Local Service Ads for Lawyers Guide [with Ads Examples]

Local clients are important to every business, and to garner success as a lawyer today, you need a steady stream of them to stay competitive. This is where Local Service Ads (LSAs) can make a difference. These ads have emerged as a game-changer to ensure your legal services are the go-to in your area, offering a powerful way for attorneys to connect with potential clients when they need legal help the most. Unlike traditional pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, LSAs allow lawyers to appear at the very top of Google search results, building trust with users through Google’s coveted “Google Screened” badge.

With the help of the “Google Screened” badge, you can show your prospective clients that your law firm is reputable and reliable. But how do LSAs work for lawyers, and what steps are needed to get started? In this comprehensive guide, we’ll break down the fundamentals of Local Service Ads, their unique advantages, and actionable strategies to maximize your visibility and ROI. Whether you’re a solo practitioner or part of a larger firm, LSAs can redefine your marketing success.

What Are Local Services Ads

Google’s Local Services Ads (LSAs) are paid advertisements that allow businesses to appear at the top of search results for relevant local searches. These ads are specifically designed to help service-based businesses, such as law firms, connect with potential clients who are actively seeking legal assistance in their area. Unlike traditional Google Ads, LSAs are highly targeted, showing your firm’s contact details, ratings, and a “Google Guaranteed” badge, which builds trust with prospective clients.

With LSAs, lawyers can focus on attracting high-quality, local leads. These ads only appear for searches related to specific legal services within a defined geographic area, and businesses are charged per lead rather than per click. This makes it a cost-effective way for law firms to gain visibility in their community while increasing their chances of securing new clients.

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What Lawyers Qualify for Google Local Services Ads

Google Local Services Ads (LSAs) are designed to help lawyers connect with potential clients in their local areas. To qualify, lawyers must operate within certain practice areas, have proper licensing and insurance, and pass Google’s verification and background check process through its third-party partners.

Eligible practice areas typically include:

• Family Lawyers (e.g., divorce, child custody, adoption)
• Estate Planning Lawyers (e.g., wills, trusts, probate)
• Immigration Lawyers
• Criminal Defense Lawyers
• Personal Injury Lawyers (e.g., car accidents, workplace injuries)
• Real Estate Lawyers
• Bankruptcy Lawyers
• Business Lawyers (e.g., corporate law, contracts)
• Employment Lawyers (e.g., workplace disputes, wrongful termination)
• Civil Lawyers (e.g., civil rights, general litigation)

Additionally, LSAs are only available in specific regions where Google supports these services. Lawyers who meet this criteria can leverage LSAs to gain top-of-search visibility and earn client trust through Google’s screening badge.

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Benefits of Google Local Service Ads for Attorneys

In today’s crowded legal market, potential clients are looking for a law firm they can trust. To gain this trust, law firms need to employ strategic advertising. With Google Local Service Ads (LSAs), attorneys can unlock a powerful way to connect with clients actively seeking legal assistance. From enhanced visibility to flexible budgeting, LSAs provide attorneys with unique advantages that drive results and maximize the impact of their marketing efforts:

1. Top Placement on Google: Local Service Ads (LSAs) appear at the very top of search results, ensuring maximum visibility and driving high-quality leads for attorneys.
2. Pay-Per-Lead Pricing: Unlike traditional ads, LSAs charge per lead instead of per click, offering a cost-effective way to connect with potential clients actively seeking legal services.
3. Trust Badge Boost: The “Google Screened” badge enhances credibility, giving potential clients confidence in your law firm’s professionalism and reliability.
4. Targeted Local Reach: LSAs prioritize local searches, helping attorneys connect with clients in their specific geographic area and boosting conversion rates.
5. Easy Client Communication: The platform simplifies lead management with integrated call tracking, messaging, and appointment tools to streamline client interactions.
6. Control and Flexibility: Attorneys can control their ad spend, adjust budgets, and pause campaigns anytime, ensuring optimal ROI while maintaining flexibility.

