Personal injury lawyers have had several opportunities to use Google to gain more clients. For years, Google has offered tools like pay-per-click advertising, Google My Business listings, and the classic organic search results listings. However, their new advertising platform is the most effective feature to date for immediately capturing the attention of prospective clients.
While Local Service Ads (LSAs) – also known as Google Screened or Google Verified – have been available to several businesses in different industries for a while, it is only recently that Google started offering them to personal injury lawyers. This is great news, but only for law firms who use them.
What are Local Service Ads?
When a prospective client uses Google to search for “Personal Injury Lawyer in XYZ city,” several types of search results will show up. At the very, very top (above the ads, maps, and organic listings) you will find Google Screened | Personal Injury Lawyers nearby. Not only will this provide searchers with the name of the law firm and hours of operation, but also with a photo of the lawyer.
It is an established fact that people gravitate towards photos of other people, especially attractive photos. By providing a photo, lawyers using LSAs are able to stand apart from other cold listings that just show the name and location of the business.
When a future client clicks on the listing, they are directed to a profile and phone number to contact the law firm. At that point, it is up to the law firm to convert the client and close the deal. Optimize My Firm has some other tips and tricks for your intake specialists as well.
How Much Do LSAs for Personal Injury Lawyers Cost?
One of the great things about LSAs as opposed to Pay Per Click ads is that they are pay per lead. That means that a law firm is only charged for the ad when a prospective client calls the firm with a bona fide, related query.
If they call by mistake, the fee can be reimbursed. If it is a telemarketer, the fee can be reimbursed. If they are calling about a property damage only case and you strictly handle personal injury, the fee can be reimbursed.
But how much does each lead cost? It depends on the market. Since it is still a bidding system, the more competition in the area, the more each lead will cost. In most of the more competitive markets we work with, each lead costs roughly $180-260. However, leads can cost several hundred dollars in some super-saturated markets. Lawyers are able to set their own monthly budgets. Obviously, the higher the budget, the more of the market they will be able to capture.
How to Set Up Local Service Ads
You can set up your own LSA account by going to ads.google.com/local-service.ads
We have set up LSAs for dozens of clients. It is a fairly easy process if you have all of the required information on hand. It is best to gather all of this information prior to attempting to set up your account. Set aside a few hours to complete this project as well. You will need advertiser information as well as personal information. The approval process will be contingent upon a Pinkerton background check.
To set up Local Service Ads for a Personal Injury Lawyer you will need:
- Business information
- Personal information
- Payment information
- A good headshot that includes your head and shoulders
- Business name
- Business address
- Owner’s name (The majority shareholder or partner you’d like the account name under. There is only room for one name on the form.)
- Total # of “professionals” (The total number of State licensed attorneys at the firm)
- Year founded
- Languages spoken
- Headshot for the owner (and all lawyers who want their faces in ads)
- License information (Bar #)
- Budget
- Attorney info (Names and Bar # for all attorneys)
- Misc info: your hours of operation, service area, etc.
- Hours you want the ad running
- Company EIN
- Owner’s DOB
- Owner’s Home Address along with move-in date (And previous address if you’ve moved in the last 7 years)
- Owner’s Cell #
- Owner’s SSN
