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PPC for Lawyers: How to Get More Clients with Paid Ads
June 6, 2025
10 mins
When people need legal help asap, they tend to turn to Google. And do a quick search. If they don’t have the slightest reference from a friend, they will choose randomly between the first law firms that appear in the search results.
That’s why PPC for lawyers—Pay-Per-Click advertising—is one of the most effective ways to attract new clients right when they’re searching for legal services. Your name or firm pops up, you catch their eye, and before you know it, you receive high-quality leads straight to your inbox or phone.
So, whether you’re a personal injury attorney, divorce lawyer, or criminal defense specialist, running the proper PPC marketing for lawyers will grow your practice.
Ready to learn more about it?
Let’s break down what PPC advertising for lawyers actually is, how it works, and how to make it work to your advantage.
PPC (aka Pay-Per-Click) is a digital advertising model where you pay a specific amount of money each time someone clicks on your ad. With Google PPC for lawyers, your ads can appear at the top of search results when people search for terms like “injury lawyer near me” or “best family attorney.”
PPC ads are typically displayed across several key channels. The most common placement is in Google Search results, where ads appear at the top and bottom of the page in response to specific search queries.
Google Local Services Ads are shown above traditional search ads and are designed to promote nearby service providers, such as lawyers, with a “Google Screened” badge.
Learn more about Local Services Ads in our thorough guide.
Additionally, PPC ads can appear on the Google Display Network, reaching users across millions of websites, apps, and YouTube through banner-style ads targeted by interest, demographics, or browsing behavior.
Meta is also a platform you can use to design and launch PPC ads for lawyers, targeting users based on their interests, location, and behavior.
Unlike SEO for lawyers, which is an effective marketing strategy, but can take weeks to months to build momentum and deliver tangible results, PPC provides immediate visibility. This benefit makes it especially useful in competitive legal markets, where organic ranking alone may not be enough. According to WebFX, 65% of small to mid-sized businesses run a PPC campaign. Your competitors are probably a part of this number.
Here’s what makes PPC services for lawyers so influential:
The biggest benefit of search ads, in particular, is that they are shown to people who are actively searching for legal services. These ads are displayed based on users’ search queries, location, and browsing history. You can target your ads to reach exactly the people who are already looking for you. The “sponsored” label next to your ad does not diminish your credibility. In fact, 60% of users are unable to distinguish between paid ads and organic results on search engine results pages. Moreover, 75% of users agree that paid ads help them find what they’re looking for more easily.
As the name of this type of marketing suggests, you pay each time someone clicks on your ad. Typically, the most important metric in PPC is cost-per-click.
Cost-per-click (CPC): The amount you pay each time someone clicks on your ad. The average cost-per-click (CPC) on Google Ads varies, but typically ranges from $1 to $2 per click for the Search Network.
However, highly competitive industries like law, insurance, and finance can see CPCs of $50 or more. This number shouldn’t discourage you though, because:
Across industries, businesses generally earn $2 in revenue for every $1 spent on Google Ads.
Although the legal industry is one of the most competitive—and therefore most expensive—sectors for running ads, the actual cost of a PPC campaign can vary significantly depending on how well it’s optimized. A well-structured campaign can reduce cost-per-click and increase return on investment by targeting the right audience and avoiding wasted spend. Optimization involves choosing the right keywords, writing compelling ad copy, setting clear geographic targets, and regularly reviewing performance data to refine bids and eliminate underperforming ads.
That’s why it’s important to choose a seasoned PPC expert to run your campaigns. You need to ensure they have experience maximizing results across a range of budgets.
Before launching a successful PPC campaign, it’s important to treat it like a legal case—everything starts with solid preparation. A clear plan ensures your budget is spent wisely and your ads reach the right people.
Every PPC campaign needs a clear objective. Are you trying to get more phone calls? Book consultations? Drive traffic to your website? Defining your goal will guide all other decisions. The ads should always be created with the target action in mind.
For lawyers, the most effective campaign types are Search Ads (appear on Google when someone searches for services like “divorce lawyer near me”) and Local Services Ads (shown above regular search ads with a “Google Screened” badge). Display ads may be helpful for brand awareness, but search campaigns are best for lead generation.
Search Ads are ideal for lead generation. These text-based ads appear at the top of Google search results when someone types in relevant keywords like “personal injury lawyer in Chicago.” The biggest benefit is intent—people clicking these ads are actively looking for legal help, making them more likely to convert into clients. You also have full control over keywords, ad copy, budget, and targeting.
Local Services Ads (LSAs) are great for building trust and driving phone calls. These ads show up above regular search results and include a “Google Screened” badge, which adds credibility.
LSAs only charge you when someone contacts you directly, and you don’t need to manage keywords.
