11 Ways to Optimize Your Estate Planning Google Ads Campaigns
As an estate planning attorney, you understand the importance of reaching the right audience and effectively communicating the value of your services. One of the most effective ways to do this is through Google Ads.
In this article, we will take an in-depth look at how to optimize your Google Ads campaign for estate planning attorneys. We will cover key topics such as conducting keyword research, crafting compelling ad copy, choosing the right ad placements and targeting options, utilizing ad extensions, scheduling ads for optimal performance, creating retargeting campaigns, optimizing landing pages, and ensuring legal compliance.
By following the strategies outlined in this article, you will be able to create a Google Ads campaign that effectively reaches your target audience and drives more conversions.
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1. Keyword research
Keyword research tools
Monitor your keywords and make adjustments
Long tail keywords
In addition to identifying the keywords that are most relevant to your target audience, it is also important to consider long-tail keywords. These are phrases that are more specific and less commonly searched than broad keywords. They can help to increase the chances of your ad appearing in front of a highly targeted audience for a lower CPC (Cost Per Click).
Long-tail keywords are usually longer phrases (typically 3 or more words) that are more specific and less broad than short-tail keywords. They are often more specific to the services being offered and can be more effective in reaching a highly targeted audience.
Instead of using a broad keyword like "estate planning attorney" a long-tail keyword would be "Estate planning attorney for high net worth individuals in [city]".
Long-tail keywords are often less competitive than short-tail keywords, which means that they can be less expensive to bid on and can result in a higher click-through rate. They can also help to increase the chances of your ad appearing in front of a highly targeted audience.
It's important to note that long-tail keywords should be included in ad copy, ad targeting, and landing pages.
Long tail keywords for estate planning attorneys
Here is a list of high-converting long-tail keywords that estate planning attorneys can use for their Google Ads campaigns:
- Estate planning attorney for high net worth individuals
- Estate planning attorney for small business owners
- Estate planning attorney for elderly citizens
- Estate planning attorney for families with special needs
- Estate planning attorney for second marriages
- Estate planning attorney for complex estates
- Estate planning attorney for charitable giving
- Estate planning attorney for trust and will creation
- Estate planning attorney for probate and estate administration
- Estate planning attorney for tax planning and asset protection
It's important to note that these are just examples and you should conduct keyword research specific to your area, your target audience, and the services you offer to identify the most relevant long-tail keywords for your campaign. Additionally, it's also important to test and optimize the keywords regularly to ensure that they are driving the most leads.
Negative keywords
Negative keywords are keywords that you can add to your Google Ads campaign to prevent your ads from showing up in search results for certain terms. They help to ensure that your ads are only shown to the most relevant audience and increase the chances of a successful campaign.
Estate planning attorneys can use negative keywords to exclude certain terms that are not relevant to their services.
For example, an estate planning attorney may not want their ads to show up in search results for the keyword "DIY estate planning." By adding "DIY" as a negative keyword, the attorney's ad will not show up in search results for that term. This ensures that their ads are only shown to people who are actively looking for professional estate planning services.
Another example is an attorney who only works in a specific state or city, can add negative keywords such as "free estate planning" or "estate planning software" which are not relevant to their services, or add location keywords to exclude people outside their local area.
It's important to regularly monitor and update your negative keywords to ensure that your ads are only showing up in the most relevant search results. You can use tools such as the Google Ads Keyword Planner or the Search terms report to identify irrelevant or unnecessary keywords that can be added as negative keywords.
Negative keywords estate planning attorneys can use
Here is a list of negative keywords that estate planning attorneys can use for their Google Ads campaigns:
- "DIY"
- "Free"
- "Software"
- "Template"
- "Online"
- "Will kit"
- "Cheap"
- "Discount"
- "Estate planning for pets"
- "Estate planning for businesses"
It's important to note that this is just a sample list and the negative keywords will vary depending on the specific services offered, the location, and the target audience of the attorney. It's important to regularly monitor and update the list of negative keywords to ensure that the ads are only showing up in the most relevant search results and that the attorney's ad campaign is not wasting money on irrelevant keywords.
