AI algorithms can predict case outcomes and settlement values, empowering lawyers to make better-informed decisions. Additionally, ChatGPT is becoming an indispensable tool for lawyers by streamlining workflows and assisting with tasks.

As the Vice President of SEO at Hennessey Digital, I am constantly exploring how these cutting-edge technologies transform the legal industry. We’ve already discussed how ChatGPT will affect SEO, so now join me as I dive into the transformative power of AI and ChatGPT for personal injury law firms.

The Emergence of AI and ChatGPT in Law Firms

As a lawyer, you are getting a front-row seat to the emergence of AI and ChatGPT as transformative technologies in the legal industry. AI integration revolutionizes how legal professionals interact with clients and conduct their work, and the efficiency gains through AI are remarkable – particularly in case evaluation and legal research improvement.

• With AI-powered tools, lawyers can analyze vast amounts of legal data, including court opinions, statutes, and regulations. This enables them to conduct legal research more efficiently and effectively, saving both time and money for clients.
• AI algorithms can also predict case outcomes and settlement values by analyzing data from past cases. Lawyers can weigh this information to make better-informed decisions, and consider approach and client advice accordingly, potentially improving accuracy in predicting settlement values.
• Artificial intelligence streamlines the litigation process with the ability to analyze medical records and other evidence, helping lawyers build stronger cases and reducing the need for expensive expert witnesses. It simplifies the discovery process and increases efficiency throughout litigation.
• AI-powered applications can assist in drafting tailored legal documents by analyzing past cases and legal precedents. This saves lawyers a significant amount of time and improves the quality of legal documents, ensuring they meet the specific needs of each case.

Understanding the Role of AI in Personal Injury Cases

To effectively understand the role of AI in personal injury cases, you need to recognize its impact on legal proceedings and the overall attorney/client relationship. Below are key ways AI is transforming personal injury cases.

The Impact of ChatGPT on Client Communication

One major advantage of ChatGPT is that it allows you to automate client communication, providing timely updates and addressing common queries. With ChatGPT, you can streamline your task management by automating routine client interactions, such as providing case updates, answering frequently asked questions, and scheduling appointments. This automated client communication saves you time and ensures that your clients receive prompt and accurate information.

ChatGPT can also enhance the accessibility of your legal service. You can provide 24/7 support and improve responsiveness to client inquiries by automating client communication. This can be particularly beneficial for personal injury law firms, as clients may have urgent concerns or require immediate updates regarding their cases.

Efficiency Gains From AI and ChatGPT Integration

There are several efficiency gains from AI and ChatGPT integration for personal injury law firms.

Client Communication

You can maximize the efficiency of your law firm’s daily operations by integrating AI and ChatGPT into your client communication. This will save you significant time and cost while ensuring client satisfaction with seamless interaction.

You can do this through:

• Personalized Chatbot Assistance: AI-powered chatbots can handle routine client inquiries, freeing your time for more critical tasks.
• Automated Appointment Scheduling: ChatGPT can integrate with your calendar system, allowing clients to schedule appointments effortlessly.
• Reminders and Updates: AI can send automated reminders and updates to clients, reducing the need for manual follow-ups.

Automated Case Evaluation

Automate your case evaluation process and achieve efficiency gains by integrating AI and ChatGPT into your law firm’s operations and processes. With automated case evaluation, you can leverage the predictive analysis capabilities of AI algorithms to assess potential case outcomes and settlement values.

This streamlines the litigation process and enables efficient case management. By automating legal research, you can save time and enhance the quality of your research, providing accurate analysis of legal precedents. Plus, when integrating ChatGPT into your firm’s operations enhances client communication you can allow for more responsive and personalized interactions.

The combination of automated case evaluation and enhanced client communication empowers your firm to make better-informed decisions, provide more efficient services, and ultimately deliver higher client satisfaction.

Faster Legal Research

AI and ChatGPT can be used to Improve the efficiency of your legal research. This allows you to conduct research faster and more effectively. AI-powered research provides time-saving solutions and enhances analysis, leading to improved legal research and more efficient decision-making.

Here’s how integrating AI and ChatGPT can transform your legal research process:

• AI-powered tools analyze large volumes of legal data, including court opinions, statutes, and regulations, saving you time and effort.
• ChatGPT can assist in finding case law and court opinions, helping you quickly access relevant information.
• Together, AI and ChatGPT streamline workflows, boost efficiency, and generate tailored legal documents, saving you significant time and improving the quality of your work.

Enhanced Task Management

To enhance your task management, integrate AI and ChatGPT, allowing you to streamline your workflow. By leveraging these technologies, you can optimize your tasks and boost productivity.

By now you should start to have an understanding of the time-saving benefits now possible with AI and ChatGPT, enabling you to accomplish more in less time. With AI-powered tools, you can automate repetitive tasks, such as legal document drafting and research, freeing up your time to focus on high-value activities.

This integration improves your efficiency and allows you to provide better service to your clients, leading to increased client satisfaction and referrals. By embracing AI and ChatGPT, you can revolutionize task management in your personal injury law firm and unlock new productivity levels.

Now, let’s explore more on how AI and ChatGPT can assist you in case research and preparation.

AI and ChatGPT in Case Research and Preparation

Law firms can use AI and ChatGPT to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of case research and preparation. These tools offer automated case evaluation, faster legal research, enhanced task management, and predictive analysis capabilities.

With AI-powered legal research tools, you can analyze large volumes of legal data more efficiently and effectively, such as court opinions, statutes, and regulations. This saves your clients time and money while providing accurate legal precedents analysis. AI algorithms can help predict case outcomes and settlement values, allowing you to make better-informed decisions and advise your clients accordingly. They can also analyze medical records and other evidence, helping you build stronger cases and reducing the need for expensive expert witnesses.

AI-powered applications can analyze past cases and legal precedents to generate tailored legal documents, saving you significant time and improving the quality of your work. However, it’s important to consider ethical considerations when using AI in case research and preparation. 

With these advanced technologies, you can enhance your practice and provide better client service. So, let’s explore how AI and ChatGPT can enhance accessibility in legal services.

Enhancing Accessibility in Legal Service With AI and ChatGPT

AI and ChatGPT enable your law firm’s services to be more accessible by leveraging advanced technology and streamlining processes. The integration of AI in legal services brings numerous benefits in terms of accessibility.

• By automating tasks and providing personalized services, AI allows legal professionals to engage with clients more effectively. This improved client engagement leads to greater accessibility as clients feel more involved and informed throughout the legal process.
• AI integration enables legal professionals to handle more cases and respond faster to client inquiries. This increased efficiency means that legal services can be provided at a more affordable cost, making them accessible to a wider range of individuals.
• Furthermore, AI-powered tools like ChatGPT can provide accessibility benefits by offering alternative communication channels. Clients can interact with ChatGPT through chat interfaces, allowing them to seek legal advice and information conveniently and at their own pace. This accessibility extends beyond traditional office hours, ensuring that legal services are available whenever clients need them.

Conclusion

Are you ready to embrace the power of AI and ChatGPT to transform your personal injury law firm?

Integrating AI and ChatGPT in personal injury law firms has started to revolutionize the legal industry. These cutting-edge technologies are enabling lawyers to analyze vast amounts of legal data, predict case outcomes, streamline workflows, and enhance client communication.

