Programmatic Ads for Lawyers

To maintain an effective marketing campaign with measurable results, a law firm should employ a multi-channel approach that achieves maximum exposure across all forms of digital media – display, video, native, connected TV, and many others. It’s also important to target potential clients in every phase of the decision/purchasing journey, whether they’re just beginning to research a legal topic, are moments away from hiring a lawyer, or at any stage in between.

In the rapidly changing legal landscape, attorneys are scrambling to find new ways to market their law firms and rise above the noisy competition. Programmatic ads for lawyers are emerging as a compelling, highly targeted, cost-effective option for building a law firm brand and attracting new clients. Ads can be targeted by demographic, behavioral, geographic, and other data to make sure you’re reaching the audience you want.

In 2023, global programmatically sold advertising was worth $546 billion in U.S. dollars. This figure is expected to catapult to $779 billion by 2028. By comparison, only $177 billion was being spent globally on programmatically sold advertising in 2017. Clearly, programmatic ads are the new belle of the ball.

“Programmatic advertising” refers to the automatic buying and selling of digital ad space. Programmatic ad buying harnesses instantaneous, data-driven technology to purchase ad space rather than relying on manual purchases via human negotiations between a publisher and marketer. Advertisers can use auction technology software to purchase ads instantaneously, cutting out the traditional middlemen.

By accelerating and streamlining the buying process, ad campaigns capture efficiencies. That’s why programmatic ads have become a popular marketing tool worldwide. Currently, the United States and Canada have taken the lead in pursuing programmatic advertising, accounting for 40% of global investments. Europe and Asia are also quickly adopting programmatic ads, with Europe’s investment more than doubling since 2017 and forecast to hit $100 billion this year.

Options for Programmatic Ads

The automated buying and selling of digital ad space can happen in multiple locations, on multiple platforms, and in multiple formats. This allows for hyper-personalized ads and larger audience reach. Depending on your law firm’s goals, an ad campaign can mix and match various elements to produce optimal results. Some of the options for programmatic ads include:

U.S. Connected TV (CTV)

CTV programmatic display ad spending in the U.S. was projected to be $25 billion in 2023, a 25% increase over the $20 billion spent in 2022. CTV and over-the-top (OTT) advertising refer to the delivery of ads via streaming media services (Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, etc.), which are directly offered to consumers over the internet, bypassing traditional broadcast, cable, and satellite TV platforms. More of the big players in streaming are shifting away from the traditional ad-free, subscription-only model. Most now offer an additional, less expensive ad-supported subscription tier.

Digital Out-of-Home Ads (DOOH)

DOOH ads are an innovative way to target consumers on the go by reaching them “in motion” wherever they are. These digital ad screens are everywhere, from the giant digital billboards in New York’s Times Square to big digital screens in your own city. These large screens are typically located in areas that naturally attract a crowd. The goal is to create a larger-than-life visual experience that is memorable and creates a lasting impression. DOOH ad spend in the U.S. was projected to reach $4.8 billion in 2023. The benefit of DOOH ads is they are resistant to ad blockers, they have a broad reach, and they are unobtrusively placed. Different methods of audience targeting means DOOH ads should benefit in the cookie-free future.

Video

Programmatic video uses data and algorithms to determine the most advantageous placement of video ads to target the audience you’re after. There are at least three popular types of video ads that provide an immersive user experience:

• Instream – These are ads that are presented to a viewer within the player at the beginning, middle, or end of streaming video content.
• Outstream – These appear in the midst of the content of any website. For example, a YouTube video that shows up when scrolling through a blog.
• In-Display – These ads typically appear within an online display banner.

According to Think with Google, 63% of YouTube viewers say they bought from a brand as a result of seeing it on the platform. Video programmatic ads can be powerful.

Display

Traditional display ads remain very effective in the era of digital programmatic ads. These are ads that combine visual elements, copy, and calls to action that encourage consumers to take an action or make a purchasing decision.

Native

Native content, sometimes otherwise referred to as “sponsored content” or “advertorial,” is a hybrid content that is educational and informative, appears to have been written by a publication, but is actually paid advertising. Visually, it often looks like a news story with a headline and typeface similar to other stories in the publication. Programmatic native content can also be an effective tool for driving traffic to your law firm website.

Audio

Audio advertising is also growing rapidly in popularity on platforms like Spotify and others. People who are exercising or engaged in sports often like to listen to music or podcasts, making this an excellent opportunity to reach an audience through audio. Ad spending in the digital audio advertising market worldwide is projected to reach $11.78 billion in 2024.

In-Game

In-game advertising displays video, image, and audio ads inside video games. Players see ads while they’re competing online. These ads can be found inside games on mobile devices and also in games played on Xbox, PlayStation, computers, and other consoles.

Utilize Multiple Channels to Achieve Optimal Results

A multi-channel marketing campaign, at its best, can provide rich actionable data and intelligent audience insights that a law firm can use to attract potential consumers. In the heady world of programmatic ads for lawyers, it’s important to have professionals on your team who know what they’re doing and can guide your law firm in creating a highly customized, unique marketing strategy that fits your culture, budget, and objectives. Cookie-cutter solutions don’t achieve this. At Gladiator Law Marketing, our professionals are at the forefront of utilizing programmatic ads to boost law firm brands and convert leads into clients.