This is another one from our 100 online legal marketing tips redux series.
Maybe tattoos aren't that permanent anymore.
Sitting at your desktop or tapping away on your smartphone can feel like a private activity. But we all know that what we push into the web ether is neither private nor temporary, right?
Seems like a pretty straightforward rule to follow.
Unfortunately, many lawyers forget this simple rule which can sometimes get them into hot water. Others think that they can avoid the general rule with various privacy setting configurations. Let me save you some trouble, you can't. Or perhaps more accurately, you ought not rely on privacy settings when your reputation, license to practice or your professional obligations to your clients are on the line.
Which brings us back to the basic assumption of public and permanent.
While public and permanent should give you some pause, it really shouldn't cripple you. We can think of plenty of things lawyers can post online that shouldn't get them into trouble. Pictures of cats, what they had for breakfast... Okay, so maybe those don't represent the best examples.
Nonetheless, you might find that the "stuff" with which you are most comfortable publishing publicly and permanently, is also the "stuff" that people want to find about you online.
This might include stuff that shows your personality or provides insight into how your practice "works."
When we report on the "performance" of relevant social networking metrics, we commonly find that the more social posts are the ones for which audiences provide the most engagement. Put simply, people prefer to engage with lawyers who are interesting, entertaining and yes, in very rare instances, actually funny.
Most lawyers conclude that social networks are about getting their "marketing message" in front of their audiences on a regular basis. They take the Burger King approach. Expose people to 400 tweets, status updates, posts, etc, every single day and these people will think of you when they are in need of your services.
Unfortunately, more often, they end up filtering you (unfollowing, blocking and reporting you for spam). You see, that is not what people want and it is certainly not what they love.
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 […]
