Law firm marketing Australia: Proven digital strategies to attract more clients

Getting clients for your law firm is becoming increasingly harder, with word of mouth and referrals no longer doing the job alone. In most cases, law firm marketing in Australia has the challenge of building a strong online presence, brand reputation, and customer experience program to drive referrals. 

Potential clients now find legal services the same way they find everything else—online. That means your firm needs a comprehensive marketing strategy that ensures your business appears wherever they’re searching: on Google, in business directories, across social media, and in relevant discussion forums. 

However, scaling law marketing efforts can be a significant challenge for multi-location firms in Australia. That is why, in this blog, we unpack proven strategies and real case studies from Australian law firms that used Birdeye to grow their business.

Why should you invest in law firm marketing in Australia? 

Large, multi-location law firms face unique challenges in managing brand consistency, client experience, and digital visibility across offices. Additionally, client expectations have significantly transformed over the past few years. They expect: 

• Fast, responsive communication and seamless online interactions.
• A professional digital presence—reviews, mobile-friendly websites, and up-to-date local listings.
• Accuracy in search results and third-party reviews to evaluate firms before reaching out.

Law firm marketing that focuses on enhancing presence on search platforms helps your firms boost: 

• Authority: A strong presence in organic and local search signals credibility.
• Reputation: Reviews shown in search act as social proof.
• Discoverability: Appearing in the top results for “family lawyer near me” or “conveyancer in Brisbane” can directly influence lead volume.
• Conversion rates: Higher visibility translates to more clicks, phone calls, direction requests, and eventual client volume for your law firm. 

Take Aston Legal Group, for instance. They focused on strengthening digital visibility through local listings, reputation management, and profile optimisation. As a result, they increased their Google profile views by 45% and saw a 43% jump in phone call volume—all within a year.

That’s the business impact of showing up in the right place, at the right time, with the right proof of trust.

How to create a strong law firm marketing plan: Roadmap to strengthening marketing efforts 

Whether you’re a boutique or a large multi-location law firm, starting out with marketing can be stressful. However, you can start or strengthen your law marketing efforts with this step-by-step actionable plan: 

1. Set the right goal

Start by defining your marketing objectives. Law firms can choose from the following options:

• Increase consultations or file openings
• Improve online visibility and local search rankings
• Boost review volume and rating
• Grow newsletter or lead form subscribers
• Enhance engagement on social media

Tie each goal to measurable marketing KPIs like Cost Per Lead (CPL), review count, web traffic, or call volume.

Multi-office law firms marketing campaigns in Australia must be: 
- Centrally managed, yet localised for each office or service area
- Regulatory-compliant while still being engaging and persuasive
- Consistently measured so ROI can be tied to each office, campaign, or channel

2. Allot a budget for your digital marketing campaigns 

Marketing requires monetary investments across time, resources, and advertising channels. Experts recommend setting aside 2–5% of gross revenue for marketing, adjusting based on:

• The competitiveness of your area
• Whether you’re running paid ads
• Internal resources vs. agency or tech stack needs

Ensure your law firm breaks the budget across channels like Google Ads, SEO (search engine optimization), and software and track ROI by campaign.

3. Identify your Ideal customer profile (ICP)

Knowing your ideal customers helps target the right audience for campaigns and see better ROI. Use market research and feedback to understand who your best clients are. Consider:

• Common legal needs (e.g., family law, conveyancing)
• Demographics (age, location, income)
• Behavioural traits (urgency, tech-savviness)

Use tools like Birdeye Insights AI to analyze reviews and feedback to uncover what matters most to your clients—and what keeps them coming back.

4. Choose the right digital marketing channels 

Focus on platforms that align with your audience and practice. Some of the top options include: 

• Google Search and GBP for high-intent local searches and discovery.
• Facebook for community engagement and retargeting engaged audience groups.
• LinkedIn for reaching commercial and B2B firms.
• YouTube for providing legal education and trust-building content.

5. Invest in building a brand

Your firm’s niche is your differentiator and helps you set your brand apart. Your law firms must use branding to establish:

• A consistent visual identity and tone of voice.
• Content pillars (e.g., “legal made simple,” “outcomes-first approach”).
• Positioning that aligns with your audience’s pain points and values.

