This article is for estate lawyers looking to use Google Ads effectively to attract more clients.
It covers everything from choosing the right keywords and writing compelling ads to optimizing your budget and avoiding common mistakes.
You’ll learn how to target high-value leads, track performance, and make sure every dollar spent works toward bringing in new business.
Google Ads can be a powerful tool, but only if done right. Without a proper strategy, it’s easy to waste money on irrelevant clicks and low-quality leads.
This guide provides practical tips, expert guidance, and key mistakes to avoid, along with advice on how to get started with a modest budget.
Related: We've worked with clients in the extremely competitive and fast paced Google Ads for Personal Injury Lawyers where keyword selection can massively help you tap into the right customers by understanding their specific problems.
Why Estate Lawyers Should Use Google Ads
Estate lawyers should use Google Ads because they put your estate law firm in front of potential clients the moment they start searching for legal help. People turn to Google when they’re overwhelmed with questions, like planning a will, handling a probate case, or setting up a trust. If your firm isn’t visible, they’ll end up calling another attorney instead.
Estate law is one of the most competitive areas of legal practice. That means you’re up against dozens, sometimes hundreds, of firms targeting the same search terms.
The firms that win the battle for clients are the ones people can actually find. Google Ads gives you a major advantage in this case. Instead of waiting months for SEO to kick in, paid ads put you at the top of search results right away. If a potential client searches for “estate lawyer near me,” you’ll be right at the top.
Did you know? Paid ads get 65% of all clicks from searches where people are looking to hire a service.
Perhaps the best part about paid ads is that the quality of the traffic is so much higher than normal. The people clicking on these ads are actively looking for an attorney, which makes Google Ads one of the fastest ways to bring in qualified leads. When done right, it delivers results almost immediately.
Setting Up Your Google Ads Account
Google Ads work best when they’re set up with the right goals, budget, and targeting. A few simple tweaks upfront can help you avoid wasted spend and attract the clients you want.
Based on Matter Solutions expert's experience, we estimate that nearly 33-50% of new prospects bring Google Ads accounts where significant budgets are wasted on the wrong audience. Avoid this at all costs. Broad targeting, missing negative keywords, and poor optimization lead to clicks that never turn into clients.
Start by setting up your Google Ads account and defining your goal. Are you trying to book more consultations? Get more form submissions? The clearer your goal, the easier it is to track success.
Next, set a budget that makes sense for your market. If you’re in a big city, expect to pay more for competitive keywords like “estate planning lawyer near me.”
With your account ready, the next step is choosing the right keywords to bring in serious clients.
Pro Tip: Set up call tracking in Google Ads so you know exactly how many leads come from your campaigns. Many estate lawyers get more phone calls than form submissions, so tracking both ensures you’re measuring real results.
Keyword Strategies for Estate Lawyers
You need the right keyword strategies because every click costs money, and not all clicks lead to clients.
Estate law is competitive, and the way people search online affects who finds your firm. Someone searching “estate planning attorney near me” is ready to take action, while “how to write a will” is likely researching options with no intent to hire. Google doesn’t know the difference unless you tell it. That’s why choosing the right keywords and filtering out the wrong ones is key to running a profitable campaign.
Start with high-intent keywords like:
- “Estate planning attorney near me”
- “Probate lawyer consultation”
- “Trust administration law firm”
Just as important as what you include is what you exclude. Negative keywords like “free,” “DIY,” or “law school” prevent your ads from showing up for irrelevant searches.
Once your keywords are in place, it’s time to prepare ad copy that gets clicks.
Preparing Compelling Ads That Convert
Creating ads that convert is often the most challenging aspect of Google Ads. Unlike picking keywords or setting a budget, writing ad copy requires understanding human behavior. When someone searches for an estate attorney, they usually feel uncertain or stressed. Your ads must quickly and clearly explain why you're the lawyer they should contact.
Strong estate-law ads focus on real-life problems and clear solutions. Examples include “Estate Planning Made Simple: Protect What Matters” or “Probate Guidance You Can Count On.” These types of ads resonate because they directly address common concerns.
Don’t rely only on emotion, though. Include practical, confidence-building details about your firm, such as your specific expertise or convenient office location. Use ad extensions to showcase your contact information, office address, or specific services.
Consistent testing and refining your ads over time ensures you continually improve your conversions. Even small wording changes can significantly affect performance.
Pro Tip: Run two different ads at the same time and compare their performance weekly. You'll quickly discover which message resonates best, saving you money while bringing in more of the right clients.
Targeting and Location Settings
Think about your ideal customer. Who are they? Where do they live? What are their problems?
Your Google Ads campaign won’t work unless you target the right people.
Think about where your best clients usually live. Chances are, many come from neighborhoods with older populations or higher incomes, since they often have immediate estate planning needs.
