Blue Seven Content Uncategorized

Saving Business From Demise By Being Different: A Lesson From Barnes and Noble

We almost said goodbye to Barnes & Noble. Not the men, but the bookstore. Leading up to 2020, the company was posting massive annual losses. Acquired in 2019 by Elliott Advisors in a deal worth about $683 million, the slow turnaround began.

As I tell this story about how Barnes & Noble pulled off a successful comeback, one that will see them open dozens of new stores in 2026, I’ll ask you to think about your business or law firm and how it can benefit from the same general tactics by allowing originality and expression to shine through. 

Barnes and Noble almost bit the dust. A restructure in the way they operate has led to an amazing turnaround and we can learn some valuable lessons for law firms here.
Barnes and Noble almost bit the dust. A restructure in the way they operate has led to an amazing turnaround, and we can learn some valuable lessons for law firms.

The Near-Demise and Rebound of Barnes & Noble

Oh, the fond memories I have of Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks in You’ve Got Mail. That movie, if you’ll remember, involves a big box bookstore coming in and driving out the local bookseller. Ironically, big bookstores like Barnes & Noble, after having nearly shut down the smaller bookshop industry, nearly met the same fate thanks to the likes of Amazon and the overall shift towards online commerce.

Good news! Bookstores, small and large, are doing better now. In fact, Barnes & Noble plans on opening 60 new stores in 2026, and they’re crediting a major shift in how they run operations for the success, and this shift is where our lessons come in.

Nearly Gone, Now Thriving: How Did They Pull It Off?

Barnes & Noble didn’t claw its way back by discovering some secret growth hack or inventing a new kind of bookstore.

They did something way less flashy and way more effective.

They stopped trying to make every store feel like the same store.

That sounds simple, but it’s a direct reversal of how big retailers usually operate. For years, the instinct in corporate America has been: standardize everything. Same layout. Same tables. Same “recommended reads.” Same decisions made at headquarters by people who don’t live anywhere near the customers.

Barnes & Noble finally admitted what most of us already know: uniformity doesn’t work in a country this big. The reading habits of someone in suburban Phoenix are not the same as someone in downtown Boston or a coastal tourist town in Florida. And when you force every location to run like a clone, you turn your stores into… well… a big-box bookstore.

Which is exactly what people were getting bored with.

So after Elliott bought the company in 2019 for about $683 million, and James Daunt took over, the turnaround strategy was not “become more corporate.” It was closer to: become more local.

Here’s what changed, in plain English.

1) They gave stores more control

Instead of dictating everything in a typical corporate top-down manner, Barnes & Noble pushed decision-making closer to the people actually talking to customers in the store every day. Store teams got more freedom to stock and display what their community actually buys. Really, if you think about it, this makes complete sense. We’re a culturally diverse country. What might work in a Barnes & Noble in Chicago might not work in Columbia, SC, and vice versa.

It’s almost funny that this idea feels revolutionary, because it’s basically: let the booksellers do bookselling. Let the community be a community.

2) They embraced differences between locations

One Barnes & Noble doesn’t need to look like the Barnes & Noble 900 miles away. One store might lean hard into kids’ books. Another might become the local fantasy headquarters. Another might build a reputation as the “weird and wonderful” literary spot. The point is: each store can earn a personality.

That personality is what creates loyalty. People don’t fall in love with “Store #1847.” They fall in love with their store.

3) They cleaned up the merchandising approach

One of the under-the-hood changes was reducing the “pay-to-play” feel in how books got positioned in stores. The focus shifted toward serving readers rather than optimizing table placement like a billboard business. I will say that at my local Barnes, I still have to dodge an unbelievable amount of tables when I walk in, but hey…I love books.

Translation: the stores feels less like a retail machine and more like a place built by humans who read.

4) They made growth realistic again (by loosening the format)

A big reason some chains stall out is they only know how to build one type of store. Barnes & Noble got more flexible about store sizes and formats, which opened the door to expanding into more locations that make business sense. 

This shows up in the numbers.

  • Barnes & Noble ended 2023 with 609 outlets, after opening about 30 new stores that year.
  • By the end of 2025, they reported 702 outlets (including stores added through acquisition).
  • They’ve talked publicly about opening 60 new stores in 2026, and coverage of 2025 describes record store openings fueling that momentum.

So the comeback wasn’t magic. It was autonomy, personality, and local intelligence brilliance. Now let’s talk about why law firms and other local businesses should care.

Let’s Apply These Principles to Your Law Firm or Business

If you’re a law firm (or really any business that isn’t trying to become the next Walmart), you’re living in a world where “generic” is getting pummeled from two directions:

  1. Big brands with big budgets (hello, Morgan & Morgan billboards that can be seen from space).
  2. AI-generated content flooding the internet with perfectly fine, perfectly bland, perfectly forgettable material.

So if your marketing strategy is “publish what everyone else publishes, but with our logo,” I have some bad news. That method went out the window before AI and is now so far out that we know it’s not coming back.

Barnes & Noble didn’t survive by getting more efficient at being average. They survived by letting each store become more itself. Law firms can do the exact same thing.

And no, I’m not saying your firm needs to start selling lattes and hosting poetry nights (though… never say never because one of our clients DOES do this). I’m saying your firm needs to stop marketing like a big-box chain if your advantage is being local and trusted.

The Barnes & Noble Turnaround Principles (and how they map to law firm marketing)

Bam, you made it here so you’re interested. These apply whether you’re a law firm, a CPA, a home builder, or the best dog groomer in a three-county radius.

1) Decentralize the voice: stop forcing every practice area into the same template

Barnes & Noble got better when corporate stopped trying to micromanage every shelf. Freakin corporate.

Law firms get better when marketing stops flattening every attorney and every practice into the same tone, the same “we are dedicated to excellence,” and the same content outline you could swap with any competitor. Some of the biggest legal marketing agencies do this, and we won’t say it never works, but it’s expensive. When you get local and focus on differentiation, you enter into what we’re calling “surgical SEO.” 

That big templated plan for the personal injury firm down the road almost certainly won’t be the same plan for an estate planning firm in a small town in the next state. While that sounds obvious when you read it, this is often what happens when you work with SEO companies. The “strategist” managing your direction has 15 other clients they’re overseeing and it’s just easier to have everyone on the same basic track.

2) Go local on purpose: your community should show up in your content

Barnes & Noble leaned into the idea that different communities want different stores. Law firms should lean into the reality that different communities have different legal problems, court cultures, business ecosystems, and seasonal patterns. Local doesn’t mean “we added the city name to the footer.”

Local means:

  • writing pages and articles that reflect how things actually work in your courts and agencies,
  • referencing common local industries (construction, healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing),
  • answering the real questions local people ask before they ever call a lawyer (hint: go to Reddit),
  • showing your face at local events and then turning that experience into content that feels real.

AI can generate “What is probate?” in 2.4 seconds. AI cannot generate the lived details of:

  • what families fight about in your county,
  • what judges emphasize in your jurisdiction,
  • what documentation local businesses routinely mess up,
  • what timelines are realistic in your venue,
  • stories about how you’ve helped people in similar situations.

That’s where you win.

3) Build a niche reputation, not just “full-service” sameness

One Barnes & Noble can become the best kids’ bookstore in town. Another becomes the sci-fi and fantasy haven. Another might be known as the “best toy location in town.”

Law firms should do the same thing with positioning. Not “We handle all personal injury cases.”

More like:

  • “We’re the firm that understands catastrophic trucking litigation inside out.”
  • “We’re the go-to for physician contract disputes in this region.”
  • “We help local manufacturers stay out of OSHA trouble before OSHA shows up.”
  • “We understand how estate planning differs for the LGBTQ+ community.”

That kind of clarity makes you easier to remember, easier to refer, and easier for Google (and AI systems) to understand as a good match.

4) Optimize for humans first, algorithms second

Barnes & Noble moved away from merchandising that felt like a corporate billboard strategy and back toward serving readers. Your law firm should do the same thing with content, and not just SEO content. 

When firms chase SEO or social media formulas too hard, the writing gets weird. It becomes a robot trying to impress another robot, and now the robots can write those formula posts faster than you ever could.

So the play is not “pump out more articles.” The play is:

  • publish fewer, better pieces that have a point of view,
  • show specific experience,
  • provide tools people can actually use,
  • make it obvious a real attorney was involved.

If your content reads like it could have been written by any firm, it will perform like it belongs to any firm.

What “Being Different” Actually Means for Your Marketing in 2026

Being different does not mean being quirky for the sake of it. It means being specific. Specific about:

  • who you help,
  • what you believe,
  • how you work,
  • what you’ve seen,
  • and why a client should trust you when the stakes are real.

Barnes & Noble is adding stores again and drawing more foot traffic because they found a way to feel human at scale. Law firms don’t need to “feel human at scale.” 

They just need to feel human, period.

Especially now, when the internet is filling up with content that’s technically correct and emotionally hollow. 

That’s where we come in. At Blue Seven Content, we’ve build our company around providing some of the best legal content in the business. When other agencies struggle with a client, they know they can turn to out team to get it right. We’d love to discuss how we can help you, whether you’re a law firm, other type of local business, or a marketing agency. 

