Editor’s Note: This article summarizes Shannon Wilkinson’s presentation, which was recorded on February 15, 2024. You may watch it by logging into your member account and going to the Virtual Speaker Series. Here are the link to her presentation (48 minutes) and the slides.

Today, there are countless ways attorneys and law firms can shape, amplify and promote their reputations in life and in the digital realm. This ranges from establishing a high level of public standing through thought leadership and industry expertise to increasing visibility strategically by targeting audiences who most need to hear you and your firm’s message.

The benefits are significant. A lawyer who amplifies her reputation can attract more business prospects and build her brand and personal credibility at a time when most prospects, and potential partners, vet attorneys and law firms online.

Here’s an overview of some of the realities of today’s reputational landscape, plus actionable strategies for how you can best represent yourself in today’s online world.

Google, Bing and AI: What to Know

Google owns more than 80% of today’s search engine environment. Right now, artificial intelligence (AI)-powered algorithms can impact how you are presented by Google and its industry peers, like Bing.

The biggest threat these technological advancements pose is the rise of disinformation. Bad actors can use AI to create lifelike videos — or deepfakes — and audio of your voice, completely fabricating damaging, salacious or inappropriate content that can be misattributed to you.

Threats to Your Online Reputation

 In addition to AI, there are a range of other threats in today’s online waters. These include:

• Defamatory websites about your or your practice. In one notable episode, a plaintiff built fake, defamatory websites and social media channels that maligned the opposing attorney who won the case.
• A lack of federal laws that regulate Internet speech — specifically, Section 230 of the Communications Act, which makes it easier for bad actors to defame you online.
• Data scraping by computer bots that publish your home address.
• Mistaken identities, which could be individuals or entities that share your name or have branding that’s similar to that of your practice. This can sometimes direct negative online information to your brand.
• Negative reviews by clients and employees.
• Public information on lawsuits that name you or your firm.
• Your divorce and other personal litigation may be in the news.

Bulletproof Yourself and Your Online Image

The current search landscape may feel intimidating. Don’t be afraid! There are many ways you can build, expand, and amplify your reputation online, where it will reflect well on you offline.

First, understand that the entries you and your practice own or manage on your Google search results page are your digital assets. The more you have, the better positioned your brand is.

The factual content that appears around you and your practice in the first 10 and even 20 entries in a Google search are extremely valuable. Just as you highly value any other asset in your life, own it. This involves any content that comes up in a search from typing in your name, as well as your name, attorney and your name, your law firm name.

The more you have attributed to you when someone searches these iterations of your name, the more valuable they are. The more positive content that appears in those first 10 Google entries, the safer your reputation is.

The less content you own and direct yourself, the more your reputation stands at risk. The reason for that is, when there is a lack of credible, factual material about you to rank high on Google, there is more room and opportunity for false, negative or outdated information to appear there, including the types identified above.

This means you must be proactive. If you currently have a range of negative information about you and your practice online, it’s time for a reputation reboot.

Expand Your Digital Assets

Publish more content: Counterbalance any risks of negative information that might appear on search engines by putting more out there about you and your practice. This effectively creates a protective firewall around you and your brand.

Examples of additional positive content are:

• blog
• a new website that counteracts negative media coverage
• press releases that announce major case wins
• thought leadership articles
• a more robust and positive social media strategy

These approaches will bolster your online presence and enable you to take back control over  how you are viewed online.

They also collectively minimize the risk of unwanted information about you and your practice showing up on that first page of Google results.

Own Your Brand

Part of reclaiming how the world sees you online involves registering your domain name so that you own it. It’s simple and affordable; if you have not done so already, you can reserve domains on Squarespace.com for just $12 annually, for example. Setting it up on auto-renewal ensures you will own it as long as you wish.

Similarly, maximize your use of LinkedIn. This professional social media network can be your main information hub online. If your firm or practice doesn’t have one yet, create a company LinkedIn page and publish weekly or monthly updates showing the world the great, effective work you’re doing.

Beyond social media, make sure you remove your home address from the Internet. Your age, home address and names of family members might be publicly listed on up to 25 people search databases like Spokeo and PeekYou. This might include satellite images of your home. This sensitive information puts your privacy and the personal security of you and your family at risk.

Be proactive about protecting this information.

How do you remove this data online? You can use a privacy protection service like Abine’s DeleteMe, which removes this information for $129 annually.

You should also proactively manage reviews of yourself and your professional services online. Google Business Profile is a free tool and, if you have a storefront business or a landline phone number, the search engine automatically publishes it. Claim this page and use their free review management platform to invite satisfied clients to publish reviews. (Or, if you prefer not to have a platform where any unverified user can post a possibly fake review, take ownership of that platform and request Google to delete it.)

There are many review management platforms available by subscription, such as Birdeye.

Consider adding an Advisory Board to your practice. Dr. Sandi Webster, a business consultant, offers a good course on how to form an advisory board. These advisors are invaluable as a source of referrals and advice; they are a form of public endorsement of your firm, which can add a sheen to your practice’s reputation.[1]

Monitoring yourself and your practice online is a valuable way to keep abreast of any reviews and discussions about you there, good, bad, or neutral. Media Relations and Marketing Strategist Janet Falk has in-depth recommendations for doing this in her newsletter: Have You Googled Yourself Lately?

Manage the Conversation

Ultimately, these efforts are all about managing the conversation. You want to have agency and control over how others see you online. It is impossible to fully control what is said about you and your practice online but being proactive in the ways discussed here adds considerable value to your career… and your reputation. Consider alerting your clients about these issues as well.

Reputation Communications CEO Shannon M. Wilkinson is a nationally recognized expert in digital reputation management and an expert witness for legal cases related to reputation issues. You may contact her at [email protected] or 212-505-1253.