Keeping up with legal digital marketing industry news and trends requires time–something many attorneys are short on. So, we’ve done the research for you! In the Consultwebs monthly roundup, you can expect the bite-sized, need-to-know version of legal marketing updates and news. Explore this month’s highlights below.
Let’s Get to the Updates!
🤖AI
- Nearly all ChatGPT users still rely on Google. ChatGPT and AI search are booming, but Google is still the default starting point for search. Traditional search engine usage is at 95%, according to data from Datos and SparkToro, and heavy AI users are still cross-checking with Google. Attorneys should prioritize diversification, focusing on channels that matter the most in terms of incoming leads and cases signed. AI tools will continue to rise, but Google isn’t going anywhere.
🔎SEO
- A judge ruled that Google illegally held a monopoly on internet search. While they avoided the most severe penalties, the court did impose a few solutions. 1 – prohibition of exclusive contracts and 2 – mandated data sharing. (More on that in the article) While Google still retains advantages, this ruling paves the way for competitors, especially those in the AI space, to have a fairer shot in the search market industry. Maintaining current search efforts paired with diversifying search should be a priority for law firms right now.
📣Paid Advertising
- Google quietly raised ad prices 5-15% at a time using “pricing knobs” that made increases look like normal auction fluctuations to advertisers. Now, a federal judge requires them to publicly disclose auction changes that raise advertiser costs. Moving forward, they should provide insight into price changes that were previously hidden. Law firms may see an increase in advertising costs.
- Meta expands Reels and Threads ad options, which are still in beta. Reels will allow advertisers to place their ads in popular trending reels. They are also offering new formats for Threads ads, including new 4:5 sizing and carousels. The most significant change is that advertisers can now use existing posts from Facebook or Instagram without needing a Threads profile. Attorneys should add new placements for A/B testing if they become available and monitor campaigns to understand if there are any notable differences.
📱Social Media
- Instagram will enable you to pin your own comments. Previously, Instagram only allowed users to pin others’ comments. Now, you can leave your own and pin it to the top of your post. This is especially helpful for law firms that want to share important information in comment sections. This feature can be used for updates, announcements, responses to common questions, and more. It is still being rolled out, so it may not be available to everyone just yet.
- Will the never-ending TikTok saga end? Maybe! The US reports a deal will be finalized soon, with Oracle playing a major part. According to the article, they will be overseeing a re-creation of a new US-only version of TikTok’s algorithm, which they will maintain after the initial build. In the meantime, lawyers should continue posting to the app and saving content to repurpose across other platforms. When the deal is struck, there’s no telling what kind of shifts we will see in the algorithm.
- YouTube announces new updates. These updates make it easier for attorneys to grow channels. AI-powered editing tools simplify Shorts and podcasts, while A/B testing and auto-dubbing expand reach and engagement across languages. Firms can expect to reach broader audiences and more opportunities to repurpose content.
Stay LAWsome–We’ll See You Again Next Month!
Thanks for checking out this month’s roundup! See you next time with more tips, trends, and insights to help your law firm grow.
