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When done right, PPC (Pay Per Click) is a highly effective marketing channel for companies operating in the professional services sector. However, many accountancy and legal firms in particular are faced with challenges and struggle to run successful campaigns and achieve ROI.
The legal industry especially faces fierce competition which means that bidding on certain keywords such as ‘personal injury lawyer’ can be very expensive. When you have several law firms targeting the same keywords, Google is able to inflate costs and capitalise on this. And with everyone competing to be at the top of the SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages), it’s essential to have a well optimised campaign and stand apart from competition.
From experience, we have discovered that there’s a misconception within the professional sector, with many firms believing that PPC is easy to manage and can just tick over. This is far from the truth and is why many companies struggle to increase their online conversions. PPC requires dedication and continuous testing and optimisation in order to achieve results and meet business objectives.
With this in mind, let’s take a look at the
6 PPC marketing tips to help lawyers, accountants and business professionals alike get the most return on Google Ads.
Tip #1: Research Competitors & Outdo Them
When you operate in a competitive industry, you need to make sure you stand out from the crowd. Begin by observing what you’re up against and seeing what ads show up when you search for keywords in your targeted areas and create a plan to stand out.
What makes you better than the rest? Maybe you offer a free consultation, 24 hour customer service, fixed competitive rates or have an excellent reputation. Whatever it is you offer, make sure you give potential clients a reason to choose you over competitors. Additionally, make sure you add a strong call to action and utilise ad extensions to help set you apart.
Try not to get too hung up on what your competitors are spending and which keywords they’re bidding on as you can’t gain access to their data. Instead, ensure that your ads are better than theirs.
Tip #2: Ensure Geo-targeting is Set Up Correctly
This may seem obvious but it’s surprising how many law and accountancy firms target irrelevant regions where they don’t have a physical presence. It is vital to only target locations where you have offices as the average client isn’t going to travel further then they need to.
To set up location targeting in Google Ads, go into Settings > Locations and then select city, region or post code.
Work out the radius that makes sense to target to avoid unnecessary wasted clicks.
Tip #3: Align Ads with Customer Journey
Your ads should be relevant and match the search query of users at the right time of the customer journey. For example, hiring a solicitor can involve a bit of research for some people but others may be ready to discuss their case so it’s essential that the right messaging is shown at the right time.
You should structure your account so that keywords, ads and landing page content matches what a searcher’s intent is. If a potential client is in the research stage and has searched for ‘how can a solicitor help me after a car accident?’ then it’s important to direct them to an FAQ or information page. Whereas if they search ‘hire personal injury lawyer’ then it is appropriate to use strong CTAs and outline the benefits of using your services. They key is to nurture prospective clients throughout the customer journey so that they’re more likely to choose you over competitors when the time is right.
Tip #4: Use Display to Build your Brand
Many firms are still relying on TV and radio advertising to get their brand known and are missing a trick with display advertising on the Google Display Network. Not only is this one of the cheapest and easiest ways to gain brand exposure but it gives you an opportunity to stand out from competition and increase leads.
Target the most relevant traffic by running a remarketing campaign to show ads to users that have previously visited your site as they are more likely ready to convert.
Tip #5: Install an Online Chat System
Utilising a chat feature is particularly crucial for law firms as many case specific questions simply cannot be answered through general FAQs. Also, due to the sensitivity of some cases, some people understandably are not comfortable with picking up the phone and are more inclined to talk to an online representative.
This opens the door for more potential leads that may have been otherwise missed.
Tip #6: Track Absolutely Everything
Tracking is key to establishing what is working and what isn’t, allowing you to continuously optimise and improve campaign performance. All leads in the form of calls and contact form submissions etc. should be tracked through Google Analytics to measure success.
Many companies find themselves spending a lot of money and not getting anywhere as they don’t have the time to track and analyse results on a frequent basis.
To achieve the desired results it’s essential to invest time into building a successful PPC campaign.