How To Choose A Marketing Company For A Law Firm

Choosing a marketing partner is one of the biggest financial decisions a managing partner will make this year. Get it right, and you create a predictable pipeline of high-value cases. Get it wrong, and you’re stuck in a 12-month contract that burns cash, generates dead-end leads, and sets your firm back, all while your competitors pull ahead.

As a “Chief Everything Officer” at your law firm, you don’t have time for a partner that doesn’t get it. You need an agency that understands the stakes, speaks the language of ROI (not just “clicks”), and respects the ethical lines of your profession.

This guide is your vetting checklist. We’ll cover how to choose a marketing company for a law firm by focusing on the 7 critical areas that separate a true growth partner from a vendor just cashing a check.

Why Choosing the Right Legal Marketing Agency Is Non-Negotiable

The legal industry is not like e-commerce or local services. Your sector is governed by strict advertising rules (varying by state bar) and is classified by Google as YMYL (Your Money Your Life).

This YMYL designation means Google holds your website and content to a much higher standard. Why? Because the advice on your site (or the quality of lawyer a user finds) can have a significant impact on their life, finances, or safety.

A generic marketing agency that doesn’t understand this distinction can get you in serious trouble. They might build spammy links or write thin, inaccurate content that causes Google to see your site as untrustworthy, burying you on page 10.

A true legal marketing partner builds your firm’s E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness), which is the foundation of sustainable, long-term growth.

As Google’s Search team explains, E-E-A-T is crucial for topics that have a high risk of harm.

Niche Legal Agency vs. Full-Service Generalist: What’s the Difference?

This is a common first question: “Should I hire a niche agency that only serves lawyers?”

The answer is: It’s the expertise, not the label, that matters.

Niche-Only Agencies:

Pro: They live and breathe legal marketing. They understand bar association rules and the competitive landscape for specific practice areas.
Con: They can sometimes be “one-trick ponies,” recycling the same website templates and strategies for all their clients, making it hard for you to stand out.

Full-Service Generalist Agencies:

Pro: They often bring diverse strategies from other competitive industries (like e-commerce or finance) that niche agencies haven’t considered.
Con: They may have no experience with YMYL, legal ethics, or the specific intake challenges of a law firm.

The Solution: Don’t hire a generalist. Hire a specialist. Look for a full-service agency that has a dedicated team or proven portfolio in the legal vertical. Ask them to show you their case studies from other law firms. This gives you the best of both worlds: broad marketing expertise and deep industry specialization.

The 7-Point Vetting Checklist for Your Next Marketing Partner

Use these seven points to structure your interviews and proposals.

Point 1: What Services Should a Legal Marketing Company Provide?

Don’t accept a vague “digital marketing” package. A modern law firm marketing strategy is a multi-channel engine. At a minimum, they should be able to provide and explain:

Legal SEO (Search Engine Optimization): This is the long-term foundation. It’s the process of making your website the most authoritative answer for questions your potential clients are typing into Google (e.g., “Dallas car accident lawyer”). This includes technical site health, local map rankings (Local SEO), and content creation.

PPC (Pay-Per-Click) & LSA (Local Service Ads): This is the short-term faucet for leads.

PPC management involves running ads on Google and Bing search results pages, targeting hyper-specific keywords (e.g., “DUI lawyer near me”).
Local Service Ads (LSAs) are the “Google Screened” or “Google Guaranteed” blocks at the very top of the search results. They are critical for law firms and operate on a pay-per-lead, not pay-per-click, basis. If an agency doesn’t mention LSAs, they are behind the times.

Content Marketing: This is the fuel for your SEO. It means writing high-E-E-A-T articles, FAQs, and service pages that actually help your potential clients, establishing your firm as an authority.

Web Design & Development: Your website must be fast, mobile-friendly, and, most importantly, built to convert visitors into contacts.

As marketing expert Brian Dean explains, creating content that matches “search intent” is the key to ranking in 2025.

Point 2: How Do You Measure the ROI of a Law Firm Marketing Campaign?

This question separates the pros from the amateurs.

If their answer is “we get you more traffic” or “we rank you #1,” walk away. Those are vanity metrics. You can’t pay your staff with “traffic.”

A professional agency measures what you measure: revenue.

Their answer should sound like this:

“We track everything from the first click to the final retainer. We use call tracking, form submission tracking, and CRM integrations to see exactly which keywords and campaigns are driving qualified leads. Our goal is to constantly lower your Cost Per Qualified Lead (CPQL) and, ultimately, your Cost Per Signed Case.”

Point 3: Can They Prove Their Results? (Beyond Vague Case studies)

Every agency has a “Case Studies” page. Don’t just read it; interrogate it.

Ask these follow-up questions:

“This case study says you ‘increased traffic by 300%.’ What was the starting baseline? 100 visitors to 400?”
“How long did it take to get these results?”
“What was the cost associated with this campaign? What was the client’s estimated return on investment?”
“Can you provide a reference from a current or former law firm client (with a similar budget to mine)?”

Point 4: How Much Does Law Firm Marketing Cost in 2025?

Be wary of any agency that won’t discuss price. While custom quotes are standard, they should be able to provide clear pricing models and ranges.

Monthly Retainers: The most common model. Used for ongoing services like SEO, content, and campaign management. Expect a range from $2,500/month (for a solo/small firm in a low-competition market) to $25,000+/month (for a multi-location firm in a highly competitive metro).
Flat-Fee Projects: Used for one-time deliverables like a new website, a brand strategy, or an SEO audit. This can range from $5,000 to $50,000+.
Media Spend (%): Common for PPC management, where the agency takes a percentage (10-20%) of your monthly ad budget in addition to a management fee.