6. Execute

Once you have identified your ideal client profiles and target channels, it is time to implement the plan. And the best way to ensure it goes well is to create a strong strategy in place: 

• Build a content calendar, launch campaigns, set up review workflows, and ensure all listings and website assets are active and optimised. 
• Use tools like Birdeye Social AI and Listings AI to scale efforts without increasing headcount.

7. Report and iterate

Launching campaigns isn’t enough to grow law firms in Australia. You must also track your campaigns, generate periodic reports, and make changes to them as necessary. 

To do this, law firms can use a combination of:

• Google Analytics to monitor traffic, bounce rate, and conversions.
• Social media analytics to monitor and track individual social media activity for your multi-location brand accounts. 
• Birdeye Insights AI to track sentiment and performance across channels

With this roadmap, law firms can build not just visibility—but lasting client relationships, repeat business, and a standout reputation.

Top law firm marketing strategies for Australian legal powerhouses 

Your legal marketing efforts need tailored strategies that work in tandem with the current business landscape and the changing search and social media algorithms. Here are the top law firm marketing strategies that every enterprise must focus on: 

A high-converting law firm website 

Your website is your digital office, but too many firms treat it like a brochure. For your website to drive new business, it needs a clean design, strong calls to action, and social proof to convince potential clients to choose your enterprise. 

An optimised website also plays a key role in both search marketing and online reputation management:

• Search visibility: Google ranks pages with a clear structure, fast speed, and high relevance. An optimised website improves your chances of ranking for searches like “conveyancer in Newcastle” or “family lawyer Perth.”
• Reputation control: Your site is where you can frame your brand narrative, display success stories, and address client concerns with professionalism.

To increase conversions from your law firm website design, showcase:

• Client testimonials and 5-star reviews: Embed these on high-traffic pages to build immediate trust.
• Social media content: Include a feed or highlights section showing educational or community posts.
• Case studies or results-driven stories: Prove your value with real outcomes.
• Location-specific landing pages that include suburb-level keywords, staff profiles, and reviews tied to that location.
• Unique content per office to avoid duplication and improve local SEO performance.

Improve visibility with local SEO tailored for Australian suburbs

Appearing in local search results is essential for attracting clients in your geographic area. Here’s how to ensure your firm shows up where it matters:

1. Claim and optimise your Google Business Profile (GBP)

A complete and regularly optimised GBP improves your chances of appearing in the top 3 map results when someone searches for legal services nearby.

• Verify your law firm’s GBP for every location.
• Add accurate business details, including service areas, hours, website links, and photos.
• Choose the most relevant legal category (e.g., Family Law Attorney or Conveyancer).
• Add FAQs and highlight client reviews to boost engagement.
• Post updates or announcements to keep your profile active and relevant.

2. Ensure NAP consistency across legal directories

Inconsistent NAP details confuse search engines and can hurt your local rankings. Uniformity builds credibility and helps Google validate your business. Make sure that: 

• Your Name, Address, and Phone number match across every site.
• You list your firm in key Australian directories like Yellow Pages, Oneflare, Law Society listings, and legal-specific aggregators.

3. Target suburb + practice area keywords

Location-specific keywords help your firm rank for highly targeted searches that often indicate immediate intent to hire. For best results, law firms in Australia must: 

• Use keywords like “conveyancer in Parramatta” or “divorce lawyer Gold Coast” in your website’s title tags, meta descriptions, and H1 headers.
• Include them naturally in service pages and blogs.

Gain trust with review marketing

Reviews are one of the most powerful decision-making factors in the legal industry. For many Australians, legal services are high-stakes and emotionally charged, making third-party validation even more important.

Why reviews matter more for law firms in Australia:

• Legal decisions are deeply personal and often stressful. Clients want reassurance from others who’ve been through similar experiences.
• Unlike retail or hospitality, legal clients often can’t “test” the service—so they rely on stories and reviews.
• A strong review profile builds immediate trust and authority, especially when clients discover your law firm in a Google search.

How to collect client reviews ethically in Australia? 

