I’ve been doing this for 10 years and most of the questions I get are the same onesl how long does SEO take, do you guarantee results, what happens if it doesn’t work. I’ve answered all of those below. But I’ve also included the questions people should be asking and usually don’t, like what happens to my website if we stop working together and how do I know if my current agency is actually doing anything.
About Argota Marketing
Who runs Argota Marketing?
Just me; Jorge Argota. No team, no account managers, no junior staff handling your account while I’m off doing something else. I spent 10 years inside one law firm as a paralegal before starting this, so when I say I understand how law firms work, I mean I’ve actually been in the room. Went to court, handled intake calls, sat with patients in hospitals. That’s not something you can fake.
Why do you only work with law firms?
Because I spent a decade inside one and that’s what I know. I’ve seen what marketing actually does to intake numbers — which campaigns bring in real cases and which ones just generate tire-kicker calls. I could probably figure out marketing for dentists or plumbers but I’d be starting from scratch, and you’d be paying for me to learn on your dime. That doesn’t seem fair.
What’s your background?
Ten years as a paralegal at Percy Martinez, P.A. — a medical malpractice firm in Florida. I handled intake, went to court, visited clients in hospitals. I also have a BBA from University of Miami, I’m Google Ads certified, and I managed budgets at Swatch Group before getting into legal marketing. The paralegal experience is what matters most though. I’ve seen the inside of a courtroom and I know what a signed case actually looks like.
Do you have a team?
No. You work directly with me on everything. I don’t have account managers or junior staff or outsourced contractors in other countries. When you email, I answer. When you call, you get me. Some people want the infrastructure of a big agency — if that’s you, I’m probably not the right fit.
What areas do you serve?
I work with law firms anywhere, but most of my clients are in Florida because that’s where I built my experience. I understand Florida Bar rules, Florida markets, and Florida competition. If you’re in another state I can still help, but I’ll need to learn your local landscape and your state’s specific advertising rules.
Do you take competing clients?
No. I don’t take competitors in the same practice area in the same county. If you’re a personal injury firm in Miami-Dade and I’m working with you, another personal injury firm in Miami-Dade can’t hire me. They can ask, but I’ll say no. That’s the only way I can actually advocate for your rankings without a conflict of interest.
What makes you different from other agencies?
Three things. First, I actually worked inside a law firm for a decade — not as a marketer, as a paralegal who did intake and went to court. Second, I track to signed cases, not traffic or leads or impressions. If your marketing isn’t generating actual clients, I consider that a failure even if the numbers look good on paper. Third, you own everything I build. Your website, your content, your data — if we stop working together, you keep it all. Most agencies don’t work that way.
General Marketing Questions
How do I know if my current agency is actually doing anything?
Ask them three questions: What keywords are we ranking for that we weren’t ranking for six months ago? How many leads came from organic search versus paid last month? What’s my cost per signed case? If they can’t answer those questions with specific numbers, they’re probably not tracking the right things. A lot of agencies report impressions and clicks because those numbers are always going up — but they don’t mean anything if they’re not turning into cases.
What should I look for in a marketing agency?
Someone who tracks to signed cases, not vanity metrics. Someone who lets you own your assets — your website, your content, your ad accounts. Someone who won’t take your competitors. Someone who can explain what they’re doing in plain English without hiding behind jargon. And honestly, someone who will tell you when something isn’t working instead of just spinning it as a “learning opportunity.”
Why do law firm marketing agencies have such bad reputations?
Because a lot of them overpromise and underdeliver. They guarantee first page rankings (which no one can actually guarantee), they lock you into long contracts, they build your website on proprietary platforms so you can’t leave, and they report metrics that sound impressive but don’t connect to actual revenue. I’ve inherited clients from FindLaw, Scorpion, and similar agencies, and the story is almost always the same — they were paying $3,000 to $10,000 a month and couldn’t tell you what they were getting for it.
How much should I be spending on marketing?
Depends on your practice area, your market, and your goals. A solo practitioner in a small market might do fine with $2,000 a month total. A competitive practice area in Miami or Los Angeles might need $10,000 or more just for paid ads. The right answer is: whatever produces a positive return on investment. If you’re spending $5,000 and getting $50,000 in case value back, that’s a good investment. If you’re spending $5,000 and can’t trace a single case to it, that’s a problem.
