How to Use Retargeting Ads to Encourage Clients to Call

Wouldn’t it be nice if everyone who saw an ad for your law firm was ready to call? Unfortunately, this is not the case.

Legal services are unique because they are not an “impulse purchase,” like many other products and services. While true, it does not mean that online marketing efforts, like retargeting ads, cannot be beneficial.

Using retargeting to stay top of mind is essential in the competitive legal industry. As of January 2022, there were 1,327,010 active lawyers in the U.S. With so much competition, you must take steps to stand out and be the go-to choice for those in need of legal services nearby.

With Retargeting Ads, you ensure your law firm is seen or thought of when legal services are needed. Used effectively, this strategy can be a game changer when trying to attract new clients.

What is Retargeting?

Retargeting, often referred to as remarketing, is a form of online advertising targeting users who have previously interacted with a website, product, or service. Instead of targeting a broad audience, retargeting ads focus on those who’ve already shown interest, ensuring that brands and services remain at the forefront of their minds.

How Retargeting Works ?

Imagine visiting an online store and checking out a pair of shoes but leaving without making a purchase. Later, while reading the news or browsing social media, you spot an ad for that exact pair of shoes. That’s retargeting in action.

Technically, when you first visit a website, it drops a small piece of code known as a “cookie” onto your browser. This cookie allows advertisers to track your subsequent online activities.

When you leave the website without making a desired action (like calling or scheduling an appointment), the cookie displays retargeting ads on other platforms or websites you visit, reminding you of the initial service you expressed interest in.

In the context of legal marketing, retargeting can be incredibly effective. If someone searches for legal advice or visits a law firm’s website, retargeting ads ensure that the firm’s services stay prominent in their minds during their subsequent online activities. This can be crucial in a field where decisions are rarely made impulsively, and potential clients might need multiple reminders of the available service.

Why Retargeting is Crucial for Law Firms

Getting more calls and clients at your law firm is a challenging process. Unlike retail or entertainment, where impulse buying or instant decisions might be the norm, legal services demand careful thought and consideration from potential clients.

They don’t just want a lawyer; they want the right lawyer. Law firms often have limited opportunities to make a lasting impression and draw clients in.

Trust Is the Bedrock of Legal Engagements 

Trust is the foundation of any lawyer-client relationship. Clients entrust lawyers with personal details, sensitive matters, and sometimes their futures.

Unfortunately, building trust is often a slow process.

This is where retargeting can help. By repeatedly presenting your law firm’s face, expertise, and message, retargeting ads help establish a firm’s reliability and trustworthiness. The more potential clients see a firm’s name and offerings, the more familiar and reliable the firm appears.

Over time, this familiarity can turn into trust.

How Repetition Keeps Your Law Firm Top of Mind

Here’s an interesting tidbit: research indicates that, on average, potential clients need to see an ad seven times before they decide to take action. This principle, known as the “Rule of Seven” in marketing circles, highlights the power of consistent visibility.

Retargeting ads perfectly adhere to this rule. Instead of a one-time exposure, they ensure that your law firm remains visible, subtly reminding potential clients of your services. When they’ve encountered your ad multiple times, their chances of contacting you for a consultation increase significantly.

Steps to Set Up Successful Retargeting Campaigns for Law Firms

Crafting a retargeting campaign is not a one-size-fits-all approach, especially for law firms. Given the diverse range of legal specialties and the unique needs of potential clients, it’s essential to tailor retargeting efforts for maximum effectiveness.

By understanding and implementing the right strategies, law firms can optimize their campaigns and ensure a higher return on their marketing investment. Let’s begin with a crucial step in this process: Audience Segmentation.

Audience Segmentation

Before marketing to anyone, you have to know who your audience is. For law firms, this means recognizing that a visitor browsing information on personal injury might have very different needs from someone looking into family law matters.

By segmenting website visitors based on their areas of interest, law firms can tailor their ads to resonate with each group, leading to higher engagement rates and better conversion probabilities.

Tools and Techniques for Effective Segmentation

Several tools are available to help law firms in their segmentation endeavors. Platforms like Google Analytics provide insights into user behavior, allowing firms to discern which pages or topics garner the most attention. Firms can set up specific ad groups for different segments by integrating such tools with retargeting platforms.

Using Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software can further refine segmentation. CRMs can track a potential client’s journey and interactions, allowing for more nuanced ad targeting.

For instance, if a visitor initially explored pages on personal injury but later delved into content on medical malpractice, retargeting ads can be adjusted to reflect this evolving interest.

Ad Content Creation

The content of your ad plays a pivotal role in determining whether it captures attention or gets scrolled past. This content must strike a delicate balance for law firms: it should be professional yet approachable, informative yet concise.

Here are some tips for creating compelling ads tailored for the legal arena:

• Highlight Your Expertise: Whether it’s a significant courtroom victory, years of experience, or a unique specialization, showcasing your strengths immediately boosts your credibility.
• Use Relatable Imagery: A well-chosen image can speak volumes. Opt for photos that convey trust, professionalism, and empathy. For example, a compassionate attorney consoling a client or a determined lawyer deep in thought can evoke the right emotions.
• Keep it Simple: Legal jargon can be intimidating. Aim for clarity and simplicity in your ad copy, ensuring potential clients understand the message without feeling overwhelmed.

