It’s spring cleaning season, which means it’s time to air out the house, donate your old clothes, and kick your stale legal marketing strategies to the curb. You officially have our permission to reject these “best” practices and do what actually makes you feel good about your marketing.

Optimize for Search

Here’s the thing about SEO: The search results page doesn’t look the way it did five years ago, so appearing on the first page doesn’t really matter. These days, results kick off with AI-generated answers, sponsored posts, Google Maps packs, featured snippets, and approximately 40 other things competing for attention before anyone sees your website.

Here’s what my screen looks like when I Google “real estate lawyer.” There are only two law firms on this whole page.


above the scroll	directly below the scroll

Consider this: If you're not consumer-facing, the majority of your work probably comes from referrals. Your potential clients aren’t Googling their way to you, nor is Google likely bringing you clients who can afford you.

That said, SEO investment can make sense for consumer-focused practices. However, even with a consumer practice, you probably don’t want every random searcher knocking on your door. Instead of casting a wide net, work with an SEO pro to tailor your tactics to land quality clients. (That’s not what we do, but we can refer you to some firms we trust.)

For everyone else, keep it simple: Update your Google Business profile so people can find you when they search for you by name, and so satisfied clients can leave reviews. Beyond that, don’t agonize too much over how “optimized” you are for search engines.

Show Up on All the Socials

Sure, your clients are probably on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and whatever new platform launched last Tuesday, but that doesn’t mean your firm should be. Think about your own activity on social media: Are you looking for sophisticated legal services, or are you looking for soup recipes? It’s the same for your potential clients.

Of course, there are exceptions to the rule. There are some very interesting lawyers on TikTok, but unless you have the time, resources, and desire to work with a team on filming, editing, rounds of revisions, and final cut approval (or to do it all yourself), don’t try to match their game.

What’s more, being on a platform badly does more harm than good. An Instagram account with eleven posts from three years ago is like having a fridge stocked with expired food. Nobody wants to see that. Set yourself up for success and stick to LinkedIn.

Feed the LinkedIn Algorithm

Since I just told you to focus on LinkedIn, let's be clear about what that actually means, because it’s not sharing fake motivational posts to drum up engagement.

Here’s the bare minimum of what to do on LinkedIn: Exist, be accurate, and be findable (i.e., don’t be set to “private”). When someone is referred to you, the first thing they do is look you up. They want to see that your profile is current, that you look like a real professional, and that you have some human presence on the platform. That's it.

On top of that, the real impact comes with leveraging your own network. You don’t need to be an obnoxious LinkedIn influencer; you just need to engage with what your firm or colleagues publish. A simple re-share with your own single-sentence hot take (or even just a comment) will do the trick.

Stick to Your Content Calendar

We love a content calendar. It helps you plan the year, coordinate who's writing what, and make sure you’re not scrambling for ideas during a slow month. I’m not trying to talk you out of having one.

But I am trying to talk you into viewing it as a guideline, not a contract. Life happens. If you're slammed with a major matter and family obligations in May, skip the blog post. Nobody is going to notice, and a skipped month beats a phoned-in post. (Just don’t make a habit of it!) On the flip side, if your firm lands a new hire, wins a major case, and moves offices all in the same month, write about all of it and shift the topical post to later in the year.

To help clients embrace that mindset, when I send “it’s time for our next blog post!” reminders, I always include a note to the effect of, “here’s what’s on the calendar, but if there’s something else you’d prefer to discuss, go for it.”

That way, when something timely drops, like a celebrity divorce, a headline-making probate lawsuit, or a major EPA regulatory change, there’s no need to feel guilty about canceling plans. Timeliness is a virtue, and the article on real estate contract clauses will still be relevant next quarter.

Chase Every Gold Star

Legal awards are genuinely useful. They signal that peers in your industry know your reputation and would feel comfortable sending clients your way. Plus, AI search tends to prioritize awards when spitting out law firm recommendations. Go ahead and promote the heck outta them!

But be warned: Not all awards are created equal, and some of them are closer to paid advertising than peer recognition. If writing a check is the primary qualification for making the list, the distinction isn’t much of a distinction, and clients and referral sources often know the difference.

The ones worth chasing are the ones with actual selection criteria, even if the criteria is as basic as “hey other lawyers, do you think this lawyer is a good lawyer”? Those awards are worth pursuing (some are worth pursuing more than others; we can help you figure that out). The rest are just wasted space in your virtual trophy case.

Spring Forward

Don’t let your marketing control you. Ditch the tactics that drain your resources, and move forward confidently with the ones that provide value. Remember: You don’t need to be good at everything, or even perfect at one thing. Just be OK enough at a few things and spend the rest of your time being an excellent lawyer. Being great at your job is the ultimate marketing strategy, anyway.

Christina takes traditional legal marketing copy and upcycles it into snackable, clickable, and shareable digital content. As Muse’s newsletter aficionado, she creates custom newsletters for clients from development to distribution.

If you’re looking for a snappy headline or engaging email, send her a note at christina.dipinto@muselegalpr.com.

Spring Cleaning: Legal Marketing Tactics to Toss Out With the Trash