Local Services Ads for Lawyers: A Guide to Google’s New Tool for Small Firms

Law firms wanting to benefit from online advertising – and connect with potential clients – should know that Google Local Services Ads (LSAs) are now available to legal practices*.

You’re probably thinking that you’ve heard of this before and that these ads have been around for ages but – to be clear – Google Local Services Ads are NOT your traditional Google Ads (more on this below). LSAs are new, and different, and they offer a unique opportunity for small law firms to effectively showcase their services to potential clients in their local areas.

How? Well for starters Local Services Ads make it possible for a law firm to appear before everything else on Google’s search results page and appear with a “Google Screened” badge that can improve client confidence. For smaller firms, LSAs can level the playing field, and help little LLPs compete with larger, bigger-budget counterparts (something that can be difficult with standard Google Ads).

In this article, we’ll explain exactly what Google Local Services Ads are, how they differ from classic Google Ads, how firms can use them, and why they are well-suited to small and solo practices.

*Note: As of May 2024 Google Local Services Ads are only available to law firms in the US and the Greater London area – but this is likely to expand to the rest of the UK (and to Canada!) at a later date.

What Are Google Local Services Ads for Lawyers?

LSAs are a paid advertising model enabling firms to market legal services to potential clients in their local area. They are a form of pay-per-lead (PPL) ad that appears at the top of Google’s search results page whenever someone Googles something that triggers them. As an example, if a searcher conducts a location-specific search, such as “Personal Injury Solicitor in Brixton,” LSAs will come up first on Google’s search engine results page.

Unlike traditional pay-per-click (PPC) ads, LSAs only charge law firms for leads. This shifts the focus from ad clicks (simply opening or viewing an ad) to actual leads (calling or messaging the advertiser) – providing a more tangible return on investment for firms.

Understanding the Difference: Google Local Services Ads vs. Google Ads

LSAs or traditional Google Ads (or both), could be used by smaller firms looking to target local clientele. However, Google Local Services Ads are distinct from traditional Google Ads in several key ways:

LSAs Appear First in Search: As mentioned, Local Services Ads now appear at the top of Google’s search results page. This means they show up above all other result types. That is, before PPC ads (like standard Google Ads), before Google’s local map pack and before organic search results. Below is an example of what this looks like:

Pay Per Lead, Not Clicks: With Local Services Ads, your firm is only charged when a potential client contacts you directly through the ad. Unlike Google Ads, Local Services Ads are a pay-per-lead service that will only charge you for each lead they generate (instead of charging you every time someone simply clicks on your ad).

These leads come in as phone calls and messages. You can reply to messages, track bookings and manage all your leads online and through Google’s LSA app. You can also set your desired budget and – in certain markets – dispute erroneous or irrelevant leads, and be reimbursed for them. (However, this isn’t something Google currently offers lawyers outside the US).

The pay-per-lead set-up enables firms to focus their ad budgets on prospective clients who are further along in the prospect’s journey and more likely to become firm clients. This payment model helps ensure that your advertising budget is spent on actual inquiries, providing a more efficient and cost-effective marketing solution for your smaller law firm.

LSA Budget Doesn’t Influence Ranking: Firms with huge advertising budgets can often dominate smaller firms in the traditional Google Ads space. With a large enough budget, big firms can push their Google Ads to the top of Google’s search results (and thus push smaller players down the results).

The same isn’t true for Local Services Ads. LSAs operate using a flat-fee pay-per-lead model, so there’s no way to improve your ranking by pouring more money into your ads.

Proximity Matters More with LSAs than Google Ads: If your law firm is close to the person searching (or near the centre of the location they’re searching about), it gets a boost in relevance and will get placed higher in the LSA rankings. This is great for small law firms in big cities competing against large firms. (However, this also provides a reason that standard Google Ads – and organic SEO – can still be important, since they are not necessarily restricted based on proximity).