Written by Allen Watson – Co-Founder of Blue Seven Content

Blue Seven Content Uncategorized

Blue Seven Content Has Morphed Into A Holistic Marketing Company

You start slow, and then you begin to grow.  When founders Allen Watson and Victoria Lozano started Blue Seven Content back in 2020, they set out to do just one thing and do it well: write legal content. 

But that was some six years ago.  Content creation has come a long way. ChatGPT threatened to change everything about writing content after millions began using the software almost immediately. Thankfully, things have calmed down since then (we suppose), and there is still plenty of room in the marketplace for well-written, human-generated content. 

As Blue Seven Content has evolved, we’ve developed other ways to support clients with content creation and have been slowly expanding and developing a more diverse portfolio of services. In this new year, we at Blue Seven would like to share how we’ve grown and the content services we can now offer your business. 

Blue Seven Content now handles newsletters, video scripting and editing, graphic design, social media content, and website development.
Blue Seven Content now handles newsletters, video scripting and editing, graphic design, social media content, and website development.

We Still Write Damn Good Legal Content

To be clear, legal content was our beginning, and we intend to continue providing well-researched, well-optimized, and well-written content for attorneys and law firms. Our legal writing team consists of experienced legal writers, including lawyers, JDs, and other professional writers. 

We always optimize our content so it’s friendly to search algorithms, but more importantly, it connects with the audience our clients are trying to reach. Even as some traditional SEO practices shift to align with AI preferences, we haven’t had to change our approach to legal content creation. 

From the outset, we have provided our clients with original, factually correct content that demonstrates EEAT (expertise, experience, authority, trustworthiness). These measures of quality remain the most relevant indicators of value to all search algorithms. Because of our commitment to producing high-quality content, the content we create for our clients consistently performs well despite the evolution of search.

Our team routinely crafts the following types of pages for law firm websites:

Would you like to get an idea of what you can expect from pages written by Blue Seven Content?  Check out some law firm content samples, including English-to-Spanish translations, written by our legal content writing team.  

We’re Not Worried About Trying to Compete with Generative AI; Our Human Writers Create Better Products

When ChatGPT first came on the scene, it seemed like an amazing new tool that would revolutionize content creation. As the active user base swelled to over 100 million by February 2023, many of us were more than a little concerned about what the new technology would mean for the livelihoods of human content creators. 

It’s true that AI greatly improves efficiency. AI can do in seconds or minutes what might take a human several hours. AI is an exceptionally efficient research assistant, capable of compiling and summarizing key information much faster than a manual researcher. 

Yet as we have come to learn, generative AI must be used with caution. Legal and ethical issues have arisen, along with concerns about content quality and authenticity. Humans are still required to ‘proof’ AI-generated content for accuracy. Humans must also add some secret sauce to the bland content so it can be distinguished from other AI-generated content, remain brand-consistent, and appeal to algorithms. 

It’s kind of funny, really. AI algorithms favor content that is original and unique. AI-generated content is not particularly original or unique until made so by a human. Human writers are the ones who can offer fresh perspectives and insights, connection through personal stories, and nuanced analysis of research data. 

Our company policy is not to use generative AI for content creation. AI may assist with our editing, but we are very strict about adhering to human-generated content for our clients. We believe what our capable human writers bring to the table provides a uniqueness and authenticity that AI is unable to match. 

Welcome to the Blue Seven Content Suite of Services

One thing we learned from the advent of generative AI platforms is that we were too specialized, primarily focusing on written content. Over the years, we have become aware of additional needs our clients have and the supplemental content services we could offer. 

We have assembled a team of professionals who have helped Blue Seven expand. We are pleased to offer the following services to law firms and other businesses in 2026 and beyond:

No, Blue Seven is not likely to become a full-service marketing agency that serves hundreds of clients at the same time. Writing has been and still is our first love, and we intend to remain true to our roots. However, we now possess the talent and experience to offer a more holistic approach to content creation and distribution, enabling us to better meet our clients’ content needs. 

If You Value Integrity and Fundamental Humanity, come Build Your Business with Blue Seven Content.

We’re not for everybody. We’ve been around long enough to have learned that not every promising business relationship is going to work out. We believe in open communication, honesty, and transparency. We will always do our best to satisfy our clients’ needs, and we are quick to make things right if they go wrong.

If you’re curious about our services but not sure about who we are, please visit us on LinkedIn or our YouTube channel, where you can learn more about our approach to content creation and find support for your own content creation efforts. Feel free to see what other clients have said about working with Blue Seven Content or contact us and speak directly with Allen Watson or Victoria Lozano.

Blue Seven Content SEO News and Ideas

Finding Your Center in the SEO Ecosystem 

The SEO ecosystem is an idea used to show that with the implementation of AI, users are seeing results based on multiple online touchpoints, from the website to social media posts that are both static and video. Understanding how the SEO ecosystem works can improve your SEO strategy and, thereby, keep your business abreast of the new changes while maintaining or improving your ranking. 

Search engine optimization is not dead. Nor will it die anytime soon. The strategies we used back in the early oughts are not the same as we need now. With the introduction of AI, the way people search and the way your business shows up on searches is forever changed. Determining whether it is good or bad is beyond the scope of this blog. Instead, let’s focus on what we can control and agree upon: your new SEO strategy. 

So many touchpoints, so little time. Having a strategy to use smart content in multiple places throughout your SEO ecosystem is step one. Step two is doing it.

How SEO Started  

If you are a newbie on the scene, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. Long gone are the days when SEO was reliant on just one internet touch point: the website. Website functionality with repetitive and numerous keyword pages was enough to increase the ranking of your business. 

When a user typed in their keywords or key phrases, the powers that be would crawl through indexed pages on websites. But that was pretty much it. As long as your SEO strategy included that your website was up to date or you were named on other websites through news stories or interviews, the search was pretty easy, and the competition was not as robust. 

As the internet expanded and more businesses started websites, etc., the ranking became harder. It did not alter your strategy as much. Until Google started implementing search rules. Then the strategy became more specific to Google. 

SEO Pre-Query Phrasing: The Boolean Phase 

As Google’s empire won search users’ trust (or outperformed others or just bought the trust), Google became the dominant search engine. People were searching in Google how they were taught in school when searching through their school’s library database or more formal databases like JSTOR. 

The Boolean search was meant to increase the specificity and niche down the search. For example, today we would ask for a “cafe near me” (assuming you were in Chicago), the way to search would look like: cafe+Chicago+downtown (as an elementary style search), even if you were in fact standing in Chicago downtown. That’s because Google’s search analytics had not optimized to what it is today. The tech and tools just weren’t there for this kind of intuitive search. 

SEO Pre-AI Query Phrasing 

Around 2010, when smartphones began proliferating, Google began shifting the user’s experience to queries instead of keywords. Now, the user is forced to experience predictive analytics when making their query. A few years later, circa 2014, Google implemented RankBrain, which enhanced the search query further, enter: E.A.T., expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. 

The SEO strategy was less about how many keywords were squished together or how many pages stated the exact keywords. Instead, the strategy had to show the intent of why the content was there and how the user could trust the result. 

Further, the search strategy was still restricted to a website, and if your name or business was used on some other website. It’s like throwing a fishing line into a well. It may be deep, but the search is narrow. When generative AI entered the scene, that well turned into an ocean. 

SEO and Current AI Query Phrasing 

So where are we now? Picture a magnet dropped into the middle of the ocean. The magnet is your search query, working to pull in the fish (information). This signifies two things:  

  1. The search query remains the same. It is still a question loaded with keywords and phrases, or tangential words related to familiar keywords or phrases 
  2. Unlike a smaller well (search residing in one platform), the ocean is expansive, and this magnet is picking up on EVERYTHING, not just website signals. The ocean is our new AI search-driven reality.

So where does this SEO ecosystem come in? When Facebook morphed into META and began buying different social media software (potential competitors), and people started using these social media apps more and more, the search gods above had to incorporate these “outside” sources. 

These apps served their own algorithms that differed from traditional search engines. Then, when generative AI LLMs were being used, their ability to search for information included these outside sources. 

This meant that if you were searching on an LLM like ChatGPT, then your answers were also getting information from these outside sources. The AI overview also started to scrape these sources. Now, we’ve recently seen a shift towards even more indexing of social media on traditional search. In the Summer of 2025, Instagram allowed posts to be indexed by Google, a response to TikTok showing up all over the place (because they allowed indexing earlier). Over the last few years, algorithms have indexed these outside sources and socials, including categorizing them as images and videos, reading the captions, and sometimes formulating their own descriptions and thumbnails for the content. 

This all means that when you begin to strategize, you need to see your brand as a comprehensive plan. You need to start seeing your brand as the center of your own ecosystem, which includes not just your website but your “outside” sources too, like all social media, directories, and even dark social avenues. This overall ecosystem includes all activities meant to build not only awareness of your brand, but also affinity for your brand. There’s a difference between awareness and affinity, and you’ll need to accomplish both. 

It’s all about the “know, like, and trust” factor. 

How Can Blue Seven Content Help 

Allen and Victoria, co-founders of Blue Seven Content, have been at the forefront of SEO strategy over the past 10 years. From solo practitioners to multimillion-dollar marketing agencies, Blue Seven Content has learned that strategy is never stagnant. It is always a moving target, but with the right mix of EEAT and consistency, your center in the SEO ecosystem can improve your overall SEO presence. 