It also helps to use location extensions. These display your office address directly in your ads, making it easier for potential clients to trust that you're close by and easy to reach.
Another thing you should be aware of is timing.
Timing your ads carefully can help you get more out of every dollar. People generally search for estate-related legal services early in the morning, during lunch breaks, or after dinner. Scheduling your ads for these moments can greatly improve how many qualified leads reach out to your firm.
Effective Landing Pages for Estate Law Website
A landing page is a page on your website designed to get your ideal customer to complete an action. If you place an ad saying “real estate lawyer in Brisbane”, and the reader clicks, they should be taken to a page where it’s easy to get them to set up an appointment to speak to you.
Estate law landing pages should include specific elements to improve conversions and provide clarity for potential clients. At the top of your landing page, feature a concise headline that aligns with the messaging used in your Google ads. A clear, straightforward headline reassures visitors they’ve clicked the correct link, reducing bounce rates.
Below the headline, prominently place a strong, clearly worded call-to-action, such as "Schedule Your Consultation" or "Speak to an Attorney Today." Our data has proven that positioning your call-to-actions both at the top and bottom of your landing page performs better. It captures visitors who may scroll before making a decision.
Here are a few more tips
- Accessible contact information: Include your office phone number, email address, and physical address in a prominent location.
- Clear credibility signals: Display professional certifications, years of experience, and testimonials from satisfied clients.
- Simple and direct instructions: Keep forms short and to the point. Use clear, concise language that guides visitors through the next steps without confusion.
Tracking Performance and Optimizing Ads
Now that your landing pages are ready to convert, it’s time to fine-tune your campaigns. A well-optimized ad strategy ensures your budget goes toward real leads, not wasted clicks.
The following list contains the most important metrics for tracking the performance of your Google Ads:
- Click-through rate (CTR): Measures how many people engage with your ad. A low CTR may mean your ad isn’t compelling or relevant to the audience.
- Conversion rate: Tracks how many clicks turn into leads. If this number is low, your landing page or call to action may need improvement.
- Cost per lead: Helps determine if you’re paying too much for new clients. Comparing this against your average client value ensures your spending is sustainable.
- Conversion tracking: Identifies which ads drive calls, form submissions, or consultations. This helps you shift your budget to high-performing ads.
- A/B testing: Running two versions of an ad reveals what messaging works best. Small changes in wording or call-to-action phrases can significantly impact results.
Google Ads Budgeting and Cost Management
A well-planned budget ensures your Google Ads campaigns bring in real clients without unnecessary spending. Setting clear financial limits from the start helps you maximize results while keeping costs under control.
Start with a budget that reflects your market size and competition. In larger cities, competitive keywords like "estate planning lawyer near me" may require a higher spend. In smaller areas, you can often see results with a lower budget.
Next up, researching average costs in your area helps set realistic expectations. Tools like Google’s Keyword Planner provide estimates, but tracking actual campaign data will give you a clearer picture over time.
Here’s some beginner advice from us to save you some money: Avoid broad targeting that wastes money on unqualified clicks. Setting location filters, using negative keywords, and adjusting bids based on performance can keep your spending efficient.
Lawyers can expect to spend anywhere from $1,000 - $10,000 per month for ads, depending on competition and goals. If you’re just starting, start small. $2,000 should do just fine. If you’re in a crowded city with dozens of estate attorneys, you may be looking at $5,000 or more.
Common Mistakes Estate Lawyers Make With Google Ads
We've seen estate law firms lose thousands on avoidable mistakes. The most common issues usually come down to poor targeting, weak keyword strategies, and a lack of tracking.
These mistakes not only waste ad spend but also make it harder to bring in the right clients. The good news is that with a few adjustments, you can avoid these mistakes and make your campaigns more effective.
Some of the biggest mistakes estate lawyers make include:
- Targeting too broad a geographic area. Running ads in areas where you don’t typically get client leads to wasted clicks and unnecessary costs. Narrowing your location settings to high-value areas makes a big difference.
- Using overly generic keywords. Terms like "lawyer" or "attorney" are too broad and attract irrelevant searches. Without negative keywords, you’ll get clicks from people looking for free advice or unrelated legal services.
- Writing vague ad copy. If your ad doesn’t clearly explain why someone should choose your firm, it won’t stand out. Highlight experience, trust, and a specific service, like estate planning or probate.
- Not tracking conversions. Without tracking, you have no way of knowing which ads bring in real leads. Setting up conversion tracking ensures you can adjust your campaigns based on what’s working.
Running Google Ads for estate law requires the right strategy, and small mistakes can add up fast. We’ve helped firms fine-tune their campaigns, reduce wasted spend, and bring in more qualified leads. As a Brisbane-based company with 10 years of experience, we know what works in this market. If you’re unsure whether your ads are optimized, we offer a free audit to review your setup and identify improvements. Get in touch to see how we can help.