Should I do SEO or PPC first?
Depends on your timeline. PPC can generate leads within days — you pay, you show up, people call. But you’re paying for every click, forever. SEO takes months to build but once you’re ranking, you get traffic without paying per click. Most firms should do both eventually, but if you need cases now, start with PPC. If you can wait 6-12 months, invest in SEO first.
What’s the difference between leads and signed cases?
Everything. A lead is someone who called or filled out a form. A signed case is someone who actually hired you. Most agencies report leads because it makes their numbers look better. But if you’re getting 50 leads a month and signing 2 cases, your lead quality is garbage. I track to signed cases because that’s what actually matters to your business.
What metrics actually matter?
Cost per signed case, case value versus marketing spend, and source attribution — meaning which channels are actually producing the cases you’re signing. Traffic is only useful if it converts. Rankings are only useful if they’re for keywords that bring in cases. Impressions mean almost nothing. If an agency is leading with impressions or click-through rates, they’re probably hiding something.
SEO Questions
How long does SEO take to work?
Three to six months before you see meaningful movement in rankings. Month one is usually fixing technical issues and cleaning up your foundation. Month two is content and local signals. Month three is when you start seeing movement. Anyone promising page one rankings in 30 days is either lying or doing something that’ll get you penalized later. SEO is a long game — if you need results next week, that’s what PPC is for.
Do you guarantee first page rankings?
No, and run from anyone who does. Google’s algorithm isn’t something I control. What I can guarantee is the work — proper technical setup, content that meets E-E-A-T standards, local signals that are consistent across every directory. The rankings follow when the foundation is right, but I can’t promise specific positions because Google doesn’t give anyone that power.
Why did my traffic drop after a Google update?
Usually one of three things: thin content that Google now recognizes as unhelpful, technical issues that accumulated over time, or competitors who finally caught up. Percy’s traffic dropped to 2,400 monthly visitors after the 2022 Helpful Content update. We rebuilt with better content and proper E-E-A-T signals and hit 14,000. Drops are fixable if you know what caused them — the key is diagnosing the actual problem instead of guessing.
What’s the difference between SEO and Local SEO?
SEO gets you ranking in organic results — the blue links below the ads. Local SEO gets you in the Map Pack — the three businesses that show up with the map. For most law firms, Map Pack matters more because that’s where the calls come from. Organic results are below the ads, below the AI Overview, below the map. By the time someone scrolls there, they’ve often already clicked on something else.
What’s E-E-A-T and why does it matter for law firms?
E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. Google uses it to evaluate content quality, especially for YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) topics — which includes legal services. Basically, Google wants to know: does this content come from someone who actually knows what they’re talking about? For law firms, that means your website needs to demonstrate that real attorneys with real credentials wrote or reviewed the content. Generic content from content mills doesn’t cut it anymore.
Can I do SEO myself?
You can do basic stuff — claim your Google Business Profile, make sure your name and address match everywhere, post occasionally. But technical SEO, content strategy that meets E-E-A-T standards, and link building take time you probably don’t have. Most attorneys who try DIY spend six months getting nowhere and then call someone like me anyway. If you’ve got 10-15 hours a week to dedicate to it, maybe. If not, probably better to hire someone.
What if I’m already working with another SEO agency?
I’d want to see what they’ve done first. Sometimes the foundation is solid and we just build on it. Sometimes they’ve created problems — bad links, duplicate content, penalties — that need cleaning up before anything else. Either way I’ll tell you what I actually see, not what you want to hear. If they’ve done good work, I’ll say so.
How is your SEO different from FindLaw or Justia?
They own your website. Stop paying and you lose everything — your content, your rankings, your domain sometimes. I build on your property. You own the site, the code, the hosting account, the content. If we stop working together, everything stays yours. No hostage situations.
What does law firm SEO cost?
Monthly retainers typically run $2,500 to $7,500 depending on where you’re starting, how competitive your market is, and how aggressive you want to be. I’ll give you a real number on a call once I see your current situation. I don’t do hidden fees or bait-and-switch — the price I quote is the price you pay.