Using keywords
Once you have identified the most relevant keywords, you can use them in your ad copy and targeting to ensure that your ads are reaching the right audience. For example, you can use keywords in your ad headlines, descriptions, and ad groups to help make sure that your ads are shown to the most relevant search queries.
In summary, conducting keyword research is a crucial step in creating a successful Google Ads campaign for estate planning attorneys. By identifying the terms and phrases that potential clients are searching for, you can create ad copy and targeting that is tailored to the needs of your target audience, and increase the chances of driving conversions.
2. Ad copy
Once you have identified relevant keywords through your keyword research, you can use them to craft ad copy that is compelling and clearly communicates the value of the services being offered by estate planning attorneys. The ad copy should be attention-grabbing and grab the potential client's attention immediately, making them want to learn more about the services offered.
The ad copy should be clear, concise, and easy to understand. It should also be specific and relevant to the keywords that you have identified. This can help to ensure that your ad is shown to the most relevant search queries, and increase the chances of it being clicked on.
Strong call to action
The ad copy should also include a strong call to action (CTA) that encourages potential clients to take the next step. The call to action should be clear and easy to understand, making it easy for potential clients to take the next step. It's a way to guide users to take a desired action that the attorney wants them to take, like visiting the website, scheduling a consultation, or requesting more information. A clear and compelling CTA can make all the difference in converting potential clients into actual clients.
There are several types of calls to action that estate planning attorneys can use, depending on their goals and the services they offer. Here are a few examples:
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Schedule a consultation: This type of CTA is useful for attorneys who want to schedule a meeting with potential clients. It could include a phone number or a link to an online booking system.
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Request more information: This type of CTA is useful for attorneys who want to provide more information about their services to potential clients. It could include a link to a landing page with more information or a form to fill out to request more information.
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Visit the website: This type of CTA is useful for attorneys who want potential clients to visit their website. It could include a link to the website or a specific page on the website.
It's important to keep in mind that CTA should be clear, action-oriented, and specific. It should also be consistent with the overall message of the ad and the landing page. Additionally, it's also a good idea to test different CTAs to see which one performs the best.
Additional ad formats and ad extensions
In addition to the main ad copy, it's also important to consider additional ad formats and ad extensions that can be used to enhance the ad's performance. For example, you can include a phone number or location in the ad, making it easy for potential clients to contact you.
This is a subject I go into great detail on this page below.
A/B test multiple versions of ad copy
It's also important to test multiple versions of ad copy and see which one performs better. This process is known as A/B testing or split testing. It will help you to identify which ad copy resonates best with your target audience and make any necessary adjustments to improve performance.
An estate planning attorney could create two versions of the ad copy with different headlines or different calls to action and run them simultaneously. By measuring the performance of each ad, the attorney can determine which ad copy is more effective in driving clicks and leads.
A/B testing can be done on multiple elements of the ad such as headlines, ad copy, CTAs, and ad formats. It's important to test one element at a time to determine which one is affecting the ad's performance. By testing different variations of ad copy, estate planning attorneys can optimize their ads to better reach their target audience and increase conversions.
It's important to note that A/B testing should be done on a small scale before rolling out the winning ad copy to a larger audience. Also, it's important to have a sufficient sample size and a significant amount of data before drawing conclusions from the results.
3. Ad placement
Ad placement is an important aspect of a Google Ads campaign as it refers to where the ad will appear, such as on search engine results pages (SERPs) or websites within a particular network. By choosing the right placements, you can increase the likelihood that your ad will be seen by potential clients and drive more conversions.
There are several types of ad placements that can be used in a Google Ads campaign. These include:
Search Network
These ads appear on SERPs (Google search engine results pages) when a user conducts a search query that matches the keywords in your ad. They are also known as text ads. These ads allow you to reach potential clients when they are actively searching for services related to your business.
Keyword based
Search Network ads are keyword-based, meaning that they are triggered when a user enters specific keywords into a search engine. You can use this type of ad to reach potential clients who are searching for terms related to estate planning attorney services. For example, if an attorney is using the keyword "estate planning attorney," their ad may appear in the search results when a user enters that term into a search engine.
