Pay-per-click ads for lawyers can be a risky and expensive endeavor if you’re not sure what you’re doing. Broad search terms like “lawyer” and “attorney” can average $100 or more per click, and even locally-focused terms can be ultra-competitive.
So, it’s easy to see why many attorneys turn to companies that specialize in setting up legal PPC campaigns—they want to attract new clients and improve the visibility of their firm, but they don’t want their money spent recklessly.
DUI attorneys, in particular, have a challenging time enjoying success with PPC because it's an intensely competitive marketplace.
Having said that, if you’re a DUI attorney looking to use pay-per-click ads to bring new clients to your practice, there ARE smart ways you can stand out from the ever-growing crowd….
Make use of every relevant extension
Every PPC campaign you launch should incorporate relevant extensions such as online reviews, geographic targeting, click-to-call, and sitelinks.
(These are by no means the only extensions you can incorporate, but chances are, your competitors aren’t using them right now.)
The more relevant extensions you use, the better your odds of attracting a potential client searching for a DUI attorney on the Internet.
With extensions, people can find your phone number, see your track record of success, read reviews from past clients, and get driving directions to your firm with a single click—you’re making it fast and easy for potential clients to contact you, and with DUIs, time is of the essence.
Match the searcher’s intent
Intent is one of the crucial, differentiating pieces between a click that results in a new client, versus a click that results in money spent with nothing to show for it. Therefore, your PPC ads MUST MATCH the searcher’s intent.
For example, even though potential clients might search for things like “questions for DUI defense attorneys”, you wouldn’t want to spend your money setting up an ad for this particular keyphrase where you pay for every click.
However, you WOULD want to spend your money setting up an ad for a key phrase like “hire a DUI lawyer in [CITY]” because that keyphrase is laden with intent—whoever is searching with that phrase is actively looking for an attorney.
Target your ideal client
All DUI-cases are not created equal.
Therefore, you should create PPC ads that target your ideal client.
You can do this in a variety of ways, from the language you use to write your actual PPC ad, to the keyphrase you want your ad to target (for example, “How will a DUI impact my medical license?” or “Can I lose my real estate license after a DUI?”).
If you know that you’d rather spend your time defending high-value, white-collar DUI cases, create PPC campaigns that target those individuals.
Invest in Call-Only Campaigns
Call-only campaigns were launched in February of 2018 and represent a boon to DUI attorneys looking to keep their phones ringing off the hook.
Optimized for mobile devices, call-only campaigns are designed so that all a prospect needs to do is tap on the ad to initiate a call to your firm.
Unlike clicks, which may not ultimately result in a new client for any number of reasons, phone calls are a high-value opportunity for your firm, and should be prioritized over the average PPC campaign. And because you’re only billed when a prospect actually calls your firm, it’s easier to measure your ROI.
But most importantly, because call-only campaigns are new, many DUI attorneys aren’t taking advantage of them, which means you have an opportunity to get ahead of the pack by investing in this form of advertising ASAP.
