Local Service Ads Allowed for Immigration and Trust & Estate Lawyers in Houston and San Diego Areas

24 Feb, 2020 Paid Search

Local Service Ads (LSAs) on Google are now being integrated for Immigration and Trust & Estate Lawyers in the Houston and San Diego areas. They had been in the works for some time, but are now officially allowed for law firms in these areas and will possibly expand to more in the future.

Local Service Ads are paid ads that will appear at the top of the Search Engine Results Page (SERP) when someone searches for a type of law. They don’t replace organic or paid listings, instead appearing in their own section above these results. When someone enters a search, LSAs display local law firms that practice in the area of law the user is searching for.

These ads are pay-by-call instead of pay-by-click. This means the law firm will only pay when the ad creates a new lead, not just when someone clicks on it and views the business page. Like other traditional ad campaigns, LSAs provide an opportunity to connect directly to the firm via “click-to-call” buttons and web-based email forms. This allows prospective clients to get in touch at the click of a button, similar to how other campaigns with Google Ads work.

Setting Up Local Service Ads

Prior to the ad being posted, law firms must go through a vetting process in which they complete a business background check. Then, Google will verify that they have all of the proper licensing. After a firm is verified, they will get a “Google Screened” badge that will appear on their ad. After this is all complete, the ad can start appearing on the SERP.

Client reviews are featured prominently within Local Service Ads. Therefore, it is important to try and generate more good reviews, since they appear very clearly in the ads and on the business pages. This will help the ranking of the LSA, giving the business a better standing in the placement.

LSA Placement on the SERP

Placement for LSAs is a bit simpler than other Google Ad campaigns. Rankings are determined by proximity to the person searching, reviews, and how responsive the business is when clients reach out. In order to get a good local placement, it is important to be responsive to prospective client inquiries.

As Local Service Ads expand into more legal practice areas and locations, it is important to consider what that means for the future of marketing and begin to think ahead. Creating and optimizing your Google Business Profile profile could save time in the long run. When someone clicks on the ad, it will bring them to this profile where they can see reviews, learn more about your firm, and contact you. Being prepared with an already optimized profile could mean getting your ad out there faster and helping drive more leads. This type of ad affects the visibility of organic and local listings, so it would be valuable to rethink strategies moving forward and prepare to invest in Local Service Ads once they are made available.