How Personal Injury Lawyers Manage Their PPC Advertising Budget and Strategy
Digital advertising offers law firms a shortcut to reach their target audience and attract potential clients online—or, it could burn through your marketing budget without generating meaningful ROI.
It all depends on planning and execution.
In this post, we asked six personal injury lawyers on:
- What kind of monthly budget should injury attorneys set aside for advertising?
- What’s been your experience with Facebook Ads, Google Ads, and Local Service Ads?
Read their answers below.
How Much Do Lawyers Spend on Advertising?
Most personal injury lawyers tend to allocate a considerable chunk of their marketing budget to get meaningful results.
Riley Beam, managing attorney at Douglas R. Beam, P.A., recommends the following:
I’d recommend setting aside at least $3,000 to $5,000 per month to really make an impact with these ads.
As for ROI, it really depends on your goals. In my experience, you can start to see a return within the first few months, but it may take 6-12 months to really hit your stride.
Of course, you can spread your budget across different advertising channels in any way that matches your campaign objectives.
In terms of marketing channels, Dan Christensen—owner of DJC Law—shared positive results across major platforms:
In my 20 years as a personal injury attorney, digital advertising has become an increasingly important part of my marketing strategy. Based on the results I’ve seen, I recommend injury lawyers set aside at least $5,000 per month for digital ads across platforms like Facebook, Google Ads, and Local Service Ads.
C.L. Mike Schmidt from Schmidt & Clark also suggests putting in an adequate amount for testing and refining strategies:
I’d recommend starting with a budget of $1,500 to $3,000 per month for each channel. This range should give you enough room to test different ad formats and refine your approach based on what performs best. Remember, competition and your geographic area can influence these numbers, so be prepared to adjust as needed.
With such a budget, Schmidt acknowledges that it may take months before your campaigns generate substantial returns.
“Generally, you should start seeing some results within a few months,” says Schmidt. “But meaningful ROI might take up to six months or more.”
Overall, the recommended budget by most personal injury lawyers falls in the same range. Whatever you decide should rely primarily on your practice area and marketing goals.
Personal injury lawyer Andrew Pickett says:
“A solid monthly budget can range from $1,500 to $5,000, depending on your market and goals.
You can expect to see a return on investment within three to six months, but this can vary based on the competitiveness of your market and the quality of your ad content.”
How Personal Injury Lawyers Handle Digital Advertising
Wondering how to make the most out of your digital advertising budget?
Here are five core strategies that personal injury lawyers use to make sure every cent counts:
1. Adopting a Multi-Channel Strategy to Maximize Reach
Personal injury lawyers have three go-to digital advertising channels: Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and Local Service Ads.
Of course, some lawyers use a multi-channel approach and just roll out ads across all of them.
According to C.L. Mike Schmidt, each advertising channel is worth exploring:
In my experience, each digital advertising channel—Facebook Ads, Google Ads, and Local Service Ads—has its own unique strengths. Facebook Ads are incredibly versatile, allowing you to target very specific audiences and track their engagement closely. Google Ads is all about capturing intent; when someone searches for personal injury attorneys, you want your ad to pop up. Local Service Ads are fantastic for getting noticed by potential clients in your local area who are actively seeking legal help.
Done right, it’s definitely possible to focus on multiple advertising channels and still get positive results.
Mark Hirsch, co-founder of Templer & Hirsch, shares their experience with multi-channel advertising:
Our experience with Google Ads, particularly in local accident-related searches, has been notably practical. Facebook Ads have proven to be a powerful tool for reaching specific groups and increasing brand recognition. While Local Service Ads are a relatively new approach, they show encouraging outcomes in attracting qualified prospects.
2. Working with a Hybrid Team to Balance Control and Expertise
While PPC advertising can definitely be handled in-house for better brand alignment and control, most law firms seek out the expertise of PPC consultants or agencies.
For C.L. Mike Schmidt, creating a hybrid advertising team isn’t out of the question:
As for managing these ads, it’s a toss-up between handling them in-house or outsourcing to an agency. In-house management can be effective if you have a team with the expertise and time to optimize campaigns. However, agencies often have a deeper pool of knowledge and access to advanced tools, which can lead to more efficient and effective campaigns. They can take the guesswork out of it and allow you to focus on your clients and cases.
3. Getting Guaranteed Results with a Proven PPC Agency
Apart from overcoming the knowledge gap, most personal injury lawyers also work with agencies to make time for higher-level legal work.
Riley Beam works with an agency to keep up with the PPC landscape’s ever-changing nature:
It can be tempting to try and handle this in-house, but it’s a full-time job keeping up with the constantly changing algorithms and best practices. It’s a lot easier to work with an agency that specializes in personal injury law and knows the industry inside and out. You won’t need to constantly give them input regarding the best approach to take.
Andrew Picket also acknowledges the advantages of working with an agency over managing ad campaigns in-house:
While some firms may handle these campaigns in-house to have more control, partnering with an agency can yield better results, as they often have more expertise and access to advanced tools.
4. Refining Your Audience Targeting for Maximum Cost Efficiency
Another reason why lawyers work with agencies is that PPC advertising can be a mixed bag—especially without the proper tools and strategies for effective audience targeting.
Here’s Ramzy Ladah from Ladah Law Firm sharing their bumpy journey into PPC advertising:
I started with Google Ads and Facebook ads, setting a modest monthly budget of $5,000. Initially, the results were mixed—plenty of clicks but few quality leads. It became clear that crafting targeted campaigns was key.
I decided to work with a specialized agency that understood the nuances of personal injury cases. They refined our ad copy and optimized our targeting, significantly improving our lead quality.
Dan Christensen also talks about the data his firm uses to optimize their audience targeting:
Digital ads allow injury firms to target likely clients based on factors like location, demographics, interests, and search behavior. This enables more efficient spending compared to traditional media buys.
5. Monitoring and Fine-Tuning Your Strategy for Optimized Results
To optimize your ad campaigns, you need to identify and understand the key metrics you should track.
Mark Hirsch says:
Monitoring key metrics such as website traffic, form submissions from leads, and incoming calls is essential. Remember that digital advertising is a continuous investment that demands ongoing attention and adjustment.
Of course, knowing is just one part of the equation.
You also need to know how to turn data into optimization opportunities that will improve your advertising results over time.
Just like C.L. Mike Schmidt says:
It’s crucial to track performance metrics closely and be prepared to iterate on your strategy to improve outcomes over time.
Final Thoughts
Digital advertising is a proven opportunity for lawyers to gain fast traction in digital marketing.
Just be sure to understand the best practices, pick your advertising channels wisely, and learn how to manage your budget based on the results.
“In personal injury law, online advertising is vital in connecting with prospective clients at their most vulnerable,” says Mark Hirsch. “The amount of money allocated to advertising varies based on the size of your practice and the audience you aim to reach.”
If you’d rather funnel all of your attention into your legal practice, looking for a PPC agency that knows the legal industry inside and out is your best option.
That’s where we come in.
Contact us and request a free PPC audit today.
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