Online visibility is essential for businesses of all sizes, regardless of industry. The success of an organization online relies heavily on effective digital marketing strategies and choosing the right tools to promote their products or services.
Two of the long-established tactics are Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising.
With SEO focusing more on organic search results and PPC establishing a presence through ads, organizations need options that cater to both approaches in order to effectively increase their visibility.
This article will compare SEO and PPC strategies as well as explore how integrating the two can further provide greater reach, wider audience engagement, and overall better marketing ROI for any business or entity looking to optimize its online portfolio.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a set of digital marketing strategies designed to generate organic website traffic from search engine result pages. The goal of SEO is to achieve higher search engine rankings for relevant keywords and phrases, resulting in increased visibility and more visitors to the target website.
Effective SEO involves activities such as keyword research, on-page optimization, content creation, off-page optimization technical optimizations, Link Building, etc., all geared towards providing quality solutions and more knowledgeable info particularly related to their customer’s specified interests to existing users and those looking into possible ventures.
But the best SEO is combined with PPC.
On-page optimization is the practice of optimizing individual web pages to make them more recognizable, engross readers in their content, rank higher in search engine result pages (SERPs), and improve user experience.
It involves updating specific aspects of a web page such as adjusting backend code, amending HTML tags, refining image compression, publishing quality content, and making statements and terms precise and concise with keywords that match users’ queries and other search phrases.
Adopting SEO best practices for on-page optimization can impact both organic search visibility and website visitors significantly without breaking the budget.
Off-page optimization is an essential component of optimizing online visibility, both for search engines and users. This includes activities like content marketing, link building, outreach campaigns, social media strategies, and other forms of external promotion.
It works to establish a strong reputation and increase overall trustworthiness in the eyes of search engines by sharing views, opinions, and content with audiences beyond a website’s own domain.
By connecting people with high-value sites or other resources related to their interests throughout wider networks across the internet off-page optimization helps to build positive associations that lead to better rankings and increased user engagement. Additionally, it can produce greater traffic given its passive but effective nature of sprawling links out beyond one’s site boundaries.
Technical optimization is a fundamental component of an effective SEO strategy and includes practical means of improving the crawlability and indexing capabilities of websites.
Technical SEO measures help search engine bots better access and understand website content. This makes them easier to find for search query results, providing improved visibility in SERP rankings.
Some key areas to focus on include page speed, URL structure, mobile responsiveness, site architecture, structured data markup implementation, etc. To optimize your website from a technical point-of-view requires expertise in coding knowledge & implementations such as HTML & AMP improvement.
Organic traffic generation is an important benefit of leveraging SEO effectively. Organic search engine listings are located along the results page without companies having to pay for placement and as a result offer alluringly low-cost, long-term sustainability.
When businesses optimize carefully selected keywords in their website content and strengthen domains’ authority through backlinks, SEO bolsters visibility despite high-ranking competitors.
Plus, acquired organic traffic provides trustworthiness and credibility that many webs savvy value more than sponsored product placement or paid advertising offerings found in SERP (Search Engine Results Pages).
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) breathes life into businesses by making them visible and relevant in the online space. As a result, search engine rankings go up and more customers are exposed to the products or services provided by the business.
One of the most important benefits of SEO is its long-term sustainability – based on quality content that adds value to visitors searching for answers, businesses are able to not just earn improved search rankings but also establish trust with their target audience.
The biggest benefit of SEO is cost-effectiveness. Unlike full-fledged PPC campaigns, the investment required for a successful SEO strategy is much lower in comparison and operations can produce long-term benefits without recurring costs.
Moreover, search engine crawlers are completely free if your website content is properly optimized to rank high on SERPs organically. Also since your rankings evolve with changes in algorithms accordingly along with great web visibility free of charge makes it more suitable especially for businesses dealing with low budgets or tight deadlines yet expecting higher ROI through marketing efforts.
Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising is an effective online marketing method used to directly drive traffic and leads to specific websites. It relies on keywords or phrases being purchased by advertisers, allowing them to be seen more prominently in search engine results— creating immediate visibility for businesses.
The main objective of a PPC campaign is to generate revenue while reaching the target audience with a focused backed assessment along with Google ads remarketing tactics. With PPC campaigns, businesses can purchase impressions at setup cost requirement amounts and receive long-term sustainable benefits related.