Search network ads are a great way to reach potential clients the moment they are actively searching for a solution to their problem. They are an efficient way to drive targeted traffic to the website and increase conversions.
Only visible on search engines
It's important to note that Search Network ads are only visible on search engines, which means that they don't appear on other websites or apps. Additionally, it's important to make sure that the keywords used in the ad are relevant to the services offered by the attorney.
Optimize search network ads for mobile devices
It's important to optimize the search network ads for mobile devices as well, since a large number of users, approximately 65% of all website visits for attorneys, access search engines on mobile devices. This means making sure that the ad copy and the landing page are optimized for smaller screens and touch-based navigation.
Ad relevance and quality score
Another important aspect to consider for search network ads is the ad relevance and quality score. Ad relevance refers to how well the ad copy, keywords, and landing page match the user's search query. Quality score, on the other hand, is a metric assigned by Google that takes into account factors such as ad relevance, click-through rate, and landing page experience. A higher quality score can lead to better ad performance and lower costs per click.
Display Network
These ads appear on websites that are part of the Google Display Network, which includes approximately 200 million websites, apps, and videos. They can take various forms such as text, image, or video ads. These ads allow you to reach potential clients on a wide range of websites and apps, beyond just search engine results pages.
Some of the popular websites that use Google Display Network:
- YouTube
- Waze
- Gmail
- Google Maps
- Google Finance
- Google Drive
- Google Calendar
- Google Sites
- Google News
- Google Groups
- Google Photos
- Google Play
- Google Earth
- Google Arts & Culture
It's worth noting that this list is not exhaustive and there are 200 million websites, videos and apps that use Google Display Network. Google display network reaches about 70% of all internet users. Websites and apps can join or leave the network at any time, so this list may not be up-to-date.
With Display Network ads, estate planning attorneys can target users based on their interests, demographics, and behaviors. This allows you to reach a wider audience and increase brand awareness. For example, an attorney could use Display Network ads to reach users who have visited websites related to estate planning, finance, or legal services.
Different types of Display Network ads available:
- Text ads: These are simple text-based ads that can include a headline, description, and a call to action.
- Image ads: These are ads that feature an image, often in the form of a banner.
- Video ads: These are video-based ads that can be used to tell a more engaging story and increase brand awareness.
- Responsive ads: These are ads that automatically adjust to fit different ad spaces and devices.
It's important to note that Display Network ads don't rely on keywords, but rather on targeting options such as demographics, interests, and behaviors. It's important to make sure that the ads are visually appealing and relevant to the audience they are targeting.
Video Network
These ads appear on YouTube and other video platforms. Video ads are a form of video content that can take various forms such as pre-roll, mid-roll, and post-roll ads that play before, during, or after a video. These ads allow you to reach potential clients who are watching videos on YouTube and other video platforms and engage with them in a more interactive and visually appealing way.
Increase brand awareness and drive conversions
Video Network ads can be a great way for estate planning attorneys to increase brand awareness and drive conversions. For example, an attorney could create a video ad that explains services offered, and target it to users who have shown an interest in estate planning attorney services or legal services.
YouTube
YouTube, being the biggest video platform, is an important part of Google's Display Network and provides estate planning attorneys with a huge potential audience to reach out to.
It's important to note that video ads can be more engaging and memorable than other forms of ads, but they also require more resources to produce. It's important to make sure that the video ad is relevant, informative, and visually appealing to the audience it's targeting.
Local Service Ads
Using ad placements
By choosing the right placements, you can increase the chances of your ad being seen by potential clients. For example, if you are a local estate planning attorney, you may want to choose Local Service Ads, which will allow your ad to appear on Google Maps when a user conducts a search for estate planning attorney services in your area.
In addition to choosing the right placements, you can also use targeting options to ensure that your ad is shown to the most relevant audience. For example, you can target users based on their location, interests, and demographics.
Please note that ad placements can also be tested and optimized to see which performs better. This will help you to identify which placements are driving the most conversions and make any necessary adjustments to improve performance.
4. Ad targeting
Demographic targeting
Interest targeting
Location targeting
Remarketing
Using targeting for Google ads
In addition to these targeting options, there are also advanced targeting options such as custom affinity audiences, in-market audiences, and life events targeting, which can help to reach the most relevant audience.
