Local Service Ads vs Google Ads for Attorneys: Which Is Better?

Google now gives attorneys two ways to buy leads at the top of search results: Local Service Ads (LSAs) and traditional Google Ads. They look similar to clients. They feel very different to the firms paying for them.

LSAs appear above everything — above Google Ads, above organic results. They show a green "Google Screened" badge, your star rating, and a phone number. Google Ads appear below LSAs with more ad copy control and link to your landing page.

Both generate clients. But they work differently, cost differently, and suit different situations. Here's how to decide where your PPC for lawyers budget should go.

How Local Service Ads Work for Law Firms

LSAs operate on a pay-per-lead model, not pay-per-click. You only pay when someone calls or messages through the ad. Google verifies your firm through background checks, license verification, and insurance documentation before granting the "Google Screened" badge.

Key characteristics:

• Pay per lead: You're charged when someone contacts you, not when they see your ad or click it.
• Google sets the price: You don't bid on keywords. Google sets the cost per lead based on practice area and location.
• Limited control: You can't write ad copy, choose keywords, or design landing pages. Google controls the format entirely.
• Google Screened badge: Adds trust, especially for prospects comparing multiple firms.
• Review-driven ranking: Your star rating and review count heavily influence your ad position.

LSA Cost Per Lead by Practice Area

These costs fluctuate by market. A personal injury lead in Los Angeles costs significantly more than one in Omaha.

How Google Ads Work for Law Firms

Google Ads operate on a pay-per-click model. You bid on keywords, write ad copy, and send traffic to your landing page. You pay every time someone clicks your ad — whether or not they contact you.

Key characteristics:

• Pay per click: You're charged for every click, regardless of whether it converts.
• Full bidding control: You set maximum CPCs, bid strategies, and budget allocation.
• Complete creative control: You write headlines, descriptions, and extensions.
• Landing page ownership: You control exactly where clicks go and what prospects see.
• Keyword targeting: You choose exactly which searches trigger your ads.

Google Ads Cost Per Lead by Practice Area

Google Ads cost per lead is often higher than LSAs — but the quality and control differences can make them more profitable.

Want to know which channel is right for your firm? We build and manage PPC for lawyers across both LSAs and Google Ads. Get a free strategy session →

Head-to-Head: LSAs vs Google Ads for Attorneys

Lead Quality

LSAs: Lead quality is inconsistent. Since Google controls the matching, you'll get leads outside your practice areas, people looking for free consultations, and prospects who didn't realize they were contacting a paid ad. Google allows you to dispute invalid leads, but the process is slow and approvals aren't guaranteed.

Google Ads: Lead quality is directly tied to your campaign structure. Tight keyword targeting, negative keyword lists, and qualifying landing page copy filter out poor-fit prospects before they ever contact you. When campaigns are managed well, the lead quality is significantly higher.

Winner: Google Ads — because you control the filtering.

Cost Predictability

LSAs: Cost per lead is set by Google and changes without notice. You can set a weekly budget, but you can't control individual lead costs. Some weeks you get great leads at $100. Others you get junk at $250.

Google Ads: Costs are more variable on a per-click basis, but experienced management produces predictable cost-per-lead ranges. You can adjust bids, pause underperforming keywords, and optimize landing pages to drive costs down over time.

Winner: LSAs for simplicity, Google Ads for long-term optimization.

Control and Customization

LSAs: Almost zero control. You can't write ad copy, choose keywords, set bid adjustments by time of day, or direct traffic to specific landing pages. Google decides what your listing looks like and when it appears.

Google Ads: Complete control over every element — keywords, ad copy, landing pages, bidding strategies, audience targeting, remarketing, extensions, scheduling, and geographic precision.

Winner: Google Ads — overwhelmingly.

Scalability

LSAs: Limited scalability. Google caps how many leads you receive based on your budget and their lead volume. Once you hit the ceiling in your market, there's no way to push further without expanding to new practice areas or locations.

Google Ads: Highly scalable. Increase budget on profitable campaigns, expand keyword sets, add new practice areas, target additional geographies, and layer in remarketing — all on your timeline.

