Lunch Hour Legal Marketing Legal Talk Network

Y’know what’s super annoying?—Google thinking it was okay to just auto-enroll all LSA clients into their branded queries. Sheesh. Later, should we all be mourning the death of links for SEO (again)? 
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Google… someday, we’d really appreciate it if you stopped being so presumptuous. Listen up, business owners—Google’s auto-enrollment scheme in branded queries for LSAs might be leading you to spend money unnecessarily, but it’s all a little too murky to know what’s really happening. The good news is: you can opt out if you want to. The bad news is: the current data is so fuzzy that it’s pretty darn tough to tell whether opting out is the right move. Gyi and Conrad pick apart their findings thus far and offer insights into how to navigate these shifts in your LSAs. 
The Link is dead; long live the Link? A recent article headline caught our attention: Google Confirms Links Are Not That Important. Is this really true, though? Nah. Links may have decreased in significance in some ways, but they still absolutely have a place in the SEO kingdom, and Gyi and Conrad explain why. 
The News:

Google just shared their Q1 earning call, and nearmedia.co has all the deets. 

Whaaaaa..?! Google Confirms Links Are Not That Important


Google’s March 2024 Core Update Finished April 19th — Hopefully any turbulence you experienced has died down by now. 

Next, Google tests scan-to-call QR codes and extra images on sponsored ads. If you see one within the legal sphere, send it to us! 

For all 2 of you who needed to know, you can no longer manually update ads on Bing as of April 30th: Microsoft Ads to replace Manual CPC with Enhanced CPC by end of April 

Old news? The Federal Trade Commission Announces Proposed Rule Banning Fake Reviews and Testimonials. Somebody’s gonna get in big trouble, y’all; we’re looking at you Banana Slicer.

Gyi and Conrad will both be participating in the Law Firm Growth Summit from May 21-23. 

And, LocalU Detroit is coming up on June 24th! 

Mentioned in this Episode:
The Bite - Lunch Hour Legal Marketing Newsletter!
Brand Conquesting: Dirty and Underhanded? || How would you spend $5000? - LHLM Episode
Join us live for LHLM Office Hours on LinkedIn or Youtube, May 17th. 
Leave Us an Apple Review 
Lunch Hour Legal Marketing on YouTube 
Lunch Hour Legal Marketing on TikTok

Your competitor is using YOUR name to promote themselves, and you’re totally ticked, but what can you do? Later, learn the very best ways to spend your marketing budget to grow your business. 
Generating clients for yourself by mentioning your competitor is sketchy, right? Or, is it? In the words of every lawyer ever, “It depends.” Gyi and Conrad analyze a particular instance of an aggressive brand practice Ben Glass highlighted in a recent LinkedIn post. A very questionable strategy used by one of his competitors could easily have misled consumers, so, ick, but is there an okay way to use a brand conquest strategy? The guys unpack the philosophy and ethics behind this type of marketing approach. 
Pop quiz, hot shot. You’ve got $5,000 for your marketing budget. What do you do? The possibilities could run in a variety of directions, and Gyi and Conrad share several creative takes on what kind of impact can be made with your investment. 
The News:

Everybody is in the digital media business—maybe even your bank! Yep, JP Morgan has started an ad agency… What do we think about this? - JPMorgan Creates Marketing Agency Built on Purchase Data  

Paid search is still king, but is regicide coming? - U.S. search ad revenues hit record $88.8 billion in 2023


 
Mentioned in this Episode:
The Next LHLM Office Hours will take place on May 3rd. Join us on LinkedIn!
Mockingbird Legal Marketing 2024 Review 
Gladiator Law Marketing Agency Review 2024 
The Bite - Lunch Hour Legal Marketing Newsletter!
You Asked, We Answered || A Line in the SPAM - LHLM Episode
Leave Us an Apple Review 
Lunch Hour Legal Marketing on YouTube 
Lunch Hour Legal Marketing on TikTok

Your CRM software isn’t just some technical database that should be hidden away somewhere. If you’ve got it, flaunt it! And, congratulations, you’ve made it through the first quarter. So, what checkups should you be doing on your marketing campaign?
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As you meet people, either online or out in the wide world, you should be considering each and every new connection as a way to grow your CRM database. It takes time and discipline to do it right, but it’s totally worth it to grow your business. Gyi and Conrad discuss the possibilities that lie within a robust CRM system and how to meaningfully and effectively leverage those connections. 
We’re 90 days in, everyone. How did Q1 go for you? Gyi and Conrad outline all the things lawyers and marketers should start measurably seeing after three months in the full swing of their marketing strategies. Is your target audience working? Are you hitting your priorities? What needs to change? The guys talk through all the questions you should be asking and the benchmarks you should be reaching at this point in the year. 
The News:

So, what should we expect from Google in the next 12 months? Well, Conrad just did a session on it at Mass Torts Made Perfect, so he’ll give you an overview!