It's important to note that ad targeting should be regularly monitored and optimized to ensure that the ad is reaching the most relevant audience. For example, if you notice that your ad is not performing well, you may want to adjust your targeting options to reach a different audience or consider using a different targeting strategy.
In summary, Ad targeting is an important aspect of a Google Ads campaign. By targeting specific groups of people based on factors such as demographics, interests, and location, you can reach the most relevant audience and increase the chances of a successful campaign. It's important to test and optimize ad targeting regularly to ensure that the campaign is
5. Ad extensions
Ad extensions are another way to enhance the performance of your Google Ads. These provide additional information about a business such as phone numbers, addresses, or links to specific pages on the website, and can improve click-through rates and drive more conversions.
There are several types of ad extensions that can be used in a Google Ads campaign, including:
Sitelink extensions
Sitelink extensions are a type of ad extension that provide additional links to specific pages on the website, such as the "Contact Us" page or "About Us" page. These extensions allow you to include additional information about your business and give potential clients more options for exploring your website. This can help to increase click-through rates and drive more conversions.
Specific pages
Estate planning attorneys can use sitelink extensions to provide additional links to specific pages on their website, such as "Estate Planning Services," "FAQ," or "Contact Us" page. This can help potential clients easily find the information they need and increase the chances of them taking action, such as emailing or calling to schedule a consultation or request more information.
Where sitelink extensions can be used
Sitelink extensions can be added to your ads on Google Search, Google Maps, and the Google Display Network. They can be added at the account, campaign, or ad group level, and can be customized with different headlines, descriptions, and URLs.
It's important to note that sitelink extensions are only available for certain types of ads, such as text ads and responsive ads. It's important to make sure that the links included in the sitelink extension are relevant and useful to potential clients, and the links should direct to the appropriate pages on the website.
Callout extensions
Call-out extensions are a type of ad extension that allows you to add short snippets of text to your ad that highlight specific features or benefits of your services. These snippets of text are called "call-outs" and can be used to mention things like free consultations, specialties, certifications, awards, or any other information that sets your expertise apart from other estate planning attorneys in your local area.
Free consultations
Estate planning attorneys can use call-out extensions to mention that they offer free consultations. This can be an attractive feature for potential clients who are looking for legal services but may be hesitant to commit to a consultation due to cost. By mentioning that you offer free consultations in your ad, you can increase the likelihood that potential clients will visit your website.
Bringing potential clients attention to your specific expertise
Family law attorneys can use call-out extensions to mention that they have experience handling high-asset divorce cases. This can be an attractive feature for potential clients who have high net worth and are looking for an attorney who has experience handling complex financial matters. By mentioning this in your ad, you can increase the relevance of your ad to potential clients who are looking for this type of service and increase the likelihood that they will visit your website.
Call extensions
Call extensions are a type of ad extension that allows you to add a click-to-call button to your ad, making it easy for potential estate planning clients to call your office directly from the ad. This feature allows users to call your office directly by clicking on a button in your ad, without having to navigate to your website or search for your phone number.
Click-to-call button
For Estate planning attorneys, call extensions can increase the chances of getting new clients. Since legal services are often time-sensitive, potential clients may prefer to speak with an attorney directly over the phone to schedule a consultation or discuss their case. By including a click-to-call button in your ad, you can make it easy for potential clients to contact your office and increase the likelihood that they will schedule a consultation.
Tracking
Call extensions can also be useful for tracking the effectiveness of your ads. Google Ads allows you to track how many calls were made and how long they lasted. This can help you to understand how well your ads are performing and make data-driven decisions about how to optimize your Google ads.
Call extensions can be added to various ad formats, such as search and display ads, making them available to a large group of users. It's important to note that, call extensions are an optional feature in Google Ads, and they may not appear in every ad.
Location extensions
Location extensions are a type of ad extension that allows you to show your address, phone number, and a map of your law firm's business location in your ad, making it easy for potential clients to find and contact your law firm. This feature allows users to see your law firm's location, and get directions to your office directly from the ad, without having to navigate to your website or search for your address.