The Australian government has mandated certain regulations for businesses to ethically generate customer reviews and showcase them for marketing purposes. A few to note include: 

• Ask clients for honest feedback only after you’ve delivered your service.
• Avoid incentives or scripted responses that could breach the Legal Services Commission or ACCC guidelines.
• Use templates that are compliant and make the process simple.

How to encourage customers to leave reviews for your law firm? 

• Respond professionally to all reviews (positive and negative). For unfavorable responses, avoid sharing case details or sounding defensive.
• Ensure a prompt response to all reviews, showcasing your firm’s commitment to hearing and processing client feedback. 
• Share positive feedback across marketing channels, encouraging other clients to share their thoughts as well. 

Case in point: First State Conveyancing collected 218 new reviews through Birdeye, which resulted in a 150% increase in phone calls. Their experience shows how review growth directly influences lead volume.

Use Google Ads and PPC without wasting your budget

Paid search ads can be highly effective for legal services, but only when campaigns are targeted, compliant, and strategically optimised. Here’s how to make every dollar count:

1. Structure your campaigns by suburb and service type

Localised and service-specific ads have higher relevance and Quality Scores, reducing your cost per click (CPC) and increasing conversions.

• Create separate ad groups for each legal service you offer (e.g., conveyancing, family law, wills & estates).
• Use suburb-specific targeting to align your ads with local search intent.
• In your ad copy and targeting, include keywords like “property lawyer Newcastle” or “divorce lawyer Adelaide.”

2. Optimise your landing pages for performance and compliance

The client journey only begins with an ad-click, and it is important that they receive the best impression at every stage of the journey. For best results, businesses should ensure to: 

• Match each ad with a dedicated landing page that speaks directly to the service and location advertised.
• Include trust signals like testimonials, certifications, and reviews.
• Ensure all claims comply with the Legal Services Commission’s advertising rules—avoid promising outcomes or using fear-based messaging.

Pro Tip: The clients you don’t convert at the first step - you can convince the next time with remarketing campaigns and smartly scheduled ads that run during peak business hours. 

Invest in content marketing to boost trust and search traffic

When Australians search for legal help, they’re not just looking for a lawyer but for answers, reassurance, and authority. Content marketing is one of the most effective ways to meet that need and build a trustworthy brand.

Types of content Australians expect from law firms:

• FAQs and service explainers: Break down complex legal processes in plain English.
• Educational blog posts: Address common concerns like “what to expect during a divorce” or “steps in a property settlement.”
• Video content: Offer brief overviews of legal topics or introduce your team.
• Client stories (with permission): Highlight successful outcomes via case studies and testimonials. 

Optimising law firm marketing efforts with helpful content

• Use clear, professional language—avoid fear tactics or guarantees of outcomes.
• Optimise for long-tail keywords tied to location and intent (e.g., “how to contest a will in NSW”).
• Link to trusted sources (e.g., Law Society or government sites) to reinforce credibility.
• Share legal updates, new blogs, or service reminders via email marketing to stay connected with your audience. 

By creating consistent, helpful, and compliant content across platforms, law firms can attract more traffic, convert curious prospects into clients, and build authority over time—without relying solely on ads.

Marketing law firm on social media — without burning hours

Social media is a critical channel for your law firm’s digital marketing efforts—it’s where your potential clients spend their time. Law firms can increase brand familiarity and drive inquiries with strategic, consistent posting on the right platforms.

Best social media platforms for Australian law firms:

• LinkedIn: Ideal for corporate law, commercial updates, and B2B relationships.
• Facebook: Great for community engagement, client testimonials, and updates.
• YouTube: The go-to for explainer videos and lawyer Q&A content. Also boosts SEO when embedded on your site.

What social media content can law firms post (ethically)? 

With the right mix of educational, human, and trust-building content, social media becomes a powerful touchpoint for your law firm—without becoming a full-time job. Here is what can boost your law firm’s marketing across major social media platforms: 

• Legal tips and explainers: Help your audience understand common legal topics.
• Client testimonials (with permission): Showcase real outcomes and build trust.
• Behind-the-scenes videos: Introduce your team or walk through your process. This increases engagement rates and helps you perform better across social media platforms. 
• Community involvement or speaking events Build credibility and social proof. Most law firms also post such updates to humanise the firm and make themselves approachable. 

