Case Study: How We Tripled Leads for a Law Firm

When Martinez Law Group came to us, they were a well-established personal injury firm with strong word-of-mouth referrals—but struggling to compete online against larger firms with bigger marketing budgets.

This is the story of how we tripled their lead volume in 6 months while actually reducing their overall marketing spend.

The Challenge

Martinez Law Group faced several challenges common to small-to-medium law firms:

• Google Ads were expensive: They were paying $150-200 per lead with diminishing returns
• Website was outdated: Built in 2018, slow to load, not mobile-optimized
• Local SEO was non-existent: Not ranking in the map pack for any primary keywords
• Competitors dominated: Larger firms with deeper SEO authority owned the search results
• No after-hours capture: Potential clients calling after 5pm weren't being captured

Their goal: increase qualified leads without significantly increasing their marketing budget.

Our Strategy

Rather than simply spending more on ads, we developed a four-phase approach:

1. Fix local SEO to generate free organic traffic
2. Optimize the website for conversions
3. Restructure Google Ads for efficiency
4. Implement AI for 24/7 lead capture

This approach mirrors what we've seen work across other professional services industries. According to E2M Solutions, law firms implementing comprehensive SEO strategies see an average of 495% growth in organic traffic.

Phase 1: Local SEO Overhaul

Google Business Profile Optimization

Their GBP was incomplete—missing photos, wrong categories, no posts, and inconsistent NAP across directories. We:

• Completed every field with keyword-rich descriptions
• Added 50+ high-quality photos of the office, team, and community involvement
• Selected precise primary and secondary categories
• Implemented weekly posting schedule
• Launched review request campaign (went from 23 to 89 reviews in 3 months)

Citation Building & Cleanup

We found 47 directory listings with inconsistent information. We standardized NAP across all platforms and added the firm to 30+ legal-specific directories.

"Businesses with consistent information across 75% or more of major directories see a 186% increase in website clicks from Google."

— BrightLocal Research

Results from Local SEO

• Achieved #1 map pack ranking for primary keywords
• Organic traffic increased 312% in 6 months
• GBP views increased from 2,400/month to 11,200/month

Phase 2: Website Optimization

Speed Improvements

The original site loaded in 6.2 seconds on mobile—far above the 3-second threshold where 53% of users abandon. We:

• Migrated to modern hosting infrastructure
• Compressed and properly sized all images
• Implemented browser caching and CDN
• Reduced page load time to 1.8 seconds

Conversion Optimization

• Added prominent click-to-call buttons on every page
• Simplified contact form from 9 fields to 4
• Added trust signals (awards, certifications, testimonials)
• Created dedicated landing pages for each practice area
• Implemented exit-intent popup with free case evaluation offer

Results from Website Optimization

• Conversion rate improved from 2.1% to 4.8%
• Bounce rate decreased from 67% to 41%
• Average session duration increased 2.3x

Phase 3: Google Ads Restructure

Their existing Google Ads campaigns were poorly structured with broad keywords and generic ad copy. We:

• Implemented single keyword ad groups (SKAGs) for better quality scores
• Created location-specific campaigns targeting local neighborhoods
• Wrote new ad copy emphasizing free consultations and local presence
• Added negative keywords to eliminate irrelevant traffic
• Set up proper conversion tracking (previously broken)

Results from Ads Optimization

• Cost per lead decreased from $175 to $105 (40% reduction)
• Click-through rate improved from 3.2% to 7.8%
• Quality scores increased from average 5/10 to 8/10

Phase 4: AI Implementation

This is where things got interesting. We implemented an AI-powered chatbot and phone system to capture leads 24/7.

The reality: 67% of legal inquiries come outside business hours. Without a system to capture these, they go to competitors.

What We Implemented

• AI Chatbot: Answers common questions, qualifies leads, schedules consultations
• AI Phone System: Takes after-hours calls, captures information, sends immediate follow-up
• Automated Follow-up: Instant email and text responses with next steps

Results from AI

• 47 additional qualified leads per month from after-hours inquiries
• Response time went from 4+ hours to under 2 minutes
• Staff freed up from routine inquiries to focus on qualified prospects

This aligns with broader industry trends. According to research, businesses implementing AI chatbots see an average $3.50 return for every $1 invested, with some achieving 200%+ ROI.

The Results: 6-Month Summary

Total investment: 6-month project fee plus ongoing monthly retainer
ROI: 847% return on marketing investment in year one

Key Lessons for Your Business

1. Fix the foundation first: Local SEO and website optimization provide sustainable, long-term traffic
2. Don't just spend more on ads: Optimize existing campaigns before scaling budget
3. Capture after-hours leads: AI tools can work 24/7 when you can't
4. Track everything: You can't improve what you don't measure
5. Be patient with SEO: Results take 3-6 months but compound over time

Ready to see similar results for your business? Let's talk about your growth strategy.