Navigating your digital advertising efforts can often feel like a puzzle. As a marketer, you already know how to piece together questions to ask your ad vendor in order to get meaningful insights about your campaigns. But even the most seasoned professionals can benefit from a fresh perspective!
We’re here to help you think through your standard questions, refine them, and ultimately ensure that you’re getting the complete picture from your digital ad vendor. This list of seven questions will cover everything from the nitty-gritty of campaign performance to the broader strokes of market trends and strategic foresight you should be aware of.
Question #1: Can You Summarize the Performance of Our Current PPC Campaigns? Have We Met Our Target ROAS?
As a law firm surveying your online marketing, you’re probably focused on the effectiveness of your current PPC campaigns. This is where the concept of ROAS, or Return On Ad Spend, becomes critical. ROAS measures the effectiveness of your digital advertising by comparing the revenue generated from ads to the amount of money spent on them, answering the question: for every dollar spent on your ads, how many dollars are you getting back in return?
The legal market is competitive and ensuring that your advertising dollars are not just spent, but spent wisely, is key. A clear understanding of ROAS helps you gauge whether your campaigns are cost-effective and if they align with your firm’s financial goals. This question can also branch out to a broader conversation about the health of your digital marketing efforts and your desired outcomes.
Question #2: What Specific Optimizations Have You Made Recently to Improve Performance?
By asking about optimizations, you’re really asking how your vendor is actively working to enhance your campaigns. An effective marketing campaign is never a “one and done” process. Optimizing should be a regular occurrence, and could involve refining keywords, adjusting bids, tweaking ad copy, or experimenting with different audience segments.
Their response to this question can reveal your vendor’s ability to adapt and iterate. Are they just maintaining the status quo, or are they innovating and pushing boundaries to achieve better numbers for your firm? Crucially, it’s a way to look into the vendor’s expertise and their approach to ensuring your campaigns are not just flying on autopilot but adapting to the changing winds.
Question #3: How are Different Ad Copy and Designs Performing in Terms of Engagement and Conversion Rates?
Different ad copy and designs—from the imagery and language used to the overall layout and approach—can evoke different audience and engagement responses. By asking about these elements and their impact on engagement and conversion rates, you can into what works best for your firm and target demographic.
This question is not just about numbers; it’s also about comprehending the narrative behind them. Which ad designs are capturing interest? Which messages are resonating most with potential clients? This question can help you fine-tune your ad content and strategy for future campaigns.
Question #4: How is Our Budget Being Allocated Across Different Campaigns or Ad Groups?
Understanding budget allocation is fundamental if you want to align your financial resources with your firm’s marketing goals. The answer to this question can empower you to make better informed decisions and to work with your vendor on future and ongoing campaigns.
When you ask your digital ad vendor about how your budget is being distributed, you’re also seeking their rationale behind allocation decisions. Are more funds being directed towards high-performing campaigns? How are underperforming ad groups being handled? Having this conversation is also an opportunity to discuss the balance between experimenting with new strategies and strengthening proven ones.
Question #5: What are Our Current Cost-Per-Click (CPC) and Cost-Per-Acquisition (CPA)?
Understanding your firm’s CPC and CPA is more than just knowing the numbers. It’s also about comprehending what these numbers mean for your firm’s bottom line.
With this data, you can find the places where you’re overspending and opportunities where you can optimize for better results. This knowledge is instrumental in making informed decisions about future campaign strategies and budget allocations.
Question #6: Are There Any Notable Market Trends or Changes in the Competitive Landscape That We Should Be Aware Of?
An irrelevant advertising strategy is a dead advertising strategy. Inquiring about market trends and competitive shifts helps you gauge the external factors that might be influencing your PPC campaigns, like changes in search behaviors, advertising regulations, new platforms potential clients may be flocking to, or the competitive strategies of other law firms in your market. This question can help you prepare your law firm to not just react to market changes, but to anticipate and adapt to them as well.
Question #7: Based on the Current Performance and Market Conditions, Are There Any Strategic Adjustments You Recommend?
This question can ensure that both your firm and your digital ad vendor are on the same page regarding future plans. It opens up a dialogue about the vendor’s vision for your marketing plan’s next steps and provides an opportunity to discuss and align these suggestions with your firm’s broader objectives.
Asking about strategic adjustments positions your law firm not just as a passive recipient of services but as an active participant in shaping its digital marketing journey.
Putting it All Together
Armed with these seven questions, your next meeting with your digital ad vendor can produce a wealth of insights on your current marketing strategy. Remember that this isn’t just about getting answers, it’s also about building a collaborative, forward-thinking partnership with your vendor that aligns with your firm’s objectives and ambitions. And it goes without saying: if you aren’t happy with your current vendor, reach out to us here at cj to discuss what we can do for you!
