Digital Marketing Agency Horror Stories - Above the Law

Law firms often make the decision to hire a digital marketing agency for their website creation, onsite/offsite SEO, content creation, social media marketing, and backlinks. However, not all digital marketing agencies are as ethical or scrupulous as they imply.

Unfortunately, lawyers are often unaware of the unethical or ineffective digital marketing techniques often employment by certain agencies. Here are some horror stories that some law firms have had working with the wrong digital marketing agency. It is important to note that if these stories sound familiar to you, cut ties with the agency immediately and attempt to find a more ethical and effective legal digital marketing agency for your law firm.

Having a Missing Portfolio
Some law firms have had bad experiences with digital marketing agencies without verifiable testimonials. A digital marketing agency that has no references or few Google reviews is a large red flag. It means that their services were so lackluster that customers did not even bother leaving a review or that they may not have the experience you need for your law firm. Even if there are reviews on their website, you want to read them carefully. Some digital marketing agencies will create fake reviews to seem more credible than they are.

Having No Social Media Presence
Another red flag that you may be working with the wrong digital marketing agency is the lack of a social media presence. When your digital marketing agency does not have any social media content, it means that they do not understand or value a comprehensive digital marketing strategy.

Like reviews, a strong social media presence adds credibility to a digital marketing agency. You want to work with a digital marketing agency because of its expertise in online marketing. If their social media presence is poor, they likely do not understand or have experience with comprehensive digital marketing strategies.

Kidnapping Your Content
Another horrific experience some law firms have had are when digital marketing agencies withhold their content or even their entire website from them. You may work with a website developer that has complete access to your website and all of its content. If you decide to stop working with that agency, they may choose to hold your content hostage.

This can affect every aspect of your website, from the content produced to the ability to log in. Regardless of how great the relationship is between you and the agency, you want to make sure that you have all passwords and other access to your website. If the digital marketing agency has an issue with sharing this information, that could be another red flag.

Unprofessionalism
Another potential red flag with a digital marketing agency is when they fail to remain in communication with you. In your professional career, as an attorney, you are expected to keep your clients updated on any changes in their cases. The same is true for digital marketing agencies. If your digital marketing agency struggles to give you the time you deserve, that is always a sign of things to come. If it becomes challenging to communicate with them about important matters, they may not have the professionalism or staff to adequately service your digital marketing needs.

False Promises
Even the best digital marketing agencies should never promise their clients that their services will get them to the top of Google quickly. Beware of digital marketing agencies that promise you false hopes of reaching #1 in search engines within just a few weeks. The top search engine results are not guaranteed in any short period of time. Like anything worthwhile, SEO takes time. Instead of mentioning this, unscrupulous digital marketing agencies will exaggerate and make promises they can never keep. If your digital marketing agency makes these promises to you, consider visiting with other digital marketing agencies before you make your final decision.

The Nonexperienced Digital Marketing Agency
This should be common sense, but some digital marketing agencies project themselves to be experts in online marketing. Because SEO is a popular marketing skill, many agencies pretend to be SEO experts. You want to ensure that the digital marketing agency you are working with is credible and capable of bringing the results you need.

If possible, check their credentials. Ask to speak to their past clients and ask questions surrounding SEO. Make sure that your digital marketing dollars will work most effectively for you with a digital marketing agency that has experience and is trustworthy.

The Invisible Relationship With Google
Some law firms have experienced a horror story in working with digital marketing agencies that swear they have inside information regarding Google's algorithm. Like any other company,

Google includes contracts where employees are prohibited from sharing trade secrets. It is impossible ithat a digital marketing agency is privy to information about Google's algorithm based on an "insider."

Digital Marketing Next Steps
Has your current digital marketing agency dropped the ball with your SEO strategy, website redesign, website maintenance, or social media management? If so, it is time to find a new legal digital marketing agency to take your law firm to the next level. When you are looking for a new digital marketing agency, be sure the one you choose checks all of the boxes mentioned in this article.

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Annette Choti, Esq. graduated from law school 20 years ago, and is the Founder of Law Quill, a legal digital marketing agency focused on small and solo law firms. Annette wrote the bestselling book Click Magnet: The Ultimate Digital Marketing Guide For Law Firms, and hosts the podcast Legal Marketing Lounge. She is a sought-after keynote and CLE speaker throughout the United States and Canada. Annette used to do theatre and professional comedy, which is not so different from the legal field if we are all being honest. Annette can be found on LinkedIn or at at annette@lawquill.com.