When it comes to PPC (Pay-Per-Click) advertising, there are many different platforms available. Google Ads is the most popular and widely used platform for companies of all sizes. In addition, paid search tools like Bing Ads and Yahoo Search Marketing are powerful options for those looking to maximize their reach while minimizing costs.
Companies looking for a more targeted approach may consider exploring social media channels like Facebook Ads or Twitter Ads. Each platform offers unique benefits in terms of audience targeting, budget allocation, creative design capabilities, and performance analytics that could help shape an overall online strategy for better visibility and ROI.
Keyword research and selection are critical for running a successful PPC campaign. Through effective keyword research, marketers can identify the exact terms and phrases their target audience is using when searching online. This enables them to craft ads that will appear whenever users search for these specific keywords.
The right keywords should be chosen based on relevance to one’s offering, their intent level (research vs booking), which match types it supports (broad-match, exact, or phrase-match), and competition levels so as maximize ad performance while avoiding expensive bidding wars with competitors.
Once the new advertiser has implemented the newly researched keywords into targeted campaigns they should consistently monitor keyword performance in an effort to add value through optimizing existing campaigns.
Ad creation and optimization are important elements of a successful PPC campaign, as they influence click-through rates.
For an effective campaign, businesses need to select researched keywords that draw attention from relevant audiences. The ads should include captivating copy that grabs potential customers’ attention and convinces them to take action by clicking the ad – compelling headlines, coupled with detailed promotional descriptions can help increase overall conversions.
Additionally, formats such as local search ads call for special tailoring that fixated cites your services or products; all of this needs to be done in the most economical word count possible. Depending on the different platforms available such as Google Ads or Facebook Ad campaigns, technical aspects including structured display settings can powerfully influence user engagement.
When creating and managing a successful PPC campaign, landing page optimization is essential for delivering effective results.
It is necessary to ensure that the ad will actually take users to a destination page optimized to fulfill the desired goals of the campaign. The landing page should contain elements related closely to the keywords they used in their search, reinforcing that relevance all throughout their interaction with your brand.
Creating compelling calls-to-action (CTA) on meaningful pages provides users with the direction regarding what best suits their needs as well as enhances opportunities for conversions or other objectives.
PPC (Pay-Per-Click) is an effective marketing strategy for achieving immediate and targeted visibility online.
Unlike SEO, you don’t have to wait weeks, months, or years before your campaigns start delivering results – they’re usually seen visibly and almost immediately once the campaign launches, making it a great choice, especially for established brands looking to make quick changes in incoming traffic as well as new businesses eager to lure initially customers.
Moreover, PPC advertisers can employ sophisticated targeting capabilities so that ads appear only to those interested individuals hoping to manipulate their budget constraints and overall ROI far more effectively than using traditional methods of advertising efforts such as radio or newspaper campaigns.
PPC advertising gives marketers the ability to capitalize on precise audience segmentation and targeting capabilities. This means that they have complete control over who sees their ads and thus enables them to reach a highly targeted group of individuals through many narrow criteria than possible with SEO or broadcast techniques.
Additionally, PPC affords advertisers better control over where their campaign stands in nearby searches related to their offer compared to other organic results. Because of this increased visibility for individualized offerings, it becomes easier to attract new customers efficiently and quickly by reaching users most interested in the available services or products.
All of this is made possible without any additional costs as known in traditional methods for outward advertisement coverage across well-defined geographies or segmented markets.
The use of Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising has opened up many new opportunities for businesses to maximize their resources and reach the maximum number of customers.
As its name implies, PPC campaigns involve businesses bidding on specific keywords in search engines in exchange for displaying advertisements. With every click of these ads, the business is charged a certain amount.
One advantage of employing this marketing strategy is that you can easily measure your Return On Investments (ROI). With careful planning in terms of keyword selection, ad optimizing strategy, budget allocation, and much more one can eventually curate an effective PPC campaign leading to high ROIs without making hefty investments.
Additionally, these campaigns are easily adjustable based on user feedback and target audience preferences allowing you continuously refine it with the help of performance data.
