Mid-2025, Axley's PPC infrastructure was upgraded with two key changes: integration of CallRail for call tracking and a shift to manual CPC bidding on select campaigns. These changes were implemented to improve cost control and attribution visibility. By year-end 2025, the campaigns had generated approximately 900 conversions at a $132 cost per lead (CPL) and nearly 15,000 website clicks.
CallRail was integrated into Axley's PPC campaigns during mid-2025. This addition enabled:
See also: [1] for broader campaign context.
Several campaigns were moved from automated bidding strategies to manual CPC during 2025. The rationale:
The Google AI optimization feature was explicitly disabled after it began generating irrelevant leads — a known risk with Google and Meta's newer AI-driven campaign features that optimize beyond the configured keyword set.
As part of the 2025 year-end review, a formal pause protocol was established:
Before pausing any campaign, Sebastian must email nmh for approval.
This applies primarily to the Madison Family Law campaign, identified as the only practice area realistically at risk of capacity constraints (e.g., during long trials). Other practice areas — Criminal Defense, Personal Injury, Academic Misconduct — were assessed as low-risk for capacity issues.
The protocol ensures:
1. ROI is prioritized — spend stops when intake capacity is saturated
2. The client retains visibility and control over campaign status changes
3. No unilateral pauses occur without documented approval