Running Google Ads for your law firm can be one of the fastest ways to generate qualified leads—but success isn’t just about setting a budget and launching ads. One of the most common areas where firms lose money (or miss out on quality clients) is misunderstanding the difference between keywords and search terms.
These two concepts sound similar, but they’re not the same. In fact, understanding the difference—and using both strategically—is key to making your law firm’s PPC campaigns more efficient, more targeted, and more profitable.
Let’s break down what keywords and search terms really are, how they impact your campaigns, and what every law firm should be monitoring in 2025.
What Are Keywords in Google Ads?
Keywords are the phrases you choose to target in your Google Ads campaigns. They tell Google when and where you want your ads to appear.
Think of keywords as your firm’s strategy inputs—the words you believe potential clients will use when searching for your services.
For example:
If you’re a personal injury firm, your keywords might include:
- “car accident lawyer”
- “personal injury attorney near me”
- “truck accident law firm”
If you’re an employment law attorney, you might use:
- “wrongful termination lawyer”
- “sexual harassment attorney”
- “workplace discrimination law firm”
These are your targets, chosen based on intent, location, and relevance. Your goal is to align your ads with the kind of searches that indicate someone is ready to contact an attorney—not someone just browsing for general information.
What Are Search Terms?
Search terms, on the other hand, are the actual words or phrases users type into Google before seeing and clicking your ad.
They reflect how real people search—not necessarily the exact keywords you’ve chosen. Search terms may include:
- Misspellings (“injury laywer near me”)
- Longer phrases (“best car accident attorney in Chicago”)
- Question-based searches (“who pays medical bills after a car crash”)
- Irrelevant or low-intent terms (“law school personal injury program”)
Search terms show you the reality of user behavior, while keywords represent your intent as the advertiser.
By analyzing your Search Terms Report in Google Ads, you can discover which searches are actually triggering your ads—and how users are finding you.
Why the Difference Matters for Law Firms
Understanding and managing the difference between keywords and search terms can mean the difference between paying $300 for a bad click and earning a $30,000 client.
Here’s why it matters:
1. It Helps You Identify Wasted Spend
If your personal injury ad is showing up for “personal injury law schools” or “how to become a lawyer,” you’re wasting budget on irrelevant searches. Reviewing search terms helps you add negative keywords (terms you don’t want your ads to appear for), reducing waste.
2. It Improves Your Quality Score
Google rewards relevance. When your keywords, ad copy, and landing pages align closely with actual search terms, your Quality Score goes up—leading to lower cost per click (CPC) and higher ad rankings.
3. It Reveals Hidden Opportunities
Sometimes, your most valuable leads come from unexpected search terms. You might discover high-intent long-tail phrases like:
- “lawyer for Uber driver accident”
- “can I sue my boss for unpaid overtime”
These can then be added as exact match keywords to target even more precisely.
How to Use the Search Terms Report Effectively
Every law firm running Google Ads should be regularly reviewing its Search Terms Report—it’s one of the most powerful tools for refining campaign performance.
Here’s how to use it:
- Log in to Google Ads → Keywords → Search Terms.
Review which search queries triggered your ads and whether those led to clicks or conversions. - Identify new high-performing search terms.
If you see consistent conversions from a specific phrase (“workplace retaliation lawyer near me”), consider adding it as an exact match keyword. - Add negative keywords.
Filter out irrelevant searches like “free attorney advice,” “lawyer salaries,” or “legal TV shows.” This protects your budget from unqualified clicks. - Adjust match types strategically.
Use:- Broad match for discovery
- Phrase match for balance
- Exact match for precision
- Most law firms perform best with a mix of phrase and exact match for high-intent targeting.
- Track cost per conversion, not cost per click.
The most valuable insights come from knowing which search terms actually led to consultations or signed clients—not just website visits.
How to Find the Right Keywords for Your Law Firm
To build a strong keyword list, combine market research, search term analysis, and client behavior data.
Start with:
- Google’s Keyword Planner for estimated search volumes and competition levels.
- Your own Search Terms Report for proven, real-world performance data.
- Client interviews and intake data to uncover how people describe their legal issues (“I need a lawyer for…”).
Focus on high-intent, location-based keywords—for example:
- “car accident lawyer Atlanta”
- “wrongful termination attorney Houston”
- “employment discrimination lawyer Los Angeles”
Avoid overly broad or research-driven terms like “personal injury laws” or “what does an employment lawyer do.” These tend to attract browsers, not buyers.
The Bottom Line
Keywords are what your firm targets.
Search terms are what your clients actually search for.
When you analyze both, your PPC campaigns become sharper, cheaper, and more effective. You’ll know exactly which words bring in quality leads—and which ones burn your budget.
Final Takeaways
- Monitor your Search Terms Report weekly. It’s your best defense against wasted ad spend.
- Add negative keywords regularly. They’re as important as your primary keywords.
- Use real data, not assumptions. Let search behavior guide your keyword strategy.
Need help optimizing your law firm’s Google Ads campaigns?
Pareto Legal specializes in PPC management for personal injury and employment law firms—helping you identify profitable keywords, eliminate wasted spend, and generate more signed clients.