The Power of a Clear CTA

A Call-to-Action (CTA) isn’t just a button or a concluding line—it’s the bridge between passive viewing and active engagement. A CTA should be straightforward and direct for law firms, guiding visitors toward the next step, whether scheduling a consultation, downloading a resource, or simply learning more. Phrases like “Schedule Your Free Consultation Now” or “Discover How We Can Help” can be compelling and actionable.

Leveraging Testimonials and Case Studies

Nothing builds trust like the words of satisfied clients or a showcase of past successes. Testimonials offer a genuine, first-hand account of a client’s experience, making them invaluable in establishing credibility. When featuring testimonials, ensure they’re concise, relevant, and authentic.

Similarly, case studies can be powerful tools, particularly for potential clients facing complex legal challenges. You provide tangible proof of your expertise and commitment by highlighting past cases where your firm made a significant difference.

Choosing the Right Platforms

Creating an ad is only half of the process. You must also choose where it will be displayed. Some popular platforms for retargeting ads for law firms include:

• Google Display Network (GDN): GDN reaches over 90% of internet users worldwide. It allows law firms to place ads on various websites, videos, and applications that potential clients might use, ensuring broad visibility.
• Facebook: With billions of users, Facebook offers granular targeting options. Its retargeting capabilities ensure that ads are displayed to users who’ve previously interacted with a law firm’s website or Facebook page.
• LinkedIn: As a professional network, LinkedIn is particularly suited for B2B or corporate law retargeting. It allows firms to target specific industries, job titles, or companies, making it invaluable for specialized legal services.
• Others: Platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest offer retargeting options, albeit with varying granularity and reach.

Matching Platforms with Target Audience

Choosing the right platform isn’t just about reach; it’s about ensuring your ads resonate with the right audience:

• Determine Your Ideal Client: Are you targeting corporations, individual clients, or other law firms? Understand your client’s profile, online habits, and where they’re most likely to spend their time.
• Analyze Previous Interactions: Platforms like Google Analytics can provide insights into referral traffic, helping determine where most of your engaged visitors are coming from.
• Cost and ROI Considerations: While some platforms offer broader reach, they also come with a higher cost-per-click or cost-per-impression. It’s essential to balance potential reach with budget considerations and expected ROI.
• Adapt and Experiment: Digital marketing is an ever-evolving field. Regularly reassess your platform choices, analyze the results, and be ready to pivot if another platform offers better engagement.

While numerous platforms are available, the best one for a law firm depends on where their potential clients are and which platform aligns best with the firm’s overall marketing goals and budget. Our marketing team can help analyze your audience and goals to ensure the best platforms are used.

Budgeting and Bidding

You must determine what you will spend on a retargeting campaign. Tips to help you do this include:

• Set Clear Objectives: Whether you aim for brand awareness, lead generation, or direct conversions will influence your budgeting decisions.
• Evaluate Past Campaigns: Analyzing past campaigns can provide insights into what works and where money is best spent.
• Segment Your Audience: Allocate more funds to segments that convert better or have a higher lifetime value.
• Factor in Platform Costs: Different platforms have varying costs associated. Ensure you know the cost-per-click or cost-per-impression for each platform you’re considering.

Manual vs. Automated Bidding

Bidding determines how much you will pay for a user to see your ad or take a specific action. There are two primary approaches:

• Manual Bidding: You set the maximum amount you’re willing to pay. This gives more control but requires constant monitoring to remain competitive.
• Automated Bidding: The platform adjusts your bids automatically based on the competition and your campaign goals. While it’s less hands-on, it might sometimes lead to higher costs if not monitored.

Both approaches have their merits, and the choice often comes down to personal preference, campaign goals, and available resources for monitoring.

Monitoring and Adjusting

Once ads are created, ongoing monitoring is necessary. This lets you know how the ads perform and if they produce the desired results.

Several tools and platforms can help in tracking the performance of your retargeting campaigns:

• Google Analytics: A comprehensive tool that provides data on website traffic, user behavior, conversion rates, and more.
• Ad Platform Analytics: Platforms like Facebook Ads Manager or Google Ads offer in-depth insights about campaigns run on their networks.
• Third-party Tools: Solutions like HubSpot or SEMrush can offer additional data layers and integration capabilities.

Merely collecting data isn’t enough; acting on it is where the real magic happens:

• Ad Performance: Regularly evaluate which ads perform best and consider reallocating the budget accordingly.
• Audience Engagement: If specific audience segments aren’t engaging as expected, reassess your ad content or consider shifting focus.
• Conversion Tracking: If users are seeing your ads but not converting, it might be time to re-evaluate your CTA or landing page experience.

The cycle of monitoring and adjusting is continuous in retargeting campaigns. This is something our marketing firm can help with.

Understanding Retargeting and How It Can Benefit Your Law Firm

Retargeting is more than a buzzword; it’s a strategic tool with immense potential for law firms. Legal professionals can harness the power of repeated visibility by understanding its intricacies, from audience segmentation to performance monitoring, fostering trust, and driving engagement.

As with any marketing effort, success in retargeting requires careful planning, consistent evaluation, and a readiness to adapt. For law firms eager to stay ahead in a competitive landscape, mastering the art of retargeting isn’t just beneficial—it’s essential.