Winner: Google Ads.

Trust Signals

LSAs: The "Google Screened" badge is a meaningful trust signal. Prospects associate it with Google's verification process, which increases credibility. Star ratings are displayed prominently.

Google Ads: No inherent trust badge, but you can build trust through ad extensions (reviews, callouts, site links), strong landing page design, and social proof. It requires more effort but gives you more control over the message.

Winner: LSAs — the badge does meaningful work.

Time to Results

LSAs: Getting approved takes 2–6 weeks due to Google's screening process (background checks, license verification). Once live, leads can start flowing immediately.

Google Ads: Campaigns can launch within days. However, reaching optimal performance takes 30–60 days of data collection and optimization.

Winner: Google Ads for launch speed, LSAs for immediate lead flow after approval.

When to Use LSAs

LSAs make sense when:

• You're just starting with paid advertising. The low barrier to entry (no landing page, no keyword research) makes LSAs a good starting point.
• Your firm has strong Google reviews. LSA ranking is heavily review-dependent. If you have 50+ reviews at 4.5+ stars, you'll outrank competitors with fewer reviews.
• You handle high-volume practice areas. Family law, estate planning, and criminal defense generate consistent LSA lead volume.
• You want supplemental lead flow. Even firms running Google Ads benefit from the incremental leads LSAs provide.

When to Use Google Ads

Google Ads make sense when:

• You need precise targeting. Specific practice areas, case types, and geographic zones require the keyword and location control only Google Ads provides.
• Your practice area has high case values. Personal injury, mass torts, and complex litigation justify the higher CPCs because one signed client can generate $50K–$500K+ in fees.
• You want to control the client experience. Custom landing pages let you qualify leads, set expectations, and communicate your firm's differentiators.
• You're scaling aggressively. Google Ads budgets scale linearly. Double the budget, roughly double the leads (within market capacity).

The Best Strategy: Use Both

The firms generating the most clients run both channels simultaneously. Here's why:

1. LSAs capture top-of-page real estate. You occupy the very first position in search results.
2. Google Ads capture the second position. Now your firm appears twice on the first page.
3. Different prospects prefer different formats. Some click the LSA badge. Others prefer reading ad copy and visiting a landing page.
4. Data from both channels improves each one. LSA lead data informs Google Ads keyword strategies and vice versa.

Budget Allocation Framework

Start with heavier LSA allocation for quick lead flow, then shift toward Google Ads as your campaigns mature and you gain optimization data.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

With LSAs

• Not disputing bad leads. Google charges you for irrelevant leads, but you can dispute them. Review every lead and dispute ones that don't match your practice areas.
• Ignoring reviews. Your position is heavily review-dependent. Systematically ask satisfied clients for Google reviews.
• Not updating your profile. Keep business hours, service areas, and practice areas current. Outdated information triggers mismatched leads.

With Google Ads

• Running broad match without negatives. This generates volume but destroys lead quality. Start with exact and phrase match, then carefully expand.
• Sending traffic to your homepage. Always use dedicated landing pages for each practice area.
• Not tracking calls. If you only track form fills, you're blind to 60%+ of your conversions.
• Set-it-and-forget-it management. Google Ads require weekly optimization — bid adjustments, negative keywords, ad testing, and quality score improvement.

Measuring Success Across Both Channels

Track these metrics for each channel independently:

• Cost per lead — What you pay for each contact
• Cost per consultation — Factoring in lead quality and contact rates
• Cost per signed client — The number that actually matters
• Return on ad spend (ROAS) — Revenue generated per dollar spent

When you compare channels on a cost-per-signed-client basis (not cost-per-lead), you often find Google Ads outperforms LSAs despite higher per-lead costs. The control you have over targeting and messaging produces better-fit leads that convert at higher rates.

Ready to maximize your law firm's paid advertising? We manage both LSAs and PPC for lawyers as an integrated strategy — so your firm dominates the top of Google for every high-value search. Schedule your free strategy call →