Google Local Services Ads for Law Firms

Google Local Services ads are a great option for generating quality local leads for your law firm using a pay per lead strategy, and not cost per click. These targeted ads appear for potential clients in your designated area, at the times most relevant for your business, and enable them to call or text you with the click of a button. In fact, you only pay when someone contacts you through the ad, unlike traditional Google Adwords. While these ads have been around for a while now, law firms are just now adopting their use. If you are currently using Google Ads, we recommend you switch to these LSA ads as soon as possible.

When you sign up for LSA ads, you’ll need to pass a Google background check to earn a Google Screened badge on your ad, which helps to immediately build trust with searchers looking for a law firm. The setup process can be a bit arduous, but the results we are seeing from these ads are quite strong, which is not hard to imagine given that they are literally at the top of most every valuable search.

What Are Google Local Services Ads?

The goal of Google Local Services ads is to help you connect with potential clients and ultimately increase your revenues. Google Local Services ads appear at the top of Google search engine results pages and are similar to pay-per-click ads, which you might be familiar with.

When a Google user searches for a specific service, Google’s algorithm will generate a list of relevant local businesses that offer that service. Businesses, such as law firms, that use Google Local Services ads will appear at the top of the results page, followed by pay-per-click ads. Your ad will be immediately visible to potential clients who are interested in the service you offer. In fact, potential clients can contact you directly by phone or text through the ad.

Google Local Services ads also verifies your services and helps your law firm build trust with potential clients from the outset. One of the goals of Google Local Services ads is to point potential customers and clients to reliable businesses first.

Google Local Services ads aren’t available in every industry or in every area, so other types of ads are still important to utilize, including pay-per-click ads, which also appear near the top of Google search results pages. Google Local Services ads are currently utilized by businesses such as law firms, as well as architecture services, photographers, event planning services, HVAC companies, electricians, and other similar services.

While Google Local Service is currently only available in certain (most) populous urban areas, it’s expected that Google will expand the service as time goes on. You can actually confirm that Google Local Services ads are available in your area by conducting a search for a specific local service yourself on your phone or computer. Keep your search general like “divorce lawyer in Chicago”.

The Google Screened badge: When you sign up for Google Local Services ads, your law firm automatically applies for the Google Screened badge. You can earn this badge by passing Google’s background check and verifying other information, such as your insurance details and bar license.  You will also have to upload your latest head shots and supply other information about your firm like business hours and so on. The Google Screened badge can go a long way to help you build trust with potential clients searching for your services. Google basically endorses your law firm. 

Benefits Of Using Google Local Services Ads For Your Law Firm

More than fifty percent of all Google users visit a business within 24 hours of performing a search. Google Local Services ads can help your law firm stand out from the crowd by placing you at the top of search results pages, where searchers can’t miss you. Google Local Services ads can benefit your law firm in myriad ways, such as by:

• Generating better leads – Google Local Services ads will help you generate more valuable leads. When Google users searching for your services see that you are verified by Google, they are much more inclined to contact you and book your services.
• Tracking appointments – You can use Google Local Services ads to track appointments being booked through your ad and can even pause the ad for a period of time if you are fully booked. The LSA dashboard is actually quite easy to navigate.
• Increasing visibility – Google Local Services ads help ensure that your law firm is seen first by placing you at the top of search engine results pages on Google most popular searches, not some abstract keywords.
• Building trust – Google Local Services ads help you build trust with your target audience through the Google Screened badge. When Google users see that you are a legitimate firm that has been verified by Google, they are more likely to trust you.
• Charging only for valid leads – You will only pay Google if the ad generates a valuable lead. For instance, you would only be charged if the Google user sends your law firm a text, or calls you, etc. If a lead is invalid, we have noticed a very generous refund policy at the time of this writing.
• Increasing visibility with voice search customers – Google users who are using voice search to conduct a search for a product or service are more likely to be directed to your law firm first by Google.

 

How To Set Up Google Local Services Ads

There are several important steps involved in setting up Google Local Services ads. Our experts at Precision Legal Marketing will walk you through every step to ensure your law firm can start reaping the benefits of Google Local Services ads as soon as possible.

• First, you’ll want to confirm your eligibility to use Google Local Services, which could vary based on your location.
• Once you’ve confirmed your eligibility, our specialists at Precision Legal Marketing will help you set up and optimize your law firm profile. This is where you will provide information about your services so that people who are searching for those services can be matched with your firm. You’ll also want to specify the area you want to geotarget, establishing a digital radius around your law firm to attract local clients.
• We will also want to upload your license and insurance details, since Google Local Services ads will only work for legitimate, verified businesses and professionals.
• We will need to set your budget as well. Just like pay-per-click advertising, Google Local Services ads will come with a cost, but you are only charged for valuable leads. Our experts at Precision Legal Marketing will help you control your budget for Google Local Services ads.
• Finally, answer the phone! Missed phone calls means a potential new client was missed.  At Precision Legal Marketing, we will keep a close eye on your lead flows in order to help you get the best possible results.

 

What Sets Our Firm Apart?

When we work with you, we’ll always take the time to get to know you, your clients, and your law firm’s goals so that we can develop a strategy that helps you succeed. Following are some of the ways we support our clients throughout a Google Local Services campaign:

• We’ll guide you through the services application and setup process, including submitting the up-to-date documentation that’s needed to help you secure the Google Screened badge that shows potential clients that Google has verified your background.
• We’ll create your Google Local Services ad to target your specific clients, and we’ll optimize your campaign to show up at the right time for the right service area to extend your budget.
• We’ll manage your Google Local Services ads campaign through a very hands-on approach. We will diligently monitor every aspect of the campaign, including keyword selection, big pricing, geo-targeting, and even the leads themselves.
• We’ll listen to calls and mark booked appointments in order to take advantage of Google’s algorithms and drive more valuable leads to your business.
• We’ll optimize your ad for voice search so that you never miss out on a qualified lead.
• We’ll monitor client reviews to help your firm build trust with potential clients.
• We’ll provide customized reporting and outline recommended adjustments throughout your campaign, so you always know where your campaign stands and how your money is being spent.

If you believe that your local business could benefit from using Google Local Services ads and are ready to take the next step, contact Precision Legal Marketing today for a free consultation. Call us at (877) 602-7510 or contact us online.

Resources:
Google LSA Ads – How it works