Law firm marketing departments have spent years perfecting search engine optimization (SEO) on their websites, only for a brand new version of search to come along and shake things up. Generative engine optimization (GEO) and answer engine optimization (AEO) are the processes for tailoring law firm content to be both SEO-friendly and AI-extractable.

Fortunately, the difference between SEO and GEO/AEO is not vast, and law firms can easily upgrade their content to address new avenues for potential clients. Here are five easy wins for law firm GEO/AEO that marketers and administrators can implement right now.

1. Add Extractable Definitions

The process is in the name: answer engine. AI search looks for answers to the questions users pose. Think about questions a prospective client might type into ChatGPT or Gemini, then answer them plainly on the page.

A prospect researching a matter is far more likely to ask, “What is a bad faith claim?” than to search a string of disconnected keywords. Pages that state a clear, standalone definition in the first sentence of a section give AI models something clean to lift and cite.

Tip: Lead with the direct answer, then add nuance and context underneath.

2. Turn Subheads Into Answers

Traditional SEO-trained marketers write subheads as short keyword labels, such as “Commercial Litigation” or “Representative Experience.” AI models use subheads as a preview for what the section resolves for the user, making vague, keyword-focused subheads less effective.

To optimize for AI search, rewrite subheads as answers to the questions clients ask. For example:

• “Commercial Litigation” becomes “When a Business Should Bring a Commercial Litigation Claim”
• “Representative Experience” becomes “How We Help Clients Succeed”

This makes it easier to map user queries to the page and maintains ease of navigation for human readers as well.

Tip: If rewriting subheads as statements proves difficult, writing them as questions can also be effective.

3. Standardize Bios and Directory Listings

AI models build a picture of an attorney or firm by pulling from every place they appear online, including the firm website, Chambers, Legal 500, Martindale, LinkedIn and bar association directories, to name a few.

When those sources disagree on a title, a practice focus or even the spelling of a name, the model loses confidence in the information and may pull a competitor’s information instead. Ensuring information is standard across platforms includes:

• Using the same biography and firm content in each profile
• Updating headshots and titles promptly
• Auditing platforms for attorney departures regularly

When the information on a firm or attorney is consistent, AI models assign greater authority to the firm’s content.

Tip: Archive or delete old or ineffective profiles and listings to simplify the standardization process.

4. Publish Bylined Articles

Models weigh named, credentialed authorship heavily when deciding which source to trust and quote. A bylined article that ties an attorney to a specific topic creates a strong association between that person, the firm and the subject matter.

Publish on the website under real attorney names, rather than a generic “firm news” label, and include a short author line with an abbreviated version of the attorney’s biography. When possible, pitch attorney articles to outside sources to improve the firm’s ranking in third-party mentions.

Over time, a body of bylined work on a focused set of topics positions the firm as an authoritative source an AI model cites when a user asks about those topics.

Tip: Select 2-3 specific, relevant topics and create a campaign of posts and thought leadership about those topics to increase authority in specific areas.

5. Search the Firm

The simplest audit is free. Ask ChatGPT, Gemini, Google’s AI Overviews and Claude what they know about the firm, its attorneys and its core practice areas. Note where the models are accurate, where they are outdated and where they cite a competitor instead. The gaps become the roadmap.

If a model cannot answer a question like, “Who are the leading real estate attorneys at the firm?” the fix is usually a clearer bio, a bylined article or updates to the practice page.

Tip: Create a bank of prompts and regularly test AI search results with these prompts. This provides clear benchmarks and makes tracking changes easy.

While GEO and AEO may seem intimidating, both processes build on the good SEO work a firm has already done. By incorporating a few GEO-first fixes, the firm’s SEO is extended into all types of search. The firms that win in GEO will be the ones that answer the question before it is asked.