Pay-per-click Advertising Guide for Lawyers

PPC for law firms is a digital marketing strategy that allows law firms to bid on specific keywords related to their services. When a search engine user searches for those specific keywords, the law firm’s ad may appear at the top of the search results or in a visible area. If the user clicks on the ad, the law firm pays a fee to the search engine (Google, Bing, youtube, etc.). This allows law firms to target potential clients who are actively searching for their services.

Pay-per-click (PPC) marketing can be a game-changer for law firms looking to expand their online presence and generate leads.  But how does PPC work in a law firm context? Are there things to worry about like fraudulent clicks on your ads?  In this guide, we’ll explore what PPC is, how much law firms typically spend on it, and some tips for optimizing your paid campaigns.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll delve into the world of PPC for law firms, discuss the costs involved, and provide essential tips for creating successful PPC strategies.

If you are looking for a quick summary of the content below watch our video on Mastering Pay-Per-Click Advertising for Firms:

In this guide you will Find:

How much do law firms spend on PPC?

Let’s talk about the most frequent question Lawyers make, how much?  The cost of PPC advertising for law firms can vary depending on factors such as the competitiveness of the keywords, the location of the law firm, and the practice area of the law firm. However, In our experience law firms in the US spend an average of $3,000 to $5,000 per month on PPC advertising(all platforms). Nevertheless, some law firms may spend significantly more or less than this depending on their specific circumstances. We recommend a budget of no less than 4,000 for lawyers.

Average CPC

What is the average CPC for law firms? The average cost per click (CPC) for a law firm depends on two factors: practice area and competition. Personal Injury-related and car accident keywords tend to cost around $150 to $300 per click. A higher cost is often seen in highly populated cities, where there are more competitors bidding for the same type of keywords. Other practice areas have similar CPC, Workers comp could cost around $100 to $200 per click, DUI could cost around $80 to $160 per click, and Disability law could cost way less than $100. That is not to say there are cheaper keywords to target, but we are talking about one of the most competitive niches in Digital Marketing, PPC for Attorneys.

Check out this case study, where Consultwebs dramatically improved our law firm client’s PPC numbers, when we began managing a campaign they were running through Google.

The Importance of Brand Awareness in PPC Campaigns

A well-rounded marketing strategy includes building brand awareness alongside sales activation. By creating trust and recognition, your sales will benefit, and your brand message will be reinforced. This synergy can significantly boost your overall marketing efforts. Take a look at this graph:

In particular, note the middle portion, where the Sales Activation and Brand Building lines intersect at several points. These points are where your brand messaging will help your sales, which then helps reinforce your brand. Trust and recognition are key points that can give your sales a big lift, and the messaging that brings those points home should come from how you are telling the story of your brand.

Law Firms Should Keep the Focus on ROI

To help protect your firm against wasting money on marketing efforts that aren’t paying off, it is beneficial to consider doing the following:

  • Share Case Data. Sharing case data with your vendor will provide the necessary information to determine if the leads generated by the campaigns are of good quality. It will also assist in the decision-making process of whether to continue with the same strategy or make changes.
  • Request or Compile Better Data. Don’t solely rely on clicks, visits, impressions, and click-through rates. Look at leads, cost per case, cases signed for each traffic source, and of course return on investment (ROI).
  • Watch Carefully When Using Cost-Per-Impression (CPI or CPM) Campaigns. CPM buying using programmatic or interest-based targeting methods across networks can be particularly suspect and may not be very effective. Watch your results closely and track as much data as you can. With Pay-Per-Click advertising, like with Google Ads, you only pay when an ad is actually clicked. Although you may still get fraudulent clicks, Google has a decent filter to protect against this and minimize damage.
  • Ask Questions. When dealing directly with ad networks, ask for information on how they are combating bot activity and fraudulent behavior. If you are given vague answers or someone disparages such questions, that is a red flag.
  • Focus Your Campaign. If you focus your campaign so that ads only show in your geographic area of interest, it will provide better results for your campaign and will avoid spam or suspicious traffic coming from other countries.