Do you offer one-time SEO audits?
Yes. If you just want to know where you stand and what needs fixing, I can do a comprehensive audit without an ongoing commitment. Some firms use that to fix things themselves or to hold their current agency accountable. Either way, you get a clear picture of what’s working and what isn’t.
PPC / Paid Advertising Questions
How quickly can PPC generate leads?
Within days if everything is set up correctly. Unlike SEO, you’re paying to show up immediately. The limiting factor is usually getting your Google Ads or Local Services Ads account approved and verified, which can take a week or two. Once you’re live, you can start getting calls the same day.
What’s the difference between Google Ads and Local Services Ads?
Google Ads are the traditional pay-per-click results — you bid on keywords and pay when someone clicks. Local Services Ads (LSA) are the “Google Screened” or “Google Guaranteed” results that show at the very top with the green checkmark. LSA charges per lead, not per click, and requires background checks and verification. For most law firms, LSA converts better because the trust signals are built in, but Google Ads gives you more control over targeting.
How much should I spend on PPC?
Minimum viable budget for most markets is $2,500 to $3,500 per month in ad spend, plus management fees. Less than that and you’re not getting enough data to optimize effectively. Competitive markets like Miami personal injury might need $10,000 or more to compete. The right answer depends on your cost per case math — if you’re signing cases worth $200,000 and spending $7,000 to acquire them, that’s a great return.
What if PPC doesn’t work for my firm?
Then we figure out why and fix it, or we stop and I’ll tell you to put your money somewhere else. Some practice areas just don’t work well for PPC — the cost per click is too high relative to case values, or the leads are garbage quality. I’d rather tell you that upfront than take your money for something that won’t produce. Not everything works for everyone, and agencies that pretend otherwise are lying.
Do you guarantee leads from PPC?
No. I can guarantee that I’ll set up campaigns correctly, optimize based on data, and track everything to signed cases. But I can’t guarantee how many people will search for your services or how many will call. What I can tell you is whether the numbers are working — if cost per lead is too high or lead quality is too low, we’ll know quickly and can adjust or stop.
What reporting do I get for PPC?
You get cost per lead, cost per signed case, which keywords are generating calls, which calls became clients, and what we’re doing to improve. Not impressions. Not click-through rates. The numbers that actually tell you whether this is working. You’ll also have access to your own ad accounts so you can verify everything I’m reporting.
Do I own my Google Ads account?
Yes. I set everything up in accounts that belong to you. If we stop working together, you keep your account, your campaigns, your historical data — all of it. Some agencies set up your ads in their master accounts and hold your campaigns hostage. I don’t work that way.
What’s a good cost per signed case?
Depends entirely on your case values. If you’re signing personal injury cases worth $50,000 on average, a cost per signed case under $5,000 is probably good. If you’re signing medical malpractice cases worth $500,000, you could justify spending $20,000 or more to acquire one. The math needs to make sense for your specific practice. I help you figure out what that number should be before we spend anything.
AI Search & Visibility Questions
What is AI search optimization?
When someone asks ChatGPT, Google’s AI Overview, or Perplexity for a lawyer recommendation, those systems pull information from somewhere. AI search optimization is making sure that somewhere is your firm. It’s different from traditional SEO because AI doesn’t just rank pages — it synthesizes information and makes recommendations. If you’re not structured in a way AI can understand and trust, you won’t get mentioned.
How do I show up in ChatGPT recommendations?
ChatGPT pulls from its training data plus, in some cases, real-time search results. Showing up requires having strong entity recognition — meaning AI knows who you are, what you do, and why you’re credible. That comes from consistent information across authoritative sources: your website, your Google Business Profile, legal directories, news mentions, Wikipedia (if applicable), and other places AI trusts. It’s less about keywords and more about being a recognized entity in your practice area.
What’s an AI Overview and why does it matter?
Google’s AI Overview is the AI-generated summary that shows at the top of many search results — before the ads, before the Map Pack, before everything. When it appears, it often answers the searcher’s question directly, which means they may never scroll down to click on anything. Getting cited in AI Overviews is becoming critical because that’s increasingly where the eyeballs go first.
Can you guarantee I’ll show up in AI recommendations?