With the efficiency gains and improved accessibility provided by AI and ChatGPT, your law firm can provide better-informed advice and build stronger cases while saving time and money for clients – and for you. The successful implementations of AI and ChatGPT in personal injury law firms highlight the bright prospects of these technologies in the legal field.

The post How AI and ChatGPT Are Transforming Personal Injury Law Firms appeared first on Hennessey Digital.

What can you do to stay ahead of the competition and make sure your law firm comes up first in the ads? You start by creating your own branded campaign and creating ads to boost your law firm’s visibility.

If you don’t know what a branded campaign is or how it works, no problem. Let’s break it down.

What is a branded campaign?

A branded campaign is a paid media campaign that includes bidding on keywords such as your law firm’s name and other phrases identifiable with your firm. Goals for branded campaigns include increasing the recognition and visibility of your law firm when someone searches for those terms, and driving more qualified leads to your website. Your banded campaign ensures your firm’s ad is seen by those who are searching for your firm by name, by attorney, slogan, and other related keywords. They also help to increase the return on investment (ROI) from your digital marketing since the campaign targets potential customers who are already familiar with your services.

This might seem counterintuitive to your law firm SEO strategy, and make you wonder if you’ll lose organic traffic, but that’s not the case. Branded campaigns boost your overall leads and cases. Since your law firm would be targeting individuals who are already familiar with your services, the likelihood of converting those search queries and leads into actual clients is higher.

Branded campaigns are also a good way to protect your firm’s name and reputation because you have greater control over how your branding and message appears, while working to trump other law firms that may use your name or variations of your name as keywords in their own advertising campaigns. By doing this, you are making sure that potential clients are not misled by ads that falsely claim to be associated with your firm.

Investing in branded campaigns conveys professionalism, authority, and a dedication to quality that builds client trust. Having both a branded ad and an organic position on the first page of the SERP gives you an advantage and allows you to control the message you want to show.

Law firm branded campaign cost

You may be wondering, “How much is this going to cost, and what kind of results can I expect from a branded campaign?” As law firm digital marketing experts, we recommend spending about 5% – 8% of your total Google Ads budget for it to be successful. Since this is a branded campaign, your results should be better than your non-branded campaigns. This means that you can expect a higher click-through rate, higher conversion rate, and ultimately higher ROI. After all, potential clients are looking for your firm by name.

Let’s break down what our data at Hennessey Digital has shown:

• The CTR (click-through rate) of law firm branded campaigns tends to be 3x higher compared to non-branded campaigns
• Cost-per-case is just one-tenth of the average cost-per-case for non-branded campaigns
• Cost-per-lead (CPL) is even lower; in fact, it can be up to 191% cheaper to generate a new lead through branded campaigns than the non-branded campaigns

This is why we strongly recommend incorporating branded campaigns into your law firm’s SEO strategy. It will benefit you more in the near and long term, so it is worth diverting a small portion of your total budget to do it.

Final thoughts

A branded campaign can boost your law firm’s exposure and brand recognition while generating more qualified leads that turn into actual cases. At Hennessey Digital, we incorporate branded campaigns into digital marketing strategies to ensure visibility and make sure advertisements are seen by people who are already familiar with your company or who are searching for your company’s branded terms. Your brand advertising efforts also reinforce trust, stop brand infringement and safeguard your company’s reputation.

Curious to know how Hennessey Digital’s customized approach to branded campaigns can help take your law firm marketing to the next level? Contact us to increase your leads and number of cases with an effective and efficient law firm PPC strategy.

Anthony Fournier, Paid Search Specialist, contributed to this post

The post Why A Branded Paid Search Campaign Is A Must For Your Law Firm appeared first on Hennessey Digital.

As an SEO-centric content strategist at Hennessey Digital and an amateur horse racing handicapper, I’ve discovered that these seemingly unrelated fields share more similarities than you might think, forming a tale of two fields racing toward success.

Analyzing Data Like a Pro: The Starting Gate

In horse racing handicapping, bettors put their money on the line, analyzing past performance data, lineage, post position, track conditions, and jockey records to predict race outcomes. Similarly, SEO gurus delve into the depths of website analytics, keyword research, and competitor analysis to optimize websites and climb in Google rankings. Digital marketers analyze all of this data to make informed decisions about current campaigns and plan out strategies for future ones.

Embracing Adaptability: The Key to Success in Horse Racing and Digital Marketing

Adaptation plays a pivotal role in staying ahead of the curve in both horse racing and digital marketing. In the high-stakes arena of horse racing, adjusting to changing track conditions, jockey strategies, and even the wind can make all the difference between winning and losing. Similarly, in the fast-paced world of digital marketing, adapting to evolving search engine algorithms, user behavior, new competitors, and market trends is essential for maintaining a competitive edge. By embracing adaptability, experts in both fields can navigate the ever-changing landscape.

The Home Stretch: Risk, Uncertainty, and Expertise

While SEO and horse racing handicapping might seem like a pair of mismatched socks, they’re more like two peas in a pod when it comes to the challenges they face.

Risk and Uncertainty: The Name of the Game

Whether you’re trying to predict the outcome of a horse race or the impact of a Google algorithm update, there’s always a level of risk and uncertainty involved. After all, will we ever forget the infamous Google Panda update that shook the world of SEO like a jockey on a wild stallion? Likewise, the world of horseracing was shocked and horrified when jockey Frank Hayes won his first race, despite the 20-1 odds against him and the fact that he died from a heart attack during the race. It goes to show, sometimes even the pros can’t anticipate the outcome.

Mastering the Art of Prediction: Expertise

Becoming a skilled handicapper or an SEO wizard doesn’t happen overnight. These fields require specialized knowledge and expertise to excel and achieve success. So, just like a seasoned jockey, the SEO expert must hone their craft through dedication and experience.

Keeping Your Eye On The Prize: Winning

In both horse racing and digital marketing, you have to keep your focus on the end result – success! Handicappers will adjust their strategy according to the horses’ performance to win the race. Similarly, digital marketers and SEO strategies will adjust a campaign if it is not performing, or they’ll develop a new strategy, whether through a paid media campaign or curating new content pages, to drive more traffic to a website. Keeping your eyes on the prize and making adjustments as needed will help you achieve your end goal.

Key Takeaways: Uncovering the Common Ground

You can’t deny the uncanny similarities that bring horse racing handicapping and SEO together:

• Data Analysis: Both fields rely on data analysis to make informed decisions and predictions.
• Adaptation: Adaptation is crucial to stay ahead in the ever-changing landscape of horse racing and digital marketing.
• Risk and Uncertainty: Dealing with risk and uncertainty is part and parcel of both fields, requiring a cool head and the ability to think on your feet.
• Expertise: Specialized expertise is necessary to succeed in horse racing handicapping and SEO.

So, the next time you find yourself at the race track, take a moment to appreciate the similarities between the thrilling world of horse racing and the dynamic realm of SEO. And who knows? Maybe you’ll discover a newfound appreciation for the art of handicapping and search engine optimization as you cross the finish line of success.

Need a jump start out of the gate? Contact our team to learn how we can help you win.

The post Horse Racing Handicapping and SEO: A Surprising Match Made in Heaven appeared first on Hennessey Digital.

With over 900 million users in more than 200 countries, LinkedIn offers users everything from recruitment tools and advertising capabilities to educational subscriptions and beyond.

