The legal field is highly competitive and law firms are always looking for new ways to attract clients and grow their businesses. One effective way to do this is by utilizing paid search marketing campaigns to reach potential clients who are looking for legal representation in your area.
When someone searches for a specific keyword or phrase related to your law firm, paid search ads are displayed at the top of the page above the organically ranked results for that phrase. When done correctly, paid search can be an extremely effective way of driving traffic to your website and generating leads. Here are some great best practices to get started with and how Surefire Local can help.
What Is Paid Search Advertising & How Does It Work For Lawyers?
Paid search advertising is a form of digital marketing where advertisers can pay to have their ads displayed on the front page of the search results. This is usually done in the form of a text ad, although other formats such as video or image ads are also possible, depending on the search engine.
When someone searches for a legal term or phrase on a search engine like Google, the ads are shown right under the search bar and are typically labeled “Sponsored” or “Ad.” If the user clicks on one, the lawyer who placed the ad will then pay the search engine a fee that varies depending on the keyword.
The 4 Components Of A Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Ad
Pay-per-click ads generally consist of these 4 parts:
- Headline. The headline is the most important part of your PPC ad because it’s the first thing users see. Make sure your headline is clear, concise, and relevant to your firm.
- Display URL. Your display URL is the web address that appears in your ad under the headline. It should be short, simple, and relevant to the keywords you’re targeting.
- Description text. The description text is the second most important part of your PPC. This is what convinces users to click through to your website by confirming your page is the most relevant result for their search.
- Ad extensions. Ad extensions are additional features that you can integrate with your PPC ads, like a phone number or address. This helps improve your click-through rate by giving users more information about your law firm before they even click on your ad.
Where To Advertise
As a marketer, you never want to put all of your eggs in one basket. It’s important to diversify where you’re advertising to get the most exposure possible.
Google is the most popular search engine in the world and an excellent place to get started with PPC advertising. According to Hubspot, approximately 63,000 searches are processed by Google every second, which is nearly 5.5 billion a day. No matter what your law firm specializes in, your potential clients are searching for you on Google, so make sure it’s front and center in your PPC marketing strategy.
Yahoo! and Bing are often overshadowed by Google, but it’s still a good idea to have a reasonable marketing presence on these search engines as well.
Top Benefits Of Paid Search
Although pay-per-click can sometimes be expensive, particularly for the extremely high-value keywords most often used by lawyers, it’s a worthwhile investment. Organic search results almost never drive the same increase in leads and revenue that PPC can. Other benefits of paid search advertising for law firms include:
- More visibility in local search results. PPC ads put you at the top of local search results, maximizing your law firm’s visibility to potential clients who are searching for legal services in your area. This means that you have a better chance of getting noticed and generating more leads.
- More traffic to your website. As more users are shown your ads at the top of search results pages, more will click to visit your website to learn more about your law firm and the services you offer. This drives your traffic stats up, which can generate a return in other ways. For example, high-traffic sites that display relevant ads can charge for their space, adding another revenue source to a multi-faceted digital and content marketing campaign.
- Higher quality leads. The leads you generate with PPC are also higher quality than those that come in through organic searches. Users who are clicking on your ads are already interested in what you have to offer and are further along in the buying cycle than someone who’s just seen a banner ad or social media post, making them more likely to convert.
- Detailed analytics. Paid search advertising also provides detailed analytics that can help you track and measure your results. This data allows you to see how many people saw your ad, how many people clicked on it, and how many people converted into customers. You can then use this data to adjust your campaigns and improve your results over time.
6 Paid Search Best Practices For Law Firms To Use Right Now
A lot of paid search advertising is trial and error to find exactly what works for your firm and target audience. But there are some simple best practices that are usually good to follow, regardless of where you’re at in your PPC advertising campaign. These 6 tips can be used right now to help you get started:
1. Identify Your Ideal Client
Successful marketing always begins by identifying your ideal client, who they are, and what they need. Figure out their pain points and how your law firm might be able to solve them. Once you have a good understanding of who your perfect client is, you can begin to create targeted ads that are more likely to resonate with them.
Use your copy to communicate to potential clients that you have the specific services they need or that you have a much deeper appreciation or understanding for the position they’re currently in. Then, let them know you have the answer.
2. Find & Use High-Value Keywords
Keyword research is another essential first step to high-value legal PPC marketing and arguably the most important. Because your ads are based on keywords your target clients are using when they search for a lawyer in your area, it’s imperative to choose the right ones.
You also need to find keywords with high commercial intent. These are phrases that use action words to communicate the user’s desire. For example, “hire a lawyer” is more valuable than “do I need a lawyer?” This can sometimes be difficult to do, since there’s no official handbook on what are or aren’t the best keywords for a particular ad.
3. Stand Out From The Crowd
With so many attorneys competing for attention online, your law firm needs to find ways to stand out from the crowd. Look at what your competitors are doing with their PPC ads and what you might be able to do differently to better solve client pain points. Make sure to create ads that speak directly to your target audience, focus on the solutions they need, and highlight your unique value proposition.
4. Take Advantage Of Smart Geotargeting
Geotargeting allows you to show your ads specifically to people in your geographic area. This is a great way to put your content in front of users who are most likely to need the services your firm provides. You can geotarget by city, state, or even specific zip codes to make sure your marketing budget is being spent in the most effective way possible.
5. Use Strong Calls To Action
Make sure you include a compelling call to action in your ad copy to encourage potential clients to take action. Don’t be afraid to tell users exactly what you want them to do or what they should do next. For example, you could say something like “Call us now to get started” or “Visit our website to learn more.” This makes it clear to your audience and creates a sense of urgency, so they don’t miss out on the opportunity you’re offering.
6. Publish Relevant PPC Ads
Finally, it’s time to publish your ads and use analytics software to monitor and analyze their performance. Then you can make the necessary adjustments to ensure they are as effective as possible. Regularly reevaluating and refining your PPC campaigns can help you stay ahead of the competition and maximize the return on your investment.
Get Affordable Marketing Help With Surefire Local – Schedule Your Demo Now
Paid search advertising is a great way for law firms to get more visibility in local search results, generate more traffic to their websites, and attract higher-quality leads. By following the above best practices, lawyers can make the most of their paid search campaigns and maximize their return on investment.
Surefire Local’s affordable business intelligence marketing platform makes it easy for law firms to manage their paid search campaigns and get affordable marketing help from our team of experts. Schedule a demo today to learn more about how we can help your firm grow.