No. AI systems are black boxes and nobody fully understands how they select which sources to cite. What I can do is structure your online presence in ways that make you more likely to be recognized and recommended — consistent NAP data, strong entity signals, authoritative content that AI can quote. But guaranteeing specific AI mentions isn’t something anyone can honestly do.
Is AI search going to replace traditional SEO?
Not replace, but change. Traditional SEO isn’t going away — people still click on links, especially for complex decisions like hiring a lawyer. But AI is becoming another layer on top of search results, and firms that ignore it will lose visibility to firms that optimize for it. The smart approach is doing both: solid traditional SEO foundation plus AI visibility optimization.
Web Design Questions
What’s included in a law firm website?
At minimum: homepage, practice area pages for each service you offer, attorney bio pages, contact page with intake form, and blog or resources section. Beyond that depends on your goals — case results pages, video content, Spanish-language versions, client portals, chat integration. I scope everything based on what you actually need, not a one-size-fits-all package.
Do I own my website?
Yes. You own the domain, the code, the hosting account, the content — everything. I build on platforms you control (typically WordPress on Kinsta or similar), not proprietary systems that lock you in. If we stop working together, you take everything with you. This is non-negotiable for me because I’ve seen too many firms held hostage by agencies that technically owned their websites.
What platform do you build on?
Usually WordPress because it’s flexible, widely supported, and you’re never locked in. For hosting, I typically recommend Kinsta — it’s fast, secure, and you’ll have your own account. I don’t use proprietary platforms or website builders that trap your content. If you already have a site on another platform, we can discuss whether it makes sense to migrate or work with what you have.
How long does a website take to build?
Typically 6-10 weeks from kickoff to launch for a full custom site. That includes strategy, design, development, content, and revisions. Simpler sites can be faster. More complex sites with lots of practice areas, video integration, or custom functionality take longer. I give you a realistic timeline upfront and keep you updated throughout.
What about website speed and PageSpeed scores?
I treat 90+ on Google PageSpeed as the minimum acceptable score. Percy’s site scores 100. Speed matters because Google uses it as a ranking factor and because slow sites lose visitors — studies show most people leave if a page takes more than three seconds to load. I optimize images, use proper caching, choose fast hosting, and write clean code specifically to hit these benchmarks.
Do you do website maintenance?
Yes, as an ongoing service. WordPress sites need regular updates — core software, themes, plugins, security patches. I offer monthly maintenance plans that include updates, backups, security monitoring, and minor content changes. You can also handle maintenance yourself or hire someone else — since you own the site, that’s entirely your choice.
What if I already have a website I like?
Then we work with it. Not every engagement needs a full redesign. Sometimes the site is fine but the SEO is weak, or the content needs work, or the technical foundation has issues. I’ll tell you honestly whether your current site is worth keeping or whether it’s holding you back. No unnecessary rebuilds just to generate billing.
Will my website be ADA compliant?
I build to WCAG 2.1 AA standards, which is the widely accepted benchmark for accessibility. That means proper heading structure, alt text on images, keyboard navigation, sufficient color contrast, and readable fonts. This reduces your risk of ADA lawsuits and makes your site usable for people with disabilities. It’s the right thing to do and it’s also good for SEO.
Review Management Questions
Can you remove my negative Google reviews?
I can help identify and flag reviews that appear to violate Google’s policies — fake reviews from non-clients, competitor reviews, reviews containing harassment or personal information. Google makes the final decision on whether to remove them. Legitimate negative reviews from real clients usually can’t be removed, no matter what anyone tells you. I’ll be honest about which reviews have a realistic shot at removal and which ones we need to address differently.
How long does review removal take?
Google typically processes flagging requests in 3-7 business days. If the first attempt is rejected (which happens often with their automated system), appeals go to human reviewers and take 2-4 additional weeks. Complex cases requiring escalation can take 60 days or more. These are Google’s timelines, not mine — I can document and submit properly but I can’t make Google move faster.
Is it ethical to ask clients for reviews?