With that, LinkedIn is a powerful marketing tool for any business, but especially for law firms. Given the often complex and regimented nature of the legal field, LinkedIn is a great platform for law firms to showcase their expertise and attract clients.

Here’s why your law firm should have a company LinkedIn page, plus some examples of law firms who are doing it right on LinkedIn.

Why You Should Have a LinkedIn Page for Your Law Firm

LinkedIn is so much more than just a networking website. It brings many benefits for law firms looking to grow their online presence and attract new clients.

There are a few reasons why you should have a law firm LinkedIn page:

• Organic marketing. LinkedIn’s organic (i.e. unpaid) platform allows you to reach other professionals and potential clients through LinkedIn posts, articles, comments, and connections. LinkedIn essentially works as a search engine, allowing users to find you by searching for keywords that match your services/profile.
• Networking. LinkedIn allows you to connect with other industry professionals. With your law firm’s LinkedIn page, you can connect with other lawyers, engage with past clients, attract potential clients, and discover what’s trending in your industry.
• Advertising. LinkedIn also has paid marketing tools; specifically, LinkedIn Ads. Creating a business profile is one of the first steps to getting started with paid LinkedIn Ads. Then, you can advertise your content and attract new clients.
• Brand building. LinkedIn gives you yet another platform to showcase your law firm beyond the usual social media channels. You can showcase your expertise, client testimonials, case studies, successes, and company news to a wider audience. This can help you build trust with existing followers and attract new clients.
• Hiring talent. You can post open job positions on LinkedIn’s job board, attracting new talent to your law firm. Your LinkedIn page communicates your brand values, mission, and culture, which may attract applicants to you organically.
• Business development. LinkedIn has free and paid courses to help you grow your practice, improve your leadership skills, and so much more. You can join relevant Groups, participate in discussions, post your own articles, and further maximize your reach on the platform.

Top Law Firm LinkedIn Pages to Inspire Your Strategy

Whether you already have a law firm LinkedIn page or are starting from scratch, the following law firm pages will inspire you to step up your game to make the most of the platform.

With these examples, we’ll include some tips for how to improve your branding, messaging, and LinkedIn Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to reach more users and, hopefully, clients!

1. The Basile Law Firm

An initial search for “law firm” on LinkedIn.com brings up The Basile Law Firm as one of the first results, which is a good indication that this firm has a strong LinkedIn presence.

This profile is well-optimized with content that’s relevant to the services they offer, and they have clearly spent time growing their follower base.

A quick look at their profile and you will see that their tagline clearly articulates the types of legal services they provide: “Securities Litigation and Public Company Restructuring.” They also include the term “law firm” in their tagline in order to rank for this keyword in LinkedIn search.

Further, the About section of their profile includes a strong value statement: “The Basile Law Firm P.C. is recognized in the public markets as one of the nation’s foremost securities litigation firms…”. The entire About section is well-optimized with relevant keywords as well, e.g. “public company restructuring,” “securities litigation,” “securities law,” etc.

The Basile Law Firm’s LinkedIn page is a great example of LinkedIn SEO at work, using relevant keywords to attract potential clients and rank high in LinkedIn search for the types of services they offer.

2. Stanton IP Law Firm

The Stanton IP Law Firm, P.A. is one of the first results when searching LinkedIn for “IP law firm”. Not only is their profile optimized for LinkedIn search, but their visual branding helps them stand out.

Right away, their tagline communicates their registered slogan, “You own it, we protect it!” They have a professional logo for their profile photo, as well as a well-designed background photo.

The Stanton IP Law Firm appears to be very active on LinkedIn, posting every few days. They have shared an open job position on the platform and continuously post organic posts (like the ChatGPT conversation post above).

This profile is a good example of how to use LinkedIn to find potential talent, drum up organic engagement, and boost brand authority.

3. Parnall Law Firm

The Parnall Law Firm is using eye-catching copy to attract clients. Right away, their profile name says, “Parnall Law Firm – Hurt? Call Bert.” The background photo includes a photo of the lead attorney, plus the name of the firm and their phone number.

Their profile also includes high-quality photos of the entire team, with a call-to action to “See life at Parnall Law Firm.”

Their profile is completely filled out, including a link to the law firm’s website, their phone number, their headquarters location, and their specialty areas. They are using the full LinkedIn real estate to their advantage!

When filling out your law firm’s LinkedIn profile, be sure to complete all of the fields available to you. This includes your tagline, About section, website link, phone number, Industry, Specialties, and more. This provides users with all the necessary information to learn about your law firm and to contact you if they are interested in your services.

4. Beasley Allen Law Firm

The Beasley Allen Law Firm LinkedIn page stands out as one of the best profiles around, given its bright and smiling background photo and well-written About section.

Their profile photo is their professional logo and their tagline says, “Helping Those Who Need It Most.” Their entire profile showcases their professionalism, friendly nature, and their experienced civil litigation law services.

They are sure to include their service areas (Atlanta, Montgomery, etc.), which allows users to know the areas they serve, and likely helps with LinkedIn SEO. They list all of their specialties (Business Litigation, Personal Injury, etc.), which likely helps them rank in LinkedIn search for these terms as well.

When you optimize your law firm LinkedIn profile, think about the types of keywords you want to rank for. Include your service areas and specialties in your profile, whether your tagline, About section, or Specialties section. This will help you attract the right types of clients and rank higher in LinkedIn search.

5. Wilshire Law Firm

Wilshire Law Firm is mastering its LinkedIn strategy with a fully-optimized profile and active video marketing. Their tagline includes relevant keywords (e.g. “personal injury,” “employment,” and “class action lawyers”), attracting potential clients and improving their LinkedIn rankings.

They have also posted multiple videos to support their organic LinkedIn strategy. Some of their videos include the firm wishing followers Happy Holidays, sharing a “save the date” notice for an upcoming event, and a recap of one of their successful wrongful termination cases.

LinkedIn’s organic algorithm considers user engagement (comments and likes), number of followers/connections, degree of connections, content relevance, and regularity of posting to surface your content to users. The more you use LinkedIn (by sharing blog posts, posting articles, sharing videos, commenting on posts, etc.), the more likely you are to reach more users.

So, stay active, post different types of content, and stay engaged with your audience!

Optimize Your Law Firm LinkedIn Profile and Grow Your Reach

LinkedIn is a powerful marketing, advertising, networking, and talent acquisition platform that allows law firms like yours to attract new clients and broaden their reach. Above, we covered 5 examples of law firms that are doing this well – with stellar branding, strong SEO, and active posting.

We’ve just covered the tip of the iceberg when it comes to LinkedIn’s capabilities. But the best way to use LinkedIn to your advantage is to get started now (versus later), optimize your profile, and get posting!

The post 5 Best Law Firm LinkedIn Pages to Inspire Your LinkedIn Marketing Strategy appeared first on Hennessey Digital.

So let’s dive into strategies you can implement this year to improve the ROI of law firm PPC campaigns on Google Ads.

Understanding how pay-per-click works

When running PPC digital advertising, also known as paid search, you are charged a fee each time someone clicks on your advertisement. Instead of relying on organic methods to attract clients, PPC allows you to “purchase” website traffic. This is particularly useful when you want to target competitive keywords, such as “personal injury lawyer,” and your organic ranking may not be high enough to appear on the first search engine results page (SERP). By bidding on the keyword and paying a certain amount if clicked, your ad will be displayed.

