Nowadays, the ever-evolving nature of Google’s algorithm has further increased the competition for PPC ad spaces on Google SERPS (search engine rankings).
More so, spending a huge budget on local service ads to appear on top of the first page on Google’s Local search has little or no guarantee for law firms to achieve their marketing goals.
It is therefore crucial for law firms to know the important points outlined in this article on:
- What PPC advertising is?
- How PPC advertising works and,
- Tips on how lawyers can succeed with their PPC advertising efforts.
What is PPC advertising?
PPC advertising is a digital marketing strategy where law firms create and run online ads that appear on search engines and other platforms.
When potential clients search for specific keywords related to legal services, ads are displayed on the search engine. Hence, each time someone clicks on these ads, the law firm pays for it, which is called “pay-per-click.”
In this article we will discuss why PPC advertising is important for lawyers, Tips to creating effective PPC campaigns, how lawyers can budget for their PPC Campaigns
Why do law firms need PPC advertising?
PPC ads for law firms are designed to attract individuals seeking legal assistance, directing them to the law firm’s website or landing page.
These ads are often displayed prominently at the top of search engine results pages, making them more visible to potential clients.
Moreso, Law firms can target specific geographic areas and demographics to ensure their ads reach their desired audience.
PPC (Pay-Per-Click) vs PPL (Pay-Per-lead) :
PPC Ads (Pay-Per-Click Ads) and PPL (Pay-Per-Lead) are two different online advertising models used to promote businesses and generate leads. Here’s a comparison of the two:
PPC Ads (Pay-Per-Click Ads):
1. Payment Model:
Law firm marketers or Advertisers pay each time their ad is clicked on by a user. The cost is based on the number of clicks received.
2. Objective:
PPC ads focus on driving website traffic. Advertisers aim to increase visibility, generate clicks, and potentially conversions.
- Immediate visibility: Ads appear prominently in search results or on websites.
- Control over budget: Advertisers can set daily or campaign budgets to manage spending.
- Flexibility: Ad campaigns can be easily adjusted, paused, or modified.
PPL (Pay-Per-Lead):
1. Payment Model:
A lawyer would pay for actual leads generated. A lead is typically a user who expresses interest by filling out a form, signing up, or taking a specific action.
2. Objective:
PPL campaigns focus on lead generation. Advertisers aim to obtain contact information or other qualifying details from potential customers.
- Targeted leads: Advertisers only pay for leads that meet specific criteria.
- Predictable costs: Since payment is based on leads, advertisers have more control over their cost per acquisition.
- Direct contact: Advertisers can directly follow up with leads obtained.
Tips for building a great PPC campaign
An effective PPC campaign requires careful selection of keywords, compelling ad copy, and well-designed landing pages to convert clicks into actual clients.
Here are 6 tips for lawyers doing PPC:
1. Setting Clear Goals:
Define clear and measurable goals for your PPC campaign. Are you aiming to increase website traffic, generate leads, or boost consultations? Having well-defined objectives will guide your campaign strategy and measurement of success.
2. Research for relevant keywords:
Start by conducting thorough keyword research to identify relevant and high-performing keywords that potential clients might use to search for legal services.
Focus on a mix of broad and specific keywords to capture a wide range of search queries.
3. Using relevant Ad Copies:
Crafting compelling and relevant ad copies that resonate with the target audience is very crucial and its impact on the ad click through rate cannot be underrated.
Moreso, Lawyers need to Highlight their law firm’s unique selling points, such as
- Their expertise,
- experience, or
- exceptional client service,
This eventually helps them call out the specific audience and make them stand out from competitors.
4. Create user-friendly Landing Pages:
Designing dedicated landing pages that align with the content of ads can help improve the user experience of the audience.
When lawyers create these pages, they should provide relevant information, a strong call-to-action, and make it easy for visitors to contact your firm or take the desired action.
5. Geo-Targeting:
Lawyers can utilize geo targeting by focusing your ads on specific geographic areas where your law firm operates.
This ensures that your ads are seen by individuals who are more likely to become potential clients in your service area.
6. Continuous Monitoring and Optimization:
Regularly monitor the performance of your PPC campaign using analytics tools. Analyze metrics such as click-through rates, conversion rates, and cost per conversion. Adjust your campaign based on these insights to optimize your budget and achieve better results over time.
Budgeting for PPC advertising
Budgeting for lawyer PPC (Pay-Per-Click) advertising requires careful consideration to ensure you allocate funds effectively.