Let us help you navigate through this AI world with a human component. We not only have the resources to fill the gap in your brand, but we have the talent to make you stand out from your competitors. Through our social media specialists and video coach, we can help you elevate and expand your brand. 

Written by Victoria Lozano, Esq. and Allen Watson, co-founders of Blue Seven Content

Blue Seven Content Focal Point By Blue Seven

Bringing Back The Academic Attorney | Smart Lawyering, Better Clients

AI is changing the way attorneys practice law, and it’s also changing the practice of law firm content marketing. Search is becoming smarter, which means it is better able to determine content quality beyond keywords. 

Comprehensive, focused content that demonstrates a law firm’s authority and experience while guiding a reader toward a solution creates a memorable experience. In a crowded, ever more generic marketplace, building an identifiable brand is how a law firm will gain the advantage for attracting the clients best suited to its practice.

Blue Seven Content Focal Points pages help law firms become better known for their particular practice space. Focal Points are in-depth pages that complement the traditional SEO pages on a law firm website, but are written to specifically demonstrate a law firm’s authority and overall experience and can be repurposed across multiple content platforms.

As artificial intelligence continues to change things, we think you can come out on top by doubling down on high-quality content for your law firm’s website, socials, and videos.

Why Some Legal Content Should be Less about Keywords and More about Educating Readers

Keywords are important because they help search systems understand what content is about and determine its relevance. But too much emphasis on SEO may diminish the quality and multi-use potential of content.

Content quality has always been an important aspect of law firm marketing. Consistently providing high-quality content positively contributes to a law firm’s reputation and enhances reader trust and client loyalty.

Even as Search is becoming more intelligent, the recognized components of quality content have not changed. All search tools want to present content that users will find helpful and satisfying. Google continues to maintain that the company’s core goal is to help people find outstanding, original content that adds unique value. 

The guidance Google offers to help make content more friendly to Search is still the same. What has changed is Search’s ability to comprehend the presence or absence of the factors it’s searching for and how they relate to the questions being asked. 

Search is still looking for content that:

  • Is comprehensive
  • Presents original research or analysis
  • Engages interest
  • Informs with clarity
  • Demonstrates authority
  • Displays deep experience

Creating in-depth content that communicates the above factors will earn the trust of both Search and readers. Blue Seven Content Focal Points are comprehensive, well-researched pages containing distinct sections of information that can be repurposed easily or modified to express individual law firm experience. 

Law Firms Can Distinguish Their Brands with Strategic Content Marketing

A successful brand isn’t created overnight. It must rest on a solid foundation of authenticity, authority, and trust. It requires consistently producing content that is helpful and reliable, with just enough originality so people take notice.

Why does someone looking for legal answers choose to click on one law firm link and not another? There is a well-understood concept in sales and marketing. People are more likely to do business with someone they know, like, and trust (KLT). 

Establishing familiarity is an essential first step on the KLT journey. Law firms that have an active presence on social media and share valuable content demonstrating EEAT (expertise, experience, authoritativeness, trustworthiness) begin to attract the attention of people looking for reliable legal information.

When the information is presented in such a way that readers feel a law firm understands what they are going through and empathizes with their plight, the reader becomes at ease and is then more receptive to learning more about how a law firm can help them.

Focal Points content highlights a specific legal issue or area of law using relevant examples and provides insight to give readers a deeper understanding of the legal issues and to convey how a law firm can help.

Focal Points Content is Written for Flexibility and Multi-purpose Use

Law firms that want to build and maintain a strong brand need to post content across multiple social platforms regularly. Producing fresh content for each post is extra work and not practical or necessary for busy lawyers and law firms. 

An in-depth page of quality content can provide a lot of material that can be chunked up and repurposed for creating social media posts. Repurposing content benefits law firms in the following ways:

  • Saves Time – Reduces the amount of time necessary to create content
  • Wider Reach – Bite-sized chunks may catch the attention of viewers with shorter attention spans
  • Multiple Viewing Outlets – Allows more people to see the content
  • Content is more shareable – People pass on content they trust

Focal Points content by Blue Seven Content is written in clearly structured sections that can be used independently to alert readers to updates, answer frequently asked questions, or highlight a particular area of expertise. The content is intended to be informative and to remain relevant and useful over time. 

Let your content work across your brand’s ecosystem. Turn a well-researched Focal Point by Blue Seven into a machine across the board.

Why Your Law Firm Should Consider Adding a Focal Points Page Created by Blue Seven Content

Many law firms tend to base their content strategies on what their competitors are doing. Thus, every law firm ends up producing and posting similar content. This means potential clients are going to have a hard time distinguishing who they should be working with. Law firms wanting to develop distinct brands need to do more to communicate their unique message through their content.

Law firms can set themselves apart with content that goes deeper into legal topics, showcases the distinct legal knowledge and capabilities of the firm, or evidences a commitment to the legal concerns of the local community. Focal Points by Blue Seven Content is focused, flexible, in-depth legal content that demonstrates the unique aspects of a law firm and helps to raise the know, like, and trust factor with potential clients.

Written by Mari Gaines, JD – Legal Writer at Blue Seven Content

Blue Seven Content Uncategorized

Stop Writing For Search – Write Content For Readers And You’ll Be Fine

AI is changing the search experience. Focusing on keywords no longer guarantees your content will be seen. While you do still need to pay attention to the preferences of Google algorithms, the evolution of AI in search emphasizes the fundamentals of what makes content valuable and a more contextual understanding of user intent. So what is AI Mode and does it affect law firm SEO?

AI Mode is Google’s latest search enhancement. AI Mode is able to go deeper into a search query than AI Overviews because of its advanced reasoning and communication capabilities. These latest changes have sparked concern regarding SEO best practices for ensuring content visibility and ranking with AI Search.

The good news is that those of us who have been creating original, helpful, reliable, people-first content all along have nothing to worry about. AI Search is all about identifying unique and valuable content. With that in mind, Blue Seven Content advises legal content creators to focus more on establishing authority and creating trust with target audiences and less on the number of times a keyword appears.

The reader matters now more than ever as they sift through AI Mode to make sense of their searches.

AI Mode: What it Is and What it Does

AI Mode is a feature of Google Search that allows a user to explore search results more deeply by directly interacting with the search interface. Users are able to ask detailed follow-up questions using images or text and will receive content that more directly answers their query.

AI Mode became available on May 20 in the United States to users who are at least 18 and have a personal Google account. AI Mode is currently accessed via a tab on the far left below the search bar. Like other search features, AI Mode provides links to relevant resources and websites. 

According to Google, AI Mode brings a new level of intelligence to search. It uses its proprietary ‘query fan-out technique’ to divide a search query into subtopics and do further research to arrive at more directed and relevant responses. Users can submit complex inquiries and interact with the feature, making the search experience more focused and personal. 

What Google Says About Content Performance in AI Search

In a recent blog post regarding content performance in AI Search, Google says it remains committed to the core goal of helping people find “outstanding, original content that adds unique value” across all search experiences and suggested creators consider the following to ensure content performs well in AI experience:  

  • Create original content that meets the needs of people searching.
  • Provide a great page experience free of clutter and easy for users to navigate on any device.
  • Follow Google’s technical requirements so it can more easily find, crawl, and index content.
  • Manage page display preferences so content is available for AI Search.
  • If using structured data, follow the general guidelines so that the data matches the visible content.
  • Support textual content with images and videos to appeal to AI Mode’s multimodal understanding.

The search engine stresses the importance of creating content that fulfills the needs of the searcher. To get on the right path to success with AI Search, Google recommends creating “unique, non-commodity content that visitors from Search and your own readers will find helpful and satisfying”.

It’s all About the Touchpoints!

AI Mode is pushing search toward a more holistic, experience-driven model. Instead of relying solely on keywords or ranking positions, content performance is now influenced by a wider network of digital signals. The user journey isn’t linear anymore. People might interact with your brand across several digital environments before ever clicking through to your website. This shift makes it more difficult to pinpoint a single moment or metric that leads to engagement or conversion.

In this new environment, every touchpoint matters. A law firm blog post may spark initial awareness, while a helpful video on social media reinforces credibility. A well-structured law firm practice area page may provide detailed answers, and a Google Business Profile might offer proof of trust through reviews. These all feed into the broader AI-driven understanding of your authority and relevance in a specific legal niche.

Complementing your web content with social media engagement, branded visuals, video content, and even physical brand presence (like office signage, branded materials, or community involvement) adds layers of authenticity that AI can recognize. Each interaction strengthens your firm’s digital footprint and helps establish a consistent identity across channels.

Because AI Mode looks beyond single-click relevance and evaluates content across various mediums and moments, it’s critical to approach content with a multi-touchpoint mindset. Search isn’t about the last click anymore—it’s about every small interaction leading up to it. Consistency, visibility, and trustworthiness across all platforms are now just as important as the content on your main website.

This evolution means legal content must serve a broader purpose. Content isn’t just to inform, but to build recognition, credibility, and trust across the entire journey, wherever and however it happens.

Why E-E-A-T is More Important than Ever

Content quality is still the most important search ranking factor. Experience, expertise, authority, and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T) are the traditional indicators used by Google to determine content quality. Making sure content contains recognizable indications of E-E-A-T improves reliability and increases content value. Valuable content is what Google wants to show users. 

