Consumer Bankruptcy Journal Spring 2017 | Page 33

DIGITAL ADVERTISING FOR LAWYERS

2 . They rely on calls , clicks and conversions to measure success . Calls and clicks are definitely good data to have . You want to know how many people are calling your firm because of ads , and how many times people are clicking on your ads . But calls and clicks should not be all you use to evaluate success . Calls and clicks are not money . You need to evaluate the success of your campaign by how much business it brings through your door : by how many appointments your ads get you .
3 . Their ad copy is wishy-washy . Internet users scan through results quickly . They pick what jumps out at them . So your ads need to be written with care . Your ads need to have emotional appeal . They need to give readers good reason to click into them . If your ad copy is less than convincing , ask for something better .
4 . They don ’ t use landing pages – and if they do use landing pages , they ’ re for scenic value only . A landing page is a specially designed page that people reach when they click your digital ads . You don ’ t want your ads to simply take people to your general website : If people reach your general website , they may just meander . They may wander from page to page and then wander right away again .
When people click your digital ad , you want them to reach a carefully planned page . This landing page should be designed to appeal to the same need as your digital ads . It should show your firm ’ s value , build trust , and give a clear call to action . Just being pretty is not enough .
What to look for
So how can you tell if an agency is a keeper ? Here are some qualities to prize .
1 . They make continuous improvements . Even when campaigns are running productively , an agency should constantly look for ways to improve them . Speaking of which …
2 . They check your campaign daily . A good agency will check your campaign every weekday . Can keywords be tweaked ? Should geographic areas be changed ? Should bids be adjusted ? Productive agencies evaluate these questions often .
3 . They understand your data . Google offers online certification exams for AdWords , its digital advertising system . Find out if your digital advertising person is AdWords-certified . Beyond that , can they speak with you about your campaign in detail ? Do they really believe in what they ’ re doing ?
4 . They deliver fact-based results . Gone are the days when you need to rely on “ reach ” or “ impressions ” to evaluate your advertising . It is possible to discern how much each digital advertising-derived appointment actually costs you .
5 . They help you get more real estate on a search results page . There are Google AdWords features available to help your digital ads show more information and be more inviting on a page . Your agency should use these extensions to help your ads earn more space – and get more attention .
These are just a few questions to ask and qualities to seek . In upcoming articles , we ’ ll discuss in more detail how to build an effective campaign . In the meantime , if you have questions or comments , feel free to reach out to me . You can contact me at robhoglund @ hoglundlaw . com or 612.791.1382 . I would be interested in hearing your experiences with digital advertising , as well .
National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys Spring 2017 CONSUMER BANKRUPTCY JOURNAL 33