Google Local Service Ads are a key tactic for attorneys aiming to dominate local search results and build trust with potential clients. By leveraging features like the “Google Screened” badge and pay-per-lead pricing, law firms can effectively attract, engage, and convert high-intent prospects. With these benefits, your law firm will grow more efficiently for ongoing success.

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How to Create a Local Service Ad for Lawyers

When it comes to targeting clients in your immediate area, Local Service Ads (LSAs) are essential. With LSAs, you can increase your law firm’s visibility and gain high-quality leads without the hassle. Not sure where to begin? In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to create your own LSA and optimize it for success. Read on to learn everything you need to know to get started!

Step 1: Head to the Google Local Services Ads Signup Page

Start your LSA setup by going to the Google Local Services Ads self-signup page. This is where you’ll begin the process of setting up your law firm’s LSA account. Start by visiting the official website and selecting the “Continue” button to begin creating your account. Make sure you have all your business details ready before proceeding, such as your firm’s name, location, and contact information. This is the foundation of your Local Services Ads setup and essential for Google to verify your eligibility.

Step 2: Provide Eligibility Details

To begin the process of setting up Google Local Services Ads (LSA) for your law firm, the second step is to enter your eligibility information. This requires you to choose your country, state, and zip code. You’ll also need to confirm that you’re in the legal profession by selecting “Law” as the job category. This is crucial because Google uses this information to tailor your ad experience, ensuring that the leads you receive are relevant to your firm’s services and location. Once completed, click the “Check Eligibility” button to proceed.

Step 3: Choose Your Relevant Practice Areas

In the third step, you’ll select the specific practice areas you want to target with Google Local Services Ads. You can choose from a variety of legal services, such as family law, personal injury, criminal defense, and more. If your firm specializes in multiple areas, you can check the boxes next to each practice area where you want to generate leads. For example, if you handle personal injury, malpractice law, and criminal defense cases, you can select all three categories to attract leads for these services.

However, if you prefer to focus on a particular practice area, such as criminal law, you can check only that box and exclude other services. Once you’ve selected your desired practice areas, click the “Check Eligibility” button to ensure that your choices align with your firm’s services and that you’re eligible for LSAs in those specific categories. This step helps ensure that the leads you receive are directly relevant to your firm’s capabilities and goals.

Step 4: Input Your Business Information

To ensure your Google Local Services Ads are accurate and complete, you’ll need to provide detailed information about your law firm. This step helps Google match your firm with the right clients based on your services, location, and availability:

• Business Name: The official name of your law firm.
• Business Registration Name: Optional, if different from your business name.
• Parent Business: Optional, if your firm is part of a larger organization.
• Business Phone Number: The primary contact number for your firm.
• Website Address: Optional, if you have an official website.
• Business Proprietor’s Name: The full name of the business’s owner.
• Total Number of Lawyers: How many attorneys are part of your firm.
• Year Founded: The year your firm was established.
• Languages Spoken: Languages spoken by staff who interact with clients.
• Business Address: Street address, city, state, and zip code of your firm’s location.

Additionally, Google will ask if your business has a physical location where clients can meet you. If your firm has a traditional office, you’ll select “yes.” But if you’re operating from a home office, you can choose “no” to hide your address while still displaying your ad in Local Services Ads.

Once you’ve entered all the required business details, you can move on to the next step. However, before doing so, be sure to review your responses thoroughly. Accurate information will ensure that your Local Services Ads are effective and help potential clients find your firm more easily.

Step 5: Define Your Service Area

In this step, you’ll define the geographic areas where you want your Google Local Services Ads to appear. By default, Google will pull in your business address as your service area. However, you can expand or adjust this area to better target the regions where you want to generate leads. You can add additional cities or towns by searching for a specific location, and then checking the boxes next to the corresponding zip codes.

If there are certain zip codes or regions you no longer wish to target, you can deselect them by unchecking the corresponding boxes. This allows you to focus on the areas that matter most to your law firm and optimize your ad reach. Once you’ve established your desired service area, click “Next” to continue to the next step in the setup process.

