Should Law Firms Use AI Content For SEO?

The legal landscape is increasingly competitive online, with law firms competing fiercely to rank higher in search results to attract potential clients.

As artificial intelligence tools become more sophisticated, many firms are considering whether AI-generated content should be part of their SEO strategy.

In this article, I will cover what I have found to work for law firms when it comes to using AI for SEO and content production.

The Reality of AI Content for Law Firm SEO

AI content can indeed work effectively for law firm SEO when implemented correctly.

Modern AI writing tools have evolved significantly, capable of producing content that ranks well in search engines while providing value to readers.

Many law firms are already incorporating AI content into their marketing strategies and seeing positive results, including my clients.

The key is quality control and proper implementation. AI-generated content requires human oversight and expertise to ensure it meets both search engine requirements and professional standards.

When properly edited, fact-checked, and refined, AI content can help law firms produce content in greater volume without sacrificing quality.

Content produced by AI tools can help law firms cover a wider range of legal topics more efficiently.

This broader coverage means more opportunities to rank for relevant search terms your potential clients are using, in a shorter space of time.

Where a firm might have previously struggled to produce comprehensive content across multiple practice areas, AI assistance can help bridge these gaps.

However, the effectiveness of AI content depends entirely on how it’s implemented.

Simply generating and publishing unedited AI content will rarely yield positive results long term.

The most successful approach involves using AI as a collaboration tool, where the technology provides drafts and outlines that legal professionals then refine with their expertise.

Human Oversight Remains Essential

AI tools lack the nuanced understanding of legal concepts that attorneys possess. Without proper review, AI content may contain inaccuracies or oversimplifications of complex legal issues.

AI is known for “hallucinating”, making up facts and even citations for those facts!

This poses both SEO and professional risks, as search engines increasingly prioritize expertise and accuracy while bar associations maintain strict standards for legal information.

Law firms should establish a clear review process for all AI-generated content. This typically involves:

1. Initial content generation with clear parameters and prompts
2. Review by a legal professional for accuracy and compliance with ethical standards
3. Refinement to incorporate firm-specific insights and expertise
4. Final editorial review for quality and voice consistency

This human oversight ensures the content actually demonstrates the expertise that both search engines and potential clients value.

Quality Over Quantity Is Non-Negotiable

One of the most common mistakes law firms make when implementing AI content is prioritizing volume over quality.

The temptation to rapidly produce dozens or even hundreds of blog posts can be strong, but this approach typically backfires.

I have extensively tested this personally on several test sites.

Search engines have become increasingly sophisticated at identifying content that offers genuine value versus content that exists solely for ranking purposes.

Google’s helpful content system specifically targets content that appears to be created primarily for search engines rather than to help people.

Rather than pumping out hundreds of AI-generated blogs, focus on creating fewer, higher-quality pieces that thoroughly address topics relevant to your practice areas.

A single comprehensive, well-researched article often performs better in search results than multiple shallow posts on similar topics.

It will also make it harder for competitors to out-do your content and take your rankings. You are essentially building a content “moat”.

When planning your content strategy, consider:

1. Topics that address specific client questions and concerns
2. Content that showcases your unique expertise and approach
3. Comprehensive resources that cover topics in depth
4. Strategic updating of existing content rather than constant new creation

This measured approach yields much better results long term while protecting your firm’s reputation for expertise and professionalism.

Not Every Piece of Content Should Target a Keyword

In my experience, including “natural” content that doesn’t specifically target high-volume search terms can significantly improve your overall SEO performance.

It makes your content look more natural, gives you content that competitors won’t have, and increases your perceived expertise on the topic.

The Value of Natural Content

Content that focuses on telling stories, sharing insights, or discussing emerging trends may not directly target competitive keywords, but it serves several important functions:

1. It demonstrates authentic expertise and thought leadership
2. It creates opportunities for organic backlinks from other industry websites
3. It helps establish your brand voice and differentiate your firm
4. It provides content that potential clients may share on social media
5. It signals to search engines that your website serves users, not algorithms

This natural content might include case studies (with appropriate anonymization), discussions of legal trends, interviews with firm attorneys, or perspectives on recent legal developments.

