audience and their needs
• A strong brand identity and clear messaging
• A clear website structure
• Content marketing to support your ad
• A realistic budget for multi-month testing

Best time to use ads:

• When organic growth has plateaued and you need to reach new audiences
• To launch new products or services
• When you have a larger budget to support them

Where ads fall short:

• When there are no resources available to convert your audience (a Google ad saying “We do immunogenicity testing” isn’t as persuasive as a validated ADA case study)
• Costs can be prohibitive. Niche terms like “LNP formulation CRO” can cost several USD per click
• When you try to create a strong audience from them. Remember, traffic disappears the moment you stop spending

👉 That’s why the smartest strategies use ads as a complement to content. Ads get people in the door. Content convinces them to stay.

You can read here 4 Ways to Use Google Ads Beyond Special Events