When it comes to attracting links to your law firm website, there is a lot of misinformation on the web. In this video, Google's Head of Webspam, Matt Cutts, explains whether multiple links from one page to another page count in Google's ranking algorithm.
As Matt states, the larger point is here is that if you're worried about trying to hoard, sculpt, or otherwise manipulate PageRank on your site, you're missing the bigger picture.
The effort and energy put into any incremental gains you might think you're gaining by shaping PageRank are much better spent on content development that attracts links and shares.
If you think about PageRank as a fluid, and your website as an intricate vessel through which that PageRank fluid flows, spending time shaping your PageRank through internal link manipulation is like trying to get more of the same amount of fluid to flow to different chambers (pages) of the vessel (website). Developing new content that attracts links and shares is like pouring more fluid into the vessel.
Which makes more sense. Trying to squeeze more of that existing fluid or adding more fluid to the entire system?
That's not to say that thinking about your site's organization isn't important. Obviously, burying quality informational pages deep within your site is a bad idea. It hides your best content from your users. It makes it more difficult for search engine spiders to find, crawl, and index.
One of my favorite analogies for a good site architecture I first heard from former Mozzer Danny Dover. Think of your website like an ant hill. The opening of the ant hill is your homepage. Each link is like a tunnel connecting various web page chambers. You want each of the chambers to be easily accessed from the top of the ant hill. That means you want to organize your website in a way that allows easy navigation from your home page all the way down to the deepest chamber of your site.
Once your site is effectively organized, with a plan for the addition and location of new content, stop worrying about it and focus on publishing content that motivates your visitors to read it, link to it, and share it with other people in their networks.
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 […]
Words of wisdom for sure..
Very helpful. The ant hill analogy especially so -- made the video much more understandable. Thanks.