When a company only half-jokingly states that its motto is “Don’t Be Evil,” you have to wonder what prompted them to say so in the first place.
With substantial influence over your law firm’s success, Google must dominate your Internet marketing strategy.
Their dominance of the search engine business is a particular double-edged sword. On the one hand, having a reliable advertising channel means practically guaranteed exposures and a consolidated digital marketing strategy. On the other hand, Google has us all by the proverbial jubblies, forcing our hand any time they feel it is prudent to make objectively harmful changes.
Case in point: the decision to top-load their search engine result pages with Google AdWords advertising must cause you to consider advertising there.
With more real estate being dedicated to more ads, among other changes, Google is essentially pushing organic search listings farther down below the fold. Law firms that want to maintain exposure and an effective click-through rate (CTR) will likely need to respond by giving Google what they want and dabbling in paid search engine advertising. Google, you monster!
How to Cope with Google Ad Platform Changes
The good news is that AdWords can be a lucrative source of traffic as long as ClikTru or another firm is managing the account cost-effectively. So, as much as it pains us to encourage Google’s bad behavior, firms may very well need to bite the bullet and give in to the madness.
Your ads will benefit you far more than ignoring the changes. Organic inbound campaigns and content marketing can improve as a result, too, as long as firms look closely at audience data along the way.
Avoiding an Attorney Firefight
Despite the silver lining hinted at above, paid search advertising can be a nasty melee to enter. Pay per click (PPC) amounts can soar particularly sky-high for high-ranking, law-related keywords, meaning that something like “personal injury attorney” may cost well into three figures in more competitive markets.
At the same time, no one is forcing you to pursue these expensive keywords. Instead, you can chase a “long tail” strategy that offers a niche perspective based on your firm’s area of expertise. For example, instead of saying “personal injury” you could say more specifically “Portland pedestrian accident attorney” or something closely related to recent cases you have won. Focusing on such keywords not only ensures less competition, but it can capture a high-value audience looking for more specific services.
Another important tip to focus on with paid search advertising is to avoid marketing slogans in favor of stating direct benefits. “Learn how to secure a trial date fast” works leagues better than “We have the know-how to make it happen,” for instance.
Over time and through data, search advertising does get easier. Moreover, as awful as Google is for going against their own slogan, firms who participate may just see some side benefits as a result of their marketing experimentation.
For help setting up a Google Ad Platform campaign that is effective and delivers a high return on investment (ROI), entrust law firm digital marketing experts like ClikTru. Try our free internet marketing assessment to get started.
