I have had several conversations recently with law firms that are asking if they can purchase SEO services as more of a "one-time shot". Another words, they want to pay a one-time fee for some SEO work and then call it a day. While there are some instances where this may be appropriate, I am afraid that lawyers ask for this type of service due to a lack of understanding of how SEO works and what exactly is involved.
If it was as easy as paying someone a few hundred bucks, as a one-time fee, to achieve high rankings on the search engines, don't you think everyone would just be doing that? Do you think that large, successful companies would have business models revolving around performing SEO work if this is all it took? The truth is that the SEO industry exists by virtue of the fact that it is time intensive work and requires constant maintenance to perform it correctly. However, the return on investment for well executed SEO work can be tremendous.
There is keyword research to perform, on-page optimization that needs to be done, link building on a continuous basis, content production, on page testing, and analytics analysis. After this analysis you should be expanding your efforts, going after more keywords and repeating the cycle. SEO is a dynamic, living thing. It grows and evolves over time. You plant seeds in the beginning and then care for sapling and the tree as it grows. Paying to perform one of these tasks, one-time isn't really performing SEO. In the Getting Found In Google guide posted below, we touch on just a few of the aspects and techniques of proper SEO. After reading the guide, you will see that it takes a commitment of time and resources to perform SEO correctly.
If you were in a situation where you were performing your SEO services in house, another words had people on staff or even yourself handling the work each month, then it might make sense to retain the services of a professional consultant to do a one time analysis and give you guidance. However, too many firms I speak with do not have an SEO in house to handle the work. Instead, the firm is operating under the misconception that paying someone to perform a once-over on your current website will get the job done. Unfortunately, the legal industry is too competitive and there are too many other firms willing to pay professional SEO services top dollar to get a return on their online marketing. You will not be able to compete with these firms "on the cheap". You will need to make an investment of time, money, resources, and patience to properly implement a successful online strategy.
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 […]
