Tips for Mounting a Successful PPC Campaign
If you’re starting a new law firm, or looking to build your existing firm’s client base in today’s market, you need to commit a significant part of your advertising budget to digital marketing. Studies show that nearly two out of every three prospective clients (people in need of legal services) initiate their search for legal counsel online, either going to a search engine or visiting a specific attorney’s website.
You already have a website… maybe you’re active on a few social media platforms… that should get you a lot of visibility online, right? But the digital marketplace is highly competitive, with many lawyers and law firms fighting for a piece of the action. Even well-optimized content may not be enough to generate the visibility you need. It might be time to develop a pay-per-click campaign.
What Is Pay-Per-Click?
Pay-per-click, or PPC, is a digital marketing strategy where the cost of the advertising is based on the number of times a web user clicks on the advertisement. The party purchasing the advertising typically pays a specific fee each time someone clicks the online ad. PPC ads generally appear at the top of the first search engine results page (SERP). You may also see picture ads on the right-hand side of the first SERP. Those also are generally PPC ads.
How Does Your PPC Ad Show Up on the SERP?
Though the whole process is a bit complex, PPC works primarily on an auction-type basis. Advertisers bid on the right to use specific keywords. The auction takes place at the time a web user conducts a search using the keyword. The advertiser who bids the most for the use of that keyword at that time wins, and their ad appears on the first SERP.
Tips for a Successful PPC Campaign
Obviously, you need to set your maximum bid high enough that you win some bids and thereby gain online visibility, but there are additional considerations. First, you’re just throwing money away if you win bids but the people who see your ads never contact you. It’s also counterproductive if your PPC ads attract the wrong types of clients. Here are some specific strategies to improve the chances that your PPC campaign will bring in new clients:
- Bid on long-tail legal keywords—Long-tail keywords are just what the name suggests—longer phrases that include more detailed information. “Truck accident attorney” would not be considered a long-tail keyword, but “Mountain View 18-wheeler commercial truck accident attorney” would. Long-tail keywords target a smaller audience, and generally produce fewer searches, but they result in greater conversion. In addition, because there is less competition for long-tail keywords, the cost-per-click is less. Make certain, though, that your long-tail keywords include specific legal terms, and put your long-tail keywords in the headers and body of your PPC advertisements.
- Differentiate your practice—You’ll have limited advertising space, so use it effectively. There may be many other firms doing what you do, so find ways to let prospective clients know why you’re better able to meet their needs. Experience is by far the most important consideration. Make certain your ad copy tells people what you’ve done and how long you’ve been doing it.
- Target your ads geographically—You want to target prospective clients who can easily travel to your office, so bid on keywords that include geographic locations near you. The more specific you are, the better. You’ll have less competition for smaller communities, so you’ll pay less to get your ads viewed.
- Consider using Google ad extensions—Google offers a number of features, known as “ad extensions,” that they claim will enhance your click-through rate (CTR). These extensions include location information, call buttons, and direct links to specific pages on your website.
- Make your website mobile-friendly—The vast majority of all searches worldwide are done on a smartphone, tablet, or other mobile device. You don’t want to pay winning bids only to have potential clients find online content that doesn’t load well or that can’t easily be viewed on a mobile device.
- Review your performance and be willing to make changes—Unless your PPC campaign is producing more leads and/or clients than your firm can handle, you’ll want to actively evaluate the results of your PPC campaign and be willing to experiment with different long-tail keywords or ways to modify your advertising content.
Let GetLegal Help You Use PPC to Build Your Law Firm Client Base
At GetLegal, we provide a wide range of digital marketing services to lawyers and law firms nationwide, offering an extensive selection of digital marketing tools to help strengthen and build your law practice, including full-service website development (with custom content and design), search engine optimization, PPC campaigns, directory placements, video production, online reputation management tools, and social media strategies. To take advantage of our 20+ years of experience, go to https://glpbpro.wpengine.com/ or call 1-877-359-7077.
