PPC For LawyersChicagoland is a populous metro area with one of the largest court systems in the nation. This is just one example of a competitive geographic region for law firms of all types, there are many similar areas across the U.S.
On any given day, there is probably more than enough activity to generate hits for your search engine optimized blogs and social media posts. Even so, many attorneys still run pay-per-click (PPC) advertising campaigns.
The reason is simple: When used correctly, these ads tend to make money. The key is taking advantage of the unique benefits of PPC, such as clear data on ad effectiveness and the ability to redirect past visitors for repeat exposure.
You may have heard conflicting success stories about this method. The business-development side of law is like the legal side, at least in one respect: There is no single solution that works for everyone. Advice based on your unique situation is always more effective. That said, here are some times when you would want to invest in PPC.
PPC advertising is relatively predictable. That makes it well suited for legal practices that generate predictable revenue from their cases.
There is no minimum, but there is an incentive at higher revenue levels. As your per-case earnings increase, the profitability of PPC also typically increases. If you consistently get large cases, it is more likely that well-targeted ad campaigns are going to provide a desirable ROI.
There are not many opportunities for instant gratification in the practice of law, but PPC advertising is relatively close. Especially compared to the time investment of rolling out a new SEO campaign, using PPC tends to get your content in front of potential clients quickly.
SEO depends on consistent, organic growth before your site reaches the first page for competitive search terms — something like building your reputation with a search engine. On the other hand, PPC ads have the potential to put you right where people are already looking. Your overall strategy should probably include both.
If you are staking your claim to a territory, PPC would be a reasonable choice. The various leading online advertisers allow you to tweak your audience in almost any way you choose, such as by location or demographic factors. Options get about as specific as you can imagine.
PPC and SEO often complement each other. For example, your SEO practices — which would include writing high-quality blogs and informative web pages — could provide strong landing sites for your advertising efforts.
Analytics from an established SEO program could also give you a head start when determining important elements of your PPC campaign, such as search keywords or target markets.
To sum up, take a good look at your situation before you commit part of the business development budget of your practice to PPC advertisements. There is usually a way to profit from these tools, but your unique case will determine exactly where, when, and how to implement your strategy.
If you wish to learn more about promoting your law practice through PPC or have any questions regarding digital marketing for your legal firm, contact FORWARD Lawyer Marketing at (888) 590-9687.
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