PPC advertising costs can vary widely based on factors like location, practice area, competition, and ad quality.
Therefore, Lawyers should start with a conservative budget, analyze the performance, and gradually scale up as more informative data and insights are gathered.
Here are 12 steps to help you create a suitable budget:
1. Calculate Daily Budget:
Calculate your daily budget by multiplying the estimated CPC by the number of clicks you want to receive daily. Adjust this based on your goals and budget constraints.
Ina nutshell, lawyers can multiply their daily budgets by the average number of days in a month to determine your monthly PPC budget.
2. Allocating Funds:
Consider how much of your overall marketing budget you want to allocate to PPC advertising. This could be a percentage of your total marketing budget or a fixed amount.
3. Geographic Targeting:
If you’re targeting specific geographic areas, adjust your budget based on the competitiveness of the legal market in those regions.
4. Seasonal Variation:
Factor in any seasonal trends that may impact your campaign’s performance. Adjust your budget accordingly during peak and off-peak periods.
5. Campaign Length:
Decide how long your PPC campaign will run. Ensure your budget covers the entire campaign duration.
6. Monitor and Adjust:
Regularly monitor your campaign’s performance and adjust your budget based on the results. Allocate more funds to well-performing keywords or adjust budget from underperforming areas.
7. Quality vs. Quantity:
Focus on high-quality clicks rather than a large volume of clicks. It’s better to have fewer clicks from individuals genuinely interested in your services.
8. A/B Testing:
Allocate a portion of your budget for A/B testing different ad creatives, landing pages, and keywords to optimize your campaign’s effectiveness.
12. Consider Calculating ROI:
Keep track of conversions and cost per conversion. Calculate your return on investment (ROI) to ensure your PPC spending is generating the desired results.
Why law firms struggle to track their PPC campaign ROI
ROI serves as the most potent means of substantiating the campaigns that wield the greatest influence on revenue generation.
However, ascertaining the PPC initiatives that yield optimal ROI presents a formidable task.
Given the expanded usage of diverse marketing touchpoints in the buyers journey by consumers in their pursuit of product and service, obtaining a precise ROI perspectiveas has evolved into an increasingly intricate challenge for advertisers.
Lawyers that fail to track their PPC ROI Remain unaware of the effectiveness of their campaigns, the ones that are working and the ones falling short.
As experienced advertisers would attest, PPC operates on numerical dynamics. To achieve success, you must be willing to invest.
Monitoring ROI provides confirmation of the value of your ads, guiding budget decisions for both current and upcoming campaigns.
How a lawyer can measure their PPC ROI
All that needs to be done is to subtract the costs of PPC ads from the revenue earned from clicks. Hence the result is multiplied by 100 to get the percentage value.
Tools for measuring ROI include:
- Google Analytics
- Ruler analytics
- Cyfe and,
- Marin
Here’s a brief explanation of each of the tools mentioned for measuring ROI:
- Google Analytics:
A powerful and widely used web analytics tool that provides insights into website traffic, user behavior, and conversions. It tracks various metrics like page views, bounce rates, and conversion rates, helping you understand the effectiveness of your online campaigns.
- Ruler Analytics:
This tool offers detailed attribution tracking, helping you connect leads and conversions to specific marketing efforts. It provides valuable information about which channels, campaigns, and keywords are driving the most revenue for your business.
- Cyfe:
Cyfe is a comprehensive dashboard tool that allows you to monitor various metrics from different sources in one place. You can create custom dashboards to track key performance indicators (KPIs) across your marketing efforts, social media, website analytics, and more.
- Marin Software:
Marin is a platform designed to manage and optimize digital advertising campaigns across multiple channels, such as search, social, and display. It provides advanced reporting and optimization features to help you track ROI and make data-driven decisions.
These tools enable you to gather data, analyze performance, and make informed decisions to improve your marketing strategies and achieve a better return on investment for your campaigns.
Final Thoughts and Conclusions
Lawyers must always remember that building a successful PPC campaign takes time and consistency. Hence they need to continuously test and refine their strategies to maximize the effectiveness of their PPC advertising efforts.
Get help
Opting for a marketing agency like Mylegalsoftware, which possesses a comprehensive grasp of working tactics for PPC (Pay-Per-Click) advertising and the entirety of digital marketing within the legal sector, can provide a distinct advantage to legal professionals.
Utilizing our wealth of experience, we will help with your marketing campaign and content, while maintaining adherence to established guidelines.