Google has proclaimed that AI search tools are rooted in their core quality and ranking systems and are designed to provide information supported by high-quality content. The company admits that AI Mode doesn’t get it right every time and will continue to test and make improvements. 

AI algorithms will prioritize legal information from content that is determined to be authoritative and trustworthy. In evaluating a search query, AI Search goes deeper than just matching keywords and is able to understand the context of the language used. Therefore, it is more important that content anticipates user intent than merely trying to match the words used in a search query.

For law firm SEO to win with AI Mode, legal content should:

  • Provide a comprehensive (well-researched) answer to a legal question and be supported by credible sources. 
  • Be accurate and incorporate statistics where appropriate
  • Demonstrate originality with unique perspectives or insights
  • Be timely (meet readers where they are) and up-to-date (current)
  • Be well-organized and clearly written 

Remember, Good Content Still Can’t Overcome Bad Technical SEO

It’s important to keep in mind that amazing content won’t be able to do its job if the technical support is lacking. The technical aspects of SEO crucial for content performance are that bots are able to access and understand the content, and that the end-user has a satisfying experience.

User experience involves how a user is able to interact with the content. Pages must load quickly. People will click away if they have to wait. Content must also display well on all devices, especially mobile, and should not be cluttered with pop-ups or other distractions. If it’s too hard to find what they’re looking for, readers will move on to their information somewhere else.

Content that Establishes Trust with Readers Wins Clients

People looking for legal information may be in a troubled spot and need help. They may be dealing with life-changing events and feeling vulnerable. The attorney or law firm they hire is the one they feel can be trusted to safeguard their best interests through a challenging time. AI Mode will certainly change how law firms focus on SEO, but that’s nothing new.

One of the primary purposes of the law firm SEO content written by Blue Seven Content writers is to convey a law firm’s authority, sincerity, and integrity with original content that all search experiences will recognize as valuable and readers will interact with and find satisfying.

At Blue Seven Content, we don’t write for search – we write for the people who search. Can we help you write some of your best legal content?

Written By Mari Gaines – Legal Content Writer & Allen Watson – Founder of Blue Seven Content

Blue Seven Content Uncategorized

Writing a Personal Injury Practice Area Page For Your Law Firm – 10 Immediately Useful Tips for 2025

So, you’ve decided to write your personal injury lawyer SEO content by yourself. Whether you’re an attorney, paralegal, legal assistant, or some other poor soul sent off with instructions, we have you covered. In fact, when we (founders Victoria and Allen) started in this business, we had no clue how to do this either. We were the poor souls with virtually no instructions. 

At Blue Seven Content, we’ve got this figured out by now. Our team writes law firm practice area pages daily and we’ve figured out a good system. When you’re designing and writing these pages, you have to remember you’re writing for an audience of two – your prospective clients and the algorithm. No, you aren’t included. You aren’t the audience. I mention that now so that you simmer down on those overactive “attorney hands” that’ll want to nitpick every word on your pages. It’s not necessary or worth it. 

Let’s talk about how this is done.

Man in wheelchair at desk with paperwork for a personal injury claim.
We’re here to offer tips that can immediately enhance your personal injury SEO game.

1. Know Your Audience

Focus on your reader – the prospective clients. The trick with personal injury law is that anyone could need your services. This isn’t like a professional license defense law firm that would cater to one specific audience. No, your audience is practically everyone in your desired coverage area.

This means you need easily digestible content. No fancy legal language. Here are some points to help with this process:

  • 7th to 8th grade reading level. Your readers are often dealing with stress, pain, and confusion. They need clear, straightforward language, not legalese. 
  • Shorter sentences. Long, complex sentences can lose your audience. Keep things direct and to the point to ensure your message is understood quickly.
  • Shorter paragraphs. Walls of text can feel overwhelming. Stick to 2-3 sentences per paragraph to make scanning easier, especially for mobile users.
  • Utilize bullet points. When breaking down key information, such as legal rights, steps in a claim, or common mistakes, use bullet points to improve readability and comprehension. Think about how you read a page online, particularly if you’re reading from your phone. You skim until you see certain information.

Part of knowing your audience also means knowing the keywords. This page is more focused on crafting your personal injury SEO page after you’ve already narrowed down your keywords. You’ll use these keywords and their variations seamlessly throughout the page. By that, I mean that it won’t be obvious to the reader that you’re weaving keywords into the page. 

2. Your Introduction Paragraphs Matter

This isn’t Pinterest or a recipe website, so cut the shit. Your reader needs assistance from an attorney, not a backstory about their town or the origin of the name of their injuries. 

Just like we mentioned a moment ago, your introduction has two audiences. The reader needs a hook so they keep reading or, if you’re lucky, call you immediately. The algorithm is looking to your intro for a few different things that should be woven into the content seamlessly, so as to avoid confusing the reader. 

Now, if you speak to five SEO “experts,” they’re going to give you five different ways to write personal injury SEO page introductions. What we’re going to give you is a list of things we strongly encourage you to include and/or learn about as you start the page:

  • Your main keywords. You need to know this before you even start crafting your page. Whether you have a keyword research tool or you’re relying on an SEO team to give you topics, don’t start your page until you know the main keywords. Generally, the main keywords will be the same as your H1 (or page title). For example, it may be “Chicago personal injury attorney” or “Memphis commercial truck accident lawyer.”
  • The “parent page” to your current page. Without getting too granular here, every page on your website will have a relationship to another page. Your page may be a “child” page of another page (the “parent” page). It’s crucial to know where your page falls in the hierarchy of the website so you get the internal linking done properly. This is for the algorithm, friends. 
  • Correct anchor texting. Anchor text refers to the word or group of words you link your internal and external sources to (creating a hyperlink). Believe it or not, there’s a method to which words you use that can help the algorithm better understand what your page is about.
  • Avoiding external links (for now). We generally want to avoid adding external links (links that lead to a website other than yours) in the intro. While they may help with your page authoritativeness and help gain reader trust, save these for the meat of the page.

3. Why Should They Choose You

Unfortunately, just about every personal injury SEO page is the same. No flavor. Generic. Plain white chicken in the crock pot with a single potato and no spice. Now, some of that boils down to the fact that these pages all need to convey the same basic information. But how can you even stand out?

You. 

You and your team are the answer. Use a section of your personal injury SEO page to talk about you and your firm. What sets you apart from the firm next door? Tell the reader why you’re the personal injury firm that cares about them. 

We’re working with a client in the PNW who is expanding their personal injury practice. On their main PI page, the attorney posted their story about why personal injury law means so much to them. They’d experienced a serious injury and had been on the other side of the process. This lawyer’s story really highlighted why they cared and it helped gain readers’ trust. 

As we revamped this page, we kept the story in its entirety. It was powerful and we crafted the whole page around that theme. 

The point is that there should be some points that set you apart. Use a hundred to 150 words of your personal injury page to give your “selling points.” You can even do this in bullet point format. You can draw on client reviews (with approval from the clients) in this section as well. 

Plain personal injury pages are bad
The “spice” for your law firm’s personal injury SEO content is YOU. What sets you and your firm apart from the bajillion other plain recipes?

4. Cover the Costs 

One of the first questions a prospective personal injury client will have is something along the lines of, “How much will this cost me?” They want to know a few things that you can address upfront. First, is there an initial consultation fee? If you have free consultations, which I suspect you do as a personal injury lawyer, make it known.

As for the overall cost of the case, chances are, you handle these types of plans on a contingency fee basis. But guess what? Most people aren’t going to know what a contingency fee is.

Explain your pricing clearly and with compassion. By that, I mean you should meet the reader where they are. The reader or someone they know has just sustained an injury, and they need help. They may not have money and could, perhaps, be ashamed by that. Don’t make your reader feel more lost by throwing cold language around.

Empathy and compassion can shine through on these pages, especially when discussing costs. Reassure the reader that you’re there to help, and you want to make legal assistance affordable.

5. Covering Your Types of Cases

This is an area that can seem, to the outside reader, like a waste of words. If you knew me in real life, you’d know that I absolutely hate clogging up Law Firm SEO pages with unnecessary sections; however, sometimes, you really do need to play to the algorithm.

Your law firm’s basic personality pages, regardless of the location, will all likely have sections discussing the types of cases you handle. For example, while you may be a personal injury lawyer, you’re going to need pages for the main types of injury cases you’d like to obtain. For example, go on to any personal injury lawyer website, and you are going to see much more than just pages geared toward the keywords “personal injury lawyer.” You’ll see a list of the types of claims, usually each with its own page. An attorney will likely have a page for car accidents, truck accidents, dog bite claims, product liability cases, slip and fall incidents, premises liability claims, construction accident cases, and so on, and so on, and on.

But can’t you just write one personal injury page and mention all of those and skip all the others?

Nah, that’s not going to work. It certainly won’t work if you want to have any semblance of competitiveness in your particular coverage area.

Okay, all of that to say that you are going to have these “child pages” to your main personal injury page. On your main personal injury page, you’ll be able to link out to these other pages, and these child pages will all link back to your main personal injury page (well, the personal injury page in their location silo). This all helps create a wonderful internal linking strategy that is a major part of your overall SEO goals.

6. Show Them the Money

If you create a personal injury page without addressing potential damages, there’s a decent chance the reader will click the back button and go to the next law firm’s website. 

