The COVID-19 pandemic is continuously changing our lives, and despite some optimistic predictions, we are still facing its devastating reality in our personal, social, and business lives. How has it evolved since late February, and how is it affecting Pay Per Click for Personal Injury Law Firms?

Earlier this year, during the summer, we dedicated a first article on the impact of COVID-19 on PI PPC. In this article, we reviewed the initial reaction of the SEM world for Attorneys, we went over the search volumes, and we presented our point of view based on real-life examples and experience from some of our clients. In today’s article, we’ll begin with a quick recap of what has happened in PPC for PI Law Firms. We’ll keep an eye on the most recent search volumes for high intent keywords in English and Spanish amid the pandemic and other critical events, such as the elections, and we’ll guide you through your best opportunities for an increased caseload and sustainable growth. All these, as we are well into the last quarter and approaching the end of the year.

  • March – July recap.

Our initial research began with an overview of what happened in search volumes for high intent PI keywords in English. Looking at accident-related and MVA-related keywords, we identified an initial drop in March or April that was gradually substituted by stabilization and further increase. It wasn’t much different from keywords in Spanish. What was noteworthy is the rise in desktop traffic compared to previous months. What happened with Law Firms that didn’t pull the plug and kept on investing? These were the attorneys that decided to stay strategic, with a long-term view and the big picture in mind. According to our experience, numerous Law Firms stopped their PPC campaigns, acting in fear and leaving food on the plate for others. That resulted in more conversions and sometimes at a better CPC, maximizing the Law Firm’s ROI. Fewer advertisers mean less competition. Attorneys who stayed active with their bilingual Google Ads saw their investment paying off with new cases and a better Quality Score compared to those Law Firms that would have to start over. What’s noteworthy is that several Law Firms restarted their campaigns during Summer, a lot of them with the addition of Google LSAs for Attorneys.

Tip: Google LSAs are a great tool, but they can’t be a standalone strategy. One of the main reasons is that they are not available for local Spanish searchers, and you have no customization power on them.

  • What are the latest evolutions?

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic is not over; on the contrary, we seem to be on its second wave. Additionally, November and several previous weeks were dominated by the US elections. All these create a polarized and strange environment, but what does it mean for PI PPC? In August and September, we saw several Law Firms restarting their Google Ads campaigns. How do we know? Our clients decided to listen to our advice and keep investing in Spanish and English PPC for their Law Firms. So, during the first months, we could tell that there was reduced competition, something that changed towards the end of the summer and especially in late August and September.

What’s the most current situation with search volumes?

a)  We’ll start by looking at MVA-related keywords till September. The numbers for October will be out in a few days, and we’ll update our article as soon as possible. We are looking at what has happened to the keyword “car accident attorney” in the US, which included other closely related keywords. As you can notice, the stabilization and growth trend has been further established after July. September has been one of the best months of the rolling year. In a previous article, we saw that car traffic has dramatically decreased in the US during the pandemic, so how can this be justified? People seem to be researching more in greater depth, and it could also mean that people who didn’t think that could have a case have started looking into it.

b)  And now it’s time to review the corresponding keyword in Spanish, “abogado de accidentes de auto”. As we can see in the graph below, and as you might remember from our first article, there was a profound drop in March and especially April, to bounce back in the coming months. The upward trend continued in August, and September is the best month in terms of Google Search volumes for the rolling year. Finally, we have to take into consideration the mobile traffic. As we have mentioned several times, Hispanics are mobile power users, something particularly important for Law Firms as mobile search potentially means more and faster conversions and new cases.

The million-dollar question right now is what a Law Firm should do with its digital marketing strategy? Search volumes determine the interest levels and intent of prospective clients. They are promising, showing potential for further growth, even during this unstable and uncertain period of the COVID-19 second wave. What’s even more critical than intent and search volumes are conversions. Based on real-life data coming from our clients running Google Ads in Spanish and English, new cases can come your way. Especially if history repeats itself with Attorneys stopping their campaigns, you can maximize your chances for an increased PI caseload, potentially at competitive CPAs.

Tip: We provide our clients with our brand new Lead Tracking Dashboard. It allows them to see the big picture of their campaigns’ performance, mark as qualified the signed clients, and understand what works for their Law Firm.

Remember: Remarketing and retargeting are two powerful additional tools you can use in your paid digital marketing campaigns. You can make the most out of them by adding Social Media ads or Display Network ads to your strategy.

What are the key takeaways?

  • Unfortunately, the pandemic is still around, and we all have to find ways to adapt, stay proactive, profitable, and with a sustainable long-term growth strategy.
  • Bilingual PPC is the best choice for Law Firms that want to stay competitive and sign as many new cases as possible.
  • Search volumes have recovered, and the interest remains high after Summer.
  • If you invest in PI PPC already, then you are on the right track for long-term success. If you are considering it now, don’t hesitate any further, it’s the end of the year, which is your opportunity window.

Do you have questions regarding your Personal Injury bilingual PPC strategy? Don’t hesitate to contact us.