Top Digital Marketing Tips for Growing Your Law Firm
When most law firms think about marketing, they picture expensive ads, long-term contracts with agencies, and unclear results. That was Sean Garner’s story too, until he decided to take control of his own digital presence. On the Grow Your Law Firm Podcast, Sean shared lessons that every attorney can use to strengthen their online presence, avoid wasted dollars, and reach the right clients.
This conversation wasn’t about gimmicks. It was about practical strategies that lawyers and other local service businesses can use to attract quality clients, build trust, and keep growing. Let’s break down some of the most important takeaways.
Why Owning Your Digital Marketing Assets Matters
One of the biggest mistakes lawyers make is outsourcing everything to a marketing agency and never truly owning their digital assets. Sean explained how he had been burned by agencies in the past, sinking money into campaigns without seeing a return.
The truth is, your website, your Google Business Profile, your content, and even your reviews are valuable assets. If you don’t control them, you’re building on rented land. Owning these assets means you can adjust, improve, and expand without being locked into someone else’s system.
What Law Firms Can Learn From Local Service Businesses
Sean’s journey started in fitness and expanded to medical practices, accounting firms, and law firms. What he found is that digital marketing for local service businesses all follows the same principles:
Clear brand messaging so people know exactly what you do.
A strong website and SEO to make sure you show up when people search.
Reviews and local optimization to build trust with clients nearby.
Traffic-driving systems that bring the right people into your funnel.
For law firms, that means making sure your website speaks to potential clients’ concerns, your SEO targets the right local keywords, and your Google Business Profile is fully optimized.
The Role of AI in Search
Everyone’s talking about AI, and many lawyers wonder if it will replace traditional search engines. Sean pointed out that while AI tools like ChatGPT are becoming popular, they aren’t disrupting local searches; at least not yet.
Right now, only about 1% of AI queries are commercial. Most are “how-to” searches like “how to write a will” or “how to create a trust.” These DIY users often aren’t the clients you want anyway.
But when someone searches “lawyer near me” or “best attorney in Dallas,” they’re still landing on the same results they’d see in Google. That means SEO and strong online visibility are still critical.
The bottom line: don’t chase shortcuts. Focus on creating high-quality, optimized content, and your firm will continue to show up in both Google and AI-driven searches.
Why Organic Traffic Beats Paid Ads in the Long Run
It’s easy to get frustrated when you rank well organically but still see your firm buried under paid ads. Sean’s advice? Play the long game.
Yes, pay-per-click (PPC) and Local Service Ads (LSAs) can get you quick visibility. But as soon as you stop paying, they disappear. Organic rankings, on the other hand, last as long as you maintain them.
AI-driven search tools also rely heavily on organic content, not ads. So, investing in SEO and content creation today helps secure your future visibility.
Reviews and Google Maps: The Real Powerhouse
For law firms and other local service businesses, reviews are often the deciding factor. Clients' trust ratings and feedback are just like they are when shopping on Amazon.
Sean explained how Google prioritizes reviews in the “map pack,” the local results that show up when someone searches “lawyer near me.” A few key points he shared:
Proximity matters. Google shows the closest firm first, not always the one with the most reviews.
Review velocity matters. A firm adding reviews consistently will often outrank a competitor with more total reviews but slower growth.
Activity matters. Regularly updating your Google Business Profile with posts, photos, and Q&A keeps your firm relevant.
For example, a firm that has been around for 20 years with 500 reviews could still be outranked by a newer practice that gained 100 reviews in the past few months. Google rewards momentum.
How to Optimize Your Google Business Profile
Most law firms don’t fully complete their Google Business Profile, which hurts their visibility. Sean outlined three key steps to fix that:
Fill out everything. Categories, descriptions, phone numbers, office hours, and even connected social accounts.
Pick the right category. Choose carefully between “lawyer” or “law firm,” and refine your subcategories to target the right clients.
Stay active. Add images, post updates, answer FAQs, and keep collecting reviews.
This consistent activity signals to Google that your firm is relevant and worth showing to local searchers.
The Takeaway for Lawyers
Digital marketing doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. At its core, it’s about owning your online presence, showing up where your clients are searching, and building trust through reviews and content.
If you’re a lawyer, think of it this way: your competitors are already investing in SEO, reviews, and content. The sooner you take control of your digital assets, the sooner you’ll attract better clients, reduce wasted ad spend, and grow with confidence.
Ready to Grow Your Law Firm?
Digital marketing for local service businesses is all about consistency, visibility, and ownership. Whether you’re just getting started or you’ve been burned by agencies before, it’s never too late to take control of your digital presence.
If you want to learn how to apply these strategies to your own law firm, schedule a call with Sean Garner today.