No, you can’t make any guarantees about how much a case could be worth. However, you should discuss the types of compensation, and you should discuss that each case is different. This section is a good place to stress the importance of having a personal injury lawyer and to gently persuade the reader to call for a free consultation.

Spend a few paragraphs or bullet points highlighting special and general damages (but call them economic and non-economic, or at least explain the legalese). Keep in mind that most personal injury victims likely don’t know the full extent of the types of compensation available. They may not know the true value of their claim, especially if they’re only thinking in terms of recouping an emergency room bill, when in reality they’ve had to miss work and are partially disabled. 

Clarify potential compensation as a way of encouraging the reader to contact you for help. This can be a powerful section. 

7. Offer Practical Tips 

There are ways to use these personal injury lawyer SEO pages to both answer readers’ questions and tap into frequently asked questions that Google and other algorithms seek out for AI overviews. Some examples of headings you could use include:

  • What Documents Do I Need For My Claim?
  • How to Speak to the Insurance Carriers
  • Steps to Take in the Days Following the Injury
  • What If There Was Shared Fault?
  • How Long Will the Case Take to Resolve?

There are many others, but these are just some examples. For many of the questions and concerns readers may have, you won’t be able to provide concrete answers on a webpage. For example, when answering how long it could take the claim to resolve, you can’t really tell the reader that. You don’t know. But you CAN discuss the various factors that affect the timing of these claims while helping them understand why you and your firm are the best choice to help.

I caution you not to go overboard with offering tips, especially for things that do not really relate to the purpose of the page. For example, I recently stumbled onto a personal injury law firm’s page about lithium battery explosion injuries. One of the headings was “Stopping a Lithium Ion Battery Fire In Progress.”

Don’t do this. Nobody is coming to your page in the heat of an active emergency for that type of help.

8. Gentle Persuasion to Get Moving Quickly

You may or may not be able to explicitly state the statute of limitations for these claims. While most states allow it, a few aren’t favorable. So, you can approach this a few ways. 

First, if you can mention the statute of limitations, go ahead and do it. Make sure it’s accurate and, just as important, make sure you mention any exceptions to the law. 

What’s more important, in my opinion, is stressing the importance of starting this process long before the statute of limitations approaches. You can use this section to tell the reader why filing a claim as promptly as possible is crucial for increasing chances of success. 

You want the reader ready to call you to get the ball rolling. Gentle persuasion with the right words can help this goal.

9. Close Out Comfortably But With Urgency

The final section of your personal injury lawyer SEO pages will be a “call to action.” This section doesn’t need to be long, but it should be direct. Close out with renewed empathy, restate the importance of filing a claim quickly, and remind the reader about the free consultation. You’ll have some keywords in the final heading section of your page and, hopefully, close out with some hope for the reader. 

10. Or Blue Seven Content Can Write Your Personal Injury Lawyer SEO Content

Listen, you don’t need a pitch. You’re on our website so you know what we do. If you get overwhelmed by the prospect of writing these pages yourself, we can help. Yes, it costs money, but let’s be honest – if you don’t want to write these pages, one of two things will result:

  1. What you do produce will be crap.
  2. You’ll never write them.

If you DO want to write these pages, great! We encourage you to start typing today. Get these pages out there so you can start getting more clients!

But holler our direction if you get stuck.

Written by Allen Watson – Founder and CEO of Blue Seven Content

Blue Seven Content Uncategorized

How Attorneys Can Leverage Bluesky Social for Marketing and Engagement

I’ve been using Bluesky since about the same time many of you discovered what Bluesky was – November 6, 2024. 

Election Day in America started the rush away from X and onto Bluesky, but I’ll be honest with you about something. It’s a platform still trying to figure out what it actually wants/needs to be. I wrote about Bluesky Social for lawyers and law firms in November of 2024, but that only gets you so far.

As an attorney or a law firm, what the heck should you post on there? 

Is it the same as Instagram, Threads, and X, or do you need to take a different approach?

Can attorneys advertise on Bluesky Social? Law firms?

I want to try to answer those questions here with the information I have so far through my use of the platform and from talking to or observing others. 

Welcome to Bluesky! Now, we all need to figure out how we want this to work for us. Attorneys and law firms, don’t miss the opportunity to reach a bigger and growing audience.

What Is Bluesky Social?

Bluesky Social is a decentralized social media platform that empowers users (for real this time) by offering greater control over their data and online experience. Unlike traditional social platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, Bluesky operates without a central authority for moderation or data storage. This decentralized model offers key benefits, such as enhanced user privacy and greater transparency in content moderation.

As privacy concerns and user autonomy grow in importance, Bluesky becomes an appealing space for privacy-conscious individuals. But what does this mean for professionals in the legal space?

Understanding Bluesky’s Unique Culture and Why It Matters

I’ve been using Bluesky through various accounts over the last few months, and I’m not sure where it’s going yet. But it is different.

Bluesky distinguishes itself through its decentralized architecture, emphasizing user autonomy and privacy. This structure attempts to foster a community that values authenticity, thoughtful engagement, and meaningful interactions. For attorneys, aligning with this budding culture is essential to establish a credible and respected presence.

A note to readers about what a “decentralized platform” means: This story by CNBC does a good job explaining. If you click that link, it’ll take you to the explainer.

First, Sort the Basics of Your Bluesky Profile

You’ve done well by reserving your name and law firm’s name on Bluesky, but now it’s time to act. Let’s talk about what you need to get on your profile before you start posting. You can edit your profile easily, so make sure it includes:

  • Profile photo. Just like all of the other socials, the profile photo is a must immediately. You can use the photo you use for the other platforms.
  • Display name. Your display name can be different than your handle but try not to do that. If your handle is @blueseveninjurylawyer, then your display name should be Blue Seven Injury Lawyer. However, if you weren’t able to get the handle you wanted (maybe you had to add numbers or underscores), go ahead and make your display name your actual name or business/firm name.
  • Your description/bio. Please don’t copy and paste your bio from one social platform to the next. Also, please don’t leave this section blank.
  • Profile banner. Your banner photo really does matter. Most platforms have the option for a banner, including Facebook, LinkedIn, X, and now Bluesky. However, the sizing requirements for each are different. You may be able to recycle the banner you have for other platforms, but you’ll likely have to adjust it some for Bluesky sizing requirements.

Make sure your profile is up to snuff before you start interacting with others on the platform. It’ll help you gain traction.

Setting up your Bluesky profile isn’t hard. It’s similar to most other platforms you’re familiar with.

What Works on Bluesky for Lawyers

So far, these are the types of content I’ve seen posted, but I’m not confident yet to say it “works.” Again, this is a growing space. Here are some types of posts that can work:

  1. Educational Content
    • Share Legal Insights. Provide concise explanations of legal concepts relevant to your practice areas. For instance, discuss recent legislative changes affecting small businesses or individual rights.
    • Practical Advice. Offer actionable tips that can assist individuals in understanding their legal situations, such as steps to take following a personal injury incident.
  2. Engaging in Conversations
    • Active Participation. Engage in discussions by responding to user queries, commenting on relevant posts, and contributing to trending topics within the legal sphere.
    • Thought Leadership. Share your perspectives on legal developments, ethical dilemmas, or societal issues, demonstrating your expertise and commitment to the profession.
  3. Building a Personal Brand
    • Authenticity. Share your professional journey, including experiences that have shaped your practice, to build a relatable and trustworthy image.
    • Visual Content. Utilize multimedia, such as infographics or short videos, to explain complex legal topics, making them more accessible to the general public.

Can Attorneys Advertise on Bluesky?

While Bluesky offers unique opportunities, attorneys must remain mindful of ethical rules governing legal advertising on social media. These guidelines vary by jurisdiction but generally include the following principles:

  • Truthful and accurate statements: All content shared on Bluesky must be accurate and avoid creating unjustified expectations or misrepresenting services. For example, posts shouldn’t promise specific outcomes or imply expertise in areas where the attorney lacks experience.
  • Confidentiality: Attorneys must ensure that interactions on Bluesky don’t compromise client confidentiality. Avoid sharing case details or offering specific legal advice in public forums.
  • Avoiding solicitation: Many jurisdictions prohibit direct client solicitation through social media. Attorneys should focus on providing valuable information and let potential clients initiate contact.
  • Compliance with local rules: Different states and countries have unique regulations regarding attorney advertising. Before lawyers can advertise on Bluesky or any social media platform, they should review the rules set by their local bar association.

Paying for Ads on Bluesky

Attorneys familiar with paid advertising on platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook often use these tools to amplify their reach and target specific demographics. These platforms offer sophisticated ad networks with options like promoted posts, display ads, and audience targeting based on interests, behaviors, and geographic location.

Bluesky, however, operates differently. As a decentralized platform (please take the time to learn what this means because this is the direction social is heading), it currently lacks the traditional advertising infrastructure seen on other social networks. According to CEO Jay Graber, Bluesky is open to exploring advertising options in the future but is committed to doing so in a way that aligns with the platform’s ethos of user autonomy and privacy.

Unlike platforms where ads frequently interrupt user feeds, Bluesky envisions a more user-intent-driven model. For example, ads might appear in search results or other contexts where users are actively seeking information rather than disrupting the main feed with unsolicited content. This approach reflects a desire to avoid the intrusive nature of conventional ads while still offering value to businesses and users.

