Online Advertising and the Law Vertical
Online advertising is an important tool for any attorney looking to generate search engine leads in legal services. Search engine marketing (SEM) is an effective way to get in front of the right clientele by focusing on high intent search queries and matching to relevant ad copy and landing pages.
We can put your ad at the fingertips of a potential legal client in their exact moment of need. Also, we can be present, displaying advertisements front and center.
Lean Heavily on Search
Did you know 71% of Google users stop after the first page of search results? For that reason alone, ranking higher on Google is essential to landing potential clients.
Google search queries are a primary way for potential clients to find your services. If someone is searching for “DUI lawyer in Massachusetts,” and that criteria fits your firm, you will want to be one of the first results they find.
Using Google to find a lawyer is an easy way to find a firm that is right for that potential client. If you rank as one of the top results, you are placing yourself in a position within those Google search results that the client might deem reputable.
To get that top spot on a search page, pay-per-click (PPC) advertising can be crucial. Using PPC places your ads at the top of the search results page. Also, you only pay when someone clicks on the ad.
However, PPC ads for attorneys and law firms require extensive research due to their high-cost keywords. Digital marketing for attorneys and law firms is highly competitive, and you need to ensure that you are targeting the proper keywords in your advertisements to utilize your budget in the best way possible.
Customized Landing Pages Per Campaigns
Landing pages are designed specifically for marketing or advertising campaigns. When a client clicks on the link from an email or ad, it sends them directly to a page of content that fits the goal of the ad campaign.
Since advertising campaigns all have different goals, customized landing pages ensure that they not only fit your campaign but also your brand and brand voice.
Your landing pages should have a specific call to action for your potential clients. Having customized pages creates a more personalized experience for your clients as well as your company’s overall site. With that, you are more likely to get higher conversions through your ad campaigns.
Here are things to consider for your customized landing pages:
- Who is my target audience?
- What types of representation do my clients want?
- How does this landing page reflect my target audience’s wants and needs? (i.e. What should be included?)
- Does my landing page quickly answer their question or easily show them how to get the answer to their question?
- Does this landing page reflect the type of clients that I am looking to represent?
If you are working with someone to create these landing pages, communicating what you want and what you think is best for your law firm ensures that the customized pages receive the best conversion rates. The more specific your needs or your clients’ needs are, the easier it will be to customize the perfect landing pages.
Remarketing as a Marketing Strategy
Remarketing is a digital marketing and online advertising strategy where ads are created and targeted to people who have already visited your site. It is a great way of drawing potential clients or potential returning clients back to your site.
Here are some benefits to remarketing for attorneys and law firms:
- Cost-Effective: You are targeting leads you had already captured once before, giving you a higher chance of conversion.
- Competitive Edge: Your lead might have browsed your law firm’s site in addition to others in the area. By targeting them with an ad to draw them back to your site, you have a competitive advantage over the other firms that they only browsed once.
- Higher Customization: You can fine-tune your ads so that they feel even more customized and personalized towards your target audience.
This target audience has already visited your site at least once. By clicking on it again through a remarketing strategy, they have shown you their interest level. Also, viewing your site more than once helps them remember you as an attorney, or helps them remember your law firm in general.
Perhaps the first time they visited your site they were just browsing to see what attorneys or law firms were out there. If they visit for a second time, it is likely that they have an end goal in mind and are looking to utilize the services that you provide.
Utilize Geo-targeting
Clients do not want to travel far for representation. The two ways to use geo-targeting are through landing pages and advertisements.
Geo-targeting for advertisements, also called local PPC, are ads that use local clients as their target audience. Ad search campaigns can target clients looking for representation in their specific area. For example, if you create an ad campaign for “attorneys in Worcester MA,” anyone searching specifically for that will see a link to your site at the top of the Google search results page. When used efficiently, this can be an easy way to ensure an increase in conversions.
Customized geo landing pages show your clients that you can represent them specifically in their town or district. Typically, a geo landing page for an attorney or law firm will show that you represent them in their specific courthouse. That way, they can easily guarantee that you are an appropriate candidate, even if your office location is outside of their area.
SEO as a Diversified Strategy for Both Sides
Another strategic online marketing tool is Search Engine Optimization (SEO). This is a perfect diversified accompaniment to paid search marketing. SEO focuses on content, link building, and the technical makeup of the site to increase the website’s ranking organically.
With organic and paid search efforts, you are essentially doubling your chance of inbound leads and traffic, which can lead to a significant return on investment. With SEO, you can maximize the potential for higher conversions on your website.
Even without paid advertising, SEO can help your site rank on the first page of a Google search results page. Technical SEO ensures that when potential clients land on your site, they have a positive user experience, so they can focus on what is important: your services.
Not sure whether to invest in SEO or Google Search Ads or both? Check out our breakdown of each one to determine what works best for you.
Contact Us with Any Questions
If you have any questions on what search engine marketing is or how to best utilize these marketing platforms, please reach out to us at (413) 626-5122. We would love to help you grow your law firm!
