Research Series
Search Visibility
Benchmark Series
Objective, large-scale assessments of how professional services firms appear to search engines and AI systems. Hundreds of firms. Standardized scoring. No self-reported data.
300
Point Scoring Framework
0
Surveys or Self-Reported Data
15-20
Pages Analyzed Per Firm
3
Scoring Dimensions
Methodology
How the Benchmark Works
We Scrape
15-20 pages per firm — homepage, attorney bios, practice area pages, blog posts, contact pages — analyzed by AI-powered tools against a standardized framework.
We Score
300-point rubric across three dimensions: EEAT Visibility (does Google see your expertise?), Entity Presence (does Google know who you are?), and Content Quality (is your content substantial?).
We Report
Aggregate patterns, metro-by-metro comparisons, and anonymized findings published as a free industry resource. No firm names. Just the data.
Available Reports
Download a Benchmark
Family Law
351 firms audited across 20 metropolitan markets in 15 states. Average score: 54/100. 56% in Critical Gap. The first objective, large-scale assessment of search visibility in family law.
Estate Planning
509 firms audited across 30 metropolitan markets in 24 states. Average score: 49/100. 80% in Critical Gap. Just 2 firms reach a Strong Foundation. The largest objective assessment of search visibility in estate planning.
Criminal Defense
DUI, drug offenses, and felony defense firms across mid-size U.S. markets.
Personal Injury
Auto accident, medical malpractice, and premises liability firms across mid-size U.S. markets.
Most Benchmarks Are Built on Self-Reported Data. This One Isn't.
Most industry benchmarks rely on surveys — firms describing their own marketing activities. Those studies skew toward firms that are already marketing-aware, creating a distorted picture of the profession.
The Search Visibility Benchmark measures what search engines and AI systems actually see. Every data point is externally observable. No firm's cooperation is sought or required.
The Shift
AI-powered search systems like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google's AI Overviews are reshaping how clients find professional services.
Firms with strong search visibility will be cited. Firms without it will be absent from the answer entirely. The Search Visibility Benchmark measures which side of that divide you're on.
Want a Benchmark for Your Industry?
We're expanding the series to new practice areas and professional services verticals, and your organization can commission the next study for its own industry. If you want the same measurement run on your own firm rather than the industry, that's the AI Citation Report.
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