Facebook Ads Targeting for Lawyers: How To Find People Looking For Legal Services

As a lawyer, you’re likely spending thousands of dollars each month on Google Ads, competing for expensive keywords with diminishing returns.

Meanwhile, there’s an untapped goldmine where your potential clients are spending hours each day: Facebook and Instagram.

“But people don’t go on social media looking for lawyers”…

You’re right—and that’s exactly why this strategy works so well.

Watch the video guide below

Targeting Misconceptions Are Costing You Clients

Most law firms believe a dangerous myth: that Facebook can’t effectively target people who need legal services.

After all, users don’t publicly announce “I just got in a car accident” or “I’m considering filing for bankruptcy” on their profiles.

This misconception leads firms to pour their entire marketing budget into Google Ads, where they’re paying premium prices for keywords like “car accident lawyer near me” or “personal injury attorney”—sometimes $50, $100, or even $200 per click.

What if you could reach those same potential clients at a fraction of the cost, before they even start searching on Google?

Your Ideal Clients Are on Facebook and Instagram Every Day

The average American spends 33 minutes per day on Facebook and 29 minutes on Instagram.

That’s over an hour each day where your potential clients are scrolling, watching, and engaging—regardless of whether they’re currently in need of legal services.

But here’s where it gets interesting.

You’re Losing Potential Clients to Competitors Who Understand the Platform

While you’re focusing solely on Google Ads, your competitors who understand Facebook’s targeting capabilities are building relationships with potential clients before they even have a legal need.

When that need eventually arises, guess which firm they’ll remember? Think about it:

• You’re paying $50-200 per click on Google for someone who might not even qualify for your services
• You’re competing with every other law firm in your area for the same limited keywords
• Your ROI is diminishing as Google Ad costs continue to rise year after year
• You have no way to nurture relationships with potential clients who aren’t ready to hire you immediately

But perhaps the most frustrating part?

When someone finally does search for “car accident lawyer near me,” they’re already at the end of their decision-making process. You’re paying premium prices to enter the conversation at the last possible moment.

How Facebook’s Targeting Actually Works for Lawyers

Let’s demystify Facebook’s targeting system and show you exactly how it can work for your law firm.

Understanding the Two Types of Facebook Targeting

Facebook offers two primary targeting methods:

1. Custom Audiences – Based on first or second-party data
2. Detailed Targeting – Based on demographics, interests, and behaviors

Custom Audiences: Your Most Powerful Targeting Tool

Custom audiences are groups of people who have already shown interest in your firm or services. These can be created from:

• Website Traffic: Using the Facebook pixel to track visitors to your website
• Customer Lists: Uploading client email lists (though this works better with first-party data you’ve collected yourself)
• Facebook Engagements: People who have interacted with your content, page, or Instagram profile

The most effective custom audience for lawyers? Video Viewers.

When someone watches at least 30 seconds of your video about “What to do after a car accident,” you can reasonably assume they’re interested in that information—possibly because they’ve been in an accident themselves. This behavioral data is incredibly valuable.

Why Video Viewers Are Gold for Law Firms

Imagine this scenario:

1. You create a 60-second video explaining “5 Critical Steps After a Car Accident”
2. Someone who was recently in an accident watches 45 seconds of your video
3. Facebook adds them to a custom audience of “Car Accident Video Viewers”
4. You then show a follow-up ad specifically to that audience: “If you were in a car accident in the last 14 days, you might be entitled to $10,000 in compensation. Call now to learn how.”

This two-step approach is significantly more effective than trying to target “people who have been in car accidents” directly—because that targeting option simply doesn’t exist.

Detailed Targeting: A Starting Point, Not the Solution

While you can’t directly target “people going through a divorce” or “recent car accident victims,” detailed targeting gives you a starting point:

• Geographic location (target your service area)
• Age and gender demographics (e.g., men aged 25-44 for car accident cases)
• Some relevant interests (though limited for legal services)

This is what we call “open targeting”—casting a relatively wide net, but using your creative to qualify the right people.

