“I saw your commercial.” Intake hears it regularly. That means your CTV is working. So why aren’t leads converting at the rate you’d expect? The gap between awareness and conversion is where most CTV ROI gets lost.
The Recognition vs. Action Gap
CTV ads work at building recognition. 62% of consumers discover new brands through TV advertising. Your spots are registering. People remember your firm name.
But recognition doesn’t automatically become action. Between “I remember that firm” and “I hired that firm” lies a conversion path full of friction, competition, and drop-off points.
Where Leads Get Lost
At the Search Stage
Someone remembers your commercial. They don’t call immediately. They search first. 75% of U.S. consumers search online after seeing TV ads. What they find matters: competitor ads above your listing, confusing search results, or negative reviews prominent. All of these redirect potential clients away from you.
At the Website Stage
They find your site. Slow load time (40% abandon after 3 seconds), mobile friction (88% of second-screen searches happen on phones), message mismatch with the commercial, or hidden contact info. Each is a drop-off point.
At the Intake Stage
They call. Up to 40% of law firm leads go unanswered. 35-50% of legal consumers hire the first attorney who responds. Voicemail? They’re calling your competitor next.
Diagnosing the Gap
Option A
Option B
Metric 1: Branded Search Volume vs. Conversions
Compare branded search impressions during CTV flights, website sessions from branded search, and conversions. If impressions are high but conversions are low, the problem is post-search: website, messaging, or intake.
Metric 2: Visit-to-Lead Ratio
Track verified visits (CTV-exposed households visiting site) vs. form fills or calls. Industry average is 3-5% conversion from verified visit to lead. Below that suggests website or offer problems.
Option A
Option B
Metric 3: Lead-to-Intake Ratio
Of leads generated: How many reach live intake? How many are qualified? How many become consultations? 25% of firms respond within 5 minutes, but 39% take more than 2 hours or never respond.
Metric 4: Source Attribution
When someone says “I saw your commercial,” track: What channel did they convert through? How long between viewing and calling? Did they visit the website first? This reveals the actual path.
Fixing the Gap
Fix Search Capture
- + Bid on your own brand name
- + Cover variations and misspellings
- + Monitor competitor conquesting
- + Time search budgets with CTV flights
Fix Website Conversion
- − Mobile-first design
- − Message match between TV and landing pages
- − Phone number visible without scrolling
- − Load time under 3 seconds
See Stop Competitors Bidding on Your Firm Name for tactical guidance.
Fix Intake Response
- + Answer calls live whenever possible
- + Response time goal: under 5 minutes for web leads
- + Multiple contact attempts (most firms give up after 1-2)
- + Call tracking with recording for quality review
Fix Attribution Visibility
- − CTV platform with verified visit tracking
- − Call tracking on all phone numbers
- − Form tracking through CRM integration
- − Multi-touch attribution model connecting touchpoints
50%+ of PI clients hire an attorney within 3 days. Speed matters.
The True CTV ROI
CTV Generates Awareness
Your commercial runs. 62% of consumers discover new brands through TV advertising.
Branded Search Protects Capture
They search your name. Your ads appear above competitors. You capture the lead you created.
Website Converts Efficiently
Mobile-optimized, message-matched, fast-loading. They convert within seconds of arriving.
Intake Closes Quickly
Live answer, fast response, professional follow-up. The case is signed.
Questions to Ask Your Team
Conversion Questions
- + What percentage of branded searches convert to leads?
- + What's our average response time to web form submissions?
- + What percentage of calls reach live intake?
Alignment Questions
- − Do our landing pages match our TV messaging?
- − Can we track from CTV impression to signed case?
If you don’t have confident answers, you have visibility problems, and likely conversion problems.
References
- MNTN Research. (2025). 62% of consumers discover new brands through TV. https://research.mountain.com/insights/62-of-consumers-discover-new-brands-or-products-through-tv/
- MNTN Research. (2025). Second screen use by TV viewers. https://research.mountain.com/insights/an-exploration-of-second-screen-use-by-tv-viewers/
- GWI. (2024). Second screening infographic. https://www.gwi.com/reports/second-screening-infographic
- IAB & Innovid. (2022). CTV takes center stage: 2022 video benchmarks. https://www.iab.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Innovid_CTV-Takes-Center-Stage.pdf
- Above the Law. (2025). The quiet crisis of law firm lead conversion. https://abovethelaw.com/2025/06/the-quiet-crisis-of-law-firm-lead-conversion/
- Hennessey Digital. (2025). 2025 lead form response time study. https://hennessey.com/2025-lead-form-response-time-study/
- Scorpion. (2025). Digital marketing trends for personal injury law firms. https://www.scorpion.co/personal-injury/insights/blog/verticals/personal-injury/digital-marketing-trends-for-personal-injury-law-firms/
- JamLoop. (2025). CTV attribution modeling and ROI measurement. https://jamloop.com/ctv-attribution-modeling-roi-measurement/
- Southern California News Group. (2025). Connected TV marketing stats 2025. https://www.socalnewsgroup.com/2025/05/06/connected-tv-marketing-stats-2025/