Your law firm has ventured out into the sea of digital marketing to look for more high-value clients. Maybe you have already started an SEO strategy – but know that it is going to take months to generate results. So, what do you do in the meantime to drum up business and get more of the types of clients you want?
Well, unlike search engine optimization, a PPC marketing campaign can get you immediate results. Although pay-per-click campaigns are often considered a mysterious component of legal marketing, they can be just what you need to kick start your marketing efforts.
If you are thinking of PPC as a means to help your firm generate more legitimate, high-quality leads, look no further. In our comprehensive guide to PPC campaigns, we take the mystery out of pay-per-click advertising and share the essentials of successful legal PPC marketing.
Ready to get started with pay-per-click advertising? Give us a call. Our team will partner with you to create and implement a PPC strategy that brings you the results you are looking for. And to best complement your PPC campaign, we will also tailor a comprehensive marketing solution that includes putting together an SEO strategy that will help your firm achieve long-term sustainable results.
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The Benefits of Legal PPC Marketing
Although there is really no substitute for a strategic SEO plan, pay-per-click advertising offers several key benefits when included in your overall digital marketing strategy.
Page One Placement
According to the National Law Review, nearly 96% of people seeking legal advice use a search engine, with Google, hands down, being the most popular. So, it should be no surprise that firms are scrambling to showcase themselves on Google’s search engine results page (SERP.)
Because PPC ads are at the very top, in the most prominent location on the first page of Google, they help you quickly increase your visibility and make you more accessible to potential clients.
You Can See Results Immediately
Unlike SEO strategies, you will begin to see results the moment you launch your firm’s PPC campaign. That is why PPC is a great addition to your SEO efforts. Using a combination of SEO and PPC advertising will give you both short-term and long-term marketing solutions.
Standing Apart From Your Competitors
We all know that the last thing you want is to lose clients to your competitors. Fortunately, pay-per-click advertising is an effective way to gain an edge over your competition and increase the number of qualified leads.
The goal here is to establish yourself as the clear “go-to” law firm in your market. PPC ads allow you to do just that. They help you:
- Build rapport with potential clients
- Showcase your services and accomplishments
- Relay what makes you different from other practices in your area
- Make your firm quickly and easily accessible to your target market
You Can Control Who You Target
By determining the geographic area and the optimal keywords, you can create a laser-focused PPC campaign that gets your firm high-quality, high-worth leads.
Your ads do not need to be seen by everyone on the planet – unless, of course, you have plans for world domination. Most likely, your advertising will only be limited to a few geographic areas, cities, or zip codes. PPC lets you target potential clients in either a specific location or set of locations, helping you maximize the success of your campaign.
PPC Campaigns are 100% Trackable
Another perk of PPC advertising is that you can track your efforts, letting you figure out what is working – and what isn’t. Based on an analysis of your impressions, clicks, traffic, and conversions, you can make changes, such as increasing your budget, tweaking your ad copy, and updating your keywords.
The Cost of PPC
The cost of running a pay-per-click advertising campaign can vary considerably, depending on a number of factors. Among these are:
- Your targeted keywords
- The intended audience
- Your quality score
- The competitiveness of your market
Law firms fight for real estate on the first SERP on Google, making the legal industry one of the most competitive when it comes to PPC advertising. For example, the cost per click can range anywhere from $20 – $300+ depending on practice area and location.
Here are some other examples of law firm keywords and their average cost:
How You Can Get the Most Bang for Your Buck
With PPC advertising, you ultimately get to control how much money you want to spend. However, a pay-per-click campaign can require a significant budget in order to achieve a quality return on your investment – even if your market isn’t that competitive.
Building a well-strategized PPC campaign will ensure you get the most out of your advertising without breaking the bank. AGI recommends:
- Create great ad content. Your quality score directly affects your cost per click (CPC.) By creating an ad that uses relevant keywords and catchy headlines, you can raise your ad’s quality score.
- Perform extensive keyword research to make sure you are choosing the most relevant terms and phrases that are also at the right price.
- Limit the geographic area of your ads to further hone in on your target audience.
- Utilize ad extensions. Make the most out of the ad extensions available on Google to save money. These ad extensions provide additional information on your business and help boost the effectiveness of your ads.
- Use exact keywords to further tailor the focus of your campaign. This will ultimately limit the number of clicks from people who aren’t looking for your particular services.
- Schedule your ad run time for when your potential clients are most likely to see it.
Keywords: The Foundation for Legal PPC Advertising
Keywords are the cornerstone of any successful pay-per-click campaign. Taking the time to research, acquire, and refine your keywords will ensure your ads show up in the right place at the right time.
