Google Ads can bring a family law practice a steady flow of enquiries from people actively looking for help. It can also burn through money quickly if the campaign is loose.
The good news is that you control the budget. A well-built campaign spends on the searches most likely to become clients and screens out the rest.
This guide covers the practical settings that keep costs down. If you are still deciding which advertising platform to use, start with our comparison of Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising for family lawyers. For the bigger picture, see our guide to law firm marketing in Perth.
Set a budget you are comfortable testing
Google Ads works on a daily budget. You decide the average amount you are willing to spend each day, and you can change or pause it at any time.
On busy days Google may spend more than your daily budget, and on quiet days less. Over a month, though, it should not charge more than your average daily budget multiplied by the average number of days in a month. Check Google’s current billing rules, as the details can change.
Start with an amount you can afford to run for at least two to three months. Family law search terms are competitive, so a campaign needs time to gather enough data to show what works.
Choose keywords that show real intent
The searches worth paying for are the ones where someone wants a lawyer, not just general information.
Strong examples tend to include a service and a place, such as:
- family lawyer Perth
- property settlement lawyer Fremantle
- divorce lawyer Joondalup
- parenting arrangements lawyer near me
Longer, more specific phrases usually cost less per click and attract people further along in their decision. Each one may bring only a few searches, but together they can add up to a solid stream of well-matched visitors.
Match types control how closely a search must match your keyword. Phrase and exact match give you tighter control. Broad match combined with automated bidding can find extra searches, but it needs good conversion data and close monitoring, so it suits a campaign that is already working.
Block the searches you do not want
Negative keywords stop your ads showing for searches that will not become paying clients. In family law, common candidates include:
- free, pro bono or legal aid (if your firm does not take these matters)
- jobs, salary, graduate, course or degree
- template, form or DIY
- terms for areas of law your firm does not practise
Decide these case by case. Some firms are happy to receive legal aid enquiries, and someone searching for divorce forms may still want advice. The search terms report in Google Ads shows exactly what people typed before clicking, so check it weekly and add new negatives as you spot waste.
Target the right area
Location settings are one of the easiest ways to save money. Set your campaign to the suburbs, regions or radius you actually serve.
Google offers two main options. “Presence” shows ads to people in, or regularly in, your chosen locations. “Presence or interest” also includes people elsewhere who show interest in those places. For a local practice, presence is usually the safer choice.
If you have more than one office, consider separate campaigns or ad groups for each area. That lets you write ads that mention the right location and set budgets to match.
Run ads when you can respond
Ad scheduling lets you choose the days and hours your ads appear. If enquiries come mainly by phone, focus your budget on hours when someone can answer.
People also research family law in the evenings and on weekends. Rather than switching ads off entirely, you might keep them running at those times but send visitors to a page with a simple enquiry form.
Write ads that pre-qualify
Your ad should help the right people click and the wrong people move on. Mention the services you handle and the area you cover, and use extra details such as sitelinks and call buttons to give people more ways to reach you.
Keep every claim accurate. Ads must not be misleading under Australian Consumer Law, and the professional conduct rules restrict how lawyers describe themselves, including use of the word “specialist”. Check the current requirements with the Legal Practice Board of Western Australia or your law society. Only promote a free first consultation or fixed fees if you genuinely offer them.
Send clicks to a focused landing page
Sending paid traffic to your home page often wastes money. A better option is a page about the exact service in the ad, with a clear phone number, a short enquiry form and plain information about how you work.
The page should load quickly on a phone and make the next step obvious. Google also considers landing page experience when deciding where your ad appears and what you pay.
Track every enquiry
Without conversion tracking, you can see clicks and costs but not results. Set up tracking for phone calls from ads, calls from your website and contact form submissions.
Once tracking is reliable, you can see which keywords bring enquiries and cut those that do not. Automated bidding strategies also depend on this data to work well.
Review regularly
A campaign left alone tends to drift. A short weekly check of search terms and spend, plus a deeper monthly review of cost per enquiry, keeps it on track.
If you would like more background on why Google Ads suits many businesses, read our article on reasons to use Google Ads.
Get help with your campaign
SLINKY is a Perth digital agency founded in 1998. Our Google Ads management is handled by senior people you deal with directly, with no lock-in contracts. If you would like someone to look over your current campaign or set up a new one, ask for a free quote.
