For years, law firms have relied on being physically close to a searcher to show up in Google results. But a new 2025 study shows proximity isn’t as powerful as it used to be.
What the Study Found
Sterling Sky analyzed nearly 550 searches for keywords like “car accident lawyer,” “personal injury lawyer,” and “slip and fall lawyer” across 61 different locations. Here’s what they discovered:
- Proximity Matters Less Now: In 2022, distance from the searcher played a huge role. By 2025, it still matters, but much less than before.
- City-Based Keywords Are Strong: Adding a city name (e.g., “car accident lawyer Dallas”) led to stable rankings, showing that geo-targeted optimization is still critical.
- Near-Me Queries Still Help: Optimizing for “near me” searches gave firms better chances of ranking, even though results varied across locations.
- Top Firms Dominate: A few firms consistently appeared at the top, especially in competitive practice areas like personal injury.
What This Means for Your Firm
Law firms can’t just rely on being physically close to potential clients anymore. Instead, success depends on:
- Geo-targeted content: Service pages and blogs optimized for city names and neighborhoods.
- Near-me optimization: Including “near me” phrasing in titles, meta descriptions, and copy.
- High-quality websites: Strong, authoritative content is just as important as location.
- Consistent visibility: Even if proximity matters less, firms with solid local SEO foundations hold their rankings.
Make Sure Clients Can Find You in Local Search
While proximity is less influential than it used to be, city-based and near-me optimization are still key for law firms competing in crowded markets. A strategic approach to local SEO can ensure your firm shows up where it matters most.
At PointClick, we help attorneys refine their SEO strategies to keep up with Google’s changing rules. Want to make sure your firm stays visible in local search results?
