Tag Archive for: google ads for law firms

5 Benefits of Law Firms Utilizing Local Service Ads (LSAs)

/by

What if your law firm was the first thing potential clients saw on Google? If your name appeared even above the pay-per-click ads, you’d significantly boost your online exposure. This is possible with Google Local Service Ads (LSAs). 

Many law firms don’t much, or even anything, about LSAs, so miss out on this excellent opportunity for fresh leads. Here’s what you need to know about LSAs and five benefits your law firm can realize by using them. 

What are Local Service Ads (LSAs) for Law Firms?

Google Local Service Ads are usually referred to as LSAs. These first launched as a beta program in 2015, where Google only offered the service to a few types of businesses in certain U.S. and Canadian markets. More cities and specialties were added throughout 2018 and 2019, and LSAs have become a popular form of law firm advertising since around 2020. 

These are paid ads that appear on the Google search results page when someone is searching for a relevant local business. They will show up even before regular Google Ads. LSAs are unique in that they provide the name, phone number, and address of the business. The businesses listed in LSAs have also been carefully vetted by Google, so they aren’t open to everyone. 

What Law Firms Are Eligible for LSA?

When you set up your Local Service Ads account, Google will as you what area of the law your firm covers. This is because LSAs aren’t open to all law firms. Here is a list of the practice areas that are currently eligible for the program:

  • Bankruptcy Law
  • Business Law
  • Contract Law
  • Criminal Defense Law
  • Disability Law
  • DUI Law
  • Estate Law
  • Family Law
  • Immigration Law
  • Intellectual Property Law
  • Labor Law
  • Litigation Law
  • Malpractice Law
  • Personal Injury Law
  • Real Estate Law
  • Tax Law
  • Traffic Law

If your law firm’s area of practice isn’t on this list, it may be at some point. Google is always updating and adding to its advertising services. 

5 Benefits of Law Firms Utilizing LSAs

If you haven’t given Local Service Ads a try, here are five benefits to using this specific digital marketing strategy. 

1. Increased Visibility

When people do a Google search, especially one for a local business, they are most likely to click on one of the page’s top results. Local Service Ads appear at the very top of Google’s search results, before any other paid ads or the organic results. So, if your firm is running LSAs, you have a chance to get the most visibility. According to Google, businesses that run LSAs receive a 20% increase in leads, on average. 

2. More Targeted Advertising

Another major advantage of Local Service Ads for law firms is that they are highly targeted to your ideal client groups. You can set up your ads so that they only show for people looking for the services you provide in a specific area, such as a city or zip code. This ensures you aren’t wasting your advertising dollars on strategies that aren’t likely to bear fruit. 

3. Increased Trust

One of the most attractive things about LSAs is that businesses running them receive a badge next to their name indicating they’ve been “GOOGLE SCREENED.” The fact that the search engine giant has gone through this process and given your business a stamp of approval will help foster trust with prospective clients. This is one of the first steps in converting them to actual clients. 

4. Better Quality Leads

Because LSAs are so targeted, the leads your firm will receive from the ads will be of much higher quality than those you’ll get from other sources. People who click on your ad are clearly searching for the legal services you provide in your geographic area, so they are more likely to hire you. And LSAs include your phone number, which encourages a prompt contact. 

5. Greater Competitive Advantage

The legal industry is highly competitive. And many law firms have yet to discover Local Service Ads. If your competitors aren’t running LSAs, you will have a distinctive edge when it comes to your online visibility and generating quality leads. Even if your competitors are running LSA, you can differentiate your law firm by collecting positive feedback from clients and delivering superior service. 

Setting Up Your Google Local Service Ads

Setting up your Local Service Ads is similar to other ad campaigns. You follow the steps laid out by Google to create your account and publish your ads. One of the main differences is that you will need to get screened by Google, which is a free service. 

For lawyers, some of the requirements you’ll be asked to meet include:

  • License Check
  • Owner Background Check
  • Business/Professional Background Check

If there are several attorneys at your firm, there will be a state bar license check for each one. 

Once you’ve completed this screening process, you will be asked to fill out your business listing information. This information includes:

  • Business name
  • Address with a link to Google Maps
  • Phone number
  • Practice areas
  • Business hours
  • Geographic area served
  • General overview statement
  • Headshots of the legal team
  • Customer reviews

These are considered Pay-Per-Lead ads, meaning you pay for every qualified lead. The charges are automatic, so you will need to dispute any charges you believe aren’t valid. For most law firms, this lead generation strategy delivers excellent results. 

Don’t Have Time to Create Local Service Ads (LSAs)? Too Darn Loud Legal Marketing Can Help

Maybe all of this information has convinced you that your law firm needs Local Service Ads. But you may not have time to devote to LSAs or would rather place your law firm’s marketing in the hands of an expert. We get it and would be happy to help. 

Too Darn Loud Legal Marketing specializes in helping law firms get found and chosen by their target clients in their local markets. We understand how LSAs work and can help integrate these into your overall digital marketing strategy. 

