Law firm online reputation management is all about controlling the impression you’re making on potential clients who are Googling your firm.
For lawyers, there is no bigger playing field than the internet from which to gain new clients.
Looking professional, competent, and without any negative reviews or news is key to your ability to get the phone to ring.
In this post, I’ll provide an overview of online reputation for lawyers, provide an actual case study for an attorney we helped, and give you tips to get a jump on what your competitors might be doing.
If you need our help, please reach out – we quality work without locking you in to long term commitments.
- What Is Law Firm Online Reputation Management?
- Lawyer Case Study
- Law Firm online reputation management strategies
- Next Steps
What Is Law Firm Online Reputation Management?
Law firm online reputation management is about making sure people see the good things about a law firm or specific lawyers on the internet.
It involves getting positive reviews from happy clients on websites like Google, Yelp and legal directories.
This helps you look good to others who might need legal help.
It’s like showing off the law firm’s (or solo attorney’s) best side, so when someone searches online, they find good stories, positive PR, and happy clients.
It’s important because a positive online reputation can attract more clients and build trust in the community for you as a lawyer and for the firm itself.
Lawyer Case Study
Here’s a summary of the above video, detailing one of our law firm case studies.
This was a compelling case study involving a lawyer because it included three unique online reputation challenges – negative Google business reviews, a sensational news article, and a poorly-rated Yelp listing.
The journey from a stressed-out attorney to a thriving professional provides valuable insights into the power of online reputation management.
Understanding the Issues
The lawyer in question approached us with three pressing issues affecting his online image:
- Google Business Page Complaints: The attorney had a 3.8 rating on Google Business with multiple complaints.
- Negative News Article: A high-profile news outlet had covered a personal incident, creating a significant online buzz.
- Poor Yelp Rating: The lawyer’s Yelp listing carried an overall negative rating.
#1 Google Business Reviews: A Remarkable Turnaround
We embarked on a pay-per-performance basis to address the negative Google Business reviews.
After successfully eliminating over half of the negative reviews, the lawyer’s rating jumped from 3.8 to 4.7.
While subsequent client issues caused a slight dip, the overall rating remained in the high 4s.
#2 Mitigating the Impact of the Negative News Article
The sensational news article, prominently featured on a powerful news outlet’s website, was a big challenge.
Employing a strategic approach, we buried the negative news article down to page three by generating positive content and utilizing SEO techniques.
Although removal of the news story was not possible in this case, through our suppression efforts, we were able to dramatically reduce the negative impact on the attorney’s online presence.
3. Yelp Listing: Hidden From View
Utilizing our Yelp removal services which hides Yelp pages, we ensured that the lawyer’s listing disappeared both on Yelp and Google.
This removal contributed to erasing the negative footprint associated with the lawyer and had an immediate impact on the health of his online reputation.
Impact on Personal and Professional Life
The lawyer’s initial state of distress, both personally and professionally, was palpable.
The negative news article, in particular, had strained his personal relationships.
However, as the online reputation management process unfolded, positive changes became evident.
He told us how happy he was and felt he could return to business as usual.
Positive Transformations
1. Reclaiming Control of Page One
Previously cluttered with negative elements, page one of search results now showcases positive news articles, interviews, and the lawyer’s social media profiles. His homepage, with expanded data fields, dominates the top spot.
2. Positive Image Building
The lawyer’s images tab underwent a transformation, shedding any traces of negative imagery. Instead, it now highlights positive images, eliminating the once-dominant mugshot.
The Current State and Future Plans
The attorney, now relieved of the stress that accompanied his online reputation issues, reports booming business and increased happiness.
While the negative news article still exists on page three, its diminished visibility has restored a sense of control over the narrative.
The Timeline and Ongoing Maintenance
The transformation wasn’t instantaneous, but substantial progress was evident within the first month, which we provide a money-back guarantee on.
Over three months, the negative news article was pushed to page three.
The lawyer has since opted for a maintenance package, ensuring continued vigilance over his online reputation.
While the positive changes are significant, the lawyer remains engaged in a balance between active reputation management and avoiding the perception of flooding the internet with excessive content.
Testimonial Wrap Up
This attorney’s journey showcases the effectiveness of a strategic and customized approach to online reputation management.
By addressing each challenge systematically, we navigated the complexities of his Google Business Page, neutralized the impact of negative news coverage, and removed his damaging Yelp listing.
The result?
A lawyer who has not only reclaimed control over his professional life, but also witnessed a flourishing business and personal life.
If you’re facing similar online reputation challenges, don’t hesitate to reach out.
We’re here to help you transform your digital presence and pave the way for a positive online identity.
Online Reputation Management Strategies
Large law firms and solo practice attorneys all rely heavily on word of mouth advertising.
That’s great for the offline world, but when it comes to the internet, reviews are one of the most important ways those in the legal profession can establish credibility.
Submit To Online Law Directories
Therefore, one of the best and easiest DIY strategies all lawyers should be doing is:
- Claim their profile on the top law directories
- Collecting as many reviews as possible on those directories
Here are the top lawyer directories where you can claim a profile and then gain reviews.
- avvo.com
- findlaw.com
- lawinfo.com
- lawtally.com
- lawyer.com
- lawyerratingz.com
- lawyers.com
- martindale.com
- superlawyers.com
You can easily have your assistant claim your listing on each of these platforms.
Use a good looking head shot and then fill out every available field, including address, contact info, description, practice areas, hobbies, etc.
If you do all of that for each of these directories, there’s an excellent chance they will rank well when someone Google’s you.
Then be proactive and ask for clients and other lawyers to leave reviews.
This helps to build up your profile and make them even more relevant.
Hire Affordable Reputation Management
The next thing to do is be proactive and hire us.
Too often, we hear from lawyers AFTER they have an online reputation issue.
While we’re happy to help you clean it up quickly at an affordable monthly price, you can really help yourself by taking a proactive approach to your internet reputation.
The same strategies we use to bury negative search results on Google for our clients, can also help you look like a superstar when someone turns to Google to check out your background.
Imagine this: someone Googles your name and these are the top 10 results they see:
- Your exact match domain website (yourname.com) or profile page on your firm’s website (yourfirm.com/your-name)
- A press release detailing the number of cases you’ve won
- Your Avvo profile with a 5-star rating
- Your Findlaw profile with a 4.8 rating
- An interview on Inspirery.com
- Another press release detailing your business anniversary
- Your lawyers.com profile with a 5-star rating
- Your martindale.com profile with a 5-star rating
- Another interview on Disrupt Magazine
- A third press release detailing your charity work
The beauty of the 10 results here is all of the content is under your control – you are controlling what people see and read about you.
I’d be willing to bet that any lawyer with 1st page Google search results like these would have no problem acquiring new clients.
And – should a reputation issue ever arise – you’d be way ahead of the game by making a minimal upfront investment.
Next Steps
Whether you’re a lawyer who’s hung up their shingle and just opened an office or a long-established firm with hundreds of partners, we can help you.
Our strategies are cutting edge and we only focus on those things we know will work.
If you want to work with an agency that’s in the trenches, doing the work, choose us.
We’ll do excellent work for your firm and help you look great on Google.