Definition
Search engine advertising, also called paid search or PPC, means buying ads on search engines such as Google, shown at the top of the results with a "Sponsored" label, which bring immediate traffic for as long as the advertising budget is running and stop the moment it ends.
In plain English
Unlike SEO, which aims for an organic position over the long term, search engine advertising lets you appear at the top of Google instantly when someone searches your keywords. You pay only when a user clicks your ad: this is the cost per click, or CPC, model.
That visibility stops as soon as you pause your campaigns. Paid search is therefore a complement to organic SEO: it gives you immediate visibility while your SEO strategy builds up over time.
For a law firm, paid search captures urgent, qualified demand. A prospective client who types "wrongful termination lawyer Chicago" into Google usually wants help fast. A well-written ad in the top position can generate inquiries on the very day it goes live.
For a law firm
An employment law firm launches a paid search campaign on the keyword "severance agreement lawyer Dallas". Its ad consistently appears at the top of the results for that term, with a precise message that speaks directly to the searcher's concern: "Severance Offer in Dispute? Employment Lawyers, Meeting Within 48 Hours".
Result: the firm generates 12 qualified inquiries in three weeks for a $420 investment. The cost per acquisition stays under control because the campaign precisely targets high-intent queries. Where SEO would have needed several months to rank the site organically on these terms, paid search delivered results from day one.
The Hendy figure
Across the law firms we work with on paid search, the observed cost per click averages between $2.75 and $8.80, depending on how competitive the practice area and the location are.
The busier your practice area is in your market, the closer to the top of that range you should plan your budget.
Key takeaways
- Paid search gives immediate visibility on Google, but it disappears as soon as the budget stops
- You pay only when someone actually clicks your ad, which keeps the investment under control
- It complements SEO by capturing urgent demand while your organic rankings grow