Legal keywords can cost more per click than most firms charge per hour. At those prices, a leaky account is not inefficient, it is a fine you pay every day.
1. No negative keywords
Without an aggressive negative list, you pay for DIY searches, job seekers, and students who will never hire you.
2. Traffic to the homepage
Paid clicks sent to a generic homepage convert poorly. Every campaign needs a fast, single-purpose landing page.
3. Calls to voicemail
The ad works, the call comes in after hours, and it dies in voicemail. Pair ads with 24/7 intake or stop running them at night.
4. Reporting impressions, not cases
If your report cannot tell you cost per signed case, nobody is accountable for the spend.
5. Ignoring Local Services Ads
LSAs put you at the very top with the Google Screened badge, and you pay per lead, not per click. Most firms never claim their refunds on bad leads, either.