No one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google.
Beware of SEOs that claim to guarantee rankings, allege a "special relationship" with Google, or advertise a "priority submit" to Google. There is no priority submit for Google. In fact, the only way to submit a site to Google directly is through our Add URL page or by submitting a Sitemap and you can do this yourself at no cost whatsoever.
- Google Webmaster Tools help on Search Engine Optimization
I don't know how long we're going to have to talk about this. Probably forever. At least as long as you keep buying it...
Let's make this simple: If an SEO is selling rankings, they don't get it.
That's at best, they don't get. At worst, they know exactly what they're doing. They're making a guarantee they can't keep.
And even if they tie their compensation to a guaranteed ranking, you still shouldn't pay for rankings.
At the risk of stating the obvious, rankings in search engines does not equal getting new clients. I know some of you think it does, but it doesn't.
For example, if your law firm SEO service guarantees that they can get you to rank for obscure search queries that no one uses, you're not going to get any search traffic, let alone, traffic that is likely to convert into a paying client.
But what if they guarantee that I can rank for an extremely popular term? Something like: "chicago personal injury lawyer".
First, they can't. Second, even if they can, chances are that they're doing something that won't last (search for google penguin update, panda update, link schemes, web spam, google penalty, etc). And for whatever amount of time that it does last, it's likely to harm your reputation and get you in trouble with your state bar.
But here's the part you might not have considered:
Those highly competitive head terms that everyone is optimizing for make up only a very small percentage of the search traffic that's relevant to actually attracting new clients.
What? How can this be? Surely everyone that is looking for a lawyer online performs some variation of:
City Practice Area Lawyer/Attorney/Law Firm
Nope.
As it pertains to your practice, most people are using the internet to research something. They're searching for information about their problems and answers to their questions.
After research, and depending upon your reputation in-real-life, people are using the internet to look you up. So they're searching on variations of your name or maybe firm's name.
Then there are all the people who aren't currently in need of your services, but that make up your professional network. So that when they do need a lawyer, they think of you.
None of these people fit the City Practice Area Lawyer/Attorney/Law Firm search pattern.
So even if your law firm SEO service successfully delivers on their guarantee to get you to rank for the keywords you want, they're missing the bigger picture.
SEO is an acronym for "search engine optimization" or "search engine optimizer." Deciding to hire an SEO is a big decision that can potentially improve your site and save time, but you can also risk damage to your site and reputation. Make sure to research the potential advantages as well as the damage that an irresponsible SEO can do to your site. Many SEOs and other agencies and consultants provide useful services for website owners, including:
Review of your site content or structure
Technical advice on website development: for example, hosting, redirects, error pages, use of JavaScript
Content development
Management of online business development campaigns
Keyword research
SEO training
Expertise in specific markets and geographies.
- Google Webmaster Tools help on Search Engine Optimization
Perhaps this list oversimplifies and understates some of the things that an SEO can do for you. And undoubtedly, some of you who read this will chuckle to yourselves that none of this applies to you because, "you have Google beat." Good luck to you.
But for those of you who don't want to throw time and money down the SEO rabbit hole, ask these questions:
Here's a recent Google SERP for "๐๐ต๐ผ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐น๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฝ๐ต๐ถ๐น๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐น๐ฝ๐ต๐ถ๐ฎ." Ads? โLSAs? โLocal Pack? โLinks? โ ๐ท AI Overview? โ 6 firms listed. Only one tiny ๐. Click the ๐ฆ๐ต๐ผ๐ ๐บ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ button? ๐ฌ๐ผ๐ ๐ด๐ฒ๐: Here's a more detailed look at some of these firms: THE PEARCE LAW FIRM, P.C.Edith Pearce, […]
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 hereโs the kicker: instead of keeping users within its ecosystem, […]
When law firms contact us, they usually want to talk: โข PPC Ads โข SEO Rankings โข Lead Generation Very few want to talk: โข Brand โข Trust & Recognition โข 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 youโve spent any time on LinkedIn, youโve likely seen posts from law firm SEO experts showing off charts with an โup and to the rightโ trajectory. These screenshots, often pulled from tools like Semrush or Ahrefs, are meant to signal SEO success. And itโs not just the agencies celebratingโ๐น๐ฎ๐ ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฟ๐บ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ต๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐บ […]
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. […]
