AI adoption is changing the way that people are searching for legal information.

If you don’t believe me, go to Google right now and type in any question. See what pops up.

Is the first result from a website? No. More than likely, AI has provided an answer to your question.

And you didn’t have to look any further than the first result that popped up.

This is an example of a zero-click result.

What are Zero-Click Results?

Zero-Click results are AI-generated search results that answer a question directly.

Because these results are automatically given as the first option on a search results page, the user doesn’t have to search further for their answer.

This happens with all types of queries. And for some people, zero-click results can help save time.

Let’s say that you need some quick weeknight dinner ideas. I’m sure having a set of ideas in front of you is more convenient than searching page after page.

But what about legal services? What if you need to research workers’ compensation laws in your state?

Once you find the answers to your questions, are you going to visit the next law firm’s website, even if it’s the next result underneath the AI-generated summary?

Exactly.

How do Zero-Click Results Affect Law Firms?

This is one of the negative side effects that come with zero-click results.

Because users can get answers to their questions in a few seconds, they don’t have to visit a law firm’s website.

As a result, the law firm experiences:

• Reduced website traffic. Fewer people will click on the law firm’s website for more information.
• Lower lead generation. The less people visiting the website, the less people taking the next step to schedule legal services.
• Lower ROI on content creation. Even if the law firm’s content appears in the AI-generated summary, people will rarely click on the link after getting their answer.

Legal copywriters could look at these results as serious problems. Or they can see them as an opportunity.

How can legal copywriters use zero-click results to their advantage? Let’s find out.

How Legal Copywriters Can Overcome Zero-Click Results

As zero-click results are becoming common, here are ways that legal copywriters can stand out.

Optimize Content for Featured Snippets

Legal copywriters can create content that is more user-friendly and scannable for readers. What does it mean to make content more scannable?

• Using concise answers
• Incorporating bullet points
• Providing attention-grabbing insights without giving too much away.
• Including a call to action after the short snippet.

When it comes to featured snippets, you want to treat them as valuable content in small bites. You want to pique your reader’s interest just enough to get them to want to read more.

Build Curiosity

Another angle you want to use is arousing the reader’s curiosity.

Fortunately, this is very easy to do with legal marketing. Anyone in the legal field knows that no matter how factual the law appears to be, nothing is black or white.

Emotions play a part in every legal situation.

Legal copywriters can create copy that makes a reader curious about a legal topic. They can write about the top mistakes that people make when filing workers’ compensation claims.

Create In-Depth, Interactive Content

Yes, AI Overviews can provide generic answers to a person’s question. But they can’t provide additional context to their legal issues.

That’s where legal copywriters come in. Some of the in-depth and interactive content that you can create are:

• Legal analyses
• Story-driven case studies
• Videos
• Infographics, and
• How-to interactive tools

These types of content allow your readers to engage with your law firm on a deeper level. Instead of giving a surface-level answer, you’re providing additional value.

Strengthen Your Branding

Another tool in your legal copywriting kit is strengthening your brand.

With AI Overviews, brand visibility is key. If you even write content similar to the tone and quality of AI-generated search results, you can lose your reader’s interest.

You want to offer a unique approach in how you explain legal topics. How can you do that? By being authentic and credible.

Whatever content you create, you want to be as accurate and trustworthy as you can.

The more trustworthy your content, the more trust built between you and your clients.

Incorporate Strategy with Content

Last but not least, you want to be strategic with how your content appears in the results pages.

If your content has enough credible sources and in-depth information, it can be used as a source in AI Overviews. But visibility doesn’t always equal conversions.

You want readers to visit your website, even if it appears as a zero-click result.

To do that, you can leverage content like FAQ pages, how to articles, and social media posts to redirect traffic to your website.

With these content pieces, you can influence how your content shows up in results pages.

Schedule a Consultation Today!

Don’t look at zero-click results as a threat to your legal marketing. Look at them as a new opportunity to market your law firm strategically.

If you’re a law firm who wants to stand out amongst zero-click results, I’d be more than happy to help you. Click here to schedule a consultation and let’s design a great content marketing strategy for you.

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