The legal industry is one of the most competitive when it comes to online marketing. With over 1 million lawyers practicing in the U.S., it’s incredibly difficult — and expensive — to stand out. But where should your law firm focus its efforts? Keep reading to learn which platforms prospective clients rely on to find and research lawyers, and how to optimize your online marketing for each.
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Key Platforms: How Clients Find Lawyers in 2025
Each year, iLawyer Marketing surveys over 1,000 people nationwide to understand how people search for and hire attorneys online. The most recent study included 1,052 participants, ranging in age from 21 to 65. The survey asked respondents which online sources they would use in their research process if they needed to hire a lawyer to handle an important legal issue.
Unsurprisingly, Google came out on top again.
Although down slightly from 2024, 86.7% of participants said they would use Google to research a lawyer. In 2024 and 2023, Google’s share was 91.7% and 90%, respectively.
Despite the growing attention around AI platforms, the idea that Google is losing relevance isn’t backed by data. In fact, Google remains the dominant platform used by consumers to research lawyers, by a huge margin — and it is expanding its reach by incorporating AI tools like AI Overviews and Gemini into search results.
The most significant shift from previous years is ChatGPT’s rise to the number two spot, with 28.1% of participants saying they would use it to help them find an attorney—up from. 20.5% in 2024 and more than triple its percentage (9%) in 2023.
However, it’s worth noting that 94% of ChatGPT users also said they would use Google as part of their research, indicating that AI engines are being used in tandem with traditional search, not as replacements.
Facebook, Yelp, and YouTube round out the top five most-used platforms.
Facebook usage landed at 24.7%, Yelp at 24.3%, and YouTube close behind at 20.4%. Reddit and Instagram also saw meaningful representation, at 20.1% and 15.6% respectively.
Let’s examine each platform more closely and consider how law firms can use these findings to better shape their marketing strategies.
The Importance of Multi-Channel Marketing For Lawyers
Based on the results above, law firms can turn to a variety of channels to reach more potential clients. In addition to reaching different demographics, having a presence across multiple online sources helps strengthen your SEO. For example, if someone searches “best DUI lawyer in Austin,” one of the first results might be a Yelp list or a Reddit thread. You’ll want to appear in both if you want to capture that traffic.
Brand consistency across platforms is another crucial piece of the puzzle. Since consumers are cross-referencing sources, your firm should be visible, credible and appealing wherever they look.
In 2025, 87% of people still use Google to help them decide which law firm to hire. Optimizing your Google presence means targeting multiple areas of the SERP: Organic search results, the local map pack, Local Service Ads (LSAs), and AI Overviews (SGE).
The more surface area you can claim on Google’s results page, the better your chances of being noticed. While the AI Overviews piece is still evolving, the other sections can be actively optimized through local SEO, schema markup, review generation and paid placements.
Chat GPT
ChatGPT has made major gains since the 2023 iLawyer study, jumping to 28.1% of users in 2025. Still, trust in AI platforms is not absolute. Most consumers use ChatGPT to start their research, but then turn to Google to verify the results. In fact, 94% of ChatGPT users also said they would use Google.
What does this mean for your law firm? AI tools seem to favor firms that demonstrate clear expertise, strong reputations, and helpful content. So, if ChatGPT is pulling answers based on publicly available online data, it’s crucial that your firm’s website is optimized for clarity, accessibility and authority. Include detailed bios, FAQs, awards, specialties and, most importantly, recent client reviews.
While Facebook usage may have dropped slightly from 32% in 2024, it’s still used by about 25% of people researching law firms. Most of that usage likely comes from the 30-44 age group, who still rely on social proof. At a minimum, your Facebook page should have updated photos, reviews, and relevant posts. Firms with an inactive or outdated Facebook presence could be turning away potential clients.
Yelp
At 24.3%, Yelp remains one of the top platforms consumers use during the decision-making process. The biggest concern here is your star rating. Data from iLawyer shows that most people won’t contact a law firm with fewer than four stars. Yelp also often appears high in search results, so even if people don’t go directly to Yelp.com, they’re still seeing your reviews. Make sure your profile is fully filled out, categorized correctly, and actively monitored.
YouTube
Over 20% of consumers use YouTube when researching a lawyer, which aligns with previous data showing that 85% of people find video helpful when making a hiring decision. Law firms should prioritize professional, engaging videos like introductions to the attorneys, client testimonials, FAQ explainers, and even short-form YouTube Shorts, which can all help build trust. These videos may also appear directly in Google results, giving you another pathway to visibility.
Reddit has become more visible in Google search thanks to partnerships between the two companies. You may have noticed a new “Discussions and Forums” section on Google results, often featuring Reddit threads. While law firms need to tread carefully to avoid appearing spammy, organic word-of-mouth recommendations from real users can carry a lot of weight.
Firms can encourage happy clients to share their experiences on relevant threads or participate in AMAs (Ask Me Anything) to build credibility with Reddit’s more skeptical user base.
TikTok
TikTok’s usage actually dipped slightly in 2025, down to 10.5%, but it still represents a significant audience. As more adults use the platform, some lawyers are creating legal content that blends information with entertainment. This includes short explainers, legal tips, or day-in-the-life videos. While TikTok might not be right for every firm, it could work well for firms targeting younger audiences or looking to showcase a more approachable brand.
Key Law Firm Digital Marketing Takeaways for 2025
As we’ve seen in our 2024 and 2025 studies, there is no single platform where everyone researches lawyers. Instead, consumers rely on multiple sources to guide their decisions: Search engines, review sites, video platforms, and new GenAI-powered platforms.
While visibility is key, users also consider trust factors like reviews, responsiveness and how experienced or credible a lawyer appears online.
Here are a few takeaways for how clients find lawyers in 2025:
- Google still dominates. Invest in both organic SEO and paid ads, and make sure you’re optimizing for the local map pack and AI integrations like AIO.
- ChatGPT is rising fast, but users don’t trust it blindly. Make sure your website and third-party profiles align with the kind of content AI tools favor: clear, specific, and credible.
- Multi-channel visibility matters: 70% of consumers use more than one platform to research law firms. Whether it’s Facebook, Reddit, Yelp, or YouTube, you want your brand to show up across the board.
- Trust still belongs to search engines for now. Nearly twice as many participants said they trust traditional search engines over answer engines like ChatGPT or Perplexity. That may shift in the coming years, but for now, search engines remain the priority.
- Video builds trust. With 1 in 5 people using YouTube in their research process, video is one of the most powerful tools for building credibility and converting leads.
Anyone doing law firm research typically spends several days and consults several platforms. To effectively capture and convert potential clients, law firms need to meet them wherever they’re searching. As we’ve seen, understanding how clients find lawyers in 2025 is all about a multi-channel, trust-focused strategy that includes SEO, AI optimization, video content, reviews and social presence.
In a landscape this competitive, visibility isn’t optional. It’s everything.
Image © iStockPhoto.com.
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