DIGITAL ADVERTISING FOR LAWYERS
2. They rely on calls, clicks and conversions to measure success. Calls and clicks are definitely good data to have. You want to know how many people are calling your firm because of ads, and how many times people are clicking on your ads. But calls and clicks should not be all you use to evaluate success. Calls and clicks are not money. You need to evaluate the success of your campaign by how much business it brings through your door: by how many appointments your ads get you.
3. Their ad copy is wishy-washy. Internet users scan through results quickly. They pick what jumps out at them. So your ads need to be written with care. Your ads need to have emotional appeal. They need to give readers good reason to click into them. If your ad copy is less than convincing, ask for something better.
4. They don’ t use landing pages – and if they do use landing pages, they’ re for scenic value only. A landing page is a specially designed page that people reach when they click your digital ads. You don’ t want your ads to simply take people to your general website: If people reach your general website, they may just meander. They may wander from page to page and then wander right away again.
When people click your digital ad, you want them to reach a carefully planned page. This landing page should be designed to appeal to the same need as your digital ads. It should show your firm’ s value, build trust, and give a clear call to action. Just being pretty is not enough.
What to look for
So how can you tell if an agency is a keeper? Here are some qualities to prize.
1. They make continuous improvements. Even when campaigns are running productively, an agency should constantly look for ways to improve them. Speaking of which …
2. They check your campaign daily. A good agency will check your campaign every weekday. Can keywords be tweaked? Should geographic areas be changed? Should bids be adjusted? Productive agencies evaluate these questions often.
3. They understand your data. Google offers online certification exams for AdWords, its digital advertising system. Find out if your digital advertising person is AdWords-certified. Beyond that, can they speak with you about your campaign in detail? Do they really believe in what they’ re doing?
4. They deliver fact-based results. Gone are the days when you need to rely on“ reach” or“ impressions” to evaluate your advertising. It is possible to discern how much each digital advertising-derived appointment actually costs you.
5. They help you get more real estate on a search results page. There are Google AdWords features available to help your digital ads show more information and be more inviting on a page. Your agency should use these extensions to help your ads earn more space – and get more attention.
These are just a few questions to ask and qualities to seek. In upcoming articles, we’ ll discuss in more detail how to build an effective campaign. In the meantime, if you have questions or comments, feel free to reach out to me. You can contact me at robhoglund @ hoglundlaw. com or 612.791.1382. I would be interested in hearing your experiences with digital advertising, as well.
National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys Spring 2017 CONSUMER BANKRUPTCY JOURNAL 33