Why PPC Is Not Always Instant Gratification

In this blog post, we will review a couple of topics to understand what happens during a PPC (pay-per-click) campaign. While some individuals are well-versed in the paid marketing universe, some rely on professionals to guide them through the process (like, literally, all our clients). Our goal is to give those individuals some insight on why PPC, while effective, is not always an instant gratification method of getting leads, website traffic, and overall attention.

What Is Your Practice Area? (Because It Matters)

Specifically speaking about the legal industry, there are so many different practice areas. Some are more highly searched for, like personal injury, and then some are searched for often, but maybe not as much, like estate planning. Depending on the practice area, the competition in the preferred area of targeting can vary. Big cities tend to garner a much higher search rate, which then causes the cost-per-click to increase. Companies (ahem, law firms) are competing on Google to get the highest position possible within the search engine ad space. 

Advertising Goals and Budget

You’ve committed to trying paid advertising, specifically PPC, but what are your goals? Are you looking to get your firm name out there for branding, or are you looking to get more clients each month? Those goals will have an impact on your overall budget. Branding campaigns tend to cost less per click because the goal is to attract new clients to your brand and business. People looking up specific firms and names know who they are looking for, but having a branding campaign to compete with those other firms can get your brand seen. If the goal is to get more calls and leads per month, this is where the practice area variable comes in. A higher searched practice area in a populated city will cost more than a lower searched practice area in a less populated city. Google does offer a basic keyword planner; however, we can offer a more comprehensive quote based on your specific needs. Be sure to contact PaperStreet if you’re looking to get started.

Data and Optimization

With most things, there is a learning curve, and paid advertising campaigns are no exception. There is a learning period when starting a brand-new PPC campaign. This learning period usually takes about three months to start getting on track with your advertising goals. Search engines, specifically Google, need time to sift through your campaign data, and whoever is managing the campaign will require time each month for optimization, adjustments, and ad testing. Each month, it’s important to review things like click-through rates, average cost-per-click, number of conversions, audience targeting, and especially search terms. Search terms are the actual words people are using that show your ad. These will help determine if your ads and keywords are relevant. You will also be able to filter out the bad searches by adding them as negative keywords.

Know-How and Tools

To have a successful PPC campaign, you need to understand not only the concepts we’ve already covered but also how the platform works. Having all the answers to the questions posed above is excellent, but you also need to be able to implement changes correctly and at the correct times. We understand this may not be for everyone, and that’s why our services exist. 

Our dedicated PPC team is here to help you along the way. Whether you’re looking to expand your client base or increase visibility for your firm, we can help make that happen. Contact PaperStreet today to see how we can customize a PPC campaign for you that works for your specific goals.