SEO and paid search strategies are effective when run together, as they boost your visibility on the SERP, and seeing listings in both places is known to boost trust in the credibility of a page or link when someone clicks. Developing a PPC campaign strategy for law firms takes careful execution owing to regulations and optimizing campaign performance, but it’s important to advertise there since potential clients turn to search engines and often engage with paid ads when looking for legal advice. PPC marketing can sometimes be expensive and competitive, too, but it can also yield a high return on investment with the right strategies and focused campaigns.

Never bid on broad single-word keywords

It’s important to not focus solely on broad single-word keywords such as “lawyer” or “attorney.” These can be costly to bid on and can lead to campaign inefficiency and wasted budget. Instead, think about targeting long-tail or multiple-word keywords that are more specific, less expensive, and provide more opportunities to capitalize on than the highly-competitive, broadhead keywords. By doing so, you can choose more specific, niche keywords that take into account the buyer intent and the practice areas that generate the most revenue for your law firm. This strategy may seem subtle, but it can have a significant impact on the effectiveness of your ads campaign and is a great PPC strategy to implement for your law firm.

Use negative keywords in your campaign

It might seem counter-intuitive to use negative keywords in your paid search campaigns, but it is a proven PPC strategy. Negative keywords are terms that you explicitly exclude from your PPC campaign so that your ad will not show up when a specific term is searched for. This strategy helps increase the chances of reaching your target audience.

It’s common to use multiple negative keyword lists, around seven to ten, so when thinking of what you want to include in your list of negative keywords, consider terms that are unlikely to result in a qualified sales lead, such as ‘legal aid,’ ‘games,’ and ‘apps.’ You should consider adding terms associated with education and careers to your negative keyword list as well as other low-quality, sales lead terms like ‘cheap,’ ‘free,’ and ‘inexpensive.’ You may also want to include cities and states that are outside of your target region. Being aggressive with keyword exclusions will help you avoid spending money on undesirable search terms, boost your conversion rate by reducing unnecessary clicks, and result in more qualified customers visiting your website or landing page.

Implement an effective keyword bidding approach

An effective keyword bidding strategy is crucial for a successful Google Ads campaign. This involves determining the right keywords to bid on and setting the appropriate bid amount for each keyword. To use automated bid strategies, Google Ads provides several strategies that can help optimize your campaigns for different goals, such as maximizing conversions, maximizing clicks, and targeting CPA (cost per acquisition). It’s important to regularly monitor and adjust your bids as needed to help ensure that you’re getting the best results for your investment. Keep in mind that the most effective keyword bidding strategy will vary depending on your firm’s unique goals and circumstances.

Protect your brand

Even if your law firm already ranks well in search engine results for your branded terms (ie: company name), it’s important to consider advertising for these keywords. If not, a competitor may use your firm’s name in their ad campaign and potentially divert customers away from your business. This tactic is known as “brand-jacking.” Even if your organic search ranking is high, a competitor could still appear above you in the paid advertising section for your brand name. To avoid this, bid on your branded terms to increase your digital real estate and maintain control over how your firm is represented in the paid advertising section.

A/B test with compelling ad copy

One of the fundamental rules of a winning PPC strategy is to test everything. Nowhere is this more important than in your paid ad copy. This is the copy that will either convince a potential client to click or not, resulting in them completing an online lead form, calling your firm, or looking at a competitor. Messaging is key and the ad has to speak to the needs and concerns of your target audience. Don’t fall into the trap of believing that you know what people want in your ads rather than what the data tells you. You can write the best ad in the world, but if it’s not performing by boosting click-through rates and leading to conversions, it means it isn’t working.

Google has a good built-in tool to test and measure different versions of your ad copy to determine what resonates most with your target audience and generates the best results in terms of click-through rate and conversions.

Although it may seem overwhelming to develop an organic search and paid media strategy that sets your law firm up for success in search results, understanding the ins and outs of law firm SEO is crucial for your PPC strategies to continually acquire new clients. A strong online presence and a constant flow of qualified leads are essential for the growth of your practice, and one way to achieve this is by working with an experienced PPC team that can manage and optimize your campaigns daily.

Looking to acquire more cases while keeping costs low, or want to improve your marketing strategies and establish a stronger online presence for your law firm? Trust our PPC experts here at Hennessey Digital to drive results for your law firm. Fill out the form below to learn how we can help you achieve your goals!

The post PPC For Law Firms: Proven Strategies To Increase Case Acquisition appeared first on Hennessey Digital.

For context, this is what it looks like:

Let’s talk about this new rollout. What exactly is the Profile Strength label on Google?

James: This new widget that appears on your Google Business Profile is essentially a reskinned version of the old profile completeness checker. The Profile Strength label tells you how complete your profile is by Google’s standards. The old version was filled with bugs and there was no way a profile could ever reach 100%. Since this rollout, we assume that the bugs are resolved, but it’s too new to test and know for certain.

So this isn’t anything brand new?

James: No, but as I said, the old version had a lot of bugs.

So since this is now rolled out worldwide, what can you tell me about the new Profile Strength label?

James: First, it’s important to understand what actually affects your rankings factors. Google doesn’t necessarily care about your rankings and overall presence on its platform. What they care about is data accuracy and whether or not you pay them for ads. With that being said, what we’ve seen is that the Profile Strength label tells you how complete your business profile is not only through the inclusion and accuracy of your business information but by the adoption of products and tools Google wants you to use. For example, we are seeing profiles marked as “incomplete” for things such as Google Ads and Google Messaging not being set up. And that’s where it gets tricky and you have to be realistic with how much emphasis you put on your business profile reaching 100% on the Profile Strength label. Some of those products and features on Google may not be relevant to a company’s digital marketing strategy.

So getting to 100% is impossible?

James: No, I don’t think it’s impossible. But if you blindly try to get 100% Profile Strength, it would require you to run ads as well as enable Google Messaging; both of which you might not want. It’s also important to note that reaching 100% on the Profile Strength widget is not a ranking factor. Both the previous version of the profile completeness checker and the new Profile Strength widget are not ranking factors. If it was, that would require PPC and PPC is not a ranking factor for your organic rankings.

Great point. As companies are working on their GBP (which some of us may always refer to as its old namesake, Google My Business), is there anything they should look out for?

James: Following the Profile Strength checklist might have you fill out stuff that is notoriously buggy and has no impact on ranks. An example of this is filling out the Opening Date section. This has been known to randomly suspend listings and isn’t something that feeds into user engagement enough to risk suspensions. Also, if you mark your listing as temporarily closed with an opening date, you risk your profile and reviews becoming invisible. This is another bug. The opening date isn’t a ranking factor so following the Profile Strength list is only taking on unnecessary risk.

Seems like there is still a lot going on behind the scenes. Anything else that businesses need to know about this new Profile Strength label and their Google Business Profile? 

James: The details in your Google Business Profile matter, so you shouldn’t ignore it, and the Profile Strength label helps make sure you’re not missing key information in your profile. One last thing to be aware of is that there still seems to be glitches with the new rollout. For example, what we’ve seen at Hennessey Digital is that some accounts are being told to complete their profiles by adding a description when the description has already been completed. So just be aware of the rollout of this new widget, but don’t be too concerned with it. Understand what actually factors into your rankings and don’t worry too much about the Profile Strength label.

