Patient acquisition

How Saudi patients choose a clinic in 2026: what two recent studies show

Two Saudi studies published in late 2025 agree. Patients look for doctors on social media, and qualifications, reviews and reputation decide where they book.

1 October 2026 · 4 min read

In two Saudi surveys published in late 2025, people used social media to find doctors, and they chose on the doctor's qualifications, other patients' reviews and reputation. Ads played a small part: 11.8% of respondents in one survey and 12.2% in the other cited them. Your clinic's online presence does most for bookings when it shows proof of competence first and promotion second.

Where patients look

A study in the journal Healthcare, published on 11 November 2025, surveyed 1,242 people online between December 2023 and May 2024. Asked which platform they prefer for finding doctors, respondents answered:

  • Instagram: 41.3%
  • X: 37.6%
  • Snapchat: 11.6%

41.5% said they had searched for and followed doctors, and 37.8% had not followed any. For context on reach, DataReportal put the ad audience in late 2025 at 79.2% of the population on YouTube and 72.9% on Snapchat. These are ad-reach figures, which differ from counts of active users.

What decides the booking

The same Healthcare study asked what matters when people review a practice's social accounts. Doctor qualifications scored 91.7% and positive reviews 91.6%. When choosing a practice, respondents rated:

  • Website quality: 92.1%
  • Online reviews: 88.8%
  • Family and friends: 86.5%
  • Social media presence: 80.1%

Only 11.8% cited social media ads when booking.

A second study, published in Cureus on 20 October 2025 by researchers at the University of Jeddah, surveyed 2,792 people across all regions (data from March to June 2022). Reputation counted for 59.5%, recommendations for 51.6% and social media advertising for 12.2%. 35.7% had visited a doctor because of online reviews or ratings, and 87% said social media makes it easier to approach doctors with questions. The influence was stronger among people aged 35 to 54, employed people and those online 5 or more hours a day.

A third survey of 609 people in 2022, on choosing a surgeon, found that the doctor's attitude counted for more than reputation or experience: 84.7% valued attention to their needs and opinions, and 82.6% valued communication skills.

All three used online samples that skew younger and more female than the population. Read them as "in these surveys": a clear signal about patients who search online.

What this means for your online presence

An ad brings a patient to your profile or page. What they find there decides whether they book. Three things carry the most weight in these studies:

  • Qualifications stated clearly: degree, specialty, licence and years of practice.
  • Reviews that are recent and answered. The Ministry of Health's advertising controls, as summarised by Al Watan, ban patient testimonials in ads, so reviews belong on Google and stay out of ad copy. Our article on Google review rules covers how to collect them properly.
  • Approachability: short public answers to common questions, with private details moved to a private channel.

Practical steps

  1. Add each doctor's qualifications, licence and years of practice to every profile and landing page, in Arabic first.
  2. Set a steady, policy-compliant routine for asking for reviews after a visit, and reply to each one in a calm, private tone.
  3. List the 10 questions your front desk hears most and answer them in short posts. Our guide to building a doctor's name has examples.
  4. Review your website as a patient would: doctor pages, prices where allowed, location and a clear booking route.
  5. Brief the front desk on the two things patients valued most in the surgeon study: attention and clear communication.

The Social Media Management service covers steps 2 and 3 with a medical compliance review on each post.

How to check it is working

  • Ask every new patient two questions: how did you hear about us, and what made you book? Offer set answers: qualifications, reviews, a recommendation, a social account, an ad. After 3 months, compare your split with the studies.
  • Share of doctor profiles that show full qualifications and licence. The target is 100%.
  • New Google reviews per month, and the share with a reply within 3 days.
  • Booked and attended visits per channel, next to clicks. Our guide on cost per booking explains the sum.

Common questions

Do social media ads still matter for clinics in Saudi Arabia?

They bring reach. In the two 2025 studies, about 12% cited ads when choosing, while qualifications, reviews and reputation were cited far more often. Send ad traffic to pages that show that proof.

Which platform do Saudi patients use to find doctors?

In a 2025 survey of 1,242 people, Instagram was preferred by 41.3%, X by 37.6% and Snapchat by 11.6%. Your own patients may differ, so ask them.

Can a clinic use patient reviews in its ads?

The Ministry of Health's advertising controls, as summarised by Al Watan in January 2025, ban patient testimonials in ads. Keep reviews on Google.

Sources

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