If you’re a law firm looking to dominate Google search results, you’ve probably asked yourself this question:
“Should we spend our budget on PPC (Google Ads) or LSA (Local Services Ads)?”
It’s a fair fight, and in one corner, we have the seasoned veteran—Pay-Per-Click (PPC), known for its instant visibility and flexible targeting. In the other corner, the rising star—Google Local Services Ads (LSA), boasting pay-per-lead pricing and prime real estate at the top of search results.
So which one wins for law firm advertising? Should you go all-in on one, or is the real championship strategy a combination of both?
Let’s break it down, step into the ring, and see who comes out on top in this ultimate law firm marketing showdown.
Round 1: The Basics – What Are PPC and LSA?
Before we start throwing punches, let’s make sure we understand the two contenders in this matchup.
What is PPC (Pay-Per-Click) for Law Firms?
PPC, or Google Ads, allows law firms to bid on keywords to show up in paid search results. You’ve seen them before—those ads that appear right below LSAs but above organic search results.
✅ You bid on legal keywords (e.g., “divorce lawyer in Miami”).
✅ You only pay when someone clicks your ad.
✅ You control targeting, ad copy, and landing pages.
Why Law Firms Love PPC:
✔ Instant search visibility (get in front of people searching for legal help immediately).
✔ Granular targeting (target by location, device, time of day, etc.).
✔ Great for specific practice areas (e.g., “child custody lawyer for fathers”).
What is LSA (Local Services Ads) for Law Firms?
LSA is Google’s pay-per-lead program for service-based businesses—including law firms. These ads appear at the very top of search results, above both PPC ads and organic listings.
✅ Google vets your firm (you must pass a background check and verification).
✅ You only pay when a lead contacts you.
✅ You earn a “Google Screened” badge for credibility.
Why Law Firms Love LSA:
✔ Prime placement at the very top of Google search results.
✔ Only pay for actual leads (not just clicks).
✔ Built-in credibility with the Google Screened badge.
Round 2: Cost – Who Gives You the Best ROI?
Money talks, and in this round, we’ll determine which ad type gives you the most bang for your buck.
PPC Costs for Law Firms
Legal keywords are among the most expensive PPC keywords on the planet.
💰 Average Cost-Per-Click (CPC) for law firms: $10 – $200+ (depending on practice area and location).
💰 Average Monthly PPC Budget for Law Firms: $3,000 – $30,000+.
High-competition practice areas like personal injury and criminal defense see CPCs of $100+, while niche areas like estate planning might be as low as $5-$10 per click.
🚨 Risk: You’re paying per click—not per lead—so some clicks won’t turn into cases.
LSA Costs for Law Firms
LSA charges per lead, not per click, meaning you only pay when someone actually calls or messages you.
💰 Average Cost-Per-Lead (CPL) for Law Firms: $50 – $300 per lead.
💰 Average Monthly LSA Budget for Law Firms: $2,000 – $15,000.
🚨 Risk: Some leads may be low quality (e.g., wrong practice area or unqualified clients). However, you can dispute bad leads and potentially get refunded.
✅ Winner of the Cost Round: LSA wins (because paying per lead is usually more cost-effective than paying per click).
Round 3: Lead Quality – Who Brings in the Best Clients?
A cheap lead is worthless if it doesn’t turn into a paying client. Let’s see how PPC and LSA compare in lead quality.
PPC Lead Quality for Law Firms
You can control exactly which keywords trigger your ads.
You can filter out bad traffic using negative keywords (e.g., blocking searches for “free lawyer”).
If you send visitors to a well-optimized landing page, you can pre-qualify leads before they even contact you.
Downside: You still get junk clicks—some people click but never call.
LSA Lead Quality for Law Firms
Since LSAs focus on pay-per-lead, most inquiries come from people actively looking to hire a lawyer.
Leads are higher intent because they’re clicking directly to call or message—no distractions.
Built-in trust with the Google Screened badge means fewer price-shoppers.
Downside: You can’t control keywords, meaning some leads might not match your ideal client.
✅ Winner of the Lead Quality Round: Slight Edge to LSA (fewer tire kickers, but less control over who finds you).
Round 4: Control & Customization – Who Lets You Fine-Tune Your Strategy?
PPC Customization for Law Firms
✔ Full control over keywords, ad copy, and bidding strategies.
✔ Ability to run A/B tests to see which ads work best.
✔ Retargeting capabilities (show ads to previous site visitors).
🚨 Downside: Requires ongoing management to prevent wasted spend.
LSA Customization for Law Firms
✔ No keyword bidding—Google decides when to show your ad.
✔ You set a weekly budget, but you don’t control how leads find you.
✔ Limited customization beyond location and practice areas.
🚨 Downside: You have zero control over who Google decides to show your ad to.
✅ Winner of the Customization Round: PPC wins (because control = better optimization).
Round 5: The Best Strategy – Should You Choose PPC, LSA, or Both?
So far, we’ve seen that PPC and LSA both have advantages. But the real question is: should you use one or both?
When to Choose LSA Only
✅ You have a limited budget and want predictable pay-per-lead costs.
✅ You don’t have an in-house PPC expert to manage Google Ads.
✅ You want instant credibility with Google’s verification process.
When to Choose PPC Only
✅ You need highly specific targeting and control over keywords.
✅ You want to test and optimize your campaigns regularly.
✅ You serve multiple practice areas and want separate campaigns for each.
The Best Strategy? Use Both.
Using both PPC and LSA allows your law firm to:
✔ Capture more real estate on Google search results.
✔ Balance pay-per-lead and pay-per-click to maximize ROI.
✔ Get instant leads from LSA while running a long-term PPC strategy.
Final Verdict: Who Wins the Cage Match?
🥊 The real winner is… using both PPC and LSA together.
LSA gets you cost-effective, high-intent leads with minimal effort.
PPC gives you full control and the ability to target specific case types.
By combining both, your firm dominates search results, gets more leads, and maximizes ROI.
Want to Set Up PPC & LSA the Right Way?
At Catalyst Growth Marketing, we help law firms get the most out of their advertising budget—without wasting a dime.
🚀 Ready to launch a strategy that actually works? Let’s talk.
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