Need help with your SEO or Local Search? Our team at Hennessey Digital works hard to stay on top of Google’s ever-changing algorithms and updates and teach our clients how to be successful along the way!

The post Should You Worry About Your Google Profile Strength Label?: Q&A with Hennessey Digital’s Local SEO Expert James Cant appeared first on Hennessey Digital.

Let’s dive in with some history to see how we got to where we are today and why GIS so profoundly impacts the digital space.

What is GIS?

The key to GIS is geography. GIS is all about the use of any location data or any data that is related to the “where” of things. The more data that’s available, the better GIS can work.

One of the first instances in the history of GIS (long before computers) is the famous map created by John Snow, a doctor and epidemiologist from London in 1854. At the time, he was seeing a high number of patients suffering from cholera. Neither he nor anybody else could figure out what was causing this outbreak, so Snow started to mark on a map where his sick patients lived and marked the location of water pumps in the area. Quickly he began to recognize a pattern that there were more sick patients concentrated around one specific water pump. He reported his findings and the identified water pump was determined to be contaminated – and therefore, shut down. The number of cholera cases began to decline thanks to his work, and his study has now become one of the go-to examples of early GIS in practice.

How does GIS work?

Modern GIS didn’t really take off until the 1990s with the development of computer technology and the internet for better data management, processing, and sharing. But the logic and process are still quite similar to what it was decades prior.

The key thing in GIS is data layering as seen in the diagram above. GIS is able to take data and create it into individual layers that can then stack on top of each other to create unique visualizations and identify patterns that could go unnoticed. The unique layering and data patterns working alongside current digital marketing and SEO strategies and techniques can create better planning and new decision-making processes.

To begin any GIS project we need data. Unlike data in a chart, data for GIS requires a reference to a location. In GIS, there are three main data types and all of them can either be used alone or as a combination:

Polygon data – This is like drawing country or state boundary lines. But polygons aren’t just limited to political boundaries or pre-drawn data available. With the use of different GIS tools, custom polygon shapes can be made to fit an exact area you’re interested in knowing more about.

Line data – This is like roads or rivers. And just like polygons, lines don’t just have to be pre-made. Custom lines can be created to fit a project.

Point data – Point data is the most-used data type in GIS, and can either be single instance or distinct data points. This can be addresses for buildings or different points of interest. Point data can be downloaded from different reputable sources, or created and recorded in a table. As long as each row in the table has an associated latitude and longitude or an address, then it can be converted in a GIS program and placed on a map for easier data visualization.

Once you determine the type of data you want to use, it can be created, downloaded, or imported into GIS software to be manipulated and analyzed. The most common GIS programs used are the industry standard ArcGIS Pro developed by ESRI, or an open-source, free alternative is QGIS. Both softwares have pros and cons, but foundationally they both are able to do a high-level analysis of geographic data.

GIS softwares work with unique file types that are used to combine table data and information that is relayed to the software on how and where to draw data. Once all this data is put into the software, the fun part of the analysis begins. In GIS there are many different geospatial tools used that can be used in infinite combinations that can accomplish the goal.

Once all the data is analyzed, it can be shared as a static map using various cartographic methods or brought into even more software available to create interactive maps, which is becoming more and more popular.

Where is GIS used today?

In the early days of modern GIS, it was primarily developed for environmental research to allow scientists and geographers to get a better bird’s eye view of their data and research sites. Today, GIS has stretched long beyond the confines of environmental science to the point where nearly every industry does, could, or should be using GIS.

For example, GIS is used quite a bit in the real estate sector when creating built-in maps for real estate websites to allow customers to view properties easily. Realtors also use it internally to get a visual of real estate trends that show the appreciation and depreciation of an area.

Another great example of GIS in action is with logistics companies. Companies that deliver mail or transport goods heavily rely on GIS to develop the most efficient routes for their drivers or the best routes to transport goods along. This process allows for cost-saving planning before the trucks even hit the roads.

A newer trend is using data forecasting with geographic data. As time has gone on, many GIS data sources have been able to store longitudinal, historical data. The availability of this data has allowed the opportunity for data science and GIS to blend together to plan for future events. A current example of this is mapping coastal flooding and being able to plan and prepare for where floods are more likely to occur. This data forecasting also allows aid agencies to know where to send resources in the event of natural disasters.

These are broad-term examples, but the most specific example that perfectly encapsulates GIS in digital marketing and one that most people are familiar with is Google Maps.

GIS and Google Maps

Google Maps mixes every type of GIS data together, from generating red polygons when you click on a city’s name to see where Google draws a city’s boundaries, to using line data for navigation of your route. Google Business Profiles act as point data in the map showing you where businesses are located and includes information on a specific business from phone number to hours of operation and reviews.

In fact, Google Maps also has a sort of “behind the scenes” look. If you go to Google Maps, you can switch to different layers and one of them is the traffic layer. You can see the roads and the traffic overlaid on top. When you get directions from Google it takes several different factors into account, including road laws like speed limit, road type (residential road vs highway), flow of traffic, and actively pulls data on traffic patterns. It may navigate you around heavily trafficked roads that slow you down or direct you around construction sites.

What is the relationship between digital marketing and GIS?

GIS can provide a wealth of information that can go unknown or unnoticed unless you knew it was available.

Google Analytics has a very basic form of GIS visualization built into it. You can look at a location overview to see where your audience is coming from, but Google is limited in what data it can pull and collect. It heavily relies on tracking the user based on their IP address and their site activity, but that is all the information Google Analytics can get. This is where GIS comes in to fill in the gaps and build out even more information on your potential user audience.

GIS can be used to provide a much more educated strategy for SEO and digital marketing plans. For example, say you want your website to reach a specific target audience based on demographics. The United States Census Bureau collects this information every 5 and 10 years and makes that data publicly available. Using GIS, you can download this data and work with it to overlay all your different target audience characteristics to figure out where that ideal audience is. Then you can use that information to make more informed decisions in your SEO strategy to reach your target audience faster than before.

GIS can help reduce the chance of creating an SEO strategy that does not reach your intended audience because the audience is either limited or not where you thought it would be.

How we use GIS here at Hennessey Digital

Local SEO strategies for law firms 

One of the most common uses for GIS we use here at Hennessey Digital for our law firm SEO strategy is collecting car crash data that different state agencies provide to the public. Almost every state in the country collects information on how many car crashes happen annually in their state. Some states go further to include more granular data on where the accidents occur such as counties, cities, or even location data on where accidents occur.

This available data helps to identify areas with high numbers of car crashes based on different criteria, or to provide a bird’s eye view of the data trends for the state. We combine all of this data with our unique analysis methodology to help create a more targeted SEO strategy that can quickly meet your audience.

Seasonality

Historical data is valuable in recognizing seasonal patterns of different phenomena. Knowing the seasonal patterns of an area provides answers on why data collected in Google Analytics is either doing better or worse compared to previous periods. It can also predict when a website may see more traffic for specific pages because more people in that area could be doing web searches using those keywords. It can even be used to prepare new website content to cater to seasonal trends rather than miss the peak window of time for a topic.

