Google Ads should be one of your highest-performing tools for bringing in injury clients. These are people actively searching for help. They’re typing in “injury lawyer near me” or “car accident attorney in Knoxville” because something just happened and they want to talk to someone fast.
But here’s the catch. Most personal injury lawyers try Google Ads once, burn through a few thousand dollars and quit. Not because Google Ads don’t work. But because the campaign wasn’t set up to convert in the first place.
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. In this post, we’ll share the 5 most common mistakes injury lawyers make with Google Ads. So you know exactly what to avoid, how to fix them and start getting real leads.
1. Bidding on the Wrong Keywords
Not all clicks are created equal. The biggest money-waster in Google Ads is targeting vague terms like “lawyer” or “legal help” that pull in unqualified traffic.
You want to focus on high-intent, local search terms like:
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car accident lawyer in [your city]
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workers comp attorney consultation
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injury law firm near me open now
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what to do after a truck accident
These are searchers looking for your services, right now. If your ads are targeting general legal terms, your budget disappears without a single quality lead.
Fix it by switching to phrase match or exact match keywords and layering on location-specific targeting. That ensures you’re only showing up for people in your service area who are ready to take action.
2. Sending Traffic to Your Homepage
Your homepage might look nice, but it’s not built to convert ad traffic. It’s too broad. It doesn’t speak directly to the intent of the search. There are too many distractions and places to get lost.
If someone clicks an ad for “motorcycle accident lawyer,” don’t send them to a generic homepage. Send them to a dedicated page that speaks only to motorcycle injury claims.
It should include:
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A clear headline that matches the ad
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Simple explanation of how you can help
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Trust signals like testimonials or case results
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One clear, direct CTA (call-to-action) as a next step
Landing pages make it easy for a potential client to say yes. And they convert higher. Every time.
3. Not Tracking What’s Working
If you’re running ads and can’t answer questions like:
- What’s your cost per signed case?
- Which keywords bring in great leads?
- Which campaigns are wasting ad spend?
Then you’re guessing. And guessing costs money.
Set up call tracking and conversion tracking inside Google Ads. Tag your contact forms. Use separate phone numbers for ad campaigns so you know which ones bring in calls.
This gives you the clarity to double down on what works and shut down what doesn’t. Quickly.
4. Ignoring Mobile Optimization
More than 60 percent of injury-related searches happen on a phone. If your landing page takes five seconds to load or your form is impossible to fill out on mobile, you’re done.
Check your page on an actual phone. Is the phone number tappable? Is the form short and easy to complete? Is there too much text?
Speed and simplicity are what convert mobile users. If you’re making them pinch and zoom or wait for images to load, they’re gone.
5. No Follow-Up System in Place
Let’s say your ad works. Someone clicks, fills out a form… then what happens? If that lead sits in your inbox for two days, it’s already cold. People searching for injury lawyers are likely reaching out to multiple firms at once. The one who responds first usually wins the business.
Set up a system that includes:
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Instant auto-responder confirming their submission
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A team member assigned to follow up within the hour
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A simple intake form or link they can act on immediately
Google Ads only works if the whole funnel is built for speed and trust. The ad is the spark. Your system has to close the loop.
Google Ads Can Be a Goldmine For Injury Lawyers
You don’t need to triple your ad budget. You just need to build a campaign that’s aligned with how injury clients search, think and act. That means smart keyword targeting, strong landing pages and fast follow-up.
At Slamdot, we help injury law firms turn paid search into consistent case volume. We worked with Torres Law Firm, PLLC to design a professional, SEO-optimized website and digital presence that better reflects their decades of experience.
Since launching, they’ve seen a 77% increase in total users and a 163% in total search traffic. Best of all, we handle all the campaigns so your team can focus on what it does best.
Want to see how we can help you grow? Contact us today!