Step 6: Select Your Service Types

Now, you’ll pick the legal services you want to advertise on your Google Local Services Ad. Google will present a list of different case types, and you will select the ones relevant to your practice to provide more precise information. While you can select all available services, remember that each lead you receive will incur a cost, so it’s best to focus only on the areas your firm handles.

For instance, if you specialize in personal injury law but don’t deal with bicycle accident claims, uncheck that option. Once you’ve made your choices, confirm your professional credentials by checking the “I agree” box and continue to the next step.

Step 7: Configure Your Business Hours

This step is where you set your business hours, ensuring that Google only generates leads when your firm is open and ready to take calls or respond to inquiries.

Select the days and times that your law firm operates and is available to communicate with potential clients. For example, if you do not answer calls on weekends, make sure to leave those days unchecked so that you won’t receive leads during those hours.

Being strategic about setting your business hours is important to managing your lead generation process. If clients attempt to reach out during hours when your firm is closed, you could end up with leads that aren’t effectively converted, causing not just a loss of a lead, but money, too. Make sure to only select the hours when you’re available to respond to avoid wasting advertising spend or time on leads that you can’t manage.

Step 8: Preview Your Local Service Ad

Here, you’ll be presented with a preview of your ad so far. It’s important to review all the details closely to confirm that everything is correct. If you find any errors or things you want to change, just click the back button to make adjustments. This is just the beginning, and soon you’ll have the chance to enhance your ad further with additional information, including an image and customer reviews to boost its appeal.

Step 9: Upload a Professional Headshot

In this step, you’ll upload a professional headshot to include in your Local Services Ad. Google requires a clear, high-quality photo that complies with their guidelines. Click “Add Details” next to Headshot for Your Ad and select a file from your computer or cloud storage. Once uploaded, Google will review the image to ensure it meets their standards.

While this task may seem simple, a headshot can affect the first impression people have of your services. A good headshot helps build trust and can make your ad more personal and engaging.

Step 10: Provide Your Lawyer License Information

You’ll need to provide your attorney license details for verification. This includes selecting your license type (active bar member with your state’s bar), entering your license number, first and last name, and the expiration date. Once submitted, the verification process can take up to 2 days. Completing this step is essential to build credibility and comply with Google’s requirements for law-related ads.

Step 11: Customer Reviews

Google Local Services Ads pull in customer reviews from your Google My Business (GMB) profile. Before launching LSAs, you’ll need at least one review. If your firm doesn’t have any reviews yet, you can request them from clients by sharing a review link. This is important for establishing your reputation, as potential clients will be more likely to trust your services based on positive feedback from others.

Step 12: Decide on the Amount to Bid for Each Lead

With your local service ads largely complete, it’s time to decide on your bidding strategy. You can choose “Maximize Leads,” where Google will handle bidding to generate the most leads, or you can opt to “Set Max Per Lead,” which allows you to control how much you’re willing to pay per lead. It’s often better to start with “Set Max Per Lead” to manage costs and test lead quality before scaling.

Step 13: Determine Your Weekly Ad Spend

Define the maximum amount you’re ready to invest in leads every week. Google will suggest an amount, but you can choose to set your budget. This step ensures you stay within your advertising limits while allowing Google to estimate the number of leads you can expect. Adjust your weekly budget based on performance and the lead volume you’re comfortable with.

Step 14: Enter Payment and Billing Information

Finally, enter your billing information, including your payment method. Google will charge you automatically on the 1st of each month unless your balance exceeds a certain threshold. Make sure your billing details are accurate to avoid any interruptions in your ad service. Once everything is set, you’re ready to launch your Google Local Services Ads campaign.

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How to Get a Google Screened Status for LSAs

A Google Screened status for your law firm is a coveted recognition and one that can do a lot to gain the trust of potential clients. However, there are a few added considerations to ensure you get this badge.

