Law firms buy marketing under rules most businesses never think about. Every state regulates lawyer advertising through its own rules of professional conduct, and Indiana is no exception. That does not make marketing harder to do well. It makes the order of the work clear: the firm’s lawyers decide what runs, and the agency builds the campaign around that.
Marketing Agency Indianapolis is an independent referral service, not a marketing agency. When you send the form, your details go to an independent marketing agency that prepares any proposal and does any work.
This page is about buying marketing for a firm. It is not legal advice, and it does not tell you what Indiana’s rules allow. For that, check the rules with the bar or ask a lawyer who handles professional responsibility.
A crowded field to market in
The Census Bureau’s County Business Patterns for 2023 count 475 offices of lawyers with paid employees in Marion County. That figure leaves out solo lawyers with no staff, so the real number of firms competing for a search is higher. In a field that size, a firm is chosen on clarity: which matters it takes, which lawyer handles them, and how to start.
Where the rules shape the work
The ABA’s Model Rules, which states use as a starting point, say a lawyer may not make a false or misleading communication about the lawyer’s services. The comments warn that even truthful past results can mislead if they create unjustified expectations. Each state adopts its own version and adds its own details. Colorado’s Rule 7.2, for example, says a lawyer may pay for internet advertising and for website designers, may pay for leads only from a lead generator that does not recommend the lawyer, and must name at least one lawyer or firm responsible for an ad. Some states, such as Texas and Florida, review or require filing of certain ads.
- Ask the agency to show every ad and page before it runs. The firm approves, the agency publishes.
- Leave out results unless your lawyers say otherwise. Results language is where many rules focus.
- Name who is responsible. Ask your lawyers what the rules require an ad to include.
- Never let anyone promise to refer clients or share fees. Fee-sharing rules apply to lawyers; an agency sells marketing, not cases.
Search: one page per practice area
People search for the problem in front of them. A firm’s site works well with a clear page for each practice area, written in plain words, saying who the firm helps and how to get in touch. Google’s guidance on helpful content says its systems favor information made to help people, not content made to manipulate rankings. For a law firm, that also happens to be what keeps the copy safe: explain, do not boast. The SEO company Indianapolis page covers how search work is planned and what to ask.
Google Business Profile for the firm and each lawyer
Google treats lawyers as individual practitioners. A public-facing lawyer who can be reached directly at the verified office during stated hours may have a profile of their own, alongside the firm’s. A lawyer should not have several profiles for different specialties, and where several lawyers share an office, each lawyer’s profile carries only the lawyer’s name. A solo lawyer at a branded office shares one profile named for the brand and the lawyer. Getting this right keeps the firm’s listings clean. More in local SEO Indianapolis.
| Setup | Profiles on Google |
|---|---|
| Firm with several public-facing lawyers | One profile for the firm, and one for each lawyer who meets Google’s rules |
| Solo lawyer at a branded office | One shared profile named brand and lawyer |
| Lawyer with several practice areas | Still one profile, not one per area |
Paid search and Local Services Ads
Google Ads has no policy page just for lawyers. The general rule applies: an advertiser must follow the laws of every area its ads target, as well as Google’s own policies. Local Services Ads are different: they charge per lead, not per click, and before the Google Verified badge shows, Google runs its own checks. For lawyer categories those include state bar license checks for each lawyer in the firm and identity verification of the business owner. See PPC management Indianapolis for how campaigns are managed.
Plan marketing for an Indianapolis firm? Tell us what you need and an independent agency can prepare a written proposal for your lawyers to review.
Reviews and client words
Reviews raise questions for firms that other businesses do not have. On Google’s side, the Maps policy bars paid reviews, reviews posted by one person from several accounts, incentives for reviews, and asking only happy clients. On the FTC’s side, the 2024 rule on consumer reviews applies to anyone who writes, buys or spreads fake ones. Whether and how a lawyer may ask a client for a review is a question for the firm and its state’s rules, so ask your lawyers before any review request goes out.
Questions for an agency that markets law firms
- Will every ad, page and post be approved by our lawyers before it runs?
- How do you handle results, client stories and reviews, given the rules?
- Who owns the domain, the site, the profiles and the ad accounts?
- Which practice areas and searches will you target first, and why?
- Do you ever buy links or reviews? (The right answer is no.)
A useful proposal answers those in writing. For a firm that wants a full plan across search, ads and the website, read the digital marketing agency Indianapolis page, and for the firm’s site itself, see web design Indianapolis.
Questions people ask
Is this site giving legal advice about lawyer advertising?
No. Lawyer advertising is regulated by each state’s rules of professional conduct. Check Indiana’s rules with the bar or ask a lawyer before anything runs.
Can each lawyer at our firm have a Google Business Profile?
Google treats lawyers as individual practitioners. A public-facing lawyer who can be contacted directly at the verified office during stated hours may have one, alongside the firm’s profile.
What do Local Services Ads check for law firms?
Google’s requirements for lawyer categories include state bar license checks for each lawyer in the firm and verification of the business owner’s identity before the Google Verified badge shows.
Can an agency send us clients for a share of the fee?
An agency sells marketing. Fee-sharing and referral rules apply to lawyers, so ask your own lawyers before agreeing to any arrangement tied to cases or fees.
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