LSAs Require Law Offices to Go Through a Screening Process: Your firm will need to undergo a screening process in order to be eligible for Local Services Ads. Before your LSAs can go live, your business will have to pass licence checks. It may also be required to pass background checks and show proof of insurance.

Google Local Services Ads verifies that professional licenses are current, both when businesses join Local Services, and periodically on an ongoing basis.

LSAs Have Google’s Green Badge (ie. Google Screened): Once the screening process is complete, your LSAs will appear online along with a green “Google Screened” tick of trust. This green tick is a nice touch that can provide searchers added peace of mind, letting them know that professionals with LSAs have been Google-vetted.

More Information on How Local Services Ads Work For Law Offices

What Information Can Firms Share in a Local Services Ad?

In addition to providing the green Google Screened tick, LSAs also give lawyers an opportunity to display certain details about their practices, including:

Number of years in business
Hours of operation
Practice area(s)
Phone number
An image (ie. a solicitor’s head-shot or firm logo)
Review ratings (ie. Google Business Profile (GPB) stars)

Note that, unlike with standard Google Ads, you aren’t able write much in the way of ad copy. With LSAs your ad text is limited to just the very basics and – compared to traditional Google Ads – there’s less customization in terms of ad appearance. Businesses looking for highly tailored ad creatives (ie. fancy copy in headlines or a detailed firm description) may find the LSA options somewhat limited.

What Legal Practice Areas are Eligible for Local Services Ads?

Local Services Ads are only available for certain practice areas (as defined by Google). These are currently:

Contract law

Corporate law

Criminal law

Employment law

Family law

Immigration law

Insolvency law

Intellectual property law

Litigation law

Malpractice law

Personal injury law

Probate law

Property law

Road traffic law

Tax law

What Triggers Local Services Ads for Law Firms? Do Firms Pick the Keywords Triggering LSAs?

Unlike with traditional Google Ads, you’re not able to pick the specific keyword searches that will trigger your LSAs. With Local Services Ads, you select the service categories you want your ads to show for, and Google uses its advanced natural language processing abilities to determine whether or not the searcher’s query is relevant enough to trigger a set of LSAs.

Google’s search algorithm is sophisticated enough to know what types of searches indicate a person is looking for a solicitor to provide them with specific services. This means LSA triggers aren’t only limited to searches like “personal injury solicitor” or “family law solicitor near me”. Search queries like “car accident lawyer”, “divorce solicitor”, etc. will trigger them as well.

How are LSA Leads Captured?

As mentioned, your Local Services Ad will shown at the top of Google Search results when people search for the services that you offer, in areas that you’ve chosen. Potential clients can then click-through to call, or message, your firm.

When the prospect reaches out, your firm gets an email and notification from the Local Services Ads app . From this point on, the lead is yours (to hopefully become a paying client).

Using Google’s Local Services Ads app, you can:

Receive and manage leads
Communicate with prospective clients about their requests and record notes
Track your leads
View reports about your ad’s performance
Pause your ad (if you’re too busy to accept new leads)
Adjust your budget
Track your bookings (currently unavailable in UK)
Dispute charges (currently unavailable in UK)
Ask for reviews (currently unavailable in UK)

To ensure that you always receive LSA messages, Google advises that firms respond to as many of them as possible (even if they ultimately decline to provide services). If a firm regularly fails to answer calls, or respond to messages, its Local Services Ad ranking may be affected.

How Much Do Local Services Ads Cost for Lawyers?

There’s no cost to sign up for Local Services Ads. With Local Services Ads, you only pay for leads related to your business. It works like this:

You set an average weekly budget based on the average number of leads that you want to receive in any given week.
You set your bidding mode for the maximum amount that you’re willing to pay for a lead.

Generally speaking, the primary things that influence how much your LSAs will cost you per lead are:

The size of your total addressable market. (This basically boils down to what type of law you practice. ie. personal injury leads are likely to cost more than IP leads).
The physical location of your firm relative to highly populated areas.

Can You Dispute Irrelevant Leads from Local Services Ads?