In-person visit
Since legal services are often location-based, potential clients may prefer to visit an estate planning attorney's office in person to schedule a consultation or discuss their case. By including your law firm's location in your ad, you can make it easy for potential clients to find your office and increase the likelihood that they will schedule a consultation.
Tracking effectiveness
Location extensions can also be useful for tracking the effectiveness of your ads. Google Ads allows you to track how many people have clicked on your location and how many people have requested directions to your office. This can help you to understand how well your ads are performing and make data-driven decisions about how to optimize your ads.
Location extensions can be added to various ad formats, such as search and display ads, making them available to a large group of users. It's important to note that, location extensions are an optional feature in Google Ads, and they may not appear in every ad.
Review extensions
Review extensions are a type of ad extension that allows you to display reviews or ratings of your services within your ad. This can help to increase the credibility of your ads and can help to improve your click-through rate.
Positive reviews and high ratings
Review extensions can increase the chances of getting new estate planning clients. Positive reviews and high ratings can increase the trust and credibility of your law firm and services, which can make potential clients more likely to choose your services over those of your competitors. By including reviews or ratings in your ad, you can make it easy for potential clients to see the positive feedback that your firm has received, and increase the chance that they will visit your website.
Tracking clicks on reviews
They can also be useful for tracking the effectiveness of your ads. Google Ads allows you to track how many people have clicked on your reviews or ratings and how it impacts your click-through rate. This can help you to understand how well your ads are performing and make informed decisions about how to optimize your ads.
Google requires that the reviews used in the extensions are from reliable third-party sources and that they are not self-authored. However, using them can increase the chances of getting more clients, by increasing the credibility and trust of your estate planning law firm.
When using ad extensions, it's important to regularly review and optimize them. You should check that all the information is correct and that the links are working properly. You should also track the performance of your ad extensions to see which ones are driving the most conversions and highest ROI.
Using extensions
By including ad extensions, you can provide additional information that can help to increase the chances of a successful campaign. It's important to note that ad extensions can also be tested and optimized to see which performs better. For example, if you find that the call extension is driving more conversions, you may want to consider using it more frequently in your ads.
In summary, ad extensions are another way to enhance the performance of your Google Ads campaign. They provide additional information about the law firm, such as phone numbers or physical location, and can improve click-through rates and drive more conversions. It's important to test and optimize ad extensions regularly to ensure that the campaign is performing at its best.
6. Ad scheduling
Set ad schedules by day of the week and/or by the hour
Google Ads allows you to set ad schedules by day of the week and by the hour of the day. This means you can choose to run your ads during the days of the week and hours of the day when your target audience is most likely to be searching for estate planning attorney services.
For example, if you notice that the majority of your website traffic comes from 9-5 Monday to Friday, you can schedule your ads to run during these times. Or if you notice that the majority of your website traffic comes from the evening, you can schedule your ads to run during these times.
Review your scheduling
It's important to note that ad scheduling should be regularly monitored and optimized to ensure that the ad is reaching the target audience at the most effective times. If you notice that your ad is not performing well during certain times, you may want to adjust the ad schedule to reach the target audience at different times.
In addition to ad scheduling, you can also use ad scheduling in conjunction with other targeting options such as geographic location targeting and day-parting targeting to reach the most relevant audience at the right time.
7. Ad testing
A/B testing
For example, an estate planning attorney could create two versions of an ad, one with a headline "Estate Planning Made Simple" and the other "Expert Estate Planning Services." By running both ads simultaneously and measuring the performance, the attorney can determine which headline is more effective in driving clicks and conversions.
Ad testing can be done on various elements of the ad such as:
- Headlines
- Ad copy
- CTAs
- Ad formats
- Ad placements
- Ad targeting
- Ad scheduling
It's important to test one element at a time to determine which one is affecting the ad's performance. By testing different variations of ad copy, estate planning attorneys can optimize their ads to better reach their target audience and increase conversions.
Starting on a small scale
It's important to note that ad testing should be done on a small scale before rolling out the winning ad copy to a larger audience. Also, it's important to have a sufficient sample size and a significant amount of data before drawing conclusions from the results. It's also important to continue testing and optimizing the ads on a regular basis to ensure that they are always performing at their best.