Yes — asking is fine. Compensating is not. ABA Rule 7.2(b) prohibits giving anything of value for testimonials: no discounts, no gift cards, no fee reductions, no “leave us a review and we’ll take $100 off your bill.” Simply asking a satisfied client if they’d be willing to share their experience is perfectly acceptable in every jurisdiction I’m aware of. The key is timing — ask after successful outcomes when gratitude is genuine, not when the case is still active.
How do I respond to negative reviews without violating confidentiality?
Never confirm someone was a client. Never reference case details, communications, or outcomes. Use neutral language like: “Thank you for your feedback. Our firm takes all concerns seriously. Please contact our office directly to discuss.” It’s boring, but it protects you. The moment you reveal anything about the representation — even just confirming they were a client — you’ve potentially violated Rule 1.6.
What if someone threatens to leave a bad review unless I refund them?
That’s extortion in many jurisdictions and violates Google’s policies. Document the threat in writing. Do not negotiate based on it. Do not offer a refund to make it go away. If they follow through and leave the review, it’s often removable specifically because it’s retaliatory. These situations are stressful but they’re sometimes the easiest removals when properly documented.
Can I remove my Avvo profile?
No. Avvo creates profiles for all licensed attorneys automatically, and they don’t allow opt-out. You can claim your profile, manage the information displayed, respond to reviews, and hide your numerical rating — but the profile itself stays. The Avvo Rating (1.0-10.0) is calculated from your experience and disciplinary history, not from client reviews. Client reviews are separate and stay visible unless they individually violate Avvo’s terms.
What about reviews on Lawyers.com and Martindale-Hubbell?
These platforms (both owned by Internet Brands, same company as Avvo) offer something unique: you can suppress ALL client reviews entirely. When you do this, your profile displays “This lawyer has chosen not to display the review(s) provided by their clients.” It’s all-or-nothing though — you can’t pick which reviews show. This makes sense when the damage outweighs the value of your positive reviews, but it’s a nuclear option.
How do you help generate new reviews?
I set up a system to request reviews from satisfied clients at the right moment — after successful outcomes, after positive feedback, when the relationship has clearly gone well. No incentives, no pressure, just consistent asking via email or text with a direct link to your Google profile. The firms with strong review profiles got there by doing this consistently over months and years, not by gaming the system.
What does review management cost?
Removal attempts are billed per successful removal — if the review stays up, you don’t pay for that one. Ongoing management including monitoring, response drafting, and review generation systems is a monthly retainer. I’ll give you exact numbers on a call once I see your current situation — pricing depends on how many profiles you have, how many reviews need attention, and how much ongoing work is involved.
Pricing & Contracts Questions
How much do you charge?
It depends on what you need. SEO retainers typically run $2,500-$7,500/month. PPC management is usually a percentage of ad spend or flat fee depending on budget size. Website projects range from $5,000-$20,000+ depending on scope. I don’t publish fixed pricing because every firm’s situation is different, but I’ll give you exact numbers on a call and I don’t do hidden fees or surprises.
Do you require long-term contracts?
No. I work month-to-month for ongoing services. You can stop anytime with 30 days notice. I don’t lock people into 12-month contracts because if I’m not delivering value, you shouldn’t be stuck paying me. The only exception is website projects, which are paid in stages tied to milestones — but that’s not a recurring contract, just standard project billing.
Why don’t you publish your prices on the website?
Because honest pricing requires understanding your situation. A solo practitioner in a small market has completely different needs than a 15-attorney firm in Miami competing for medical malpractice cases. Quoting without understanding leads to either overcharging or underdelivering. I’d rather spend 30 minutes on a call to give you a real number than post a price that doesn’t apply to you.
What payment methods do you accept?
ACH, wire transfer, or credit card. I invoice monthly for retainers, net-15. Website projects are typically 50% upfront, 25% at design approval, 25% at launch. I’m flexible if you need a different arrangement but I don’t do delayed billing or work without deposits — I’ve been burned on that before, as have most people in this industry.
What if I’m not happy with the results?
Then we talk about it and figure out why. If something isn’t working, I’d rather know immediately than have you silently unhappy for months. Sometimes results take longer than expected and we need to adjust expectations. Sometimes the strategy needs to change. Sometimes it’s just not a good fit and we should part ways — in which case you keep everything you’ve paid for and we end on good terms. No hostage situations.
