I often get asked whether a lawyer should put ads, such as Google Ads on their practice blog. Short answer NO!! I and others agree, a blog a lawyer is using to promote his or her practice is no place for ads. The amount of clutter and image your blog will have from such ads is not worth the small amount of money you will make.
But wait, I have ads on this blog. This is not the blog I use to promote my law practice.
If you have a desire or need to promote something on your blog, promote yourself. Promote a service you are providing. Promote a free report you have to offer. But, don’t put Google Ads on your blog.
Grant, I agree with you. And the ads that you have on this blog are people you have chosen to include on your blog, not just random ads that Google puts up. I would be much more likely to click on a customized ad on someone's blog (their LPM blog, not their blog for their clients)than I would be to click on a google ad. I never click on those.
BRAVO! Well said.
I agree – if your blog is intended to obtain new clients then it should not have AdSense ads on it. These ads are contextual so why would you want to offer your potential clients a reason to leave your blog for a competitor? And you only generate ad revenue from AdSense if they do that (click on an ad and leave your site). Doesn't make sense to me.
Hi Grant,
I tend to agree with you! You should avoid placing external ads on a law firm/lawyer blog… or law firm website for that matter.
Law Firm blogs are hands-down the best way for an attorney to connect with prospective clients, other attorneys or any other vistors. A practice blog should promote the practice area(s) of the attorney and should be as personal as possible to establish credibility and a connection with the prospective client. By placing ads to external products and services you are inviting potential clients to leave!!!
…just my two cents.
I thoroughly agree. Although I'm a Virtual Assistant and not a lawyer, I preach the same thing to those in my profession. Ads don't belong on a business site. Personally, besides being annoying, distracting and ugly, I find them really tacky and pathetic. It's like watching someone desperately looking for coins on the ground.
And I agree with what others have said–the ads you show here are tasteful and authentic because they are hand-selected and are people you know and trust.
I partially disagree. Now, you've been in the blog game longer than I have, but I heard differing opinions about this.
The theory goes: If you're paying to maintain a blog, and it doesn't quite capture the attention of the prospective client, might as well make $.08 as they leave the page. I don't think credibility is taken away from a lawyer's blog, simply because there are adwords on them.
That said, there is a way to tastefully present ads on a blog, and some people go overboard.
I think it is in very bad taste to include advertisements on a lawyers blog. This particular Blog seems geared more towards lawyers rather than clients, so I do not mind seeing ads here.
However, on my Biker Law Blog, which includes legal and other types of articles for potential clients to read, I have decided that it would not only be in bad taste to put ads on it, but that it may create a conflict of interest if I ever have to sue one of the advertisers!
As you know through postings I have done on the listserve that we are a part of, I actually had a corporation that wanted to be a partner on my Blog. After careful consideration, I determined that the risks were substantially outweighed by the benefits. On my Biker Law Blog, I want my readers to get information that is of value to them without the clutter of advertisements.
Just my opinion.
Norm
Bernie stole my thunder a little bit, but I'll go ahead anyway. Professionalism aside, it makes no sense to me AT ALL to have ads over which you do not have absolute control. My blog is about appellate practice and legal developments in the state and federal appellate courts in California. If I let an ad company place ads based on the context of my site, am I not going to get lots of ads for other lawyers, peprhaps even other APPELLATE lawyers? Why on earth would I want to advertise the competition? And why should THEY benefit from MY blog?
I agree with Grant. Ads have no place on a law firm blog. If a lawyer really wants to maximize revenue, then why not place ads on the backside of an envelope, along the margins of letterhead, and on the backside of every copy of everything handed over to a client. There’s a lot of real estate that’s going to waste. How about a vending machine in your waiting room and asking the staff to wear hats from McDonald’s?
Save those Google ads for your auxiliary blog.
And meanwhile, please go to http:/www.startingatstrangers.com and spend the rest of the weekend clicking on those ads.