Integrating SEO and PPC improves the visibility of a business’s online presence. By taking advantage of both strategies, it can maximize reach across channels more effectively.
For example, through an enhanced presence in organic search results and expanded visibility through paid sponsored ads that are typically strategically placed on the page. This combination will effectively target potential customers while enhancing brand awareness thus providing tangible ROI for businesses.
In addition, leveraging keyword research insights from SEO & PPC diligently helps identify high-performing keywords to tailor campaigns according to audiences’ needs accurately, allowing adjusted strategy As needed along their journey from awareness to consideration and completion stages with the data available.
Therefore optimizing future growth opportunities by making informed decisions backed up by appropriate data performance analyses in digital marketing plans.
Leveraging keyword insights is a key benefit to integrating SEO and PPC strategies. Identifying which keywords are performing successfully with search engine users can be used to optimize both organic and paid search campaigns.
For example, recommendations from keyword research done on one platform such as Google Ads can also be applied when refining SEO efforts for better rankings on the organic side of SERPs.
Knowing what words or phrases people are using more often in searches means businesses can create more engaging content, landing pages, and advertising copy that helps them reach more qualified audiences quickly.
Additionally, marketers can use keyword trends to respond accordingly so their messages stay relevant in competitive industries where keywords constantly shift and evolve over time.
Integrating SEO and PPC can help generate key data and insights which, when used effectively, can improve the overall online visibility of a business.
Data-driven decision-making allows businesses to leverage all available SEO and PPC analytics to identify high-performing keywords, refine targeting strategies, maximize reach through both organic and paid digital presences, adjust campaign budgets towards more effective channels or channels with better ROI potential; as well as optimize other areas of their marketing strategy.
In conclusion, you can see the distinct benefits and specific limitations of either SEO or PPC strategies when utilized independently.
But by combining both strategies into an integrated approach for maximizing online visibility, there are unique opportunities to tap into keyword insights and data-driven decision-making that would maximize ROI for any business.
Multiple case studies have demonstrated increased effectiveness when optimizing across multiple channels in a cohesive strategy, regardless of budget size or sector.
If you understand how SEO and PPC work together, your brand will naturalize itself as one that is more visible and attractive in search results resulting in a powerful competitive advantage.
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Whether you’re a life coach or a business coach, you need a steady flow of leads to stay profitable. It’s not enough to post on social media. No matter how popular you become, being well-liked and even loved doesn’t guarantee clients.
For coaching businesses, pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns can be a powerful way to attract high-intent leads – people actively looking for transformation, accountability, and clarity. But you can’t just throw some ads up on Google and expect results. You need a strategy that uses the right targeting, messaging, and structure to avoid expensive lessons in trial and error.
In this guide, we’ll break down the essentials of building cost-effective PPC campaigns designed specifically for coaches who want conversions, clients, and growth.
The first step to creating any high-performing PPC campaign is identifying what your potential clients are searching for online. PPC ads show up in search results (Google, Bing) and social media feeds (Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok) based on the phrases users type into the search bar when looking for content.
To get your ads seen by your ideal clients, you’ll need to tap into their innermost thoughts – like a burned out executive searching TikTok at 2:00 a.m. for “how to find my purpose” or “how to get a promotion.” You’ll want to target searches that indicate the user is unhappy and is looking for a solution that coaching can help them achieve.
Not all keywords are equal. You’ll get more leads that convert by targeting keywords that indicate a user is ready to take action. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, Semrush, and Ubersuggest to find keywords with strong intent. High-intent searches might include phrases like:
· Business coach for entrepreneurs
· Life coaching to reduce stress
· Life coaching to find my purpose
· How to grow my small business fast
· Career transition coaching
These and similar phrases related to your coaching business will be the foundation for your paid ad campaign on any platform.
The customer journey consists of three stages that lead someone into the buying stage:
· Stage 1: Awareness. The prospect is aware they need help, but they don’t know exactly what they need or how to get it.
· Stage 2: Consideration. The prospect has named their problem and are actively looking for a solution.
· Stage 3: Decision. The prospect knows they want to work with a coach, and they’re in the process of deciding who to work with.
If you’re running a full marketing campaign with email marketing, you’ll want to run ads that address leads in all three stages. The people you capture in stages one and two will need to be nurtured over time through email. Leads you capture in stage 3 can be more easily turned into a paying client faster. If you aren’t capturing emails yet, only target leads in stages two and three for the best results.
