This is one of those questions that comes up from time to time. It's a terrible question on so many levels, but since it gets asked so much, I figured I'd take a stab at sharing my perspective.
The main reason that it's a terrible question is that it presumes a binary answer. Either yes all lawyers need SEO or no they don't.
Let's just answer it straight: No one needs SEO.
Can some lawyers benefit from SEO? Yes.
Should lawyers pay for SEO? Shrug.
For many lawyers, the main "SEO" they can benefit from is influencing results for searches on their name. Marketing people call this "brand search" or "reputation management."
No matter how someone gets your name, they're likely to "Google" you. What they find, or don't find, will play some role in their decision to connect with you.
There are three quick ways to own Google searches on your name:
If you do absolutely nothing else online, you should at least consider a Google Business Profile. It commands a lot of real estate on Google and provides people with key information about you and your practice.
Beyond "brand search" and "reputation management," we move into the world of "non-brand search." For our purposes, this means all of the searches people do that aren't directly looking for you. These might include:
As you may already know, this is where things can get competitive and expensive.
For example, consistently holding the top spots in a Google search for, "Chicago personal injury lawyer," can be challenging. The firms that are competing for this term are usually well-established and heavily invested in their digital presence.
Unless you are committed to a long-term investment in content, link acquisition, and technical improvements, this probably isn't a sandbox you want to play in.
But you probably don't need to either.
Even if you're going the do-it-yourself route, you can probably pick up some relevant organic traffic and clients getting the basics right and committing to regularly publishing content that your target audience is likely to search for.
And even if you're not interested in publishing yourself, you can probably build a solid practice without any non-brand SEO strategy at all.
As I reflect on it, the firms that are in more need of SEO are those that are trying to capture a large share of their market. At the risk of stating the obvious, a lot of legal services consumers use search engines to look for information about their life-legal issues, and yes, to shop for lawyers. So, it's the lawyers that are trying to win these clients for whom SEO matters a lot more (i.e. without SEO, they might not be part of the consideration set).
I guess I stand corrected. The lawyers who want to command the largest share of their market probably do need SEO to do so.
On April 22, 2025, Google sent an email updating Local Services Ads Additional Terms for Providers: Subject: Action required: important updates to Local Service Ads Additional Terms Many people are arguing that lawyers cannot participate in Local Services Ads, as this would constitute a per se violation of the Rules of Professional Conduct related to […]
Conrad and I recently joined Zack at Lawyerist to record a conversation about AI and marketing. You might think that we spend the whole time on how lawyers can use AI to publish content. You'd be wrong. While AI can certainly support publishing, there are many more interesting ways to use it in legal marketing. […]
As more legal services consumers turn to ChatGPT for local law firm recommendations, a fascinating intersection between AI, search, and maps unfolds. While Google remains the undisputed leader in local business data, ChatGPT is increasingly becoming an entry point for searchers seeking legal representation. But here’s the kicker: instead of keeping users within its ecosystem, […]
When law firms contact us, they usually want to talk: • PPC Ads • SEO Rankings • Lead Generation Very few want to talk: • Brand • Trust & Recognition • Emotional Connection Admittedly, much of this concerns that AttorneySync is known for lead generation across those common digital channels. But even when we start […]
According to an October 2024 study by SE Ranking: "The legal niche triggers the highest percentage of AIOs (77.67%). The average number of links matched between the AI Overview resources and the top 20 search results was 6.49 for legal topics. AI Overviews for legal topics most frequently link to NYCourts.gov (114 links), YouTube.com (48 […]
I'm grateful for my friend, Charley Mann of Law firm Alchemy. If you're a lawyer, subscribe to his Free Email List. In a recent email, Charley calls out bad guru advice on hiring: "Trying to execute a major SEO improvement? You need to find people who will help you, instead of trying to DIY it […]
If you’ve spent any time on LinkedIn, you’ve likely seen posts from law firm SEO experts showing off charts with an “up and to the right” trajectory. These screenshots, often pulled from tools like Semrush or Ahrefs, are meant to signal SEO success. And it’s not just the agencies celebrating—𝗹𝗮𝘄 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗺𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 […]
Meh, links! All things being equal, links still tend to move the dial more than any other factor in legal SERPs. Maybe links are having a diminishing impact internet-wide. But in my experience, quality links, especially relevant links (both topically and geographically), tend to improve law firm visibility in search more than most everything else. […]
When you think of "marketing," what's the first thing that comes to mind? Ads? SEO? Social Media? What about: Helping others?Taking the lead? Rallying around your community? Need an example? Learn from Bart Siniard at Siniard Law Injury Attorneys efforts to help rebuild Mary's Pit BBQ. These efforts aren't about marketing. They're about supporting a […]
