When families search for a care home on Google, what are they actually typing in?

If you’re using Google Ads to increase private enquiries, the answer to this is crucial.

We analysed data from our best-ever performing Google Ads campaign for a care home which is generating certified tracked enquiries at between £160 and £200 ad spend per enquiry. Not clicks. Not Google “conversions”. Real enquiries.

Watch our video of “What Families Search On Google When Looking For Care Homes…”

For this care home, this is what families are searching.

Location led searches dominate.

The most common phrases are:

• Care homes near [town or city]
• Care homes in [town or city]
• Care homes near me

Over 90 percent of the time, families search “care homes” rather than “nursing homes” .

Even if you provide nursing care, your campaigns should prioritise the wording people actually use.

Variations matter.

Small wording changes make a difference in performance, especially when using “exact match” and “phrase match” in you keyword search campaigns.

• Elderly care
• Elderly care home
• Elderly home

Families often use the word “elderly” in their search because that is how they describe their loved one, even if it is not formal sector language.

Specialist intent appears too.

While not always top volume, these phrases still convert at good click-through rates:

• Residential care homes
• Independent care homes
• Residential dementia care
• Dementia care homes

Interestingly, “respite” is not widely searched directly.

Yet ads mentioning “respite” can attract those looking for short term stays rather than permanent care .

The key takeaway is Google Ad success for care home is not about guessing.

It is about aligning your ads with real language families use at a moment of urgency and emotion.

Behind every search term is a son, daughter or spouse trying to make the right decision.

When your care home appears with clarity and relevance, you make that journey easier.

If you would like to understand how to structure your Google Ads to reflect this data, start by reviewing your keyword strategy against these real world searches.

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