Robert Davis
Here’s some great news for attorneys…
Google has finally started rolling out its Local Services Ads (LSAs) to attorneys in more cities!
When Google first launched its legal LSAs earlier this year (a new type of paid search ad that helps attorneys attract more calls from prospective clients right in their local communities), they were only available to estate and immigration lawyers in two cities—San Diego and Houston.
But now, the LSA program is being extended to Austin and Atlanta around the end of September.
This is HUGE NEWS because it means more attorneys will be able to take advantage of the new Google ads that are shaking up the landscape of paid search advertising for law firms.
What exactly are LSAs?
If you’re not familiar with LSAs and how they work, here’s a quick recap…
LSAs are:
- Pay-per-lead ads that appear in Google (you pay for calls instead of clicks).
- Driven by local attorney searches (with firm proximity being a major ranking factor).
- Great trust-builders with prospects because they include a “Google Screened” badge.
- Only available to law firms that have been fully vetted and approved by Google.
And here’s what they look like:
For more information about LSAs and how they work, click here.
Why are LSAs a game changer for law firms?
LSAs are a major development in law firm advertising because they’re completely changing the dynamics of how attorneys can get their firms shown at the top of Google.
Google launched its pay-per-click (PPC) advertising platform, Google AdWords (now called Google Ads), in 2000. So, for nearly 20 years, PPC was the leading strategy for any attorney who wanted a front-of-the-line pass in search engines, helping them get their websites shown above the organic results.
But with the introduction of Google’s LSAs, PPC ads are no longer the first thing a searcher sees on the search engine results page.
For searches that include the eligible practice areas and cities (like “San Diego immigration lawyer” or “Houston estate planning attorney”), the first results to appear are LSA ads.
And if it top placement isn’t enough of an advantage, LSA ads feature the search engine’s official stamp of approval with a “Google Screened” badge that is designed to help win the trust of prospective clients.
So, what does that mean for your law firm?
It means there’s a NEW OPPORTUNITY to get your firm to appear up at the top of Google’s search results and seen by prospects right in your local community who are looking for a trusted attorney.
It also means that if you’re only investing in PPC ads and not in LSAs, your firm is going to get bumped further down the page, which could lead to less traffic and fewer calls.
Do LSAs make sense for your law firm?
It’s worth looking into.
Here’s how to get started
Scorpion helps law firms navigate the LSA application and approval process, as well as with LSA campaign management. We’re one of the few companies selected by Google to assist law firms with LSAs.
So, If you’re an estate or immigration attorney based in San Diego, Houston, Austin, or Atlanta and you’re interested in applying, make sure to speak with one of our digital advertising specialists.
And if you’re not located in one of these areas, it’s still worth a conversation, as there’s a good chance Google will be expanding the program to more legal practice areas and geographic markets in the future.
To learn more about LSAs, contact Scorpion or watch a replay of our LSA webinar for attorneys.
