GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)
Most lawyers with exposure to internet marketing have some understanding of SEO (search engine optimization). A business, often with the assistance of marketing professionals, designs a website, its organization, and content, not just to educate and entice humans who view the page. Marketers also optimize websites to improve their ranking in search engine results listings, such as Google, Bing, and others. Search engines operate with proprietary, confidential algorithms, which owners continually alter. For example, a small change to the algorithm at Google, who controls 88% of US search engine traffic, could have a dramatic positive or negative impact on a site’s ranking, affecting its visitors and ultimately customers. The goal of SEO is to improve a site’s appearance in search engine results.
Searching via AI Chatbots
Generative engine optimization (GEO) applies a similar approach to improving a firm’s appearance in AI chat tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity. As people increasingly turn to LLM chatbots as a “first line” tool for online inquiry, a law firm’s ability to appear in results on these platforms is rapidly becoming important. For example, today, a person needing legal services may go first to ChatGPT and conduct informational research on “does a person in my situation need a will or something more?” After a “dialogue” with ChatGPT, they might ask “do I need a lawyer to do this,” “how much should this cost,” and “who’s a good lawyer nearby who can help?” In response, the chatbot provides four names.
Enhance Your AI Chances
Grow Law knows this future both terrifies and excites. Its newness and change—none of this activity occurs in a traditional search engine—terrifies. At the same time, it excites—a well-constructed website with good GEO presents your firm on an authoritative shortlist for a potential client who needs what you provide. Rather than shouting at the search engine bazaar, a prospect comes to you via a warm handoff from a trusted source.
Fortunately, great GEO with Grow doesn’t mean starting over. Grow’s research tells them that three factors influence your appearance as a chatbot recommendation:
- Great foundational SEO produces strong GEO. Generative search appearances closely relate to good traditional SEO, at which Grow also excels.
- Good local SEO drives GEO appearance. For example, if your firm has a well-done Google local profile with lots of positive reviews, a chatbot is more likely to recommend you.
- Local attorney directory listings (e.g., Avvo and Super Lawyers), and non-legal directories (e.g., Yelp) improve your “chatbot chances” even if the directories themselves don’t deliver prospects to you.
Finally, while marketers have had decades to adapt to Google’s pattern of algorithm adjustments, AI companies have no established cadence. AI chatbot algorithms change sporadically, and what may seem like a big shift (e.g., ChatGPT moving from 4 to 5) may have less effect on LLM output than an unpublicized tweak few noticed. Grow understands the evolving ways of this uncharted marketing landscape.
Transparency and Accountability in Law Firm Marketing
Grow Law holds monthly account meetings with your firm, providing clear data on:
- How much money was spent;
- Where that money was spent;
- How many market-qualified leads did the firm get; and
- How many disqualified leads did the firm get.
Grow’s distinction between qualified and disqualified leads turns on the fact that a qualified lead represents a reasonable person in your geographic region reaching out because that person needs help with what you do.
These monthly meetings are your regularly scheduled opportunities to review 1) what Grow’s team did this month, and 2) what their efforts delivered this month—how were your dollars spent and what did you get in return?
As Grow states, nothing fails as consistently as cheap marketing. While some law firm marketing agencies speak in terms of how much they cost, Grow speaks in terms of the value they provide. Grow customers have seen between 400% and 700% ROI on marketing spending within the first year.
Grow achieves these results because they understand marketing is a partnership between Grow and the law firm. They have to be right for each other. While Grow is a wonderful fit for many, they aren’t for everyone. They apply a winning playbook to the right client law firm, which is not every firm. They prefer business-to-consumer practice areas (e.g., criminal, estate planning, family, and personal injury) over business-to-business practice areas. And they prefer client firms in metropolitan geographies. For example, a personal injury attorney in Philadelphia is more Grow’s ideal client than a patent attorney in Bismarck. They evaluate the possible search volume to see if the potential success justifies spending their time and your money.
Getting Started with Grow Law
Grow begins with an evaluation of your website against those of your competitors. They then create a growth plan laying out what they recommend. Grow requires an annual commitment, with a six-month opt-out and the ability to cancel in the first 30 days.
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