Step up your law firm marketing initiatives with Birdeye Social AI – a centralised and simplified social media management tool. Your law firm can automate post scheduling, get AI-generated post ideas, identify the best time to post and view content suggestions based on what resonates best with your audience. 

Generate comprehensive reports across legal marketing campaigns 

Your marketing is only as strong as your ability to measure it. Tracking key performance metrics such as Cost per lead (CPL), conversion rates, ROI, and review volume not only helps optimise your spending but also reveals which channels and strategies are driving actual results.

Here is how you can track your law firm’s marketing campaigns: 

• Track the number of leads each campaign generates.
• Assign an estimated value to each lead (based on typical revenue per client).
• Compare total revenue from a campaign against your ad spend, time, or tool cost.
• Use platform-specific reporting tools like Google Analytics or Meta Business Suite to understand individual campaign performance. 

With the right tracking, you can stop guessing what works and double down on what drives real business.

Key challenges for law firm marketing in Australia (and how to overcome them)

Marketing a law firm in Australia comes with unique complexities—not just in terms of competition but also due to strict regulatory and ethical boundaries that firms must navigate carefully.

1. Navigating AHPRA, IP, and sponsorship laws

• Law firms must avoid misleading claims or promotional tactics that may violate Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) guidelines (especially when collaborating with medical experts).
• Intellectual Property (IP) laws must be respected when creating content, especially when using logos, client testimonials, or court results.
• Sponsorships and partnerships must be transparently disclosed, particularly in digital ads or social campaigns.

2. Working within advertising regulations for legal practices

• The Legal Services Commission and relevant state law societies prohibit lawyers from guaranteeing outcomes, using fear-based advertising, or engaging in misleading comparisons.
• Disclaimers must be visible, and all marketing claims need to be substantiated.
• Even testimonials must be managed carefully to ensure they align with ethical guidelines and don’t create unrealistic expectations.

3. Staying competitive in multi-office setups

• Multi-location firms must ensure their marketing efforts are both centralised and localised. Every office should:
  • Be visible in local search results with accurate contact info
  • Feature location-specific pages and reviews
  • Comply with advertising rules independently
• This becomes increasingly difficult without automation, structured processes, and consistent performance tracking.

Conclusion

Law firm marketing in Australia isn’t just about visibility—it’s about building trust, improving client experience, and delivering measurable results. From optimising your Google profile to streamlining reviews, ads, and social media, every touchpoint matters. As competition intensifies and client expectations evolve, the firms that embrace digital-first, data-backed marketing will stand out. With the right roadmap and tools like Birdeye’s GenAI platform, you can simplify marketing, personalise your brand, and scale smarter. 

Whether you’re a solo practice or a multi-location firm, now is the time to take control of your online presence and turn it into your biggest growth engine.

Frequently asked questions about law firm marketing in Australia 

How Birdeye supports law firm marketing in Australia

Birdeye is a comprehensive GenAI marketing suite designed to help law firms grow ethically, efficiently, and intelligently.

Whether you’re a solo practitioner or managing dozens of locations, Birdeye helps you automate and optimise every part of your online presence—from how you get discovered to how you build trust and track results.

Here’s how Birdeye’s GenAI platform helps law firms succeed:

• Reputation management: Use Reviews AI to automatically request reviews, respond intelligently, and monitor your online reputation across platforms.
• Social media content: Social AI generates post ideas, schedules content, and recommends top-performing formats for your audience.
• Local visibility: Listings AI ensures your NAP information is accurate and consistent across directories, helping you rank in local search.
• Lead capture: Webchat and Inbox engage website visitors in real-time and funnel all inquiries into one place for easy follow-up.
• Performance analytics: Insights AI uncovers trends in client feedback and campaign data, helping you make data-backed marketing decisions.

With Birdeye, law firms across Australia can run more innovative marketing, improve visibility, and build long-term trust—without increasing their workload.

Watch a free demo to learn more.