The attorneys we work with do not have an unlimited budget for law firm marketing and it’s not unusual for this question to come up: are Google ads better than Facebook ads? There is no simple answer for that (as you might have guessed), so let’s look at what should inform your choice — if, indeed, you should choose between the two.
When are Google ads the right choice for marketing my law firm?
Google ads work best when you are trying to capture leads based on need. Someone needs a lawyer and they start their search online. You want to be sure you are there when someone in your geographic target area needs an attorney in your field of practice. And you need to know the right keywords to use in order to have Google make the match between your ad and their search inquiry.
Unfortunately, since competition is so fierce in the legal category, that means Google ads for law firms are usually expensive, based on the keywords you are using. Since you pay for each click, you have to be very strategic on which keywords you choose and set up your Google Ads campaign using the targeting tools Google provides to help narrow the field so you don’t waste a lot of money on clicks that don’t convert into leads.
When are Facebook ads the right choice for marketing my law firm?
Facebook ads work best for building brand awareness. Consumers on Facebook are usually not actively looking for a lawyer — they’re browsers, scrolling through their news feeds to catch up on friends, family, community, and so on.
Facebook ads are interruptive — your ad appears on potential clients’ news feeds in hopes of gaining their attention while they are doing something else. Facebook’s targeting tools allow you to show your ad only to those people you want to target — consumers who match your ideal client profile.
Facebook is also good for remarketing ads, where you can target people who have already visited your website or blog. Once you add a snippet of code called a Facebook pixel to your website, you can retarget visitors to your site with a Facebook ad. If they looked at a specific practice page, you can serve up an ad on Facebook promoting that practice area. If they looked at your eBook offer but didn’t act, you can make that offer again in a Facebook retargeting ad.
Facebook ads are also considerably less expensive than Google ads and can be up and running quickly, which is an advantage when there is a hot topic in your community that you may be able to capitalize upon.
Does it have to be either Google or Facebook?
It doesn’t have to be one or the other, either Google or Facebook. You can deploy a complimentary digital marketing strategy and use both to your advantage as long as you understand their differences.
Related Posts:
4 Ways to Win Clients with Facebook Ads
