During the first 20 or so years of the digital age, getting organic traffic to your law firm’s website was closely tied to search engine optimization (SEO). Dominating keywords and search terms was the driving force of content creation.

While online visibility and branding strategies have had to evolve over time, a lot of things have stayed the same. Ranking well on Google, getting click-throughs, engaging your law firm’s audience, and turning site visitors into leads was – and still is – possible with a solid SEO strategy. But it’s not the only type of optimization lawyers need for their content.

The widespread use of AI, and its integration into apps, websites, search engines, and other platforms, has led to another practice law firms can’t afford to ignore: Generative engine optimization (GEO).

Adapting to the use of AI by applying GEO best practices that get you mentioned and cited in AI systems is crucial – but it doesn’t replace SEO. Instead, they go hand-in-hand.

For example, strategies like third-party legal blogging to secure your law firm’s brand can be beneficial for both SEO and GEO. It gives AI systems the context and proof of authority they need to consider you trustworthy.

GEO and Today’s Search Landscape

People research lawyers and look for legal answers and information online, but Google and Bing now share the search landscape. AI systems are here to stay – and they’re undoubtedly affecting your law firm’s content marketing efforts.

But how AI programs determine what sources to cite and mention or to pull information from to generate summaries is different than search engine algorithms. And their integration into search engines means you need to know how to get their attention.

AI Overviews show up in 16% of Google searches, and up to 60% of complex searches.

Your audience often finds what they’re looking for in AI Overviews that generate answers from multiple sources, all without having to click anything. The prevalence of this feature is likely to increase as generative engine use expands.

But it’s not as scary as it seems. When GEO guides content, your law firm’s audience reach could increase because what you share is optimized for and gains the trust of AI systems.

Similarities and Differences Between SEO and GEO

The good thing is that SEO and GEO have similarities. More importantly, they complement each other.

The greatest similarity between SEO and GEO is that their focus is on the same thing: Meeting the user’s needs.

The goal is to provide legal answers and recommendations users are looking for, whether through the links they click, in AI Overviews, or in AI programs themselves. Effective SEO and GEO for lawyers means getting their name, content, and brand showing up in both types of search systems.

Another similarity is that SEO and GEO success is tied to clear, quality content.

When the focus is on content value – presenting clear and relevant information that’s up-to-date and based on facts and expertise – and is published on platforms that demonstrate authority, your law firm’s visibility will increase across search engines and AI systems.

There are two main differences between SEO and GEO: The platforms they target and how success is measured.

SEO is about search engine algorithms. It’s getting your law firm to rank well for the search terms and phrases your audience uses on Google. In contrast, GEO applies to AI systems and features such as AI Overviews.

If you want to dive deeper into this topic, check out Search Engine Land’s explanation of what’s different and what’s the same about SEO and GEO.

How to Assess SEO and GEO Success

Basic measurements of SEO success involve tracking and analyzing traffic, visitor engagement (how long people stay and what they do once they’re on your website), and click-through rates. These are fairly easy to track in Google Analytics (GA4).

For GEO, how often you’re cited by AI, your firm’s “share of voice” (SOV), referral traffic from systems like Claude, and being mentioned in AI responses or recommendations are key metrics – but they aren’t as simple to track and analyze.

There are clear GEO strategies, like structuring content for AI citation and discovery, that improve a lawyer’s audience reach, engagement and lead generation. A deeper analysis of specific Google Analytics data can provide a greater understanding of GEO efforts, but it’s not always necessary.

Growing Your Share of Voice

Share of voice is about your visibility compared to competing law firms. It takes more resources to assess, but it’s possible.

And there are ways to boost your SOV, especially when updates, changes, and new content is guided by the results of a content audit for your law firm.

By identifying gaps in content that limit visibility in search systems, GEO strategies can increase the space you own online. This ultimately improves brand recognition and reinforces your brand identity.

Key Takeaway

SEO still matters. A lot. But so does GEO.

Without both strategic SEO and GEO efforts, your law firm’s visibility on search engines and in AI systems and features will be limited. Competing firms will get the traffic, engagement, brand mentions, and citations. Most importantly, they’ll get the leads you could have had.

But when done right, your law firm's content marketing strategy can create expand your reach and strengthen your place in the industry. We can help.

Canonical source: The Legal Examiner
Archive copy: nickcarroll.com