Using this verification process, you can stand out in Google Local Service Ads, showcasing your qualifications and reliability. Follow these steps to complete the process and ensure your firm is recognized as a trusted legal provider within your community:

• Upload a professional headshot: Ensure you upload a high-quality image of yourself, at least 500 x 500 pixels, to create a professional appearance.
• Submit your law license details: Enter your law license number and other relevant information for Google to verify. Verification may take up to 2 business days.
• Display customer reviews: If your law firm is already listed on Google Maps with customer reviews, these will be automatically displayed in your Local Service Ad after a few hours.
• Set up your budget and bidding preferences: Choose between automatic or manual bidding options and define your weekly advertising budget.
• Provide your payment details: Enter the necessary billing information to facilitate lead payments from Google via your Local Service Ads.
• Add attorney profiles (optional): If applicable, you can include profiles for other attorneys or partners associated with your firm to further enhance your listing.

Learn how law firm SEO can level the playing field and put your firm in front of the right clients.

Achieving Google Screened status enhances your firm’s credibility and boosts your chances of attracting quality leads. By following these straightforward steps, you can successfully verify your law firm and improve its online presence. Take the time to complete each step thoroughly and watch as your law practice gains the recognition it deserves in Local Service Ads.

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Comparing Local Service Ads with Traditional Digital Marketing Methods

Local Service Ads (LSAs) complement rather than replace traditional digital marketing methods like SEO and Google Ads. Each platform serves distinct purposes in a comprehensive legal marketing strategy, with unique advantages and limitations.

Position and Visibility

LSAs appear at the very top of search results, above both paid ads and organic listings. While this premium placement offers immediate visibility, it’s important to note that LSAs are heavily restricted by geographic proximity, unlike Google Ads or SEO efforts which can target broader areas. The local map pack typically appears between these elements, creating multiple opportunities for visibility across different sections of the search results page.

Ranking and Competition Dynamics

A key differentiator of LSAs is their democratic ranking system – budget size doesn’t directly influence positioning. Instead, factors like proximity, responsiveness, and review ratings determine placement. This contrasts sharply with Google Ads, where larger budgets can effectively dominate ad placement. However, this proximity-based restriction can limit reach compared to the broader targeting options available through traditional Google Ads.

Cost Structure and Lead Generation

LSAs operate on a pay-per-lead model rather than pay-per-click, which can offer more predictable costs for lead generation. However, this doesn’t inherently make them more cost-effective than other methods:

• Google Ads offer granular control over ad copy, targeting options, and budget allocation
• SEO provides long-term organic visibility without direct per-lead costs
• Local Search Ads in the map pack combine location relevance with traditional PPC bidding

Maximizing Marketing Impact

The most effective approach typically combines multiple channels rather than relying solely on LSAs. This creates multiple touchpoints across the search results page:

1. LSAs for immediate visibility and verified status
2. Traditional Google Ads for broader targeting and message control
3. Map pack presence for location-based searches
4. Organic results through SEO for long-term sustainability

Understanding the competitive landscape and ranking factors specific to each platform allows law firms to strategically allocate resources across these complementary channels rather than viewing them as competing alternatives.

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Improve Your Lawyer Local Search Ads with Comrade

To capture more leads and enhance local online visibility, Local Service Ads are the way to go; they’re one of the most effective solutions for growing your law firm. By showing up in relevant search results, you can connect with clients who need your services right when they are looking for them. However, making the most of Local Service Ads takes expertise. Specifically, setting up these ads requires knowledge of Google’s unique system, including qualifying for the Google Guarantee badge and managing ad performance effectively.

If you’re ready to harness the full potential of Local Service Ads for your law firm, Comrade Digital Marketing is here to help. Our team has extensive experience in legal marketing, and we understand the nuances of running successful campaigns on Google’s platform. From ad setup to ongoing optimization, we ensure your firm stands out and delivers results. Contact us today and let us show you how we can drive targeted leads to your practice and accelerate your growth.