PPC Advertising Strategies

At Consultwebs, we specialize in helping law firms explore advertising options beyond just Google ads, including:

Strategic Search Ads

Supplemental organic campaigns can be combined with strategically placed PPC ads and other law firm marketing areas. A niche area, especially when combined with a locale, can provide a cost-effective method to obtain exposure and inquiries

Display Advertising

Display advertising involves showing banner, text, or animated image ads on publisher sites in various locations, such as above the fold, below the fold, and the sidebar. While display ads are intentionally disruptive, they can be an effective way to catch the user’s eye and divert their attention. To ensure success with display ads, it’s important to split-test ad designs and landing pages, taking into consideration the sites the ads will run on, how the ads look on the site, and how the landing page relates to the ad and the overall user experience.

Compared to search ads, display ads generally have a lower click-through rate, but they are usually much cheaper, making them a good choice for establishing brand awareness.

Local Service Ads (LSAs)

LSAs are the new “middleman” between law firms and clients, pre-vetting and verifying firms for users. These ads lead directly to a “click-to-call” functionality, and rather than paying per click, it’s a pay-per-lead model. LSAs are located at the top of search result pages (SERPs), leveling the playing field between large and small law firms.

Programmatic Advertising

Programmatic advertising uses automation to target users based on demographics, interests, and behaviors and optimizes using ongoing data analysis. This can be very effective if you want to target a group of people based on age, location, income, or other factors.

Geo-Fencing

Geo-fencing is a strategy of targeting people by defining a specific location or area and using GPS technology to trigger ads when a user enters your “fenced” area. This technology is primarily focused on delivering ads to tablets and mobile devices and has a lot of potential if done correctly.

Paid Content Marketing

Paid content marketing involves getting users to read your content by putting a paid link after a related article. This is another way to engage an audience that has an interest in topics that you cover on your blog or in your business itself.

Retargeting/Remarketing

Retargeting, also called “remarketing,” uses cookies to track website visitors and show them ads after they leave your website. This makes for a very specific and high-potential audience for your messaging.

Social Media Ads

Facebook and Instagram are now the most visited websites on the Web and receive more monthly traffic than even Google.com. Your pay-per-click consultant can advise you on how to leverage Facebook and other websites to gain relevant visibility for your firm. Facebook allows you to target ads based on demographics such as age, sex, marital status, geographic location, and any likes or jobs that the person has entered.

Video Ads

Adding videos to your website and online marketing campaign can bring your firm more visibility, and higher levels of engagement, and add value to your audience. High-quality legal video content not only builds trust and engagement but can create ranking opportunities to boost your firm’s presence in search results. A well-run video advertising campaign can get your brand and firm in front of a mass-media-sized audience of potential clients, for a fraction of a typical mass-media budget.

Overall, Consultwebs can help your law firm develop a comprehensive PPC advertising strategy that leverages a range of tactics to reach your target audience and achieve your business goals.

Getting Started with Your Law Firm’s PPC Campaign

To launch a successful PPC campaign for your law firm, follow these steps:

  1. Set clear goals: Determine what you want to achieve with your PPC campaign, such as increasing leads, boosting brand awareness, or driving website traffic.
  2. Research and select keywords: Identify relevant keywords that potential clients are likely to use when searching for your services. Consider using long-tail keywords that are less competitive but still target your intended audience.
  3. Create compelling ad copy: Write engaging and informative ad copy that clearly communicates your firm’s value proposition and entices users to click on your ads.
  4. Design effective landing pages: Develop landing pages that are visually appealing, informative, and relevant to your ads. Ensure a smooth user experience by making it easy for visitors to find the information they need and take the desired action.
  5. Monitor and optimize your campaign: Regularly review your campaign’s performance and make necessary adjustments to improve its effectiveness. This may include refining your keyword strategy, tweaking ad copy, or adjusting bids.
  6. Track your results: Use analytics tools to measure your campaign’s success by monitoring key metrics such as clicks, impressions, click-through rates, conversion rates, and return on investment (ROI).

Need Help Help Getting Cases?

Contact Consultwebs today to discuss how we can help your firm get qualified leads from a pay-per-click campaign. We would be glad to provide you with a free consultation and help you to understand the options available to you.