To find out more about how we can help your firm, call us today at (800) 864-1764 or contact us online. We offer a free internet marketing assessment and website evaluation to get started. 

Facebook vs. Google Ads – Where Should Law Firms Invest?

/by

Does your law firm want to reach its target audience the fastest way possible? And do you want to do it in a way that is affordable and gives you access to data about where your ad dollars are being spent?

PPC (pay per click) advertising is the ideal solution that checks all of those boxes. You can be up and running in just a few hours, you only pay for the results you get (clicks on your ads), and you get detailed insights about your efforts. 

But, as with most things online today, you have choices. Facebook and Google ads are the main players in the PPC space. So, where should your law firm invest to get the best results? Here is what you need to know about these platforms, including the pros and cons of each. 

How Facebook Ads Work for Law Firms

With 2.91 billion monthly active users, Facebook is the largest social media platform on the planet. Ads on Facebook display either in the column to the right of the newsfeed or directly in the newsfeed, labeled as an advertisement. If your law firm is thinking about using Facebook ads, here are some of the pros and cons of this option. 

Pros of Facebook Ads for Law Firms

Powerful Targeting and Remarketing

Because the platform collects so much data about its users, Facebook offers advertisers some of the most powerful ad targeting capabilities available. This means that an estate planning attorney in Birmingham can target clients within a 50-mile radius who are married. Or a mass tort lawyer might target people who have joined certain Facebook groups related to product issues. 

Facebook also provides advertisers with a pixel to install on their websites for retargeting. After a prospect visits your site, they will begin seeing your ads on their Facebook timeline to keep your firm top of mind. You can run ads that focus on things like past settlements and client testimonials to demonstrate why your firm is a good choice. 

Fast Results

Advertising through traditional channels, like billboards and print media, takes time. But Facebook ads can be up and running in just a few minutes. If you’re looking for a quick way to get exposure for your law firm and generate traffic, these ads are an option. 

Good Cost-Per-Click

It’s common knowledge that Google Ads for law firms can be costly because they are so competitive. Comparatively, Facebook ads are much more affordable. 

Flexible Options

Another benefit of using Facebook advertising is its flexibility. You have a ton of options in the way you present your ads to your target audience. You can select images, text, and even video ads to highlight your law firm. 

Cons of Facebook Ads for Law Firms

Limited to Facebook Users

It’s important to understand that Facebook ads will be limited to users of this social network. If your target audience isn’t on Facebook, your ad dollars would be more wisely spent elsewhere. 

Ad Fatigue is Real

Most people aren’t on Facebook to find products or services. Rather, they are there to interact with friends and family, and the platform’s algorithm largely favors those posts. Understanding this, a portion of your audience will either entirely ignore your ads or tire of seeing them after a few days or weeks. 

Possible Low Conversion Rates

Conversion rates can be lower than with Google Ads because these ads are shown to an audience you define. In contrast, Google Ads are shown to people who are specifically looking for your services. 

Can Be Complex

While Facebook ads offer many advanced features, setting them up and interpreting the results can be challenging. 

How Google Ads Work for Law Firms

Google Ads can display in two places – at the top of the Google search results page and across the Google display network. Since Google is the most widely-used search engine, these ads are a powerful marketing tool. Here are some of the pros and cons of using them for your law firm. 

Pros of Google Ads for Law Firms

Targeted Marketing

When you advertise with Google, you are only showing ads to people who have demonstrated a desire to hire a lawyer or who are looking for legal information. You select specific keyword phrases to target, like “divorce lawyer Biloxi” or “car crash attorney Memphis” as well as some demographic data. And you only pay for the ad when a lead clicks through to your website. 

Fast Results

Like Facebook ads, you can set up a Google Ads campaign and begin seeing results in a matter of a few minutes or hours. That said, you will get much better results if you take the time to research keywords, target your audience, and design a winning ad. 

Easy to Measure

Google is known for supplying plenty of useful data to its clients. When you set up a PPC campaign, you can instantly track its performance and make quick adjustments to improve your ROI. 

Cons of Facebook Ads for Law Firms

Can Be Costly

Legal ads on Google are considered competitive and costly. If you’re not careful, your advertising spend can quickly get out of control. Fortunately, the platform allows you to set a maximum budget for your campaigns so that you don’t overspend.

Requires Optimization

Google Ads are not set-and-forget campaigns. They require consistent monitoring and tweaking to achieve the best possible results. You’ll want to continue to explore new ad types and keyword phrases so that you can reach your target audience effectively and affordably.

Get Help With Your Law Firm Advertising

While both strategies are effective for law firm marketing, each has its strengths and weaknesses. When used as part of a comprehensive digital marketing strategy, you are likely to get the best results from both solutions.

If you want to invest in online ads for your law firm but don’t know where to start, we can help. Too Darn Loud Legal Marketing will work with you to create high return campaigns that generate quality leads. We are an agency that works with law firms nationwide to deliver results-based digital marketing solutions. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation to learn more.