Recently, Google introduced a new feature to Call Ads (formerly Call Only Ads), the URL extension. Is there an added value for your law firm’s paid digital marketing campaigns?

Google offers a lot of options to professionals and companies who want to advertise their services or products. Search Ads and Display Network Ads are the first to come in mind, but today we’ll dive into the world of Google Call Ads. What are they? What are the new features that Google introduced just recently? And how can you use them to enhance your law firm’s paid digital marketing campaigns? 

What are Google Call Ads?

Google offers an Ad type especially dedicated to advertisers whose primary call to action is a call. These Ads appear to searchers who use devices that can make a call, such as smartphones, tablets, and some laptops. The phone number you’ll use for these Ads has to be the same as in your other phone extensions on Google Ads.

If you win the Ad bidding, Google will show your call Ad to searchers. If a searcher clicks on your ad, it will immediately work as a call to action for a phone call to your law firm; your phone number will appear on the screen, and the prospective client will decide whether to call or not.

What’s new?

Google changed the design and layout of Call Ads in September 2019, but in Late April 2020, Google announcedthat it will be enhancing Call Ads with a link allowing searchers to visit your website. According to Google, this new feature gives an extra layer of flexibility in the way they connect to your business. The link to your website is optional; you can choose to turn it on or off at any time. Why would you want to add it to your law firm’s Call Ads? First of all, it expands the Ad, giving increased screen space and greater visibility. Additionally, your law firm becomes an option for searchers who are not ready to call but want to discover more about your legal services. Finally, Google recommends using the new feature to avoid accidental calls by users who want to click on the Ad and visit your website.

Tip: If you use the new feature, make sure that the landing page you are sending the searchers to is relevant and optimized for conversions. If, for example, you are showing Call Ads for the term Personal Injury Attorney Near Me, you want to ensure that the prospective client will land on a webpage designed for PI, offering him all the necessary information. Remember that it also needs the appropriate calls to action (phone call or live chat), as your ultimate goal is to convert the visitor to an actual case.

Should you use Google Call Ads for your law firm’s PPC campaigns?

If we had to answer with just one sentence, it’d be yes but combined with your other law firm’s SEM efforts. Let’s find out why and discover the ways your attorney marketing could get a boost from Call Ads.

  1. Call Ads capture mobile devices. Mobile traffic is essential for businesses, law firms included. Marketers and PPC experts regard mobile searches of higher intent. For example, a mobile search for an “accident attorney near me” or “abogado de lesiones cerca de mi” made from a mobile device is more probable to indicate someone who is currently involved in an accident and actively looking for legal services. On the other hand, recent data show that desktop is gaining ground in search volume; you would miss on that opportunity if you would follow a Call Ads-only strategy.
  2. Keyword intent. Some keywords are more related to phone calls than others. Make sure that your keyword research is thorough, and you identify the ideal terms for your Call Ads. A very wide range of phrases could lead you to a waste of budget. Identify what’s of value for your law firm and include it in your Call Ads, and leave the other keyword groups to Search Ads.
  3. Speak in your clients’ language. Your Ad copies are always important and should reflect the legal service you are advertising. If you are showing Ads to Hispanic audiences, make sure that your Ad copies are culturally created. US Hispanics are more likely to click on paid Ads when searching for a service, so you might want to add them to your digital marketing strategy.
  4. Call-Through rate is an important indicator for Call Ads. Make sure to keep track of clicks that converted to actual calls. It’s valuable to be able to identify who completed the action and called your office and who clicked cancel instead of calling. If you add your URL, you’ll also be able to track visitors who preferred your website instead of the call button. Pay attention to your call quality tracking; you don’t want to consume your budget on clicks that don’t convert to actual cases.
  5. Retarget clicks that did not convert. Remember, you pay for each click, no matter if it finally converted into a signed case for your law firm or not. Keeping this in mind, you should make the most of your expenditure and try capturing this searcher with alternative methods. Using tracking data, you can retarget searchers or visitors based on their online/offline behavior and location.

Tip: Schedule is key for Call Ads. What’s the point of showing Call Ads if you can’t take calls at specific times during the day? Make sure that your Ads schedule is always updated and that your intake process is optimized. 

Let’s move to our key takeaways.

  • Call Ads are worth the time and effort but only combined with Search Ads. A holistic approach gives you the best chances to stand out and sign as many new cases as possible. 
  • The new URL feature is a significant enhancement for two main reasons. First, it creates more visibility as the Ad occupies more screen share, and second, it opens up for searchers who are not yet ready to call.
  • Pay attention to your Ads schedule and keep track of the call quality. These are two of the most important factors for your Call Ads campaign success.
  • Hispanics are a great audience to be targeted through PPC and this applies for Call Ads as well. You need to follow certain best practices and speak in their language to make your Spanish PPC strategy work. We specialize in Hispanic legal digital marketing, so don’t hesitate to contact us for a free consultation.