Much of the keyword selection process is dictated by your understanding of what potential clients are looking for and what they are typing into the search box. For example, keywords for legal queries might include wording, such as:
- Car accident attorney near me
- Criminal defense lawyer Los Angeles
- Boston medical malpractice lawyer
- Slip and fall accident attorney in Miami
Knowing what searchers are likely looking for will help you build a successful PPC campaign – one that will reach the most relevant audience and convert that audience into clients.
Secrets to a Successful Law Firm PPC Campaign
In the highly competitive world of legal PPC marketing, it is critical to put the time and effort into setting your campaign up for success. Below are some tips we recommend to make sure you are getting the most out of your marketing efforts and maximizing your ROI.
- Optimize Your Website – If successful, your PPC ad will lead a potential client to your website. If they like what they see, they will reach out. However, if they get to your site and it is outdated, lacks what they are looking for, or doesn’t portray professionalism and authority, they may leave your site and move on to your competition. That is why maintaining a user-friendly and professional website that contains engaging, relevant, and authoritative content is critical.
- Create a Landing Page for Your Law Firm PPC Campaign – Rather than having users directed to your firm’s homepage or, for example, your firm’s car accident page, you can create a page that is customized just for them — one that is relevant to their needs and effectively showcases what you have to offer.
- Make Yourself Available to Prospective Clients – There is no point in setting up a PPC campaign if your firm can’t quickly and effectively handle a potential client’s query. Therefore, it is important to promptly respond to all calls, emails, and submitted contact forms. It is also key to make it a priority to meet with the potential client, preferably within 48 hours from when they initially reached out to your office.
- Track and Measure the Success of Your Campaign – To ensure its success, you need to stay on top of your campaign. Consistently track and measure your campaign using the metrics available, including:
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- Impressions and clicks – the number of times your ad appeared and how many times a user clicked on your ad
- Click-through rate (CTR) – the number of clicks your ad receives divided by the number of times your ad was shown
- Average cost-per-click (CPC) – the total cost of your PPC campaign divided by the total number of clicks
- Conversion rate – the number or percentage of users who completed the desired action, such as placing a call, sending an email, filling out a contact form, or setting up a consultation.
When PPC Works (and Doesn’t Work) for Law Firms
So how do you know if a PPC campaign is right for your firm? It depends on several factors – namely, your budget, the level of competition in your market, your firm’s ability to quickly and effectively handle the leads generated from your PPC ads, among other things.
To see the most success when running PPC ads, you will need to take the following into consideration:
- Can your firm quickly and effectively handle an influx of leads? If your firm is not prepared or equipped to deal with the increased interest in your firm, it may not be the right time to begin PPC advertising.
- Do you have the budget to support a successful campaign? Ask yourself whether your firm has the money to create and maintain an effective PPC campaign. This is especially important if you are in a highly competitive market.
- Do you have a clear picture of your ideal client? You are likely not ready to implement a PPC campaign if you don’t yet know who and what it is you really want to attract. Have a clear direction for your firm, including what areas in which you want to focus, what type of client you are looking for, and where those clients are located.
- Is there enough of an ROI? The return on investment (ROI) is a key driver for any digital marketing campaign. Before beginning law firm PPC marketing, determine whether the campaign will generate more income than what it will cost.
Complement Your SEO Strategy with PPC for Lawyers
Search engine optimization (SEO) is widely considered the most effective marketing strategy for law firms. It is a sustainable way for you to improve your Google rankings and drive online traffic organically. However, you must keep in mind that any SEO strategy will take time. It will generally be months before you see an uptick in traffic with just SEO alone.
Fortunately, there is a way to get immediate results. PPC is a highly effective way to reach high-value traffic in real-time. From the moment you begin a pay-per-click campaign for your law firm, you will likely have an increase in leads – and, ultimately, clients. With the right strategy and budget in place, PPC can help you bridge the gap, getting you the amount and type of clients you are looking for while you wait for your SEO strategy to kick in.
Generate More Traffic and Leads with AGI Marketing
With our focus on legal marketing, AGI knows how to concentrate your efforts on what will maximize your results. Our job is to dig into the depths of your practice to fully understand your market, analyze all of the relevant data, and carefully assess your desired outcome.
No one knows your firm better than you do. That is why we put in the time and effort to get to know your issues, needs, and goals – so we can create a tailored and strategic approach to maximizing your firm’s exposure while minimizing your costs. Our #1 goal is to help you determine what your firm’s success looks like- and implement solutions to get you there. And with our commitment to honesty and transparency, you will never have to wonder whether we are looking out for your firm’s best interests.
From PPC advertising to winning SEO strategies and website design, AGI Marketing can help you reach your firm’s immediate and long-term goals. Reach out to us today to learn more about PPC marketing for lawyers and how our custom digital marketing solutions address your firm’s precise needs.
Give us a call at 1-888-269-5449