Process & Working Together Questions
What happens after I sign up?
First call is a kickoff meeting where we go deep on your goals, your practice areas, your competitive landscape, and your current marketing assets. Then I do an audit of everything — your website, your rankings, your reviews, your ad accounts if applicable. You get a detailed report of what’s working, what isn’t, and what we’re prioritizing. Then we start the actual work, with regular check-ins and reporting.
How often will we communicate?
Monthly at minimum for a formal review of metrics and progress. More frequently if needed, especially in the first few months or if we’re running active ad campaigns. You can email or call me anytime — I don’t have account managers or support tickets, so you’re not waiting in a queue. I aim to respond within one business day, usually faster.
What access do I need to give you?
Depends on the scope, but typically: Google Analytics admin access, Google Search Console admin access, Google Business Profile manager access, website admin access, and ad account access if we’re managing PPC. All accounts stay in your name and ownership — I’m just getting access to do the work. If you’re not comfortable sharing something, we can discuss alternatives.
Will you work with my existing team?
Yes. If you have an in-house marketing person, a web developer, a content writer, or other vendors, I’m happy to collaborate. Sometimes I’m supplementing what they do. Sometimes I’m directing strategy and they’re executing. I adapt to whatever structure makes sense for your firm.
What if I have questions between our scheduled calls?
Email or call me. Seriously. I don’t charge by the question and I don’t make you schedule a meeting just to ask something simple. Part of working with a solo consultant instead of an agency is that you actually have access to the person doing the work. Use it.
Do you offer one-time projects or just ongoing retainers?
Both. Website projects, audits, and specific fixed-scope work can be one-time engagements. SEO and PPC management are ongoing because they require continuous work. Some clients start with an audit or a website and never become retainer clients. That’s fine — I’d rather do good work once than mediocre work forever.
Results & Expectations Questions
What results can I realistically expect?
Depends on where you’re starting, how competitive your market is, and what we’re working on. For SEO, expect meaningful ranking improvements in 3-6 months. For PPC, expect to see lead flow within weeks but optimization takes 2-3 months to dial in. For review management, improvement is gradual — you’re building reputation over months, not overnight. I’ll give you realistic projections based on your specific situation, not generic promises.
How do you measure success?
Signed cases and revenue generated, period. Traffic, rankings, and leads are useful intermediate metrics but they don’t pay your bills. I track the full funnel: impressions → clicks → leads → consultations → signed cases. If we’re getting lots of leads but no signed cases, that’s a problem we need to diagnose. If traffic is up but leads are flat, same thing. The final measure is always: did this marketing produce clients?
What if my competitor is doing the same thing?
Then we need to be better. SEO and PPC aren’t winner-take-all in most markets — there are multiple slots in the Map Pack, multiple ad positions, multiple organic rankings. The question is whether you can compete effectively at a cost that makes sense. Sometimes you can, sometimes you need to target different keywords or practice areas. Part of my job is figuring out where you can win, not just copying what everyone else does.
How long before I see ROI?
For PPC, potentially within the first month if you sign a case that came from an ad. For SEO, typically 6-12 months before the investment pays back, sometimes longer in competitive markets. For review management, it’s gradual — improving from 4.2 stars to 4.7 stars might increase conversions by 20-30%, but it happens slowly over months of building reviews. I’ll help you model the math based on your case values so you know what to expect.
Do you have case studies or references?
Yes. Percy Martinez went from 2,400 to 14,000 monthly visitors, from 4.7 stars to 5.0 stars, from 98 reviews to 118 reviews. Jorge Flores hit the top of Map Pack in Kendall in 5 months and we got a fake review removed. I can share more details on a call and connect you with references if you want to talk to current or past clients. I don’t publish everything publicly because I respect client confidentiality, but I can share enough for you to make an informed decision.
What happens to my rankings if I stop working with you?
They’ll plateau and eventually decline as competitors continue investing. SEO isn’t a one-time fix — it requires ongoing content, link building, and technical maintenance to hold positions. That said, the foundation we build doesn’t disappear. You’ll keep the website, the content, the technical improvements. You just won’t have someone actively working to improve and defend your rankings. Some clients dial back to maintenance-only after hitting their goals, which is a reasonable approach.