No matter what type of coach you are, your ideal clients will have a variety of goals and pain points. Not everyone will share the same concerns or desires. For example, some business owners want to grow their business and open new locations, while others want to build a stronger team or increase their revenue. Some life coaching clients want better relationships while others want to find their life purpose. When you run ads, your target market needs to think, “this ad is for me.” Generic copy won’t cut it.
You’ll need to run a different ad campaign aimed at each client avatar. To get the most conversions, you’ll need to reach one avatar at a time. Speaking to one avatar in your ads and landing page copy allows you to go deep into their needs, fears, hopes, worries, and concerns. The more specifically you can connect with people, the more likely they are to convert.
To figure out what your ideal clients want, think about their struggles and the potential keywords they might be searching on various platforms. For example, a lot of people are unhappy at work. In this case, potential keywords they might be searching for include:
· How to find a job that doesn’t suck
· How to handle conflict at work
· How to win respect at work
Once you know the pain points you want to target, craft your messages so they speak to emotional triggers. People respond to a sense of urgency (“Burned out? Don’t wait”), personal growth promises (“Find your life purpose in 90 days”), and emotional relief (“Stop second-guessing yourself”). Speak to where your ideal client is right now and show them you can take them where they want to be.
Using this information, you’ll craft ads with headlines, copy, and corresponding landing page copy that speaks directly to your ideal clients. For example, your ads might look like this:
Problem/Keyword search: How to find a job that doesn’t suck
Ad headline: Hate Mondays? Let’s Fix That.
Ad copy:
You spend 90,000 hours of your life at work. Shouldn’t more of them feel fulfilling? Learn how to reconnect with purpose and enjoy what you do. Book your free clarity call now.
Problem/Keyword search: How to handle conflict at work
Ad headline: Tired of Office Drama? Here’s Your Way Out
Ad copy:
Learn strategies to set boundaries and manage work conflict like a pro. Click for a free strategy session.
Problem/Keyword search: How to win respect at work
Ad headline: Feel Invisible at Work? Let’s Change That
Ad copy:
You’ve got the skills. You put in the hours. But the recognition never follows. Sound familiar? Respect isn’t about being louder – it’s about confidence, clarity, and strategy. Book your free consultation and finally be recognized for your full value.
Just like each of your ads target a specific avatar, your landing pages need to do the same. Don’t send traffic to your homepage. Your landing page should reflect exactly what your ad promised.
If your ad says, “Executive Coaching for Burnout Recovery,” then the landing page should address burnout, speak directly to executive professionals, and offer a call-to-action (CTA) for a discovery call.
Effective landing pages consist of the following elements:
· A dedicated page made just for your ad
· A seamless transition from ad to landing page
· A clear headline that addresses the pain point directly
· Testimonials or results from real clients if possible
· A strong CTA, like “Book your free 30-minute breakthrough session”
· A clickable phone number or link to book a call immediately
Remember, you’re not selling coaching services. You’re selling a better version of your prospect’s life. Make sure your copy reflects that.
Coaches often underspend on ads, thinking they can game the system with just $5/day. That’s not an effective strategy. What you may not realize is that setting a low budget actually reduces the number of people who see your ad. Your ad visibility increases the more you spend.
Start with a modest, but meaningful budget of at least $1,500-$2,000 per month. The good news is your cost per click (CPC) will be significantly lower than other industries, like legal and insurance. However, if you’re not sure how to set a PPC budget or handle bidding strategies, hire a professional PPC agency to manage your ads. It’s the easiest way to avoid costly mistakes.
Your ads should target the right people at the right time.
First, think about your ideal client who is looking for your services.
Who hires coaches? Usually, it’s:
· Entrepreneurs who feel stuck or overwhelmed
· People who want to start a business, but don’t know where to begin
· Mid-level professionals seeking career growth
· High achievers facing burnout
· People at a personal crossroads (divorce, job loss, mid-life crisis, etc.)
