What Is The Impact Of SGE On Law Firms?

Google’s SGE appears to be reducing organic traffic to law firm websites by surfacing AI-generated summaries directly in search results, which means users can get the information they need without clicking through to the firm’s site— resulting in a significant drop in organic sessions and a decline in unique inbound calls, and form completions, as tracked through call tracking platforms.

What is Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE)?

Google’s generative AI, particularly its Search Generative Experience (SGE), enhances search results by using AI to generate quick, conversational summaries and answers directly within search results, pulling from multiple sources to help users understand complex topics faster without needing to click through multiple links.

How can law firms pivot their marketing to tactics that are currently working?

Given the impact of SGE on organic traffic, law firms should consider shifting focus toward high-intent, trackable marketing channels that still deliver measurable ROI. Here’s what to prioritize:

Marketing Strategy for Law Firms in the Age of Google’s Generative AI (SGE)

Prioritize Paid Channels That Drive Calls

• Google Ads (PPC): Focus on high-intent, call-driven campaigns with optimized landing pages and clear CTAs.
• Local Services Ads (LSAs): Capture verified leads at the top of local search results.

Strengthen Local SEO

• Actively manage your Google Business Profile with Local SEO:
  • 4 posts/month linked to blog content
  • Regular Q&A and review management
  • Updated business photos
• Publish:
  • 4 blog posts/month
  • 4 press releases/month (linked to the blog posts)
  • MyMaps Map embeds
  • Backlinks
  • Internal linking to key service area pages
  • Support indexation to ensure content is crawled and ranked.

Check out our legal content writing service to support blog posts and Google Business Profile posts.

Ensure AI Inclusion Through Crawlability & Structure

• Develop content hubs with:
• Allow AI crawlers by updating your robots.txt to include:
  • Googlebot
  • GPTBot
  • ClaudeBot
  • CCBot
  • Ensure Cloudflare allows the crawling of AI bots at the application level.
• Conduct an AI crawlability audit to confirm your content can be accessed and understood by LLMs.

Launch a YouTube Channel for AI & Search Visibility

• Google’s LLMs heavily pull from YouTube.
• Publish short, optimized videos on legal FAQs, practice area overviews, and client education.
• Include keyword-rich titles, descriptions, and transcripts.

Capture and Attribute Leads Effectively

• Use:
  • Integrate call tracking with Clio, MyCase, or Lawmatics for marketing attribution.

Expand Brand Reach Beyond Google Search

• Build awareness through:
• Retargeting ads
• Consistent YouTube content
• Podcast features
• Local sponsorships or community involvement

How your law firm can pivot it’s marketing

As Google’s Search Generative Experience continues to reshape how users engage with legal content online, law firms must adapt quickly to maintain visibility and lead flow. By doubling down on high-converting channels like LSAs, PPC, YouTube, and Local SEO—and ensuring your website is structured for AI discoverability—you position your firm to thrive in a search environment that increasingly favors AI-generated results. The key to staying competitive lies in visibility, attribution, and agility.