Superlawyers in most cases may not be the best use of your marketing dollars if you’re looking to generate case leads. If you want to learn how I reached this opinion, keep reading.
Last week one of our clients reached out to me and asked me: “Casey, is what we’re paying for Superlaywers sponsored listings worth the investment?”.
Instead of giving a quick opinion based answer I decided to do a deep dive.
Initial Findings
The initial findings look good at a first look. The domain gets almost 736,000 visitors per month.
But there is more to the story.
What the client was really asking me was “Is advertising on Superlawyers helping my firm sign more cases? Is it worth the investment?”.
So this set me on a path to check two things:
- Did we sign any cases that we can attribute to this over the past year? (Answer: No) and…
- Is this likely to generate cases that we have a problem tracking attribution for?
In this case I started off to see where they were listed and what they were paying for.
They are located in a major California Market with over 800,000 people and paying for a top spot in that location.
Based on this, I checked the URL and their sponsored results and I found that there are now six top spots in this locale. This means that this client who focused on personal injury cases, they rotate between six attorneys with listings like this:
So then I went a bit deeper and tried to understand which pages these ads showed up on.
Based on data from Ahrefs I found that the pages they are listed on get an estimated 400 visits per month. The page ranks for keywords like “city + personal injury attorney” but usually in positions 5-10 and they have recently seen a decline.
Based on the amount they pay, the limited traffic, and the fact they didn’t sign any cases I could quickly determine this was not a good investment for the firm.
Should You Pay For Spotlight or Sponsored Listings?
The value of paying for Super Lawyers recognition largely depends on your firm’s specific marketing goals and local market conditions. Consider the following factors:
- Search Engine Visibility: If Super Lawyers ranks highly (positions 1 or 2) for crucial keywords in your area, it could potentially drive cases to your firm.
- Exclusivity: The value increases if there are limited sponsored listings in your region or practice area.
- Marketing Strategy: Evaluate how Super Lawyers aligns with your overall marketing objectives and budget.
Casey’s Verdict
For most law firms, investing in Super Lawyers is likely not the most effective use of marketing resources. While it may offer some visibility, the return on investment is often questionable.
And that’s why it’s important to consider alternatives [and not just because I think Juris Digital is the Best SEO Agency for law firms out there].
A Better Alternative
Instead of paying for Super Lawyers recognition, consider allocating your budget to PR campaigns that generate actual leads for your firm. These campaigns can:
- Drive targeted traffic directly to your website
- Build your firm’s authority through high-quality backlinks
- Create meaningful content that showcases your expertise
- Engage potential clients more effectively than a simple listing or award
By focusing on strategic PR efforts, you’re more likely to see tangible results in terms of client acquisition and long-term brand building.
This approach not only attracts immediate leads but also strengthens your firm’s online presence, potentially leading to sustained growth over time.
Looking for a better alternative? We offer full marketing services for startup law firms and established law firms.
What Attorneys Think About Superlawyers Advertising
I asked 10 different attorneys about their experiences with Super Lawyers recognition, and a clear consensus emerged: while the accolade may have some marketing value, it’s largely viewed as a pay-to-play scheme with little substantive meaning within the legal community.
Here are some key takeaways from our discussions:
- Nomination process lacks rigor: Several attorneys noted receiving nominations or recognition in practice areas they had no experience in, casting doubt on the selection criteria.
- Primarily a revenue generator: The overwhelming sentiment was that Super Lawyers is more interested in selling plaques and advertising space than genuinely identifying top legal talent.
- Limited value among peers: Attorneys consistently stated that the recognition holds little weight among other lawyers who understand its nature.
- Potential marketing benefit: While skeptical of its legitimacy, some attorneys acknowledged that clients unfamiliar with the legal industry might view the accolade favorably.
- Pressure to participate: Many felt compelled to mention the recognition in their bios or firm marketing materials, as it’s become a common practice in the field.
- Cost concerns: The fees associated with plaques, expanded listings, or advertising were a common point of contention.
- Humor and cynicism: Several attorneys shared amusing anecdotes about receiving recognition in fields they’d never practiced, highlighting the perceived absurdity of the system.
Attorneys seem to think that while Super Lawyers recognition may offer some marketing advantages, particularly with non-lawyer clients, the legal professionals we spoke with overwhelmingly viewed it as a profit-driven enterprise rather than a meaningful measure of attorney quality or expertise.