For attorneys accustomed to boosting posts or sponsoring content, this means Bluesky is not yet a pay-to-play environment. However, it presents an opportunity to engage audiences through organic strategies, such as thought leadership, educational content, and authentic interactions. By building a credible presence early, law firms can position themselves to take advantage of any future advertising opportunities that may emerge as the platform evolves.

In the meantime, focusing on community engagement and content marketing remains the most effective way to use Bluesky for professional growth. This is about building your brand in multiple places. 

By now, with the debacle that has become TikTok, we should all know better than to place all of our social eggs in one basket.

We should know better than to rely on a single platform. It doesn’t take much for it all to come crashing down. Then up. Then down. Then…you get it.

Navigating the Bluesky Skyscape

Given the decentralized (even I’m tired of this word by now) nature of Bluesky, several key questions arise for attorneys:

  • Jurisdictional challenges: Traditional legal frameworks may not address the complexities of decentralized platforms, making it difficult to determine the applicable jurisdiction for advertising.
  • Content moderation and responsibility: With limited centralized control, how can attorneys ensure their advertising is ethical and accurate? Who’s responsible for the accuracy of user-generated content related to the firm?
  • Data privacy and security: While Bluesky aims to enhance privacy, attorneys must understand the platform’s data handling practices to ensure client confidentiality and mitigate risks of data breaches.
  • Accessibility and targeting: How can law firms effectively reach their target audience on a decentralized platform with limited advertising infrastructure? Can attorneys effectively target specific demographics?

Even though there are certainly plenty of questions about how to use this platform as an attorney or law firm, I think getting a presence started there NOW is very important. Hedge your bets.

Leveraging Bluesky for Long-Term Growth

While Bluesky may not yet be a conventional advertising platform, its decentralized nature offers unique opportunities for forward-thinking attorneys. By adopting a long-term approach, attorneys can leverage the platform’s potential.

  • Building thought leadership: Share insights to establish expertise and build a loyal audience by engaging regularly with followers.
  • Staying ahead of trends: Familiarizing with Bluesky early helps attorneys stay ahead of competitors and adapt to evolving digital marketing trends.
  • Developing authentic relationships: Bluesky prioritizes genuine connections, enabling attorneys to foster meaningful relationships with potential clients and collaborators.

Best Practices for Attorneys on Bluesky

To maximize success on Bluesky and on any other social media platform, attorneys should adhere to these best practices:

  • Conduct thorough research: Stay informed about the latest developments in Bluesky’s functionality and the evolving legal landscape surrounding decentralized platforms.
  • Prioritize transparency and accuracy: Clearly disclose any limitations or disclaimers in your advertising. Ensure all information presented is accurate and not misleading.
  • Focus on building relationships: Use Bluesky to engage in meaningful conversations with potential clients and industry professionals. Share valuable legal insights and build trust within the community.
  • Monitor your online presence: Regularly monitor your Bluesky profile and any user-generated content related to your firm. Respond promptly to any concerns or inquiries.
  • Maintain confidentiality: Never discuss confidential client information on any public platform, including Bluesky.
  • Stay updated on ethical guidelines: Continuously monitor and adapt your approach to align with evolving ethical guidelines and best practices for attorney advertising on decentralized platforms.
  • Consult with legal counsel (we had to say it): Seek guidance from experienced legal counsel specializing in attorney ethics and advertising to ensure compliance with all applicable rules.

What to Avoid on Bluesky

I’m not one to police anyone’s social posting habits, but I can tell you what’ll likely fall flat here and elsewhere:

  1. Overly Formal Content
    • While professionalism is crucial, overly technical language or legal jargon may alienate the audience. Strive for clarity and simplicity to ensure your content is approachable.
  2. Hard Selling or Advertising
    • Direct promotional content is often frowned upon within Bluesky’s community. Focus on providing value through information and engagement rather than overt marketing pitches.
  3. Ignoring Ethical Considerations
    • Adhere strictly to ethical guidelines concerning client confidentiality and solicitation. Avoid discussing specific case details or providing personalized legal advice in public forums.
  4. Using Hashtags Excessively
    • I’ve recently been told that using hashtags on this platform may not be the best way to get engagement. The “#” provides a sort of link for others to discover you through feeds, but the overuse of hashtags is seen as overkill and slightly commercial. Use a few, sure, but not a bunch.

Bluesky Social represents a significant shift in the social media space. Despite challenges and uncertainties, the platform offers intriguing benefits for attorneys, such as greater user control and reduced reliance on centralized platforms.

As Bluesky evolves, attorneys who adopt a proactive and ethical approach can gain a competitive edge by building authentic client relationships and positioning themselves as thought leaders in the decentralized space. Blue Seven is here to help you craft a consistent, effective branding message for Bluesky and other social platforms. Contact us today to start creating high-quality legal content and grow your online presence.

Written by Allen Watson, CEO of Blue Seven Content, & Alicia Terwilliger-Salley, Ph.D. (first person perspective by Allen)

Blue Seven Content Uncategorized

Artificial Intelligence Optimization (AIO): Is It The Same As SEO For Law Firms? (Updated May 2025)

Is AIO for law firms the same as SEO for law firms? Now that Google’s AI Mode is official, this is a great question. 

Though both AIO and SEO can have to do with optimizing content, there are some things we want to point out, particularly concerning AI Mode for law firms You may have heard SEO is dead or dying, and AIO is the new sheriff in town. So, is AIO replacing law firm SEO? And what does it mean for law firm marketing as we continue towards 2026? 

The digital marketing realm is indeed changing as AI continues to influence law firm marketing practices. We see that Google’s AI Mode (introduced May 2025) now generates conversational, multimodal responses that directly engage users within search results. These interactive results go beyond traditional scraping, using advanced generative AI to answer queries contextually.

And guess where your favorite AI engine pulls its results from? That’s right, from the web, scraping results it has access to, similar to traditional crawlers. 

Optimizing the capabilities of AI is going to help law firms improve overall marketing efforts. AIO is changing the way content is optimized as the use of AI-powered search continues to expand. A new type of optimization strategy is evolving that caters to the preferences of AI algorithms, but it may not be all that different than what we’re used to.

  1. Artificial Intelligence Optimization (AIO) and Google’s AI Mode Optimization: Clarifying the Differences
  2. Does SEO for Law Firms Still Matter?
  3. What SEO for Law Firms Looks Like With Google AI Mode
  4. What AI Mode Likely Means Law Firm Content Creation
  5. People Still Have Trust Issues with AI-Generated Content
  6. SEO 2.0: Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)
  7. Even as Search Evolves With AI Mode, Quality Content is Still What It’s All About
artificial intelligence optimization for law firms with robot staring
AIO for law firms, for now, is fairly similar to SEO. Of course, things are changing rapidly.

Artificial Intelligence Optimization (AIO) and Google’s AI Mode Optimization: Clarifying the Differences

In May of 2025, Google began offering AI Mode at the top of many search results to enable users to quickly understand information from multiple sources. Using generative AI technology, AI Mode presents a generated synopsis of information from selected sources in response to an inquiry. AI Mode enhances interactivity by allowing follow-up questions and multimodal responses, significantly reshaping user interactions.

Users can click on the links provided to access Google’s selected sources for more information. AI Mode responses are intended to provide comprehensive information and eliminate the need for users to scroll down through other search results.

Often, the sources supporting an AI Mode response are the organic content a user will be directed to first, making it desirable to create content that artificial intelligence will want to select for its interactive responses.

SEO practices now require more explicit optimization for conversational, multimodal interactions that align with AI Mode’s capabilities.

In a nutshell:  

AI Mode results do not appear with every search, though Google is expanding the types of queries with which they appear. The responses are designed to respond to more complex search queries, often asked as a question.

For example, searching ‘how do I file for divorce in Dallas?’ might trigger an interactive AI Mode response that directly answers follow-up questions interactively. This suggests that creating quality content that responds to a longer and more specific search query, such as providing the answer to a direct question, has a good chance of being selected as a source for an AI Mode response.

Does SEO for Law Firms Still Matter?

Yes, SEO still matters for law firms. Optimizing content for search engines is still important for the success of law firm marketing. Though AI-powered search is a growing alternative, search engines are, for now, the dominant means by which people search for information. 

Traditional SEO is not going away anytime soon, even as AI Mode for law firms rolls out. Still, some of the optimization practices will change as search algorithms become more refined and move away from literal word matches and toward predicting word sequences. 

What SEO for Law Firms Looks Like With Google AI Mode

Law firm marketing and content production can benefit by incorporating AI technology to improve efficiency and create a more personalized client experience. 

With Google AI Mode frequently appearing prominently in search results, law firm SEO content should explicitly target conversational, multimodal interactions. Google has officially said nothing has changed regarding the kind of content the search engine will prioritize. Creating quality content that complies with Google’s policies and strategically optimizing it for easy readability by Google bots is still the best way for content to rank high in search results.

