The Hidden Cost of Marketplace Dependency
Third-party booking platforms are charging providers premium fees while offering limited control over the patient experience
How Zocdoc Makes Money
Per-Booking Fees
$35-$110+ per new patient appointment, regardless of no-shows or cancellations in many cases
Paid Placement
"Sponsored Results" charged per-click or per-impression via auctions with minimum bids
Traffic Control
They control ~7.6M monthly visits and can change algorithms at any time
Provider Pain Points
- ✗Charged for cancellations and no-shows
- ✗One-and-done patients with poor retention
- ✗No control over patient experience
- ✗Fees increasing over time
- ✗Competing with other providers on their platform
Direct Patient Acquisition That Works
We help you build your own patient acquisition system with better economics and complete control
Lower Cost Per Acquisition
Target $40-$100 CAC through strategic SEM campaigns - often 25-40% lower than Zocdoc fees
- Direct Google Ads campaigns
- High-intent keyword targeting
- Optimized conversion funnels
Complete Control
Own your patient relationships from first click to follow-up appointment
- Branded patient experience
- Real-time appointment booking
- Patient retention strategies
Better Analytics
Track true ROI with full visibility into patient lifetime value
- Cost per kept appointment
- Patient retention metrics
- Revenue attribution
The Economics: Direct vs. Marketplace
See how direct patient acquisition compares to third-party marketplace fees
Example: Dermatology Practice
With Cara's Program
vs. marketplace booking fees
Higher lifetime value per patient
Your practice, your patients
Analyze Your Marketing ROAS & CAC
Get a comprehensive analysis of your return on ad spend (ROAS) and customer acquisition costs (CAC) to see how Cara can improve your marketing efficiency
Free ROAS & CAC Analysis Tool
Get a comprehensive analysis of your marketing return on ad spend (ROAS) and customer acquisition costs (CAC) with Cara's advanced patient acquisition platform
How We Build Your Patient Acquisition Engine
A proven 4-step process to reduce your acquisition costs and improve patient retention
Market Analysis
We analyze your local market, competition, and identify the highest-converting keywords for your specialty and location.
Campaign Setup
Launch targeted Google Ads campaigns with brand defense, high-intent generics, and competitor intercept strategies.
Conversion Optimization
Implement real-time scheduling, insurance filtering, and mobile-optimized booking flows for maximum conversion.
Performance Tracking
Monitor cost per kept appointment, patient retention, and continuously optimize for better ROI and lower acquisition costs.
Success Metrics We Track
We focus on the metrics that matter most to your practice growth
Cost Per Kept Appointment (CAC-K)
Target: ≤$60-$90 within 2-3 weeks
Click-to-Book Conversion Rate
Target: ≥8-10% within week 2
Patient Retention Rate
% of patients who rebook within 6 months
Insurance Match Rate
% of bookings that are in-network
Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)
Target: 3-5x return on marketing investment
No-Show Rate Reduction
Through SMS reminders and deposits
Acquisition Efficiency
Revenue per dollar spent on marketing
