Now that 2025 is firmly underway, the SEO landscape is undergoing fundamental changes. To remain competitive, law firms and marketers must stay informed about all the developments shaping the organic search world. From advancements in large language models (LLMs) to shifts in user behavior, here are the key SEO trends we’re watching closely this year.
AI-Driven Search: The Rise of LLMs
2024 saw significant developments in large language models (LLMs), with the introduction of tools like ChatGPT and Google’s AI Overviews. OpenAI rolled out search functionality to more ChatGPT users in late 2024, offering real-time web-browsing capabilities.
While it’s not a traditional search engine, “SearchGPT” and similar platforms have the potential to disrupt the market by providing live, dynamic responses to user queries. As adoption grows, businesses should explore how AI-powered tools can integrate into their SEO strategies.
From an SEO perspective, this means:
- Search queries are becoming longer and more conversational.
- Businesses need to focus on creating content that aligns with natural language queries.
- AI tools are influencing how users interact with search engines, which could reduce reliance on traditional platforms like Google.
LLMs like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity are still in their infancy, and even power users of these platforms still use traditional search engines to find information and business online. However, we’ll be watching traffic trends closely to identify changes in user behavior and increased adoption of these tools.
What Law Firms Should Know
Personal injury firms should focus on creating conversational, user-focused content that aligns with how clients naturally phrase their questions about legal issues. For example, answering queries like “What should I do after a car accident?” in a detailed yet approachable manner can help your site rank better as LLMs prioritize context-rich responses.
Shifting Search Behaviors and Google’s AI Overviews
Google’s AI Overviews have forever changed the search experience. These overviews, which provide direct answers at the top of search results, increasingly appear in more queries. While convenient for users, they pose challenges for websites dependent on organic traffic.
This leaves many unanswered questions that marketers are hoping to answer in 2025. What is the click-through rate of websites listed in AI Overviews? How does the existence of AI Overviews impact overall organic traffic to websites? Do zero-click searches (Google searches that end without a click on search engine results pages) increase significantly with the emergence of AI Overviews?
Websites like NerdWallet have already reported significant drops in organic traffic. Local businesses like law firms face a very different competitive environment than businesses focused on national audiences. However, the increase of AI Overviews on results pages is an important trend for any business creating informational content.
What Law Firms Should Know
Google’s AI Overviews may significantly reduce clicks to legal websites by answering basic questions directly. To counteract this, firms should create content that goes beyond surface-level information.
Offering case studies, detailed legal guides, or testimonials can differentiate your site and encourage users to click through for deeper insights. Also, tracking traffic patterns in response to AI Overviews will be crucial to adjusting your strategies in real-time.
We’ve covered this topic in greater detail if you’d like to learn how Google AI Overviews impact law firms.
Increased Importance of Great User Experience (UX)
Thanks to Google’s documentation leak in 2024, we now know that user experience directly impacts search rankings. Metrics like page speed, bounce rates, and overall site usability are more important than ever.
This isn’t a huge surprise for those of us who have been paying attention. We know that a website that loads in one second has a lower bounce rate than one that takes three or more seconds. But great UX goes beyond fast page load speeds.
User experience is its own discipline, and it’s important for website owners to examine behavioral data like heatmaps to understand user friction points and maximize conversion opportunities. Tools like HotJar and Contentsquare, when used consistently, can help you ensure that you’re meeting your users’ needs and business goals.
You spend a lot of time, money, and effort creating great content, building your brand, and driving traffic to your website. In 2025, as this traffic becomes even more of a premium commodity, it’s critical you pay close attention to user experience.
What Law Firms Should Know
For personal injury firms, user experience extends beyond aesthetics—it’s about trust and ease of access. Clients searching for legal help may already be under stress, so ensuring fast-loading pages, intuitive navigation, and clear calls-to-action is critical.
Features like live chat, mobile-friendly design, and simple contact forms can significantly impact conversion rates and help retain visitors who might otherwise bounce to a competitor.
The Growing Importance of Brand Awareness
Another less-than-surprising finding from the 2024 Google leak is that brand awareness matters for SEO. Google favors established brands. As marketers in the personal injury legal space, we can clearly see that established firms perform better than newcomers, and it takes time to build a big enough reputation to be competitive on Google.
Building brand awareness is one of the oldest and most foundational aspects of marketing. What’s becoming increasingly clear to many SEO professionals is that the days of smaller businesses using Google to level the playing field against their giant competitors is coming to an end.
Brand matters more now than it has since the emergence of Google, and that’s only going to continue in the years to come. If you’re not focusing on raising awareness and trust in your law firm in your markets, you will struggle to compete and grow.
So, get involved in your community, engage with your audience on social media, and invest in brand awareness advertising to position yourself for growth in 2025 and beyond.
What Law Firms Should Know
In a saturated market like personal injury law, building brand trust is paramount. Personal injury firms should leverage community engagement, client success stories, and authoritative content to strengthen their brand reputation.
Participating in local events, supporting charities, and actively engaging on platforms like LinkedIn or Instagram can build awareness while demonstrating a firm’s dedication to its clients and community.
SEO Should Be Part of a Holistic Strategy
SEO no longer operates in isolation. Social media, paid advertising, and traditional marketing channels all influence search rankings, especially as it relates to brand awareness.
Now more than ever, it’s important for law firms to:
- Align content, social media, and advertising efforts to amplify your online presence.
- Monitor how offline campaigns (TV, outdoor, etc.) drive online engagement.
- Use data from platforms to track the impact of multi-channel efforts on website traffic and SEO.
You want consistency in your message and branding campaigns. You also want to ensure you have someone in-house who both encourages reviews from clients and responds to them online.
Optimizing your online presence for Google is not just about appearing for high-value, unbranded keywords; it’s also about putting your best foot forward once your traditional marketing, advertising, and social media campaigns drive future clients to seek you out online.
What Law Firms Should Know
Personal injury law firms must align their SEO efforts with offline campaigns like TV or billboard advertising to ensure brand consistency. For example, a TV campaign about car accidents should lead potential clients to a website landing page that reinforces the same message. Additionally, reviews and testimonials collected from past clients should be integrated into your SEO strategy to boost trust and rankings.
Expect the Unexpected
2024 taught us that we can’t predict everything that will shape our industry in the months and years ahead. The rapid pace of technological advancements means SEO is constantly changing. Tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and even Google’s own AI Overviews are still very new, and their full impact remains to be seen.
Even a modest shift in market share from Google to alternative platforms could have significant implications. And even if Google continues to dominate the local business scene for decades to come, the emergence of these technologies could force its hand to make changes to its search.
Remember to closely monitor industry developments and be ready to pivot strategies as needed. Regularly update your SEO practices to align with new technologies and algorithms. Most importantly, focus on evergreen principles: creating quality content, providing a pleasant user experience, and building brand trust.
What Law Firms Should Know
The personal injury industry thrives on being adaptable, and SEO trends demand the same flexibility. Firms should invest in ongoing SEO audits and keep an eye on emerging tools and platforms that could impact search behavior. Staying informed through industry webinars or partnering with an agency that understands personal injury-specific challenges will help ensure your strategy evolves with the changing digital landscape.
Future-Proof Your Firm’s Growth With cj Advertising
The SEO world in 2025 is as dynamic as ever, with AI advancements, changing user behaviors, and new tools reshaping the way we approach digital marketing. By staying informed and adaptable, law firms can navigate these changes and maintain a strong online presence.
Contact us today to learn how we can keep you ahead in your market.