This is not a knock on Google, but more of a slight nudge to people who think it is the only method of getting more clients. Part of the reason why people are so hyper-focused on Google is that the marketing industry was too for a long time. And while Google still has a place in a well-rounded marketing plan, small law firms should take note that how people search for legal help is evolving. Potential clients discover, research, and engage with law-related content across several platforms—even before they realize they need an attorney.
When you look at Google’s AI summaries, YouTube videos, and Bing’s conversational chat (people really do use Bing), you’ll see that your prospects are scattered across the internet. We’re not telling you that you should drop everything you are doing and invest your marketing budget into Bing. We are, however, saying that you should stop imagining that all the best clients are centered around Google’s search bar. There are opportunities out there if you are willing to entertain them.
Video & AI Are Changing the Landscape
Google is still a powerhouse, and ~64% of people will start here for answers to their legal questions (and more than 80 billion people visit Google per month). That said, the way search results get displayed is shifting quickly. Google’s AI-powered Search Generative Experience (SGE) gives people direct answers. These answers are being pulled from web pages, and you will also see YouTube videos being cited.
Why is that important? Because video content is becoming increasingly important. Even if—hypothetically—packing your blogs with keywords could get you seen by more people (SEO encompasses more than keywords), it isn’t the only avenue. In addition to video, local search visibility and the quality of your content factor into whether you land in AI-driven search results.
Let’s Look at Bing & YouTube
Bing holds a small percentage of the global market search (< 4%), but it (shockingly) handles about 27% of all searches in the U.S. Although you may not have thought about Bing in the last decade, it has partnerships with Yahoo and AOL. Even more surprising is that Bing users tend to be older and more affluent, which is a perfect demographic for attorneys who practice estate planning and business law.
Bing, too, has Bing Chat, which is powered by GPT-4. This is how users get answers to legal questions without ever having to click on a website. Like Google, people are fighting for this limited space by optimizing their content.
YouTube remains the second-most popular search engine because it has about 2.5 billion monthly users. You’d also be hard pressed to find an adult who doesn’t use it. More people are now turning to video content to solve legal problems. From “Do I need a lawyer for probate?” to “How does divorce mediation work?”—users want to see and hear a professional walk them through it.
Expand Your Horizons & Get More (and Better) Clients
Yes, Google is an absolute powerhouse in the space. That doesn’t mean law firms must figure out how to show up in an AI-powered response to get clients. Invest your marketing budget into other options because the search engine is crowded and offers limited space. Create informative blogs, videos, newsletters, and social media posts (content) to stay top of mind and drive referrals. Then, grow your network through paid ads on platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
If you want to have a conversation about what a complete marketing solution looks like for your firm, set up a Discovery Call with us. Let other people fight for the limited space on Google while you get more and better clients through more efficient means.
Spotlight Branding
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