Competition for clients is fiercer than ever, and most people now begin their search for legal help online. With AI reshaping how potential clients discover attorneys, staying visible requires more than traditional SEO.
These statistics show just how quickly search is evolving:
- Over 50% of Google searches now end without a click, with the search engine answering the question directly on the results page.
- AI-driven search could reduce traditional search traffic by 25% by 2026.
- Google AI Overviews appear in 16% of all U.S. searches, double the rate from just early this year.
Before changing strategies, let’s define the terms, review what’s changing, and what law firms can do to maintain a competitive edge.
Demystifying Key Search Terms
Let’s break down the acronyms so your team understands what each one means and why it matters. Keep in mind that as this new era of search continues to evolve, the language around it may evolve as well. At the time of this posting, these are the most widely used phrases.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)
AEO helps your content appear as direct answers in search results and AI assistants like Siri. A blog titled “How to file a will in [State]” could be featured for users seeking quick guidance, putting your firm in front of potential clients.
AI Overviews are summaries generated by Google that appear at the top of search results. They pull from multiple sources and give users a quick snapshot. For law firms, a search like “best estate planning attorney near me” could return an AI search highlighting your practice without a user ever visiting your site.
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)
AEO helps your content appear as direct answers in search results and AI assistants like Siri. A blog titled “How to file a will in [State]” could be featured for users seeking quick guidance, putting your firm in front of potential clients.
AI Overviews are summaries generated by Google that appear at the top of search results. They pull from multiple sources and give users a quick snapshot. For law firms, a search like “best estate planning attorney near me” could return an AI search highlighting your practice without a user ever visiting your site.
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)
Why Search Changes Matter for Law Firms
Your potential clients are increasingly relying on AI-assisted search to find attorneys, understand their legal options, and evaluate firms. Optimizing for AEO and GEO ensures your firm is discoverable and trusted.
Practical Tips to Stay Visible in Legal Search
Here’s how law firms can maintain top visibility across search and AI platforms:
- Optimize your website: Ensure fast load times, mobile responsiveness, and clean code for both human users and AI crawlers.
- Focus on keywords and user intent. Use phrases that actual clients search for when seeking legal services.
- Organize content clearly. FAQs, headings, bulleted lists, and tables help AI extract your content.
- Publish authoritative content. Guides, client spotlights, and practice insights build trust.
- Use schema markup. Highlight your practice areas, attorney profiles, client reviews, and key services to make it easy for AI and search engines to understand your firm.
Keep Client Needs Front and Center
Ultimately, the goal is to connect the right clients to your firm. While AEO and GEO may feel new, traditional SEO remains the foundation for legal marketing success.
Clients want to feel confident they’re choosing a trusted legal partner, and showing up consistently in search helps build that credibility.
If you want expert guidance on how your firm is performing in search today, and how to align your content with client intent, the inConcert Web solutions team is ready to help. Let’s ensure your firm is seen, trusted, and chosen.