Technical Questions
What’s the difference between on-page and off-page SEO?
On-page SEO is everything on your website: content, meta tags, page speed, site structure, internal linking. Off-page SEO is everything elsewhere: backlinks from other sites, directory listings, social signals, reviews. You need both. Great on-page SEO with no backlinks won’t rank well. Great backlinks pointing to a garbage website won’t convert. Most firms need more help with off-page because on-page is more controllable.
What’s a backlink and why does it matter?
A backlink is a link from another website to yours. Google treats backlinks as votes of confidence — if authoritative sites link to you, Google figures you’re probably worth ranking. But not all links are equal. A link from a legal journal or bar association is worth far more than a link from a random blog or directory. Bad links from spammy sites can actually hurt you. Link building is about quality, not quantity.
What’s schema markup?
Schema is code that helps search engines understand your content. For law firms, that includes LocalBusiness schema (name, address, phone), Attorney schema (credentials, practice areas), FAQ schema (for FAQ pages), and Review schema. It doesn’t directly boost rankings but it can improve how you appear in search results — with star ratings, FAQ dropdowns, and other rich features that increase click-through rates.
What’s NAP consistency and why does it matter for local SEO?
NAP stands for Name, Address, Phone. Google cross-references your business information across hundreds of sources — your website, Google Business Profile, Yelp, Avvo, legal directories, data aggregators. If your information doesn’t match everywhere, Google gets confused about which information is correct, and that uncertainty hurts your local rankings. NAP cleanup is boring but essential for local SEO.
What’s a Google Business Profile and how do I optimize it?
Your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is your listing that appears in Google Maps and local search results. Optimizing it means: complete and accurate information, proper categories, high-quality photos, regular posts, responding to reviews, and Q&A management. A well-optimized profile is often more valuable than your website for local searches because it’s what shows up in the Map Pack.
Concerns & Objections
I’ve been burned by agencies before. Why should I trust you?
Because I work differently than most agencies. No long-term contracts — you can leave anytime. No proprietary platforms — you own everything. No hidden fees — the price I quote is what you pay. No BS metrics — I report on signed cases, not impressions. And no competitors — I won’t work with your competition in your county. I can also connect you with references so you can hear directly from current clients. But honestly, I get it if you’re skeptical. The industry has earned that skepticism.
What if you get hit by a bus?
Then you still own everything. Your website is in your hosting account. Your ad accounts are in your name. Your content lives on your servers. All passwords and access are documented. If something happens to me, you’re not stranded — you can hire someone else and they can pick up where I left off. That’s the whole point of building on your property instead of mine.
Are you too small to handle my firm?
Depends on what you mean by “handle.” If you need a team of 20 people producing hundreds of blog posts a month, I’m not your guy — and honestly, that approach rarely works anyway. If you need thoughtful strategy, quality execution, and direct access to the person doing the work, I can handle firms of any size. I deliberately keep my client roster small so I can actually deliver for the clients I have.
Why shouldn’t I just hire someone in-house?
Maybe you should. If you have enough work to justify a full-time salary plus benefits, and you can find someone with the right skills, and you can manage them effectively — an in-house hire might be better. But most small to mid-size firms don’t have enough work to keep a marketing person busy full-time, or they hire someone junior who doesn’t have the experience to execute at a high level. I’m an alternative that gives you senior-level work without the full-time overhead.
How do I know you’re not just telling me what I want to hear?
Because I’ll tell you things you don’t want to hear on our first call. If your website is terrible, I’ll say so. If your market is too competitive for your budget, I’ll say so. If PPC won’t work for your practice area, I’ll say so. I’d rather lose a potential client by being honest than win one by overpromising. The clients I want are ones where I can actually help — if that’s not your situation, we’re both better off knowing it early.
Ready to talk?
If you’ve read this far, you probably have a pretty good sense of how I work and whether I might be a good fit. If you want to explore it further, the next step is a call where we look at your current situation and I tell you what I actually see — not a sales pitch, just an honest assessment. If it makes sense to work together, great. If not, at least you’ll have a clearer picture of where you stand.
No contracts. No obligation. Just a conversation about whether this makes sense.
