PI Law Firm Marketing Budget Allocation

PI firm budget allocation: CTV 35-45%, search 25-35%, SEO 15-20%. Channel minimums matter. $15K+ CTV in small markets, $25K+ in major metros. Framework inside.

Marketing budget allocation determines results more than total spending. A $50K/month budget allocated intelligently outperforms $100K allocated poorly.

Here’s how to think about it.

The Allocation Framework

Budget allocation answers: How do you divide spending across channels to maximize case acquisition?

The answer depends on:

  • Firm stage (startup vs. established)
  • Market position (challenger vs. dominant)
  • Case types (volume PI vs. catastrophic)
  • Market size (small DMA vs. major market)

Baseline Allocation Model

For a mid-size firm in growth mode:

Category% of BudgetPurpose
CTV35-45%Demand creation, awareness
Search (branded)10-15%Capture created demand
Search (generic)15-20%Capture market demand
SEO15-20%Foundation, long-term
Social/retargeting5-10%Reinforcement
Creative production10-15%Annual allocation

This creates a balanced system that generates AND captures demand.

Allocation by Firm Stage

New/Startup Firm

Heavy on demand creation because you need to build awareness.

Category%
CTV40-50%
Search (branded)5-10%
Search (generic)20-25%
SEO15-20%
Social5-10%

More generic search (need immediate leads) and heavy CTV (need to build name recognition).

Growing Firm

Balanced approach as brand develops.

Category%
CTV35-45%
Search (branded)10-15%
Search (generic)15-20%
SEO15-20%
Social5-10%

Branded search becomes more important as CTV builds awareness.

Established/Dominant Firm

Can rely more on capture, less on creation.

Category%
CTV25-35%
Search (branded)15-20%
Search (generic)20-25%
SEO15-20%
Social5-10%

Strong brand reduces creation needs; focus shifts to capturing brand equity.

Allocation by Market Size

Small Market (DMA 100+)

Total budget: $20-40K/month

CategoryMonthly $
CTV$8-16K
Search$6-12K
SEO$3-6K
Social$1-3K

Smaller markets require less absolute spend but same proportional allocation.

Mid-Size Market (DMA 50-100)

Total budget: $40-80K/month

CategoryMonthly $
CTV$16-32K
Search$12-24K
SEO$6-12K
Social$3-6K

Major Market (DMA 25-50)

Total budget: $80-150K/month

CategoryMonthly $
CTV$32-60K
Search$24-45K
SEO$12-22K
Social$6-12K

Top Market (DMA 1-25)

Total budget: $150-300K+/month

CategoryMonthly $
CTV$60-120K
Search$45-90K
SEO$22-45K
Social$12-24K

The Creation-Capture Balance

The key allocation decision: how much to invest in creating demand vs. capturing existing demand.

More creation (higher CTV):

  • Building brand in new market
  • Entering competitive market
  • Long-term growth focus
  • Premium positioning strategy

More capture (higher search):

  • Established brand recognition
  • Immediate lead needs
  • Cost efficiency priority
  • Competitive defense

ROAS improves 24% after 90 days of consistent CTV investment. Creation investments compound over time.

Budget Minimums by Channel

Each channel has effective minimums (see our CTV cost guide for detailed breakdowns):

ChannelMinimum Effective Budget
CTV (small market)$12-15K/month
CTV (mid market)$25-30K/month
CTV (major market)$40-50K/month
Search (per market)$5-10K/month
SEO$3-5K/month
Social$2-3K/month

Below minimums, channels don’t generate meaningful data or results. Concentrate budget. Don’t spread too thin.

When to Adjust Allocation

Increase CTV When:

  • Entering new market
  • Facing new competitor
  • Search CPCs escalating
  • Building for exit/valuation
  • Case types benefit from brand trust

Increase Search When:

  • CTV generating branded search lift
  • Competitors conquesting your brand
  • Immediate lead needs
  • Seasonal opportunity

Increase SEO When:

  • Long-term horizon
  • Organic rankings declining
  • Local pack presence weak
  • Content gaps versus competitors

Monthly Budget Example

$75K monthly budget, mid-size market:

Category%Monthly
CTV40%$30,000
Search (branded)12%$9,000
Search (generic)18%$13,500
SEO18%$13,500
Social/retargeting8%$6,000
Tracking/tools4%$3,000

Expected results (estimates):

  • CTV: 700K impressions, 60 attributed leads
  • Search: 120 leads total
  • SEO: 40 leads (after 6+ months)
  • Total system: ~200 leads/month
  • Blended CPL: $375

Creative Production Budget

Separate from monthly media:

ItemCost RangeFrequency
CTV spot (30s + 15s)$15-40KAnnual + refreshes
Landing pages$2-10KAs needed
Social creative$2-5KQuarterly
Photography$2-5KAs needed

Allocate 10-15% of annual marketing budget to creative production.

Measurement and Reallocation

Review allocation monthly based on:

Leading indicators:

  • CTV verified visit rate
  • Search impression share
  • Conversion rates by channel

Lagging indicators:

  • Cost per lead by channel
  • Lead-to-case conversion
  • Cost per signed case

Reallocate quarterly based on performance. But give channels time. 90 days minimum before judging CTV.

Common Allocation Mistakes

Spending 80%+ on search misses demand creation. You’re fighting for the same limited pool of searchers as everyone else.

Under-funded CTV

$10K/month CTV in a $100K market won’t generate meaningful results. Hit minimums or don’t bother.

SEO as Afterthought

2% to SEO never builds organic presence. Either invest meaningfully or accept you’ll pay for traffic forever.

No Creative Budget

Using the same creative for 3 years. Refreshes maintain performance; stale creative degrades it.

No Integration

Treating each channel independently. CTV + search together outperforms either alone. See our branded search protection guide for integration strategies.

References