Lawyers wanting to invest dollars to get new clients can use various tactics, such as lead generation with local service ads. But using ad options where you pay a cost-per-click (CPC) can also work well as part of your digital marketing strategy. Google PPC is a top solution for these goals.
Across all industries, companies make $2 for every $1 they spend on PPC. With other methods like search engine optimization and organic content marketing through social media, pay-per-click ads could help drive new business to your criminal law office. Overall, PPC ads work well alone or with other tools to bolster your online presence.
You need to know how to win with PPC ads to get those great results with new clients. Follow these 11 tips to get the most out of every campaign you run within your law firm marketing strategy.
Harnessing Specific Keywords for Targeted Ad Success
Not every keyword is worth bidding on, but it can be challenging to take a master list of all possible PPC keywords and narrow that down based on budget and where you think you can get the best results with search terms.
Keywords should be in ad headlines and your body copy of Google or Facebook ads to improve ad relevance and user engagement. Bear in mind that you need to strike a balance between relevant keywords and natural language. Keep tweaking your primary idea until you reach a compelling message that resonates with your target demographic..
Keywords vary in likely bid and chance of converting to an actual client. Some keywords seem like a good fit for your practice areas but reflect someone further up in the funnel who is not ready to hire a lawyer yet. The more you can target keywords with a high conversion intent, the more you'll improve your chances of turning that searcher into an actual client.
This helps maintain a cost-effective online advertising marketing plan.
There are many possible phrases to discover in keyword research for criminal lawyers, but here are some starting points for your research process:
- DUI lawyer
- Top criminal lawyers [city]
- Best criminal lawyers [city]
- White collar crimes lawyer
- Criminal defense lawyer
- Affordable criminal defense attorney
Crafting Persuasive Calls to Action
Armed with good keywords, it's time to think about lining those up with a good call to action.
You have a very short chance to make an impact with someone viewing your PPC ad, so every word in your copy counts. Your call to action encourages viewers to visit your website or pick up the phone.
Your calls to action should convey urgency or a substantial benefit like a free consultation.
Here's an example from a firm targeting the phrase "Tampa criminal defense lawyer."
The firm strikes at the urgency aspect, highlighting that it's dangerous for anyone accused of a crime to speak to the police independently. The primary CTA here is to click the ad to go to the law firm's website, with a secondary CTA to select the "contact us" button directly on the ad.
Enhancing Clickthrough Rates with Ad Extensions
Ad extensions give additional information to your viewer to help that person immediately determine if you're a good fit for their legal issue. You can select various extensions based on what you think will resonate with your prospective client.
Extension options include:
- Sitelinks to send someone to a specific place on your website
- Callouts to mention unique aspects, such as free consultations or live chat
- Locations to showcase where you serve clients
- Contact details to make it easy for someone to reach out right away
Optimizing Your Website for PPC Traffic Conversion
A good PPC ad is the first part of the successful new client equation. You also need a way to follow that up with a good website landing page. When you drive people to your website, it should be done with intention.
Your entire website should function well on desktop and mobile, but the pages you send people to from your PPC ads should connect to the message on the ad. For example, a personal injury lawyer running an ad about motorcycle accidents should link to their motorcycle crash landing page, not their general homepage. The experience should feel tailored to the searcher, which all starts with good website design.
Your landing pages should also:
- Load quickly
- Provide accessible contact information
- Show trust signals like client testimonials
Responding Promptly to Leads for Higher Conversion Rates
Nearly 65% of Clio's Legal Trends Report respondents said they didn't hire a specific attorney because that lawyer never returned their phone call. Don't underestimate the power of prompt responses and good communication with PPC marketing or other tactics.
Create a standard practice in your firm to follow up on quality leads within 24 hours to demonstrate commitment and to capture potential clients at their peak level of interest. This shows that you're organized and ready to take on cases and sets a tone for the kind of communication clients can expect.
Avoiding Common PPC Pitfalls for Law Firms
Certain mistakes can cause you to throw good money after bad on Facebook or Google ad campaigns. Ensure you know what to expect when researching and setting up any law firm PPC campaigns to maximize your PPC budget.
Here are the biggest mistakes most law firms make in those efforts:
- Bidding on low-intent keywords (use those in your organic SEO strategy instead)
- Generic or unclear ad copy
- No dedicated landing pages
- Neglecting mobile users
All of these mistakes are avoidable and will make for a much better experience for new clients.
The Power of Retargeting in Maximizing Conversions
Sometimes, you'll get a new client simply because they saw your strong ad and decided to contact you. But in other cases, that potential client may have just started their research process. You want to maintain the momentum you created with your brand name, so you might combine your PPC ads strategy with a retargeting campaign.
With ad retargeting, you re-engage people who saw your previous material and enhance brand awareness and the chance of a conversion. To get the most out of this strategy, partner with a marketing expert who knows this aspect of the legal industry well.
Maximizing Campaign ROI Through Effective Bid and Budget Management
One of the most challenging aspects of launching a PPC strategy is figuring out how to get the most out of your marketing budget. You'll need to adjust bids and budgets based on performance metrics regularly. You'll also need a plan for how to optimize campaigns and return on investment as you go. This requires checking in with your campaigns consistently.
Leveraging the Synergy of PPC and SEO Strategies
PPC and SEO strategies work independently, but you can supercharge your results using them in tandem. Combine your paid ads plan with a longer-term strategy to improve organic google search rankings. In this way, PPC ads drive immediate leads, but SEO is generating long-term traffic growth at the same time.
Strategic Ad Scheduling for Maximum Impact
Ads will also convert differently based on the period that someone sees them. This requires even more in-depth analysis of campaign performance to find when your ads are most likely to convert.
Work with an outside marketing agency or other expert to optimize scheduling to align with peak user activity and maximum ad visibility.
Tailoring Ad Campaigns to Specific Audience Segments
Different campaigns should be used to refine your focus and reach the most relevant audience segments for your legal services. For example, you might use other campaigns for truck accidents, workers' comp, or pedestrian accidents.
Clients want to know they're working with someone who understands their legal issue deeply, and your ads are a significant first step in communicating that.
