How to use call tracking in legal PPC campaigns?
How to Use Call Tracking in Legal PPC Campaigns?
In the competitive world of digital marketing for law firms, precise data-driven strategies are essential. Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising has become a powerful tool for generating leads, particularly in the legal sector where search intent often signals a need for immediate services. However, to truly measure effectiveness and optimise return on investment (ROI), law firms must leverage one often-overlooked tool: call tracking.
What is Call Tracking?
Call tracking is a technology that enables firms to monitor and analyse phone calls generated by their marketing campaigns. It assigns unique tracking numbers to specific sources—such as Google Ads, landing pages or keywords—and directs all calls to your existing telephone system. This allows firms to identify precisely which ads or keywords are driving inbound calls and contributing to new client acquisition.
Why Call Tracking Matters in Legal PPC Campaigns
Unlike other industries where online form submissions are common, most legal service engagements begin with a phone call. From emergency personal injury cases to contractual disputes, prospective clients often prefer immediate verbal communication. PPC campaigns without call tracking miss a crucial aspect of lead attribution, making it difficult to determine which ads are performing best.
Call tracking resolves this data gap by providing visibility into the customer journey. When paired with PPC, firms can assess metrics such as call duration, location, time of call, and most importantly, which keyword or ad group prompted the call. This allows campaigns to be refined efficiently and spend to be allocated where it generates the greatest ROI.
Implementing Call Tracking in Legal PPC Campaigns
To maximise the effectiveness of call tracking within your legal PPC campaigns, follow a structured approach that aligns with your firm’s objectives and compliance requirements.
1. Choose a Call Tracking Provider
Select a reputable call tracking platform that supports dynamic number insertion (DNI), integrates with Google Ads and Google Analytics, and offers features like call recording and keyword-level tracking. Ensure the platform complies with GDPR and solicitor-client confidentiality standards crucial in the UK legal sector.
2. Set Up Dynamic Number Insertion (DNI)
DNI technology replaces phone numbers on your website dynamically based on the source of the visitor. For PPC, this means users clicking your Google Ads will see a unique tracking number. This allows for precise attribution at the keyword or ad group level, offering deeper insights into which components of your campaign generate phone enquiries.
3. Integrate with Google Ads and Analytics
For optimal performance tracking, integrate your call tracking system with Google Ads and Analytics to allow for conversion tracking. This lets you see which ads, campaigns and keywords result in phone conversions, making bid adjustments and campaign optimisations more informed and accurate.
4. Set Up Call Conversion Goals
In Google Ads, set call-length thresholds to categorise quality leads. For instance, calls over 60 seconds are more likely to represent genuine enquiries, while shorter calls may signal poor lead quality or irrelevant traffic. Monitoring these metrics helps in adjusting ad copy, targeting and bidding strategies to improve campaign performance.
5. Listen to Call Recordings for Qualitative Insights
Where legally permissible, analyse call recordings to understand the common queries, client concerns and staff performance. This qualitative data can uncover gaps in service delivery, inform your PPC ad copy and suggest new keywords to attract more relevant traffic.
Legal and Ethical Considerations
Call tracking in the legal industry must adhere to strict data protection standards. Always disclose call recording to the caller, ensure compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), and safeguard client confidentiality. Staff should be trained on proper handling of calls and informed of recording protocols. Your call tracking solution should also allow call data storage and access controls that align with legal obligations.
Using Insights to Optimise Campaigns
Armed with call tracking data, law firms can make more strategic decisions. If certain keywords consistently lead to longer or more valuable calls, budget can be reallocated to increase visibility on those terms. Similarly, underperforming ad groups can be revised or paused, improving overall campaign efficiency. Over time, aligning PPC efforts with real-world client enquiries leads to higher conversion rates and reduced cost per acquisition.
Conclusion
In a sector where most client interactions begin over the phone, integrating call tracking into your legal PPC campaigns is not just beneficial—it is essential. It provides clear insight into which aspects of your advertising generate meaningful leads, enabling smarter spend, better service delivery, and ultimately, more signed clients. With careful implementation and ongoing analysis, call tracking can become one of the most valuable components of your digital marketing strategy.