Even amid rapid technological changes, SEO experts emphasize that these factors remain essential for content creation:

  • E-E-A-T – Creating content that demonstrates a law firm’s experience, expertise, authority, and trustworthiness is as important as ever.
  • Featured Snippets – Optimizing content for featured snippets means structuring content so that it directly answers a user’s how, what, or why inquiry. This type of optimization is also AI search-friendly. 
  • FAQ Sections – Providing thorough, concise answers to commonly searched questions enhances user experience and appeals to search engines and AI-powered search. 
  • Personalized Content – Users increasingly expect a more personalized experience when interfacing with search. 
  • Local SEO – Optimizing for local searches is extremely important for law firms targeting local clients who are likely to search on their phones, often using voice queries for ‘near me’. 
  • User Experience – Content must be easy to access and consume. Content structure, headings, and visual appeal are important for user satisfaction. 

What AI Mode Likely Means Law Firm Content Creation

In light of Google’s recent rollout of AI Mode, it’s crucial to reassess the role of AI in law firm content creation. AI Mode introduces a conversational search experience, delivering AI-generated summaries that reduce the need for users to click through to websites. This shift emphasizes the importance of creating content that is not only informative but also optimized for AI interpretation.

The Efficiency of AI in Content Creation

AI tools can significantly enhance the efficiency of content creation by quickly generating structured and organized information. This capability is particularly beneficial for producing initial drafts or compiling factual data. However, AI-generated content often requires human oversight to ensure accuracy, relevance, and alignment with the firm’s voice and branding.

The Necessity of Human Oversight

While AI can assist in content generation, human involvement remains essential. Editors and legal professionals must review AI-produced content to verify its accuracy, ensure compliance with ethical standards, and infuse it with the firm’s unique perspective. This collaborative approach helps maintain the authenticity and credibility of the content.

Retrofitting content to ‘get it right’ might take almost as long for a human editor as it would take a human writer to get it right from the outset. 

Limitations in Originality and Emotional Connection

AI lacks the ability to draw from personal experiences or convey empathy, which are critical components in legal content that aims to connect with clients on an emotional level. Human writers can provide nuanced insights and narratives that resonate with readers, establishing trust and demonstrating the firm’s commitment to understanding client needs.

Addressing Authenticity and Transparency

The integration of AI in content creation raises questions about authenticity and transparency. Surveys indicate that a significant portion of consumers believe AI-generated content should be clearly identified, with many expressing concerns about distinguishing between real and artificial content. Law firms must consider these perceptions and decide whether to disclose the use of AI in their content creation processes.

Adapting to Google’s AI Mode

With AI Mode altering how users interact with search results, law firms must adapt their content strategies accordingly. Content should be structured to provide clear, concise answers to potential client queries, facilitating inclusion in AI-generated summaries. This involves focusing on high-quality, authoritative content that aligns with Google’s emphasis on helpfulness and relevance.

Strategic Recommendations

  • Integrate AI Thoughtfully: Utilize AI tools for drafting and research, but ensure all content is reviewed and refined by human professionals.
  • Prioritize Quality and Relevance: Develop content that addresses specific client questions and concerns, enhancing its value and likelihood of being featured in AI summaries.
  • Maintain Transparency: Consider disclosing the use of AI in content creation to build trust with your audience.
  • Monitor Performance: Regularly assess how your content performs in search results, particularly within AI Mode, and adjust strategies as needed.

Market research firm Attest recently surveyed 9,500 consumers from the US and seven other countries. More than 71% of the respondents indicated that the use of AI makes it hard to distinguish between real and fake. Because of the tendency to feel deceived, 83% of the consumers agreed that it should be legally required that companies identify AI-generated content.

People Still Have Trust Issues with AI-Generated Content

Not too surprisingly, studies have been done on whether people prefer AI-generated content or human-generated content. Digital asset management platform Bynder had 2,000 consumers review two articles written on the same subject – one by a human and the other by ChatGPT.  

Not told who wrote which article, half of the consumers were able to correctly identify the AI-generated content, and a little more than half said they preferred the AI-generated content. Even so, when asked about content generated by AI, those surveyed tended to be less favorable toward the automated content.

The Bynder study revealed the following reactions by consumers who suspect the content they are reviewing is AI-generated:

  • Brand is impersonal – 26%
  • Brand is lazy – 20%
  • Brand is untrustworthy – 20%
  • Brand is not creative – 19%

At present, there is no general requirement for law firms to disclose to clients whether they use AI – though many state bar associations have issued guidance regarding the use of AI in the practice of law. 

Nevertheless, disclosure is something law firms should consider if they are using AI to create content. Trust is an important element of the attorney-client relationship, and transparency in law firms is essential for building client trust. 

What About Those Damn Hallucinations?

New information indicates that more recent generative AI models hallucinate more than previous iterations. The New Scientist article titled “AI hallucinations are getting worse – and they’re here to stay“ highlights the persistent issue of AI “hallucinations”—instances where AI systems generate inaccurate or entirely false information. Key points include:

  • Hallucinations are inherent: AI systems like large language models (LLMs) operate on probabilities and pattern predictions, which means they can fabricate facts with confidence. These errors aren’t due to malfunction but are a fundamental limitation of how generative AI works.
  • Getting worse with scale: As AI models become larger and more sophisticated, the hallucinations can become more convincing, not less, due to more fluent language generation that masks factual inaccuracy.
  • Persistence of the problem: Researchers acknowledge that while some improvements can reduce hallucination frequency, eliminating them entirely may not be possible due to the nature of generative AI.
  • Real-world implications: These hallucinations pose significant challenges in professional contexts, including legal content creation, where accuracy is non-negotiable.

We bring this up as a warning. You’re a brand. As a lawyer, you might even have a few brands cooking, including your personal brand and your law firm’s brand. Don’t ruin the years of brand-building you’ve done in days by blindly trusting AI to write your content. 

SEO 2.0: Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)

AI has ushered in a new era of search that requires a different kind of content optimization.  Generative Engine Optimization is the evolution of SEO as optimization caters to the algorithms of AI-powered search systems AND traditional search engines.

Traditional search engines select relevant content by recognizing keywords used in a search query, like a matching game. They are not programmed to understand user intent and cannot provide a personalized search experience. Users are left to pick through a list of search results that are not tailored to individual needs or interests.

AI-powered search assistants are trained to understand human language. They analyze the language of a search query to determine the user’s intent. User data from previous searches and clicks is collected and used to predict the most relevant outcomes for future searches. The result is an individually tailored response.

GEO incorporates many of the foundational concepts of SEO, like the importance of relevant, reliable, authoritative content, and builds on them with some refinements that appeal to AI search systems. 

According to consumer platform Hubspot, what is known now is that AI tools like well-structured and easy-to-read data. Think clear language, short paragraphs, and concise sentences. Authoritative content is also AI-friendly. Think EEAT (experience, expertise, authority, trustworthiness) and include statistics, cite sources, and quote experts. As AI search continues to develop, GEO techniques will no doubt continue to adapt. 

Even as Search Evolves With AI Mode, Quality Content is Still What It’s All About

As AI technology continues to influence law firm marketing practices, there is one constant that will not change. The goal of all search systems is to provide users with the best available content. Reliable, authoritative, original content that captures the intent of the user and delivers the most helpful response is what all search systems prioritize. 

At Blue Seven Content, our human content writers craft law firm website content based on human research, real experiences, distinct perspectives, and an understanding of the unique needs of each client. We respect AI for its strengths, but we believe it’s people who can connect with people. Law firms interested in well-written, appropriately optimized, original, people-first content (and more clients) can contact Blue Seven to learn more. 

Written By Mari Gaines, JD – Blue Seven Content Legal Writer

Updated By Rachel Vachon (Legal Content Writer) & Allen Watson (CEO of Blue Seven Content)

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Using News Sources in Online Content Amidst Mass Media Mistrust

Is it stupid to use news sources in your online content? Maybe.

We’re in our MMM Era, and it’s not as cool as the Eras tour. No, we’re in the  Mass Media Mistrust era.

Data from the Pew Research Center indicates that media mistrust in the US has reached Congressional levels. Yeah, people hate/distrust the media that much right now.

  1. Should You Include News Agencies as Sources Within Your Website Content?  
  2. Understanding Media Polarization 
  3. Public Mistrust in News Agencies 
  4. The Role of Social Media in Fueling Media Distrust 
  5. The Impact of Media Polarization on Online Content
  6. Best Practices for Using News Sources in Online Content 
  7. Tread the New Media Waters Carefully

Should You Include News Agencies as Sources Within Your Website Content?  

Using reputable sources within your website content can help in numerous ways, including establishing credibility and authority of the information on the page. Reputable sources can also help with your overall rankings. 

But, do news sources count as reputable locations from which to get information? Should you cite new sources on your website?

We’re living in a time that’s seen public trust in the media rapidly erode. Simply telling someone which news station you watch can start an argument. It goes as far as people judging a gym or bar based on whether they are playing CNN or Fox News. Much like my local Planet Fitness, located in a predominantly conservative state, relocated CNN to an obscure corner of the gym and only then on a single picture-in-picture with four other stations on the same screen. 

As content writers and content managers, we must carefully approach our strategies when researching and writing pages for our clients, and this includes understanding media polarization. Whether we’re discussing law firm SEO content or content for another type of business or agency, this is an issue that should be addressed. 

Smartphones with news clips. Mass Media Mistrust Era and News Trust
No, the Mass Media Mistrust Era isn’t as cool as the Eras Tour.

