Definition
Cost per click (CPC) is the amount an advertiser pays each time someone clicks their search ad. Legal keywords, especially in personal injury and mass torts, have some of the highest CPCs in search advertising because each signed case can be worth a large fee.
Why it matters for law firms
High CPCs mean poorly targeted campaigns burn budget quickly. It also explains why organic SEO is valuable for law firms: every organic click on a competitive keyword is a click the firm did not have to pay for.
Example
A truck accident firm finds much of its ad spend going to broad searches such as 'truck accident statistics'. Adding negative keywords and focusing on hiring-intent searches cuts wasted spend.
How to improve it
- Target hiring-intent keywords and add negative keywords.
- Send ads to relevant landing pages, not the homepage.
- Improve Quality Score to lower costs.
- Measure cost per signed case, not just CPC.
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PPC for Law FirmsRelated terms
Aditya Chauhan
Head of SEO, PageOne Lawyers
Last updated September 26, 2026