The Creative Is the Variable

Here’s the secret most lawyers miss: Your ad creative is actually your targeting mechanism.

When you create content that speaks directly to a specific legal problem (like car accidents, divorce, or estate planning), the right people will self-qualify by engaging with it. Those who don’t need your services simply won’t engage.

This means your ad content should:

• Address specific legal problems head-on
• Provide genuine value and information
• Capture attention quickly (remember, you have about 3 seconds)
• Work well in vertical video format (Reels and Stories)
• Be under 60 seconds for maximum engagement

The Two-Step Strategy for Law Firm Facebook Ads

1. Step 1: Prospecting – Run video content with broad geographic and demographic targeting to build your custom audiences
2. Step 2: Conversion – Retarget those who engaged with direct response ads to book consultations

This approach allows you to find potential clients before they’re actively searching for legal services, build credibility through helpful content, and then convert them when they’re ready.

Why Creative Matters More Than Targeting

Many lawyers obsess over finding the perfect targeting parameters, but that’s not how Facebook works anymore. The platform’s algorithm has become incredibly sophisticated at finding the right people to show your ads to—if you give it the right creative.

When you create content that clearly addresses specific legal situations, Facebook will learn to show that content to people who are likely to be interested in it. The creative becomes the targeting.

This is especially true for legal services where traditional interest-based targeting falls short. You can’t target “people who need a divorce lawyer,” but you can create content about “How to Protect Your Assets During Divorce” and let those who need that information self-identify.

The Outcome: Lower Cost, Higher ROI, and a Competitive Edge

By implementing this Facebook ads strategy, law firms can achieve:

1. Significantly Lower Cost Per Client Acquisition

While Google Ads might cost you $50-200 per click, Facebook video views can cost less than $0.10 each. Even when you factor in the two-step approach, your cost per qualified lead will typically be a fraction of Google Ads.

2. Build a Marketing Asset That Grows Over Time

As you build these custom audiences, you’re creating a valuable marketing asset. Someone who watches your content today might not need a lawyer right now—but when they do three months from now, you’ll be able to reach them instantly.

3. Establish Authority Before the Need Arises

By providing helpful content before someone is actively searching for a lawyer, you position yourself as an authority. When they eventually need legal services, you’ll be the first name they think of.

4. Reach Potential Clients Earlier in Their Decision Process

Instead of entering the conversation at the last moment (when they’re searching on Google), you can build relationships with potential clients before they’ve even decided they need a lawyer.

5. Diversify Your Marketing Beyond Expensive Search Ads

By adding Facebook to your marketing mix, you reduce your dependence on increasingly expensive Google Ads and create multiple channels for new client acquisition.

Real-World Success: Law Firms Winning with Facebook Ads

Many forward-thinking law firms are already using this approach with impressive results:

• A personal injury firm in Miami generated 127 qualified consultation requests in one month at an average cost of $43 per lead (compared to their Google Ads cost of $175 per lead)
• A family law practice built a custom audience of over 15,000 potential clients interested in divorce-related content, creating a perpetual source of new consultations
• A estate planning attorney used educational content to generate 83 qualified estate planning consultations in just 60 days

Can We Run Your Facebook Ads?

While most law firms continue to focus exclusively on expensive Google Ads, the smartest firms are building powerful custom audiences on Facebook and Instagram. They’re connecting with potential clients earlier, establishing authority, and generating leads at a fraction of the cost.

The key insight? Your creative is your targeting. By creating content that speaks directly to specific legal needs, you’ll attract exactly the right people—even if Facebook doesn’t have a checkbox for “recently divorced” or “car accident victim.”

Don’t get caught paying premium prices to be the last lawyer someone considers. Start building your Facebook strategy today, and you’ll develop a sustainable competitive advantage that grows stronger over time.

Ready to transform your law firm’s digital marketing strategy? Contact our team for a free Facebook Ads strategy session specifically for lawyers. We’ll analyze your current approach and show you exactly how to implement these strategies for your specific practice area.