1. Identify Irrelevant Searches
Identify and exclude keywords that are not relevant to your legal services. For example, if you specialize in personal injury law, exclude keywords related to "criminal defense" or "estate planning."
Source: WordStream - The Importance of Negative Keywords in PPC
2. Use Broad Match and Phrase Match Negative Keywords
Use broad match and phrase match negative keywords to prevent your ads from appearing for variations of unwanted search terms. This can help avoid irrelevant clicks and save budget.
Source: SEMrush - How to Use Negative Keywords Effectively
3. Regularly Update Negative Keyword Lists
Regularly review and update your negative keyword lists to adapt to changing search behaviors and new trends in the legal industry. This ensures your ads remain relevant.
Source: Google Ads Help - About Negative Keywords
4. Exclude Competitor Names
Exclude competitor names and brands from your keyword lists to avoid wasting budget on searches that are unlikely to convert into clients for your law firm.
Source: Search Engine Journal - How to Use Negative Keywords to Save Your PPC Budget
5. Filter Out Job Seekers
Add negative keywords related to job searches, such as "jobs," "careers," or "employment," to avoid clicks from individuals looking for employment rather than legal services.
Source: WordStream - How to Use Negative Keywords to Increase ROI
6. Avoid Geographic Mismatches
Exclude geographic terms that do not align with your service area to ensure your ads are shown only to users within your target location.
Source: Google Ads Help - Excluding Locations
7. Eliminate Informational Queries
Exclude informational keywords that indicate research rather than purchasing intent, such as "how to" or "what is," to focus on high-intent searches.
Source: SEMrush - How to Use Negative Keywords Effectively
8. Exclude Low-Intent Keywords
Identify and exclude low-intent keywords that are unlikely to convert into leads or clients, such as "free advice" or "pro bono."
Source: Crazy Egg - Using Negative Keywords to Improve Conversions
9. Monitor Search Query Reports
Regularly check your search query reports to identify new negative keywords that can be added to your list to refine targeting and improve ad performance.
Source: WordStream - How to Use Negative Keywords in Google Ads
10. Use Negative Keywords for Ad Groups and Campaigns
Apply negative keywords at both the ad group and campaign levels to ensure comprehensive coverage and prevent unwanted clicks across different ad segments.
Source: Google Ads Help - Add Negative Keywords to Campaigns
By implementing these strategies, law firms can optimize their PPC campaigns, reduce wasted ad spend, and attract more relevant leads, ultimately increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of their marketing efforts.