Pros and Cons of Lawyer Advertising via Case Matching

Another lawyer advertising model available on the internet is known as “Case Matching.” Case Matching services ask consumers to present their case to the online legal marketing company, which will then attempt to “match” that case with law firms in their area. The consumer may then choose one of the matched firms. Like everything else, case matching services have their pros and cons.

Pros of Lawyer Advertising via Case Matching

1. Case Matching can deliver “qualified” leads
   One of the major values of Case Matching services is that they gather a lot of information on every potential case before passing it along to an attorney. This essentially “qualifies” leads more than other marketing services because the attorney can expect leads that match the type of cases they might accept.
2. Case Matching can offer “exclusivity”
   Case Matching services usually allow only a small number of firms to work with them in any region and practice area. This can mean less competition for leads than a law firm might encounter through other online lawyer marketing services.
3. Case Matching can minimize the amount of time spent talking to potential clients
   Case Matching services typically do not publish a law firm’s contact information until leads are qualified and identified as leads the law firm might want. This means an attorney may get fewer phone calls from people seeking advice or consultations than they might get through other online legal marketing services.

Cons of Lawyer Advertising via Case Matching

1. Case Matching can be expensive “Qualified” leads can come at a high cost. Not only do many Case Matching companies generate most of their leads through expensive pay-per-click advertising, but, since they essentially screen out some leads who might only be looking for a free consultation, the few remaining leads come at a fairly high cost. Some Case Matching services cost thousands of dollars per month, and require a minimum one-year commitment, sometimes more.
2. Success with Case Matching can depend largely on timely response to leads While Case Matching services do limit the number of attorneys they accept in any given market, they usually sign up several attorneys in that market. That means the same leads usually go to their attorneys within that market, which makes it especially important to respond quickly, before competitors sign the client. Busy solo practitioners can find it difficult to compete for clients through this model.
3. Case Matching may not present as many opportunities as other methods of online lawyer marketing The extensive Case Matching services screening process can eliminate many leads that aren’t immediately ready to hire an attorney, but might eventually develop into business. This effectively limits the number of opportunities an attorney might have to connect with potential clients.

In summary, Case Matching services can be a good option for firms with a large marketing budget and little time to nurture leads into clients. But if you don’t have the resources to respond to leads immediately, you might be at a disadvantage with other firms in your area that are working with the same Case Matching company.