Google Local Services Ads (LSAs) for law firms don’t have a flat “subscription” fee; you pay per lead, and total cost depends on your practice area, location, and how many enquiries you want each week.
How LSAs charge law firms
- Google LSAs are pay‑per‑lead, not pay‑per‑click: you’re only charged when someone calls or messages you from the ad. These are NOT clicks, they are actual leads.
- You set a weekly budget based on target leads × estimated cost per lead, and Google caps spend at your monthly limit.
- Sign‑up to the platform itself is free; there is no platform fee, but you will usually also pay an agency to manage the LSAs if you outsource.
Typical cost per lead
For law firms, most current guides show these ranges:
- General “legal services” (UK LSAs, all practice areas): about £40–£60 per lead in big cities like London or Birmingham.
- Broad legal average (international guidance): roughly $50–$200 per lead, varying by practice area and competitiveness.
- Personal injury in competitive US markets: often $150–$300+ per lead, sometimes higher in places like Los Angeles.
- Lower‑intensity areas (estate planning, some family or immigration work): often $50–$150 per lead.
As a UK law firm in or near Maidstone, you’re likely to sit closer to the middle of those bands than London “extreme” pricing, but practice area (PI vs wills vs family) still makes a big difference.
What a realistic monthly budget looks like
Putting those numbers into simple examples:
- If your average cost per lead is £50 and you want 20 leads per month, your LSA media spend would be about £1,000/month.
- A PI firm paying around $200 (£160) per lead and aiming for 30 leads per month would be looking at roughly £4,800/month in LSA media spend.
- Many legal marketing planners suggest setting LSA budgets for law firms with an assumed lead cost of $50–$200, then adjusting once you see real performance.
Any agency management fee (often a fixed monthly retainer) would sit on top of that media spend.
Key factors that change your cost
- Practice area: PI and high‑value litigation usually pay the highest CPL; wills, conveyancing, and some family work are cheaper.
- Location: large metros (London, Manchester, Birmingham) usually cost more than smaller towns like Maidstone because more firms are competing.
- Competition and reviews: more firms bidding on LSAs and weaker review profiles can both push up what you effectively pay per lead.
There are many more questions relating to Google Local Service Ads just here.