Why do so many law firm ad campaigns lose money?
Legal clicks are some of the most expensive in Google Ads. In our October 2026 research, Google's suggested cost per click in the UK was:
| Search | Suggested cost per click (Oct 2026) |
|---|---|
| Personal injury searches | about £66 |
| Family solicitors | about £24 |
| Conveyancing searches | about £23 |
| Law firm digital marketing | about £51 |
At those prices, small mistakes are expensive. The common ones:
- Sending every ad to the homepage. A visitor who searched "unfair dismissal solicitor" wants an employment page, not a list of everything you do.
- Broad keywords. "Solicitor" pulls in job seekers, students and people looking for free advice.
- No call tracking. Most legal enquiries are phone calls. If calls are not tracked, Google cannot learn which clicks are worth paying for.
- Bidding where you cannot win. National claims firms outbid everyone on "personal injury". Local, specific terms are often far cheaper per enquiry.
What is included?
Work Detail
Account audit or build
Your existing account reviewed, or a new one built in your firm's name
Campaigns by practice area
Separate budgets so conveyancing never eats the family budget
Landing pages
A page for each campaign, with the SRA price information, if the service is SRA-listed
Conversion tracking
Form enquiries and phone calls tracked back to the keyword
Negative keywords
Job seekers, students and "free advice" searches filtered out
Ad wording
Written with the SRA publicity guidance and CAP Code in mind
Monthly report
Spend, enquiries, cost per enquiry and what we changed
How much does it cost?
Scale
£1,497 management fee per month
Growth
£997 management fee per month
Local
£497 management fee per month
One-off setup: £495 (account audit or build, conversion tracking, first landing page brief). Ad spend is paid directly to Google from your own account, never marked up. Rolling monthly, 30 days' notice.
We charge a flat fee rather than a percentage of spend. UK agencies typically charge £500 to £1,500 a month or 10 to 20% of spend for accounts of this size (Whito, 2026; Advertizingly, 2026), so our tiers sit within the normal market range.
Which practice areas suit Google Ads best?
Practice area Why ads work
Criminal defence
Urgent, local, often out of hours
Employment (employees)
Time limits for tribunal claims create urgency
Immigration
High intent, often with a deadline
Conveyancing
Price-driven, but high volume
Family
High value, but needs careful, sensitive ad wording
Frequently asked questions
How much does a click cost for a law firm on Google Ads?
It depends heavily on the practice area. In our October 2026 research, Google's suggested cost per click was about £66 for personal injury searches, about £24 for family law and about £23 for conveyancing. Your actual costs depend on your bids, location and ad quality.
What is the minimum ad budget you work with?
We suggest at least £1,000 a month in ad spend for one practice area in one location. Below that, there is usually too little data to improve the campaign.
Is the management fee a percentage of our ad spend?
No. It is a flat monthly fee by tier, so we have no incentive to make you spend more. Ad spend is paid directly to Google from your own account.
Do we own the Google Ads account?
Yes. The account is set up in your firm's name, and you keep it, with all its history, if you ever stop working with us.
Are there rules on what law firm ads can say?
Yes. The SRA requires publicity to be accurate and not misleading, and the CAP Code applies to ads. Claims like 'no win no fee' need to be explained properly. Google also has its own policies. We write ads with those in mind, and your COLP signs off.
How quickly do Google Ads work?
Ads can show within a day or two of launch. It usually takes 4 to 8 weeks of data to bring the cost per enquiry down to a stable level.
Is there a minimum term?
No. Rolling monthly, 30 days' notice. There is a one-off setup fee of £495.