Once you pinpoint who might be looking for your services, you’ll need to choose the right advertising platforms. Your main options are:
· TikTok Ads
· Instagram Ads
· Pinterest Ads
Advertising on each of these platforms comes with pros and cons – some are specific to coaching services. For example, while Pinterest is likely cheaper than Google, Pinterest leads might not be committed. However, TikTok and YouTube users frequently search for solutions to specific problems.
You might be surprised to learn that TikTok is a gold mine for coaching businesses. It’s not just an app for teens. Over 71% of TikTok’s users are between 18-34 years old, and 32% are 25-34 years old.
Unlike other platforms, TikTok doesn’t function like a typical social media platform where the purpose is to build a community. It’s more like an outreach platform and people are constantly discovering new content creators. The algorithm’s goal is to get as many people watching content for as long as possible. To achieve this, users are given content based on their interests, not just from people they follow. You don’t need followers or viral content to get seen. Each video stands alone in the algorithm and has an equal chance at getting attention.
People use TikTok to find insights and advice on just about everything you can imagine, including personal and business-related situations. While you can run ads on TikTok without a following, it helps to have an established account with solid content. You’ll build more momentum this way, and you can boost your native content to earn more trust across the platform.
Additionally, TikTok ads can target users based on hashtag interactions. People use hashtags on TikTok to find content more than any other platform. If you’re not advertising on TikTok, you’re missing out on clients.
Coaching clients aren’t impulse buyers, and they need to see your face and personality to know if they want to work with you. Wherever you run ads, you can expect people to click on your account to check you out. You’ll get more conversions by publishing short, engaging videos that show your authenticity and provide inspiration and support.
Whichever platform(s) you choose to advertise on, make use of custom audiences to target your potential leads as specifically as possible.
Everyone wants clarity, but not everyone wants to pay for it. That’s why you need to block certain searches using negative keywords. You don’t want your ads to show up for people who are just curious, looking for freebies, or looking for unrelated services. They’ll just click on your ads, waste your ad budget, and potentially waste your time if they sign up for a free call.
Suggested negative keywords for coaches include:
· Free coaching session
· Coach training program (these people want to be coaches, not hire one)
· Sample coaching questions
· Coaching worksheets pdf
Defining these and similar negative keywords will keep your clicks high-quality and your cost per lead low.
It can be exciting to see how many people are viewing and clicking on your ads, and there is a time and place to assess impressions and clicks. However, unless you’re focused on optimizing your ads, forget click-through rates (CTR) and look at how many calls you’re getting booked, how many contact forms are being submitted, and how many email addresses you’re collecting through your lead magnet downloads.
It’s crucial to know which campaigns are bringing you results so you can cut the ones that aren’t working.
People don’t usually buy high-ticket coaching packages the first time around. They need time to research, investigate, and consider their options. You might get some clicks and email signups from your ads that don’t turn into paying clients right away. That’s where remarketing comes in.
Set up ads on Google and Facebook to follow users who have already clicked on your ads and visited your website. Since these ads will be displayed only to people who have already interacted with your brand, you can use different value points to engage them, like testimonials, free guides, and limited-time offers.
Facebook retargeting options are pretty specific compared to other platforms. Since Facebook and Instagram are both owned by Meta, you can target people who have interacted with your Instagram page, too. You can even upload a list of your existing email subscribers from your segment that hasn’t yet converted and target them with relevant ads.
At PPC.co, we help life and business coaches run PPC campaigns that turn clicks into clients. Whether you’re scaling a coaching business or launching your first program, we’ll help you connect with the people actively searching for your services.
Contact us today for a free consultation and let’s start turning your ads into paying clients.
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Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising isn’t an optional marketing accessory – it’s a serious tool for law firms that want measurable results fast. Whether your practice areas involve personal injury, criminal defense, family law, federal crimes, or estate planning, PPC gives you access to leads who need your services now. But throwing money at Google and Facebook without a plan will only drain your budget. If you’re tired of seeing competing law firms outrank you, this guide is for you.
Let’s explore the 10 key aspects of PPC campaigns that will bring you paying clients without wasting your ad spend.
PPC only works if you get the foundation right. That means finding keywords and phrases that your ideal clients type into search engines when they need help. If you choose the wrong keywords, you could end up wasting your ad spend fast. Law firm PPC is highly competitive and one of the most expensive PPC markets around. Small mistakes can cost a lot of money.