New business locations for clients

Determining a new business location requires taking several factors into consideration, especially when it comes to SEO. Savvy businesses want to be strategically positioned in a good SEO market while also being in a location with people needing their services who can be directed to their site. GIS is able to take all these factors into consideration and create a unique analysis and map that reflect the potential best locations for new business locations. We take into account data such as demographics to find your target audience, historical data trends, and potential up-and-coming trends to ensure better success for a new location.

The Future Outlook of GIS

GIS is and will continue to be a growing industry as more industries begin to adopt its capabilities. And using GIS in digital marketing and SEO is no exception to that growth. Every day, new techniques and tools are being developed to continue to push the boundaries of what GIS is capable of doing. It is becoming more commonplace to use GIS and the popular coding language Python together to create custom tools for unique projects. Python’s popularity primarily in data science and analysis makes it complementary to GIS’s analysis abilities. It even helps develop automation processes and integrate data science methods to give more insights into data.

As the blended field of GIS and digital marketing is just beginning, so are the ideas that come with it. Creative uses for data and analytics can create a well-strategized website that can reach its target audience faster than before.

The post Location Data: How GIS is Used in Digital Marketing and SEO appeared first on Hennessey Digital.

This type of SEO goes beyond simply using keywords and phrases to boost your website’s rankings. It involves optimizing your website for mobile devices, ensuring that content is fresh and relevant – even updating old content for users and SEO, and creating a consistent online presence on social media platforms. High-value SEO also requires an in-depth understanding of the legal field and what clients are looking for when they search for a law firm. This takes time and expertise, making it challenging to get the outcome needed without investing in a professional agency, especially one specializing in law firm digital marketing.

Before signing with a digital marketing agency, let’s look at what may factor into pricing.

7 Reasons To Look Beyond The Price Tag

Law Firm SEO is a very competitive industry. And while many companies offer low-cost SEO services, the quality of their work may not be at the level you would get from a company that charges more. When looking for an affordable SEO service provider, it’s important to know how they plan on providing value to your business and whether or not they have the experience needed to deliver outstanding results.

You should look beyond the price tag and instead consider the different aspects of their services from keyword research, keyword rankings, link building, and so on. The marketing plan needs to be attainable, measurable, and tailored to your firm’s goals. A good SEO company will take the time to understand your business, goals, and target audience. When considering hiring an agency to do SEO for law firms consider these as red flags:

        1. They don’t understand the importance of keyword research.

Many SEO companies only look at one aspect of SEO – ranking well on the search engine results page. However, multiple factors go into SEO success, and keyword research is just one of them. Keywords and their use in an overall content strategy are essential to any website’s SEO strategy. If you want to rank for a specific keyword, your site must have this keyword in its title and content. But if your site doesn’t have the right keywords or isn’t optimized for all relevant keywords, this strategy will not perform well for search engine algorithms. An established law firm SEO agency knows from experience which keywords to use for law firms and how to optimize content for SEO purposes.

        2. Their approach is too simplistic.

An agency that charges a lower price generally focuses on one particular approach to achieving results. In contrast, a full-service law firm SEO agency will have an entire team of experienced digital marketing professionals with a multi-faceted plan of action who understand the nuances of the legal industry and can create effective strategies to help your law firm succeed online.

        3. They ignore user experience.

User experience refers to a customer’s overall experience while interacting with your site. To retain customers, you must ensure they feel comfortable and satisfied during their visit. Getting new users to your website takes a lot of work, and once there, your site should be compelling enough to keep them engaged enough to want to contact you for an appointment. Lead generation for law firms – getting a phone call, or online lead form – is a privilege you need to earn. An experienced law firm SEO agency will understand the importance of user experience and create a website that is easy to navigate, has relevant content, and provides an overall pleasant experience.

        4. They don’t take into account the competition.

When choosing an SEO company, it’s crucial to consider your law firm’s competition. If you’re going against competitors with a strong reputation, you’ll need to provide something unique and compelling to stand out. In addition, you’ll need to have a comprehensive SEO strategy that considers the competition. A reputable agency will be able to analyze competitors and create an effective plan of action to help you outrank them.

        5. They don’t use any tools to measure performance.

These tools are specialized and are not cheap. Much like a carpenter has a toolbox, an experienced SEO agency will have access to the latest tools and technologies, such as Google Analytics, SEMRush, and Ahrefs, or tools and platforms they innovate internally, like we do at Hennessey Digital, to measure performance and track progress over time.

        6. They don’t follow ethical practices.

As a lawyer, you understand the importance of ethics, honesty, and transparency when dealing with others. Cheap SEO companies often use unethical tactics such as keyword stuffing, link buying, and hidden text, to try and get quick results. These tactics can lead to penalties from Google and other search engines. SEO for lawyers can be costly because doing it ethically involves not only the knowledge but the resources to create a successful strategy.

        7. They don’t take responsibility for their mistakes.

When hiring an SEO company, you need to make sure they will fix any issues if they occur and understand the reality of SEO. Otherwise, you could end up losing money and wasting time.

Low Prices May Indicate Low-Quality Work

Lower prices might mean cutting corners, fewer resources, or using tactics that are not in line with industry best practices, which can result in poor results or penalties from search engines.

These tactics, called “black hat” SEO, may include keyword stuffing, cloaking, and link schemes. And while tactics may produce short-term gains, they can ultimately lead to poor results which can be costly and time-consuming to recover from. Choosing an SEO company that uses ethical, white-hat tactics is vital to ensure the best long-term results.

“White hat” SEO tactics are those that follow industry best practices and adhere to search engine guidelines. And again, while these tactics may take longer to produce results, they are more sustainable and are less likely to result in penalties.

Key Takeaways

Your law firm needs an SEO strategy that will help you attract new clients.

Find an agency partner that has a:

1. Proven track record:

   A company that has a team of experienced SEO professionals well-versed in the latest industry best practices and techniques and a deep understanding of what it takes to succeed in the highly competitive world of law firm SEO with the results to back it up. You should also inquire whether they have any law firm SEO case studies.

2. Comprehensive services:

   Offering a range of SEO services to meet the needs of its clients. From on-page optimization and technical SEO to content creation and link building, with the expertise to handle all aspects of law firm SEO. This comprehensive approach ensures that all aspects of your law firm’s online presence are optimized for search engines.

3. Customized strategies:

   Recognizing that every law firm is unique with its own goals and challenges and takes the time to understand their client’s needs and develop customized strategies to achieve success. They work closely with their clients to identify their specific goals and develop a plan to achieve them, ensuring that their efforts are focused and effective.

Choosing a company based solely on cost can be risky. These companies may be cutting corners or using tactics that are not in line with industry best practices, which can ultimately result in poor results or penalties from search engines. It is essential to consider other factors, such as the company’s experience, track record, and the specific services they offer, in addition to price when selecting an SEO company. By choosing an SEO company that uses ethical, “white hat” tactics, you can ensure the best long-term results for your law firm.

The post Why SEO For Law Firms Is NOT Cheap appeared first on Hennessey Digital.

What is the difference between GPT-3 and ChatGPT?

GPT-3 (short for “Generative Pre-training Transformer 3”) is the third-generation language model from OpenAI that uses deep learning to generate language that can sound remarkably human. As soon as it was released in 2020, digital marketers and people in the SEO industry (who were lucky enough to get access) started demonstrating remarkable examples of GPT-3 generating text that many would consider “good enough” for a lot of everyday uses. And offshoots of GPT-3, including OpenAI’s DALL·E, gave us a lot of laughs as we created AI-generated images in 2021 – frequently spectacular, sometimes disturbing, and often hilarious.

