Does content really help law firm marketing?
If you’re an attorney who is interested in getting more clients, you’ve probably asked yourself this question while staring at your website’s blog section, wondering if writing articles is actually worth your billable hours.
The short answer: Yes. More than ever.
But here’s the longer, more important answer: content isn’t just “helpful” anymore—it’s become one of the most critical factors in whether potential clients find you online. And with the rise of AI-powered search experiences from Google, Bing, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and others, the rules have fundamentally changed.
Let me explain why content has gone from “nice to have” to “absolutely essential” for law firm marketing—and how even small firms can use it to compete with big players.
Why Content Matters in Today’s Search Landscape
Remember when law firm SEO was mostly about building backlinks and stuffing keywords? Those days are gone.
Today’s search engines—and the AI systems built on top of them—are laser-focused on one thing: surfacing the most helpful, authoritative content to answer user questions.
Google’s AI overviews and Search Generative Experience along with similar AI-powered search features pull information directly from high-quality content to generate answers at the top of search results. These AI overviews often show above all other results (including paid ads).
When someone searches “can I get an immediate divorce in Maryland,” these AI systems scan the web for the most detailed, accurate, and helpful content—then synthesize it into an answer.
If your firm has published comprehensive, well-researched content on that topic, you’re in the game. If you haven’t, you’re invisible.
According to Search Engine Journal, Google’s algorithm updates have consistently prioritized content quality, with E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) becoming a cornerstone of how Google evaluates web content for search results. For law firms, this is actually great news—because YOU are the experts.
The catch? You need to prove it with content.
How Content Builds SEO Authority (And Brings Real Clients)
Let’s get practical. When you publish detailed, helpful content on your website, several things happen simultaneously:
First, you rank for more keywords. Every article you publish is another opportunity to show up in search results. Research from Ahrefs shows that longer, more comprehensive content tends to rank for more keywords than shorter pages. In their study of 3 million search queries, Ahrefs found that top-ranking pages often rank for hundreds—or even thousands—of related search terms beyond just the primary keyword.
Second, you capture long-tail searches. These are the specific questions people type when they’re ready to hire a lawyer: “can I sue my employer for wrongful termination in California” or “how much does a divorce cost in Chicago.” These searches have less competition and higher conversion rates.
Third, you build topical authority. Google’s algorithms increasingly recognize and reward websites that demonstrate comprehensive expertise on a topic through multiple pieces of interconnected, high-quality content.
And it works. Take the example of Stacey Romberg, and estate planning client in Seattle. Through a content strategy built into an overall SEO plan, her firm has strengthened its overall website authority, enabling top-4 rankings for 20+ high-intent search keywords, which led to 76 new client leads in a single month—directly from organic Google searches.
Looking at the data tells the story: 965 organic visitors generated 76 key conversion events (phone calls and contact forms) in just one month. Stacey’s firm ranks in positions 2-4 for competitive business law keywords like “business lawyer seattle,” “probate attorney seattle,” and “estate planning attorney seattle”—the exact searches potential clients use when they’re ready to hire.
That’s not theory—that’s the power of strategic content translating directly into potential clients reaching out.
Why Content Builds Human Authority Too
Here’s what skeptical attorneys often miss: content doesn’t just work on algorithms. It works on people too.
When a potential client finds your article explaining their legal problem in clear, empathetic language—without the usual legal jargon—something important happens. They start to trust you before they ever pick up the phone.
Think about your own behavior. When you need to hire a professional you don’t know well—a doctor, an accountant, a contractor—don’t you research them online first? Don’t you feel more confident calling someone who has clearly demonstrated their expertise?
Your potential clients are doing the same thing. They’re reading your content and asking themselves: “Does this lawyer understand my problem? Do they explain things clearly? Do they seem knowledgeable?”
Our research shows that 62% of people with legal problems turn to online research first, and 80% review an attorney’s online presence before hiring. Your content—whether blog posts, videos, or articles—is often the first impression potential clients have of your expertise.
When you publish content that answers their questions and addresses their concerns, you’re not just optimizing for search engines—you’re building a relationship before the first consultation ever happens.
The Shift from Backlink-Heavy to Content-Heavy SEO
Let’s address the elephant in the room: backlinks still matter. But they’re no longer the primary driver of rankings they once were.
According to industry research from sources like Backlinko and Search Engine Journal, content quality has become increasingly central to Google’s ranking algorithm. Backlinko’s 2025 analysis identifies quality content as the most important SEO ranking factor, with Google prioritizing content that is informative, engaging, and relevant to what users are searching for.
In other words, you can have all the backlinks in the world, but if your content is thin, outdated, or unhelpful, you won’t rank well. The top eight ranking factors now include quality content first, followed by backlinks, technical SEO, keyword optimization, user experience, schema markup, social signals, and brand signals.
The reverse is also increasingly true: excellent, comprehensive content can rank well even without an extensive backlink profile—especially for local and long-tail searches where small firms compete.
This is actually a massive opportunity for solo attorneys and small firms.
Building backlinks requires either significant money (to buy them) or significant time (to earn them through outreach). But creating great content? That’s something you can actually control and scale affordably, especially when you partner with content specialists who understand legal marketing.
Why Content Marketing is the Best Way to Build Authority for Law Firms
Here’s the beautiful thing about content: it works on two levels simultaneously.
For search algorithms, quality content signals expertise, relevance, and authority. It helps you rank for the searches that matter, appear in AI-generated answers, and build topical authority in your practice areas.
For potential clients, that same content demonstrates your knowledge, builds trust, and positions you as the obvious choice when they’re ready to hire.
It’s a rare win-win in marketing: the same asset that helps you get found also helps you get hired.
And unlike ppc and other paid advertising—which stops working the moment you stop paying—content is a compounding asset. Articles you publish today can continue bringing in clients for months or years, especially if you keep them updated.
The Bottom Line: When it Comes to Digital Marketing, Content Isn’t Optional Anymore
If you’re skeptical about whether content helps law firm marketing, I understand. You didn’t go to law school to become a content creator, and writing articles isn’t billable work.
But here’s the reality: your potential clients are searching for answers online right now. Google and AI systems are surfacing the most helpful content to answer their questions. And if your firm hasn’t published that content, you’re invisible—while your competitors who have are capturing those leads.
The good news? You don’t have to do this alone.
A strategic content marketing approach designed specifically for law firms can help you build authority, rank for valuable keywords, and attract the right clients—without sacrificing your billable hours.
The question isn’t whether content helps anymore. The question is: can you afford not to invest in it?
Ready to see what a strategic content approach could do for your firm? Learn more about our content marketing services for law firms and let’s build your authority where it matters most—in search results and in the minds of potential clients.