To get this done, use keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner, Google Autocomplete, and Semrush to get a list of 30-50 keywords related to your location and practice area.
Remember that PPC keywords will differ from general keywords used to get traffic to your website. You’re paying for each click, so for PPC, you only want to target keywords that indicate the user is likely to become a paying client. High-intent keywords are the ideal target, like “DUI attorney” or “drug charge defense attorney.” These phrases indicate the user is facing charges and needs an attorney now.
Use long-tail keywords related to your practice areas. These are phrases like, “how to beat a DUI charge in [state],” “how much does a child support lawyer cost in [county]?,” and “what should I do after being arrested for [offense]?”
Long-tail keywords are less likely to be cannibalized by your other paid ads, AI-generated summaries, and featured snippets. They’re also more likely to send you hot leads who become clients.
When a user searches for the phrase “how to beat a DUI charge in California,” the algorithm will know the user’s zip code, and will serve them ads for local DUI law firms who have successfully optimized their ads for DUI-charge-related phrases.
Avoid generic keywords, like “lawyer in [city].” While there’s a possibility someone searching for a generic lawyer might need your services, there’s also a chance they’re looking for someone outside of your practice areas. It’s not worth wasting ad spend to find out.
Understand that optimizing your ads for certain searches doesn’t necessarily mean using those exact words in your copy. For example, to optimize for the search “DUI attorney near me,” you’d use the phrase “DUI attorney” and include locations by city name, county, or zip code. You don’t need to include the words “near me” because ad algorithms interpret those words as a command to return local results. Google is good at discerning intent from searches.
Your PPC ads should direct users to a specific landing page created just for that ad. Don’t send people to your home page because it will make conversions harder. Home pages are too generic and will break the user’s sense of continuity and flow.
Each landing page should be specifically relevant to the user’s search query. For example, if your ad talks about services related to divorce, clicking should send users to a web page that outlines your divorce-related services.
Most attorneys create one page for every practice area and send paid ad clicks to those pages. This strategy is good since it serves visitors regardless of their origin. However, in order to track PPC ad conversions, it helps to have landing pages that don’t show up in search results and only get shown via ads. All you need to do is make a copy of your practice area pages, give them friendly URLs, and use them for your ad destinations.
A good landing page will encourage the user to call your law firm right away. To accomplish this, you need the following elements:
Your landing pages serve one purpose: to get users to call your law firm. With that in mind, make sure your phone number is visible on every page above the fold, preferably in your header. To make it clickable use the following markup:
<a href="tel:1234567890">(123) 456-7890</a>
Use this markup for every instance of your phone number throughout your website so mobile users can click to call. This seemingly small convenience will get you more leads.
People need a reason to trust you, so include client testimonials, previous settlement wins, Google and Trustpilot reviews, and links to your Avvo or Martindale profile.
Your copy should aim to convert clicks into leads that either contact you via phone, a contact form, or chat bot. Don’t be wordy – mention your specialty, location, what makes you different, and instruct people to contact you now. For example, your drug charge landing page might state you have 20+ years of experience and that you offer free consultations. Copy doesn’t need to be long to be compelling. For law firms, shorter is better – people don’t have time to read an essay when they’re just trying to get help.
Your CTA should be visible above the fold and on every page throughout your website. It should be clear, short, and direct. For example, tell visitors to call you for a free case evaluation.
Paid ads only work when you’re willing to spend money. If your daily budget isn’t high enough, your ads won’t get served to many people. To increase your impression share and therefore increase ad visibility, you need a good ad Quality Score and a decent budget. Higher bids can push your ads into favorable positions, which can increase your click-through rate (CTR) and generate more conversions.
Legal keywords can cost more than $100 per click, so you need to invest in your ads. However, if you’re doing ads on your own, start with a conservative budget and ramp up once you identify the campaigns that are converting. If you’re working with a reputable PPC agency, you can go all-in from day one without worry.
Even though lawyers typically pay more per lead than other industries, PPC ads are still considered a low-cost, effective form of marketing. Compared to other options, paid ads are cost-effective and excellent for capturing relevant leads immediately. As long as your ads are running, you’ll get clicks to your website.