In the US, companies can immediately dispute leads they believe aren’t valid – and successfully disputed leads are credited back to the company later. However, this functionality is not currently available in the UK.

Can You Pause Local Services Ads?

Yes, you can pause your Local Services Ads. Doing so will remove the Google Screened verification badge from your listing but it will still appear (though lower than the paid listings). You won’t be charged for leads that come in via the listing while your budget is paused, however.

How Can My Small Firm Get the Most Value out of Google Local Services Ads?

Optimizing Local Services Ads for your small law firm involves some planning and monitoring. Here are some tips to help you get the most value out of your LSAs:

Optimize Your Google Business Profile:
- LSAs rely on the information in your GBP. Therefore, you should ensure that your Google Business Profile is complete, accurate, and up-to-date. Include your address, phone number, business hours, and as much detail as possible regarding the services you offer. (We’ve written a separate, step-by-step, article all about how to optimize your Google Business Profile).
Select Relevant Legal Services:
- Be strategic in choosing the legal services you want to highlight in your LSAs. Focus on the areas where your law firm excels and where there is a high demand in your local market.
Encourage Client Reviews:
- Positive reviews not only enhance your online reputation but also contribute to the success of LSAs. Encourage satisfied clients to leave reviews on your Google Business Profile. Also be sure to respond to reviews promptly, whether positive or negative, to show engagement and commitment to client satisfaction.
Use High-Quality Images:
- Incorporate high-quality images in your LSAs. This can include photos of your legal team, office space, or any relevant visuals that showcase your professionalism and competence.
Monitor Bids (and adjust as necessary):
- Regularly review your ad performance and adjust your bidding strategy accordingly. Allocate budget to services that generate the most leads and adjust bids to stay competitive in your local market.
Track Conversions (ie. new clients brought in):
- Implement conversion tracking to measure the success of your LSAs. Knowing which services are generating the most leads and conversions allows you to refine your strategy for better results.
Use Local Area Targeting:
- Leverage the local targeting features of LSAs to ensure your ads are reaching the right audience in your specific geographic area. Adjust your targeting settings based on the locations where your services are most in demand.

Are there Any Downsides to Google Local Services Ads?

While Google LSAs can offer many benefits to law offices, there are a few things to be mindful of:

1. Potential to Pay for Leads that Don’t Become Clients:

The pay-per-lead model means you pay for any inquiry, whether or not it ultimately leads to a conversion (ie. a new client). So its possible that you’re spending money on leads that may not be genuinely interested in your services (potentially impacting your return on investment).

To help minimize this risk, your firm should set a realistic budget and monitor the cost per LSA-lead to ensure it aligns with your business goals. Regularly review the performance of your LSAs and adjust your strategy, as needed, to optimize results.

2. The Strict Verification Process:

As mentioned, LSAs involve completing Google’s verification process – including background checks for certain services. This process may mean a delay, and that you are not able to get your Local Services Ads up and running as quickly as you’d like to.

3. Dependency on Google’s Policies:

Advertisers using Google services, like LSAs, are subject to Google’s policies. Changes in policies (or algorithms!) could impact how LSAs perform and may require firms to adapt their strategies accordingly.

While LSAs can be effective, consider diversifying your marketing efforts to reach a broader audience and reduce dependency on a single platform.

The Final Word on Local Services Ads for Small Firms

Google Local Services Ads present a new opportunity for small London law firms to expand their online presence, reach local clients, and compete effectively (and cost-effectively!) online. By understanding the unique benefits of LSAs – such as enhanced visibility, targeted reach, and increased trust – law firms can leverage this developing advertising platform to attract new leads and grow their businesses.

Overall, LSAs are much easier to set-up and manage than classic Google Ads. There’s no reason a small or solo firm could not initiate and run LSAs on their own. If you’re interested in reading more about Google Services Ads, you can do so: here. If you’re ready to get started you can do so (starting with Google’s eligibility check): here. And, lastly, if you need any assistance, or would like to discuss with us, please feel free to reach out.

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