Universal Analytics is seriously done-zo on July 1, so if you’re still using it, get out now. 

LocalU is coming to Detroit, and Gyi gets to help! LocalU taps into industry leading experts to teach about stellar SEO content. Check it: LocalU Detroit 2024 

 
Mentioned in this Episode:
The Bite - Lunch Hour Legal Marketing Newsletter!
Diverse Marketing || 30 Days In - LHLM Episode
Leave Us an Apple Review 
Lunch Hour Legal Marketing on YouTube 
Lunch Hour Legal Marketing on TikTok

Ladies and gentlemen! Tonight’s main event is a rough and rowdy throw down over: What exactly is a conversion? Later, LSAs are confusing, amIright? Gyi and Conrad shed some light on how to make the most of your marketing dollar. 
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So, you’ve just placed a Google ad, written a social post, or sent out a newsletter. Then, you sit back and hope for… what, exactly? There is definitely some argument about what a conversion is and isn’t in your marketing scenario, so get ready for some heat as Gyi and Conrad rumble over their diverging philosophies. However, at its core, the guys agree that a conversion happens when a user takes the desired action (whatever that may be) which, in turn, grows your business. They discuss how this plays out in the real world to help lawyers understand best practices in their marketing efforts. 
Later, the guys answer Local Services Ad questions from listeners. How long will LSAs be king for small firms? Do you really have to increase your budget to compete with legal behemoths on Google? Can effective targeting solve ad problems? Gyi and Conrad give their best takes on how to understand the nuances of the system. 
The News:

Is this whole TikTok ban for realsies? Questionable — Bill that could ban TikTok passed in the House. Here's what to know 


Google Integrates Social Media Posts Into Google Business Profiles Gyi and Conrad talk about how to make the most of it. 

Sooo… the Google March 2024 spam update is done rolling out. Did it make any difference?

Coming your way: DIY AI-assisted website stuffs that power your marketing—GoDaddy Launched Airo


And, we’re excited, folks! The First LHLM: Office Hours took place on March 15 and the guys are super grateful for all those who got involved. Join Gyi and Conrad again on March 29.  


This Podcast Rated [PG] by the Podcast Association of America* for mild language and bad lawyer jokes. 

*not a real thing

Mentioned in this Episode:
The Bite - Lunch Hour Legal Marketing Newsletter!
Last Episode
How not to use TikTok 
Conversion Confusion Cleared Up - LHLM 
More content, less traffic: part
More content, less traffic: part II
Leave Us an Apple Review 
Lunch Hour Legal Marketing on YouTube 
Lunch Hour Legal Marketing on TikTok

This time, the guys unpack Google’s latest headlines, caution lawyers against some highly questionable speakers at legal conferences, and share the latest books to add to your reading list.
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Today’s big thing—The News:

Google’s latest core updates are really trying to crack down on spam and garbage content. Will it work? Gyi and Conrad talk through what it all means for you. Check out: Google’s Search Status Dashboard for Ranking and Google Is Finally Trying to Kill AI Clickbait.

Disgusting, but predictable––Google’s February LSA update was super gross: Google tests Branded Local Service Ads with opt-out option.

Gyi explains how Google is trying to reduce spam in some areas through quality rater guidelines, but they don’t seem to care about it when it comes to ads: Search Quality Rater Guidelines: An Overview.

Conrad rants against Google’s Pay Per Click (PPC) tactics, so to wrap your head around PPC marketing in general, try LHLM 101: Advertisement Buying Alphabet Soup and Search Engine Land’s What is PPC – Pay-Per-Click marketing?


Later, there are a fair amount of conference sessions these days in which the speakers are paying big money to pitch their message/product to attendees. What do we think of this practice? Gyi and Conrad both have their own take, but the bottom line is: there’s a lousy content issue at conferences, and the guys share IRL examples of session claptrap you should avoid. 
Finally, what have the guys been reading lately? For Conrad, Shoe Dog by Phil Knight, tells the story of the messy process of building a successful business. And Gyi has been reading all of Tiago Forte’s books, including Building a Second Brain and The PARA Method for organizing your digital life. 
Mentioned in this Episode:
LHLM Office Hours are coming March 15th! Register or View Here
The Game Changing Attorney Podcast: The Brutally Honest Guide to Public Speaking
Leave Us an Apple Review 
Lunch Hour Legal Marketing on YouTube 
Lunch Hour Legal Marketing on TikTok

Subscription legal services are the future, folks, so let’s ride the new wave! The billable hour has become increasingly despised, but how do you make the switch to a subscription-based, recurring revenue law firm? In a live conversation at ABA TECHSHOW, Gyi chatted with Kim Bennett and Blaine Korte about how to leave the billable hour behind and create processes and automations that keep your ideal client’s journey in mind and make your law firm more profitable. 
Kim Bennett is CEO and co-founder at Fidu Legal.
Blaine Korte is CTO and co-founder at Fidu Legal.