While GPT-3 was already impressive, OpenAI may have finally found its killer app when it released ChatGPT to the public. It’s a variant of GPT-3 that’s optimized for chat applications – you ask it a question or give it a task, and within seconds it gives you what you asked for. Ask it a follow-up question, and it remembers the context up to that point, so you’re not starting over with each question. Services such as Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa have been decent at answering users’ questions for a while now, but overnight it felt like the whole industry had taken a once-in-a-generation leap forward.

How can ChatGPT be used for SEO?

When GPT-3 and other large-language models were first released, swarms of people in SEO and content marketing said, “I bet you can generate a lot of content very quickly with this.” And now, there’s no shortage of copywriting tools that promise to unleash the power of AI to help you generate thousands of words in mere minutes.

Although Google was slow to directly answer the question of whether or not AI-generated content met their guidelines, John Mueller did eventually address the matter in 2022. According to Mueller, like all automatically generated content, AI-written content is against Google’s Webmaster Guidelines. Later, however, Google tweaked some language to put the emphasis on “spammy” auto-generated content. Just last month, the company changed its quality rater guidelines to add “Experience” to its “Expertise, Authority and Trust” criteria. Clearly, Google is still figuring this all out.

The next obvious question is whether Google can detect AI-generated content. While we doubt Google or any tool can perfectly detect it, Google’s frequent “helpful content” updates and spam updates in late 2022 suggest that the company may already be dialing in that capability.

While we know some search marketers who have had great success with AI-generated content, we also have heard stories of sites that were doing great until they suddenly weren’t. So, proceed at your own risk. This may be a cat-and-mouse game that plays out over at least the next few years.

So, let’s leave “write a million words a day!” aside, and talk about other ways that SEOs can make use of ChatGPT right now. This article isn’t meant to be an exhaustive list; the following are just a few examples of how we’re already using (or testing) ChatGPT here at Hennessey Digital. These ideas may give you a good starting point if you’re still becoming familiar with ChatGPT and its possibilities for SEO:

Translation text with terrific results

Google Translate has been good for a long time, so much so that we think nothing of visiting a website that’s in another language and clicking one button in Chrome to be able to read the page. The understanding has always been that it’s a “good enough” translation for most everyday purposes, but try to translate a large passage with the tool, and the output will be crude compared to what a native speaker can write.

Things are changing quickly, though. A recent comparison of ChatGPT and Google Translate shows that ChatGPT can produce translations that are almost perfect, picking up on language subtleties that Google Translate rarely can. The bar for translation quality just got raised significantly, and it wasn’t Google that raised it. At Hennessey Digital we’re already playing with potential uses for our clients.

Generate schema markup for your content

Generating schema is not terribly difficult, especially if you use a WordPress plugin, but now you can simply go to ChatGPT and ask it to generate schema for you. We’ve tested this a bunch at Hennessey Digital already, and we’ve so far found it to be very reliable for this repetitive task.

Write (and learn about!) regular expressions

For those who can easily write regular expressions (regex), they’re powerful search operators when using tools like Google Search Console and Screaming Frog. But even computer science majors can sometimes get lost in the sea of backslashes and brackets. Enter ChatGPT, which will not only turn your plain-English input into regex, but it will also explain what it did so that you learn along the way.

Generate meeting summaries

Okay, this isn’t strictly an SEO use for ChatGPT. I have already tried uploading a Zoom meeting transcript to ChatGPT to generate a written summary, and the results have been impressive. “I’ll send you the meeting transcript” is sometimes helpful, but when it is a two-hour meeting and you want to make sure you didn’t miss the highlights, ChatGPT can come in handy. With a bit of extra work you can even do it starting with just the audio file of a meeting. Note that you may run into word limits if the transcript is too long. If that happens, just break it up into several sections, and submit them to ChatGPT one at a time.

These are some really helpful uses for ChatGPT, but…

How will ChatGPT actually affect SEO?

We already have many examples of how ChatGPT can change how SEOs work, but what could the technology mean for the industry overall? The biggest change may come from what it means to search the internet in a couple of years.

Right now “search” means a user typing in a search term, and the search engine presents a list of links along with ads. But what if there simply is no more list of links? What if searching “car accident lawyer” means the application returns one or two results of nearby providers? No Page 1 of results to work hard to get onto? No 3-pack of map results to fight for?

These questions aren’t entirely new – people have been fretting about what voice search could mean for search marketers for a while now. But voice search, as useful as it’s become for certain uses, still seems rather niche, and it hasn’t made an appreciable dent in how most people search for things online every day.

This does feel different, however. Just as most of us said, “Wow, I like this better” the first time we used Google search, there has been a lot of talk about how people can now sense how things will change in the next several years. Maybe Siri and Alexa will get a lot smarter (competition tends to do that). Maybe we’ll use Google search a lot less, and just trust an app to give us what we need, without the need to jump from page to page in a long list of links, hoping to find that perfect macaroni and cheese recipe. Maybe the app will understand each of us better after thousands of conversations over time.

If that happens, search marketing may become even more of a zero-sum game. Getting to the top of the Google SERPs is one thing, but if the “search engine” (that term may even become obsolete one day) talks to its user and recommends just one thing, marketers will have to fight like hell to become that one recommendation. And if there are no links for users to click on, then generating traffic from organic search may become less important than it has been for the past two decades.

How will ChatGPT affect the search engines themselves?

Without a doubt, the search engine leaders are spending a lot of time on ChatGPT right now. Google’s management declared a “code red” not long after ChatGPT was released, and many believe that there’s a huge debate happening inside the company about whether Google should disrupt its own business with its own version of the technology, or if it should protect its existing model for as long as it can.

The first place we will probably see changes is in how users interface with the search engines. It’s been little more than a month since ChatGPT was released to the public, and there are already reports that Microsoft is working on a version of Bing that will use ChatGPT to provide more conversational answers to users’ queries.

Search engine upstarts You.com and Neeva have also entered the fray, introducing “AI search assistants” over the past several weeks. I’ve tried You.com’s YouChat, and it’s not hard to imagine the majority of search queries being answered this way in a couple of years, if not sooner:

Whether these enhancements truly make search more useful for users remains to be seen, but this all seems a lot closer to reality than it did just two months ago. Who knows… we may finally get the elegant question-and-answer experience that Ask Jeeves promised back in the 1990s.

What else might happen to the search engine business? Let’s give ChatGPT the final word:

The post How Will ChatGPT Affect SEO? appeared first on Hennessey Digital.

The local SEO team and I are always on the lookout for potential scams and dubious claims. To help dispel myths about SEO and get the word out about these SEO scams, let’s break down what you need to know, things to watch out for, and how to protect yourself from being scammed.

SEO Scam #1: Fake listings in Google Maps

There’s a local SEO unethical practice that happens when agencies create fake business listings in Google Maps. False competition in Google exists for the purpose of intercepting traffic and reselling this organic traffic back to local businesses. This practice of buying traffic happens to a big extreme in Google Maps.