While these pieces may not directly target high-volume keywords, they contribute to your site’s overall authority and relevance.

When interspersed with more keyword-focused content, these natural pieces create a content ecosystem that search engines increasingly recognize and reward with better rankings.

They also provide valuable context that helps search engines better understand your more strategic SEO content.

Balancing Different Content Types

The most effective content strategies for law firms include a mix of:

1. Core practice area pages optimized for primary keywords
2. Informational content addressing common legal questions
3. Thought leadership pieces demonstrating expertise
4. Local content relevant to your geographic service areas
5. Timely content responding to legal developments

AI tools can assist with creating drafts for all these content types, but the level of human input required will vary.

Practice area pages and content addressing complex legal concepts will require significant attorney input, while more general informational content might need less extensive revision.

Maintaining Ethical Standards With AI Content

For law firms, using AI content comes with unique ethical considerations that other businesses may not face.

Legal marketing is subject to advertising rules set by state bar associations, and attorneys have professional obligations regarding the accuracy of legal information they provide.

AI-generated content must be carefully reviewed to ensure it doesn’t:

1. Make promises or guarantees about case outcomes
2. Include misleading statements about your firm’s capabilities
3. Provide inaccurate legal advice that clients might rely upon
4. Create attorney-client relationships inadvertently
5. Violate confidentiality or solicitation rules

These ethical concerns make the review process especially important for law firms. Every piece of content your firm publishes should be considered an extension of your professional advice and subject to the same standards of care.

Avoiding Common AI Content Pitfalls

Beyond ethical concerns, there are several common pitfalls law firms should avoid when implementing AI content:

Generic content that fails to differentiate your firm will not help your SEO efforts. Ensure AI-generated content is customized to reflect your firm’s unique perspective, experience, and approach to legal services.

Outdated legal information can harm both your SEO performance and professional reputation. AI tools trained on older data may not reflect current laws, precedents, or procedures. Always verify that legal information is current and accurate.

Over-optimization through excessive keyword usage can trigger search engine penalties. Modern AI tools sometimes fall into patterns of repeating terms too frequently. Ensure your edited content reads naturally and avoids keyword stuffing.

Complex legal concepts often require nuanced explanations that initial AI drafts may oversimplify. Pay special attention to these sections during review, ensuring the content accurately represents legal complexities while remaining accessible to potential clients.

Strategic Implementation for Maximum Impact

When implementing AI content as part of your law firm’s SEO strategy, consider these best practices:

Start with a Clear Content Strategy

Before generating any content, develop a comprehensive content strategy that identifies:

1. Primary practice areas and services to emphasize
2. Geographic areas to target
3. Client personas and their typical questions
4. Competitive gaps your content can address
5. Distinctive aspects of your firm to highlight

This strategy will guide your content creation and ensure AI tools are generating relevant material aligned with your business goals.

Use AI for Research and Outlines

Some of the most effective applications of AI for law firm content include:

1. Identifying potential topics based on search trends
2. Creating outlines for complex legal articles
3. Drafting initial versions of standard sections
4. Suggesting potential questions clients might have
5. Helping repurpose existing content for different formats

Using AI in these supportive roles often yields better results than relying on it for complete content creation.

Implement a Layered Review Process

The most successful law firms using AI content implement a multi-stage review process:

1. Initial AI generation based on strategic briefs
2. Technical review by marketing staff for SEO fundamentals
3. Legal review by attorneys for accuracy and compliance
4. Editorial refinement for voice, style, and clarity
5. Final approval before publication

This process ensures content meets both marketing objectives and professional standards.

Need Expert Help With Law Firm SEO?

Effectively implementing AI content for your law firm’s SEO strategy requires balancing technical marketing knowledge with legal expertise.

The right approach can significantly improve your SEO performance while maintaining the professional standards your clients expect.

As a specialized SEO agency for law firms, we at Dominate Marketing understand the unique challenges of legal marketing.

We can help you develop and implement an AI content strategy that drives results without compromising quality or ethics.

Our team works directly with you to ensure all content accurately represents your firm’s expertise while maximizing search visibility.

Contact Dominate Marketing today by filling out the form below to discuss how we can help your law firm leverage AI content effectively while dominating your local search results.