The short version: these are the numbers we use to judge whether a specialty practice’s marketing is performing, gathered from the most recent published research. Each one links to its source, and most of them come from vendors who publish benchmarks from their own customer data, so treat them as reference points rather than targets.

How patients choose a provider

Search and AI visibility

The gap between 22.6% and 3.6% is the clearest argument for answer engine optimization we have seen, because when an AI answer appears, being the cited source earns more clicks than ranking first beneath it.

Paid advertising

For a deeper look at turning these figures into return on ad spend, read how to measure ROAS for a medical practice.

Email and website

Email open rates are inflated by Apple Mail Privacy Protection, so we weigh click rate and booked appointments more heavily when we report on email.

Using benchmarks well

A benchmark tells you whether a number is unusual, but it cannot tell you whether your marketing is profitable. That depends on your own cost per new patient and patient value, which is why COUR Digital reports focus on consultations and qualified leads rather than clicks.

Book a strategy call to see how your practice compares.