If you’re on the buying end of this transaction, what will often happen is the company you bought from will charge you more and more for traffic as you start to see results. As soon as this redirected traffic from fake listings is turned off, those listings can now be redirected to someone else—such as a competitor—but now, the fake listings that once helped you gain leads are competing unfairly against you.

Here are questions to ask yourself if you think a Google Maps listing might be fake:

• Does the business have a physical location?
• Is there an established date or legal documentation on the business?
• Are there any online reviews for the business?

If the answer is no to any of these questions, there’s a good chance the listing you’re looking at is fake. This is a “smoke and mirrors” game of local SEO where traffic from fake listings is repackaged and resold, and false competition takes over the top ranking spots again.

To protect our clients from this issue, we conduct regular audits of their rankings and competitors’ listings. If we detect an issue, we immediately report it to the client and to Google. Fake business listings are prevalent in the home services and retail industries and are seen throughout all markets within Google Maps. In the field of law firm SEO, fake listings have been an issue for car accident attorneys, but keyword stuffing is a bigger issue for this niche right now.

SEO Scam #2: Offer to remove negative reviews

First, let’s dispel a big myth in the SEO world: no one can remove negative reviews from Google Business Profiles.

If a review happens to be negative and fake, or negative and in violation of Google’s terms and conditions, that’s another thing. But if it’s a regular, real review that happens to be negative, you can’t get rid of it because this defeats the purpose of online reviews.

Remember: Google’s objective is to offer a third-party view into a business to increase transparency and trust. Search engines fight to maintain reviews from real customers so users can see feedback on the goods and services a business provides.

SEO Scam #3: Promising results within a specific time frame

Related to the promise of removing negative reviews, we also see offers from agencies saying they can guarantee a listing to rank within a week, or a set number of days. Making any kind of guarantee should always be a red flag, so don’t fall into the trap of these fly-by-night companies promising big results in three days.

While it might be possible to move the needle on a low-volume keyword within a short period of time, this is very different from ranking for a high-value keyword with a heavy search volume. SEO is a long game, and businesses spend a lot of time, money, and effort to rank for valuable keywords to attract leads.

Unless your business has zero online presence, higher rankings and call volumes within one week simply isn’t realistic. Most businesses have some established web presence, and some black hat SEO tricks might work, but 99% of the time, it’s a tactic Google hasn’t caught on and flagged it yet.

SEO Scam #4: Pricing that’s too good to be true

You know the adage: if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. This is absolutely the case with digital marketing and SEO.

If you’re getting offers of tons of Google citations for your business for $30, this is highly suspect. It’s the same concept as looking for an apartment: if you’re seeing a $500 listing in a market where $2,500 is the norm, it’s a scam.

So, how much should digital marketing cost? It will depend on your goals and which digital marketing services you decide to employ. A quote of $400 a month is suspicious, considering all the moving parts that go into a comprehensive digital marketing plan.

Consider all the moving parts of a digital marketing agency. Hennessey Digital has a global team of more than 140 professionals, each with a specific skill that contributes to our clients’ success. If a single person is claiming to be an expert in all things SEO and digital marketing, this is a huge red flag.

A reputable agency has a team of people working together on SEO, paid media, content marketing, and other aspects of digital marketing. One individual saying they’re a full-stack agency just isn’t realistic, so watch out for this.

SEO Scam #5: Charging for things that don’t actually work

Related to the issue of unrealistic pricing, many agencies that charge lower amounts will include line item charges for things that don’t have any effect on SEO.

Injecting images with data is a prime example of this. Uploading keyword data and image descriptions to Google through an image upload doesn’t mean Google is obligated to do anything with it, and the variables Google considers ranking factors are constantly changing.

But there are agencies that will promote low-value or no-value actions to create a list of important-sounding line items to sell a large package of work. Google is not transparent with what they’re doing with data behind the scenes, so don’t trust an agency or SEO practitioner who says they know exactly what Google does with all the data you give it.

Another example of a bogus charge is Google image map directions put into a program to point to your business. This is a spammy tactic to get citations: sometimes, nothing will happen, but sometimes a negative impact happens as a result. Watch out for this if someone tries to sell you on it as it could have a negative impact on your Google business listing.

Unethical SEO practices

We also see things that, while not outright scams, should be classified as unethical practices that you should be aware of.

Guest posts

We get these requests all the time, and it usually means working with a third-party website to get presence onto their site. More commonly, you pay someone who has a list of hacked websites that are brute forcing their links onto your website. A guest post might “look” normal, but a hacked site might show content about your business and 20 links back to your site.

Price point will indicate whether you’re working with someone legitimate or not. To get onto a quality website like Forbes, for example, it may cost thousands of dollars for a link like this. Reputable guest post services know their worth and will get it.

At face value to any business, an offer of guest posts will look the same, but their low price might indicate that they’re working through black hat techniques and/or hacking websites to get links.

Google Maps tricks

This one is difficult to trace until after the fact, but some unreputable agencies will keyword stuff Google Maps accounts to get results. Doing this can get you to rank in the Google Map Pack, but this practice could get your Google business account suspended. Be aware of the negative effects that keyword stuffing can cause.

Another questionable practice is opening “virtual offices” so that you appear in more places on Google Maps. This is a bad idea because one ranking factor is people engaging with your address: if you create 10 fake virtual office listings online, people won’t drive to them, and you’re already at a disadvantage.

Charging for a demo

Sometimes shady agencies will do a small demonstration of their work or provide “free” advice, only to turn around later and charge you for it.

Pay attention to the signals that something is a scam: if an SEO practitioner offers a free demo of their work and then sends you a bill, that’s a good indicator of something being off. If you’re looking to hire a company to improve your website and their website has no effort behind it, that’s a red flag.

If something looks awry, it probably is!

Protecting yourself from SEO scams

When we catch wind of unethical SEO practices or if clients bring something to our attention, we take it very seriously. My team and I are sensitive to these shady practices and potential scams. Being scammed is a violation and a terrible feeling, and we do everything in our power to protect ourselves and our clients from falling victim to a scam.

So what can you do to protect yourself from an SEO scam? Here are our top tips from our cumulative years of SEO wisdom and experience.

• SEO is a long game. If an offer to get your website to rank in five days for $50 comes your way, it’s a scam. The reality of SEO is that it takes some time, especially if you’re starting from zero.
• Digital marketing is dynamic. What works today may not work tomorrow, and this is why we always advise potential clients to choose an agency for their expertise, even if it’s not Hennessey Digital.
• Google isn’t explicit on how to succeed. They keep their secret sauce to themselves as they’re a for-profit business. People have theories on how Google works behind the scenes, but don’t succumb to the “quick win” mentality from someone guaranteeing results.
• Trust your instincts. If you research a company online and can’t find anything about them, it’s a good indicator it’s a scam. Reputation means a lot, especially in the SEO industry, and it’s what Jason Hennessey founded our agency on.

It’s human nature to want to take the shortcut, but SEO success doesn’t happen overnight. Look out for promises that aren’t realistic. It all comes down to managing your expectations, knowing what to look for, and finding a reputable digital marketing agency to partner with for the long term to give you lasting results.

If you’ve received an email with an offer like what I’ve shared here and are questioning its validity, send it to us. It never hurts to ask, and it’s our job to vet potential partners and digital marketing vendors.

The post SEO Scams and Unethical Practices: What You Need to Know appeared first on Hennessey Digital.