When most business owners and marketers hear about search engine marketing, they immediately think Google – and rightfully so. In a recent search engine market share study released by ComScore, Google remains the dominant player in the search engine field. In fact, as of March 2014, more than 67 percent of all online searches were conducted on Google. Following behind were Bing with 18 percent and Yahoo with 10 percent. Firmly occupying the bottom places, Ask Network received a 2.5 percent share, more than just the former giant AOL (1.3 percent).

Those numbers should not come as a surprise; in fact, they haven’t changed much for the past 1 1/2 years, as an October 2012 study by ComScore found nearly identical numbers. But what do they mean for your law firm’s marketing strategy?

The Benefits of Google

Let’s get the obvious out of the way: Search engine marketing on Google will reach the highest potential audience. With a vast majority of internet users searching Google there is more potential exposure of your ppc ads or organic search results to potential clients. So if your firm has a significant budget, including search engine marketing on Google can have a dramatic affect on your law firm’s caseload.

Going with the Underdogs

But Google’s strength may also lead to its greatest problem: the company charges a massive premium for ad space. In fact, the cost per click on Google AdWords is over twice as high as it is for the Yahoo/Bing network, which seems like a considerable bargain in comparison. In fact, a recent click on Google’s pay network cost $125.00 just for one personal injury related click. That’s just one visitor and in no way a guaranteed client!

The high cost of search engine marketing via Google AdWords is not the only reason going with Yahoo or Bing may be a smart idea. Many companies flock to Google due to its high popularity, but putting some of your marketing dollars into Bing and Yahoo can significantly reducing the competition your law firm is likely to encounter when marketing on these important search engines.

At the end of the day, choosing the search engine on which to market comes down to budget considerations. If your digital marketing budget can take it, going with the industry leader in Google is a safe choice. But if you’re operating on a tighter budget, remember that 1/3 of all searches *(over 50 billion each month) take place away from Google, and can be targeted for a significantly lower cost. Contact us today to let us help you explore the perfect search engine marketing strategy for your business!