This format is perfect for lawyers who want easy setup and direct leads without having to monitor campaign details every day.
Legal services are usually local. Set a geographic radius around your office or target specific cities and ZIP codes. This avoids spending on clicks from people outside your service area.
Think about who your ideal clients are. What are they going through? What might they type into Google? Use that to guide your keyword selection and messaging.
Pro tip: ideally, you should have several client images in mind. Assess the problems your clients come to you with, and try to create several categories for them. Then create separate campaigns for each category. So, instead of something broad like:
“Legal services Toronto”,
your ads will speak directly to your potential clients:
“Buying a home? Get expert legal guidance to review contracts, avoid risks, and close with confidence. Trusted by homebuyers across Toronto.”
Avoid overly broad keywords like “lawyer” or “attorney.” Instead, choose more specific terms like “personal injury lawyer NYC” or “immigration attorney Chicago.” Use match types wisely and add negative keywords to filter out irrelevant traffic.
Here is Google’s tutorial about negative keywords:
Your ads should speak directly to the client’s problem and offer a clear solution. Add urgency (“Free Consultation Today”), trust signals (“20+ Years Experience”), and always include a call to action (“Call Now”).
A good landing page is focused, mobile-friendly, and includes a clear contact method. Avoid sending users to your homepage. Instead, use a page that matches the ad's promise—this improves conversions.
Once these steps are planned out, it’s time to set up an account and run your first campaign.
The last—but by no means least—step of a successful PPC campaign is monitoring performance and comparing results against PPC benchmarks. This ongoing process turns raw data into actionable insights. Once your ads are live, it's essential to track key metrics such as click-through rate (CTR), cost per click (CPC), conversion rate, and return on ad spend (ROAS). But numbers alone don’t tell the full story; comparing them to PPC benchmarks specific to your industry helps identify whether your campaign is underperforming, average, or exceeding expectations. For example, if your CTR is lower than the industry standard, it may signal that your ad copy or targeting needs refinement.
When it comes to promoting legal services, law firms have more options than ever before. Traditional ads like billboards, print, and TV still have their place—but they’re often expensive and hard to measure. In contrast, PPC (Pay-Per-Click) marketing offers a faster, more targeted, and cost-efficient way to reach potential clients. Let’s take a closer look at how PPC stacks up against traditional advertising.
PPC offers more control, better tracking, and faster results than traditional advertising, making it the smarter choice for most modern law firms.
Make sure to avoid:
Also, you might want to look into reasons for ad and ad account blocking to make sure your ads don’t violate any policies.
So, now that you know what PPC for lawyers is and the pros it comes with, let’s discover how you can choose the right PPC services for lawyers.
If you’ve been engaged with digital advertising already, you should know by now that running a successful campaign takes more than boosting a few posts. A specialized PPC management for lawyers service understands legal advertising rules, Google Ads policies, and how to create campaigns that convert.
That’s why having the proper knowledge or hiring someone who does is crucial if you aim for success.
A marketing agency that knows the game well will:
Promodo isn’t a marketing agency that suddenly appeared, claiming a share of the digital advertising pie. On the contrary, it has been a part of the scene for over 20 years now.
It possesses in-depth knowledge of how to design, run, evaluate, and optimize online marketing campaigns for a diverse range of professions and industries, including law firms and lawyers. Regardless of their size.
In short, partnering with us will get you:
And finally, a place in our (very) long list of successful case studies we are proud of.
So, take a short break from writing that lawsuit, contact our team of experts in handling your PPC campaigns for lawyers and start turning clicks into clients.
We rest our case!
[[FAQ-START]]
Well, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer to that question. Budgets vary, but most firms typically start with $1,000 to $3,000 per month. Competitive markets may require more. If you own a private law office, you may begin with a lower amount of money and see how it goes. However, remember that a solid PPC strategy helps maximize ROI regardless of budget.
Google PPC for lawyers is most effective when targeting active search intent, which is ideal for generating quick leads. On the other hand, Facebook PPC for lawyers is great for brand exposure and retargeting. But the best results often come from using both strategically. So, drop the dilemma and try the two of them.
You can, but how familiar are you with the subject? If you have in-depth knowledge, go ahead. However, Google Ads has a learning curve. Like all things in life. Especially when discussing the digital field, which is constantly evolving and changing rapidly. Poorly managed campaigns can quickly waste money, so why be on this side? It’s best to hire a team experienced in PPC management for lawyers. In the long run, it’s a more cost-effective solution. It unties your hands and saves you precious time.
Yes. Legal ads must comply with state bar rules and Google’s ad policies. Avoid promises, guarantees, or misleading claims. A professional agency can help you stay compliant. Otherwise, you run the risk of needing a lawyer yourself!
[[FAQ-END]]
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