Don’t spend your billable hours chasing algorithm changes. The Consultwebs Monthly Update is back with the essential legal marketing news for March. We’ve distilled this month’s biggest shifts into need-to-know highlights so you can stay informed and stay focused on your practice.
Let’s Get to the Updates!
🔍 Search
Google has released a new core update for 2026. Google says the update is going to English users first and will roll out to the other countries and languages in the upcoming weeks.
Penske Media Corporation has filed an antitrust lawsuit claiming that Google is monopolizing and cannibalizing search traffic. Search Engine Journal states that the media corporation argues – “Google’s search monopoly leaves publishers with no choice: acquiesce—even as Google cannibalizes the traffic publishers rely on—or perish.” While Google argues that no reciprocity agreement exists because it has not “promised to deliver” any search referral traffic. For attorneys, this means it’s even more important to be aware of how AI search functions and to optimize your law firm’s website for it. Learn how to own your community, build your lists, be where your audience is (socials, forums, etc.), and be less reliant on Google. Consultwebs is happy to speak with attorneys about how to accomplish this!
🤖AI
ChatGPT has begun ad testing on select advertiser accounts. The test is live for logged-in adult users in the U.S. on the free and Go subscription tiers. Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Education subscribers won’t see ads. Currently, their minimum investment price is steep, but subject to change while they are still in the testing stages. We will continue to update as new information is released.
🌐Digital Advertising
Other marketers have noticed the re-enabling of paused keywords. Until Google confirms this, it may be a bug. A close eye is being kept on this, and we are monitoring the issue ourselves. We have not seen this issue happen with our clients at this time, but we will be sure to give updates when they are available.
Google is rolling out a new “Search Intent” filter in the Local Services Ads (LSA) Provider Portal that gives law firms clearer insight into where their leads are actually coming from and what they’re paying for. There will be a new Search Intent column in the Leads Inbox and summary. New filters in reporting to break down spend and leads by: All, Category, and Direct Business Search. The full rollout was scheduled for January 8th, but there have been delays. The changes will help law firms make more informed marketing and budgeting decisions.
Recently, Threads tested advertising placements on their platforms in small scale. Now the app is ready to roll them out globally. These ads are fully integrated into the Meta ecosystem, and with the global rollout comes more advanced ad formats. While delivery will start low, early adoption and trials of these ads could potentially give law firms a competitive edge as they scale.
📱Social Media
TikTok has announced that it is starting to implement local feed into its algorithm. This means that lawyers will be able to use TikTok to reach potential customers and other partners on a more local level instead of a broader nationwide approach. We advise attorneys to ensure their location is in bio, locations are tagged on videos, and to use keywords in captions, letting users know your location.
AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Perplexity (LLMs) are getting their information from LinkedIn 4 to 5 times more than last year. A study taken in October 2025 shows that LLMs are citing LinkedIn more than any other source aside from Reddit and YouTube. Though there is no way to tell which articles they are using, having a verified profile and posting articles directly to LinkedIn can improve a law firm’s visibility in AI search engines.
The long-awaited TikTok ownership battle is over. The app now has a revised operating structure in the US only, built with Oracle at the helm. While minimal change is to be expected, several users have reported glitching and feed changes. As always, Consultwebs advises attorneys to have a multi-channel social media strategy in place to prevent over-reliance on one. We will continue to update about the app’s viability.
Stay LAWsome–We’ll See You Again Next Month!
That’s a wrap for March! We hope these updates give your firm a competitive edge. We’ll see you next month with a fresh batch of strategies and digital trends to keep your firm’s momentum going.