When you identify your high-performing ads, cut the fat and pause keywords or ads that are underperforming and reallocate that money to your winners. PPC ads need to be managed weekly to ensure optimal performance.
The time your ads run matters; not every hour in the day is equal. There’s no need to advertise 24/7 unless you’re going to answer calls at 3:00 a.m. People might call you, get your voicemail, hang up, and call someone else in the morning. Even if you have a contact form on your website, someone who is stressed out and facing serious criminal charges may not go back to your site to look for an alternate way to contact you. They’ll go to bed and search for someone else in the morning.
So, what are the best hours to run ads? Most law firms see the most conversions during business hours and early evenings, so that’s when your ads should run in local time. Schedule your ads to run during peak hours for mobile searches. This is easy with Google Ads. To avoid paying for junk clicks, turn off your campaigns on holidays, weekends, or hours you aren’t available unless you have someone ready to take calls.
Location targeting is how you’ll get better conversions. You only want people in your local service area to see your ads, but you need to tell the ad platforms where you want your ads to be served.
Target high-value zip codes based on income, need, and proximity. If you work on a contingency basis, you might want to target people regardless of income since you’ll get paid if and when you win their case. However, if you don’t work with contingency fees, you need to be specific about your targets.
It’s equally important to exclude irrelevant locations from your ads. If you notice you’re getting clicks from neighboring states or areas you don’t serve, set your negative geotargeting rules to block them.
To get more clicks from relevant leads, use location-specific copy in your ads. Mention your city or county in the ad headline to catch people’s attention.
Negative keywords are your secret weapon for reducing wasted ad spend on irrelevant clicks. Add negative keywords that would indicate a user is not searching for actual legal services. For example, standard words like “free,” “pro bono,” “advice,” “template,” “blog,” “forum,” or “DIY” are a good place to start. People searching for these words are unlikely to become paying clients.
Other negative keywords to include are phrases and words that:
· Indicate a person is just looking for information or resources, but they don’t need a lawyer
· Are related to legal areas outside of your practice areas
The back end of your PPC platform will track clicks, but you need to track leads. The easiest way to do this is by hiring a PPC agency to manage your entire campaign from top to bottom. However, if you’re running ads in-house, here are some tracking strategies:
· Use call tracking software. You need to know which ads are generating calls. Tools like CallRail and WhatConverts will show you exactly where your calls are coming from.
· Tie form submissions to campaigns. If you just collect general form data, you won’t know where people came from. Connect each form to the ad group or keyword so you can track clicks and conversions.
· Ignore vanity metrics. A high click-through rate doesn’t mean much if you’re not getting conversions. Focus on cost per lead and cost per signed case. If your CTR is exceptionally high compared to conversions, adjust your campaign until you get better results.
Remember that you can’t improve what you don’t track.
While some people will call right away, not everyone looking for legal help will convert immediately. People facing criminal charges are more likely to make immediate phone calls, but when the matter isn’t urgent, people tend to research their options for a bit. This is where remarketing comes into play.
Remarketing ads help you convert more leads by targeting individuals who have already interacted with your ad or website, keeping your law firm at the top of their mind. You can customize your ad based on the web pages they visited for an even more personalized experience. However, you should limit the frequency so your ad doesn’t follow them for weeks or months.
Google Ads Assets are one of the most under-utilized PPC features, but they’re packed with power that can help you generate more high-quality clicks that convert to leads. The most useful assets for law firms include:
· Lead form assets. If you want to advertise during non-business hours, lead form assets will allow users to fill out a form directly within the ad, skipping the landing page completely. This will allow you to gather leads after hours without disappointing users when you don’t answer the phone.
· Location assets. This will display your physical address, hours, phone number, and map with your ads, including on YouTube. You’ll need a Google Business profile to set this up.
· Call assets. This allows users to call you directly from an ad. It displays a click-to-call button for mobile users, and displays your phone number for desktop users. This only works on the Google Search Network.
If you want to enhance your Google Ads performance, Ads Assets are essential.
PPC isn’t something you want to wing, especially when each click can cost $100 or more. If you’re not getting leads, you need a better strategy. Managing legal PPC campaigns requires a lot of time, constant optimization, and a solid understanding of how to attract leads that will become clients. That’s where a PPC agency becomes your competitive advantage.
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