8. Retargeting campaigns
Pixel
Specifically tailored
Once you have a list of individuals who have interacted with your website, you can then create ads that are specifically tailored to them and show them to these individuals as they browse the internet. These ads may remind them of the services you offer or offer special promotions to entice them to come back to your website and convert.
Retargeting campaigns can be very effective, as they allow you to reach individuals who have already shown an interest in your services. This can increase the chances of converting them into clients.
It's important to note that retargeting campaigns should be regularly monitored and optimized to ensure that the ads are reaching the right audience and driving conversions. For example, if you notice that your retargeting campaign is not driving conversions, you may want to adjust the targeting options or consider using a different retargeting strategy.
9. Landing Pages
Landing page creation and optimization is another important aspect of a successful Google Ads campaign. This involves creating a webpage that is tailored to the specific needs of your target audience and is designed to convert visitors into clients. A well-designed landing page can greatly improve the chances of a successful campaign.
When creating a landing page, it is important to keep in mind that the page should be designed with a clear and specific goal in mind. For example, an estate planning attorney may want to create a landing page that encourages potential clients to schedule a consultation.
Landing page design
The landing page should be visually appealing and easy to navigate. It should also be optimized for conversions by including elements such as clear and compelling headlines, persuasive copy, and a prominent call-to-action (CTA).
It's important to note that the landing page should be tailored to the specific needs of your target audience. This can be achieved by conducting research on your target audience and understanding their pain points, concerns, and desires. By creating a landing page that addresses these issues, you can increase the chances of converting visitors into clients.
Optimized for conversions
In addition to the design and content of the landing page, it's also important to ensure that the page is optimized for search engines. This can be achieved by including relevant keywords in the page's content and meta tags, as well as by ensuring that the page is mobile-friendly and loads quickly.
It's important to regularly monitor and optimize the landing page to ensure that it is performing at its best. This can be achieved by using tools such as Google Analytics to track the performance of the page and identify areas that need improvement.
In summary, Landing page creation and optimization is an important aspect of a successful Google Ads campaign. It involves creating a webpage that is tailored to the specific needs of your target audience and is designed to convert visitors into clients. A well-designed and optimized landing page can greatly improve the chances of a successful campaign.
10. Mobile optimization
Mobile optimization is crucial in today's digital landscape as more and more people are accessing the internet on mobile devices. From my experience with many estate planning websites, approximately 65% of all visits are from mobile devices. With so many potential clients using mobile devices, it is essential to ensure that your website and ads are easily accessible and usable on these devices.
Mobile optimization involves making sure that your website and ads are designed to work seamlessly on smaller screens and with touch-based navigation. This includes optimizing the layout and design of the website, as well as ensuring that the website loads quickly on mobile devices.
Responsive design
One way to optimize your website for mobile devices is to use a responsive design. This means that the website automatically adjusts its layout to fit the screen size of the device being used. This ensures that the website is easily readable and navigable on any device.
In addition to optimizing the website, it's also important to ensure that your ads are mobile-friendly. This means that the ads should be designed to look good and be easy to interact with on smaller screens. Ad formats such as text and image ads, call-only ads, and callout extensions are particularly effective on mobile devices.
It's important to note that mobile optimization is an ongoing process and should be regularly monitored and updated to ensure that the website and ads continue to work well on mobile devices.
11. Legal Compliance
Disclaimers
Ads can not be misleading or deceptive
An important aspect of legal compliance is to ensure that the ads are not misleading or deceptive in any way. This includes making sure that the claims made in the ads are truthful and can be substantiated. Additionally, it's important to ensure that the ad is not making false or misleading statements about the services being offered.
It's also important to consider the regulations regarding the use of sensitive topics and certain keywords in the ads. For example, using keywords related to sensitive topics such as bankruptcy or debt relief may be prohibited by certain regulations.
It's important to note that legal compliance is an ongoing process and should be regularly monitored to ensure that the ads are in line with the latest regulations and guidelines. It's also a good idea to seek legal advice to ensure that the ads comply with all relevant laws and regulations.