Ask: “What are your typical pricing models, and what is the starting retainer for a firm of our size and goals?”

Point 5: Who Owns What? (The Asset & Data Questions)

This is a critical, often-overlooked question that can lead to a nightmare scenario. You must have 100% ownership of your core digital assets.

Ask them directly:

“Do I own my website, domain, and all the content you create for me, even if we part ways?” (The answer must be YES.)
“Will I have full admin access to my Google Analytics, Google Ads, and Google Business Profile accounts?” (The answer must be YES.)
“Are you building my site on a proprietary CMS, or a standard one like WordPress?” (Proprietary systems are a major red flag, as they hold you hostage.)

Point 6: Do They Understand Legal Ethics & YMYL?

This is your YMYL litmus test. Ask them:

“How does your strategy change knowing that legal is a YMYL category?”
“How do you ensure all content and ads are compliant with our state bar’s advertising guidelines?”

A good answer will involve E-E-A-T, attorney review of content, avoiding misleading claims (“we always win”), and the importance of author bios and citations. A blank stare is a deal-breaker.

Point 7: What is Their Communication & Reporting Cadence?

Don’t sign a contract that leaves you in the dark for 30 days at a time.

Ask: “Who will be my day-to-day point of contact?”
Ask: “What does your reporting look like? Can I see a sample report?”
Ask: “What is our meeting cadence? Weekly, bi-weekly, monthly?”

Look for an agency that offers a clear communication rhythm, a dedicated account manager, and reports that focus on the ROI metrics we discussed in Point 2—not a 50-page printout of keyword rankings.

Red Flags: When to Walk Away from a Law Firm Marketing Agency

If you hear any of these phrases during your vetting process, end the meeting.

“We guarantee you a #1 ranking on Google.” (No one can guarantee this. Rankings are earned, not promised.)
“We have a secret sauce.” (Transparency is key. A good agency will explain their process and strategy.)
“We own the website.” (This is a hostage situation. Run.)
“You don’t need to be involved.” (This is a partnership. They need your expertise and approval to create authentic, authoritative content.)
“Clicks and traffic are what matter.” (This shows they are focused on vanity metrics, not your bottom line.)

12 Critical Questions to Ask a Marketing Agency Before Hiring Them

What is your experience in the legal industry, specifically with my practice area?
Can you show me 2-3 case studies from law firms similar to mine?
What services do you provide? Do you specialize in comprehensive SEO services, PPC, or are you a full-service agency?
How do you measure success? What KPIs and ROI metrics do you report on?
What is your strategy for LSAs (Local Service Ads)?
How much will this cost, and what are your pricing models?
Who will be my point of contact, and what is your communication schedule?
Who owns the website, content, and ad accounts?
How do you stay compliant with state bar advertising rules and Google’s YMYL guidelines?
What is the expected timeline to see meaningful results from SEO?
What CRM or intake systems do you have experience integrating with?
Why should I choose you over a dedicated “niche-only” legal marketing agency?

How to Get Started with a Growth-Focused Legal Marketing Partner

Choosing the right marketing partner is a high-stakes decision, but it’s not impossible. It comes down to finding a team that is transparent, data-driven, and has proven expertise in your high-stakes vertical.

You are not just buying ads or articles; you are investing in a growth engine for your firm. Use this checklist to find a partner who will treat that investment with the seriousness it deserves.

At 12AM Agency, we specialize in building these data-driven growth engines for professional service firms, including in the legal vertical. We are not a “black box” agency. We are a team of strategists who believe in transparency and measurable results.

If you’re tired of vague promises and ready for a clear, ROI-focused conversation, let’s talk. Learn more about 12AM Agency and how we build predictable pipelines for firms like yours.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How long does it take to see results from law firm SEO?

It depends on your market, competition, and starting point. For SEO, you should expect to see leading indicators (e.g., gains in keyword rankings, more indexed pages) in 3-4 months. You should expect to see a tangible impact (e.g., more qualified leads) in 6-12 months. SEO is a long-term investment in your firm’s authority.

What marketing metrics (KPIs) matter most for a law firm?

The KPIs that matter most are tied directly to your revenue:

Cost Per Qualified Lead (CPQL): How much it costs to get a real potential client to contact you.
Cost Per Signed Case (CPSC): The total marketing cost to acquire one new, paying client.
Lead-to-Client Conversion Rate: What percentage of your leads turn into retained cases.
Case Value: The average revenue you generate from a case sourced by marketing.

Will I own my website and content if I leave the agency?

You absolutely should. This is a non-negotiable question to ask an agency before signing. You must retain 100% ownership of your domain, your website files, and all content created. Any agency that says otherwise is not a partner; they are a vendor trying to lock you in.

Do I need a new website, or can you work with my current one?

A good agency will perform a technical audit on your current site before answering. If your site is slow, not mobile-friendly, or built on an outdated or proprietary platform, they will likely recommend a redesign. A redesign isn’t just for looks; it’s to ensure the site’s technical “foundation” is strong enough to support an aggressive SEO campaign.

What are Google Local Service Ads (LSAs) and are they included?

Local Service Ads are the “Google Screened” listings that appear at the very top of Google, even above PPC ads and organic results. They are a powerful, high-intent source of leads for law firms. An LSA-focused strategy should absolutely be part of the conversation with any agency you’re vetting, as it’s a pay-per-lead system (not pay-per-click) that is extremely effective.