Understanding Media Polarization 

The growing divide in how news is produced, consumed, and perceived along ideological lines isn’t new. In the United States, this phenomenon has deep historical roots but has intensified significantly over the past few decades and certainly skyrocketed since 2016. Now, it seems to be a free-for-all of hate coming from all directions at every outlet. How did we get here?

Historical Context

One key turning point was the repeal of the Fairness Doctrine in 1987, which required broadcasters to present contrasting viewpoints on controversial issues. Its elimination allowed for the rise of partisan media outlets, notably talk radio in the 1990s and the emergence of cable networks like Fox News and MSNBC. Everyone loves to point the finger at CNN, usually because they’re the ones who started the 24/7 news mania, but they weren’t the ones to start the partisan divide. 

Even though CNN arguably opened the floodgates, this more partisan shift in the 90s marked the beginning of a more overtly polarized media field. The shift is evident in Gallup’s chart.

The rise of the MMM Era can generally get traced back to around 1996. If you were conscious of the news at the time, then you’d probably agree this was certainly a change.

Globally, media polarization varies. Countries like the UK, with public broadcasters like the BBC, tend to have more centralized and regulated media systems less prone to polarization (though the UK may not be the best example here, seeing as they’re also slightly bonkers right now as well). In contrast, the U.S.’s deregulated and highly commercialized media landscape encourages ideological splits.

Some Contributing Factors 

Several elements fuel media polarization, including:

  • The 24-hour news cycle prioritizes sensationalism to capture attention.
  • Financial pressures incentivize catering to niche audiences rather than the general public (firm audience ideologies bring more certainty for advertisers).
  • Social media amplifies extreme viewpoints, further entrenching divides (we’ll talk about social below).

Public Mistrust in News Agencies 

We don’t really need data to tell us that public trust in the media is in serious trouble, but what do the numbers show us? Believe it or not, it can be fairly hard to find solid data because, you guessed it, a lot of the same data gets skewed in different ways depending on which outlet you examine. But we’ll try our best.

Who Do People Trust?

Trust varies significantly by demographic and political affiliation. According to a 2024 Gallup poll, trust in the media is at an all-time low (again, right down there with the historically unpopular members of Congress), outlets like PBS and The Associated Press rank among the most trusted, while partisan networks like Fox News and MSNBC evoke mixed reactions depending on the audience.

Why Is Trust Declining?

Several reasons explain this rapidly growing skepticism in the media, including:

  • Perceived Bias. Many believe news outlets cater to specific political ideologies, prioritizing opinion over objective reporting. Let’s face it. This happens regardless of the political slant.
  • The Role of Misinformation. As misinformation proliferates, distinguishing fact from fiction becomes harder, tarnishing even credible outlets by association. 
  • Digital Echo Chambers. Social media platforms foster environments where we’re exposed predominantly to viewpoints aligning with our own beliefs, deepening distrust of opposing perspectives.

The Social Media Effect

Social media is a double-edged sword. While it democratizes access to information, it also enables the rapid spread of misleading or completely false information. Viral misinformation erodes public confidence in both the platforms themselves and traditional media attempting to debunk the myths. 

Remember the recent Hurricane Helene? That tragic event, which will take some states and communities years to recover from, was a hotbed of misinformation. The misinformation was so widespread and convincing that FEMA workers had to pause their incredibly important inspections due to constant but very real threats. Those threats came from the rapid spread of false information through social media.

The Role of Social Media in Fueling Media Distrust 

The rise of social media as a primary news source has dramatically altered how people perceive and engage with news.

A Shift in News Consumption

Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter – “X”, and TikTok are now major players in the news ecosystem. Remember how weird it was when Barack Obama embraced social media back in 2007/2008? Wow, those were the days before we knew the pains social media would bring.

The immediacy and accessibility of these apps appeal to audiences, but they also lack the editorial oversight of traditional media. As of 2023, over 50% of Americans reported getting news from social media, yet only 29% trust the information they encounter there (hard paywall).

Let’s not underestimate how quickly the public has shifted. When Donald Trump appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience, it was a big deal. Traditional media outlets were left on the sidelines, only able to discuss the interview. They couldn’t control the narrative in any way, just report on the aftermath.

Kamala Harris ended up not appearing on the show, likely to her detriment. Joe Rogan’s show has been described, by some, as the Fox News for young people. That’s an already large and continuously growing audience. 

Guess what? This shift in media consumption is barreling forward. Political pundits on all sides anticipate that this shift to more non-traditional media is not reversible. We have to adjust.

Algorithmic Polarization (that’s a really cool band name)

Social media algorithms prioritize content that generates engagement. These algorithms are fueled by AIs that pick and choose your experience based on repeat behaviors, which then creates the echo chamber because it mimics your choice over and over again.

Unfortunately, this usually means amplifying polarizing or sensational posts, creating echo chambers where users are exposed to viewpoints that reinforce their existing beliefs. All of this fosters distrust in alternative perspectives while dangerously committing users to a perspective that may have false or biased presumptions.  

Erosion of Trust in Traditional Media

The constant barrage of competing narratives online diminishes the credibility of traditional outlets. Consumers inundated with conflicting information become skeptical of all sources, perceiving even reputable organizations as part of the problem. If you’re asking, “Are there any reputable news organizations?” then you see the issue.

The Virality of Misinformation

Unverified and sensational stories spread rapidly on social media, often outpacing corrections. This undermines trust in legitimate sources and leaves users questioning what’s true. Right now, nowhere is this more prevalent than with the main stories in our headlines (elections and wars).

The Impact of Media Polarization on Online Content

So why should this matter to you?

Media polarization can have implications for businesses and their online content strategies. Content that cites polarized news sources risks alienating segments of your audience. For instance, referencing Fox News may bolster credibility with conservative readers while diminishing it with liberals—and vice versa with outlets like MSNBC.

Special note: I’m not naive enough to think that business owners and law firm owners don’t have political beliefs. What I do know is that, as a consumer and as someone who knows how to read data, the vast majority of your consumers or clients don’t want to hear about your beliefs. At all. Seriously. Stop doing it. Doing so can, and likely will, alienate a base of potential clients.

Easy Strategies to Mitigate Risk

To navigate any potential missteps, we encourage you and your team to:

  • Rely on neutral, fact-based outlets.
  • Include diverse viewpoints (if warranted) to demonstrate balance.
  • Disclose source selection criteria to build transparency. Let audiences know why you’re using certain sources if you sense there could be an issue.

What About Content for Law Firms?

Law firms, in particular, must tread carefully when referencing news sources. Credibility is paramount in legal content, as clients seek trustworthy and impartial advice.

Practical Strategies

  • Use government websites, legal databases, and peer-reviewed journals as primary sources.
  • Avoid citing highly polarized outlets unless necessary (they’re the only ones reporting on an issue)
  • Clearly differentiate between opinion and verified facts. For example, a blog post on a recent Supreme Court ruling should cite the court’s official decision rather than an interpretation from a partisan news outlet.

Best Practices for Using News Sources in Online Content 

Whether you’re operating a law firm or another type of business, credibility matters online, and so does avoiding alienating your audience. If you’re looking for some quick overall best practices, we suggest:

  1. Selecting Credible Sources. Prioritize outlets with a history of impartial reporting, like Reuters or AP.
  2. Balancing Viewpoints. Where possible, include perspectives from multiple sides to demonstrate neutrality.
  3. Fact-Checking Rigorously. Use tools like FactCheck.org or Media Bias/Fact Check (full disclosure, this site is clunky) to verify claims.
  4. Disclosing Transparency. Be upfront about why you chose specific sources, especially if they could be perceived as polarizing. Readers appreciate communication.

A Note on Local News

It’s not uncommon for law firms or other businesses to use local news stories on their websites. This could include news about a case the business or law firm is involved in, but not always. 

Local news outlets tend to foster more trust from the general public because they usually (but not always) try to stick with local news and fewer opinion pieces. You’re usually pretty safe using these sources, but we’ve been asked to take down entire blogs based on local news before. Usually, this has to do with local sensitivities we weren’t made aware of, but it happens (i.e., a Stand-Your-Ground case that rocks a local community or a case involving a well-known local).

Use your discretion when it comes to local news outlets and which stories to use on your website. The media ecosystems for individual states and regions differ. You know your space better than anyone else, including what your local audience trusts. 

Tread the New Media Waters Carefully

It’s an MMM world, and we’re just trying to survive. Mass media mistrust means that law firms and business owners must navigate news sources with precision and care. Understanding media polarization and its impact is not just an academic exercise. It is important for maintaining credibility and trust.

Blue Seven Content understands these issues and we make sure our clients receive content that hits the marks. We actually take time to discuss these types of issues internally so we can stay ahead of the game. 

Written by Allen Watson – Co-Founder and CEO of Blue Seven Content

Edited by Victoria Lozano, Esq. – Co-Founder and Executive at Blue Seven Content

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Bluesky Social for Lawyers and Law Firms in 2025

Lawyers, Bluesky is a social media platform you shouldn’t ignore.

Bluesky Social isn’t a fad anymore. It’s skyrocketed in popularity, propelled by the 2024 election. Your clients are exploring it, your colleagues are curious about it, and the legal profession, as a whole, is about to take notice. Bluesky is for lawyers, so get ready.

    Bluesky Social for lawyers and law firms banner with Bluesky logo.

    What is Bluesky Social, Anyway?

    Bluesky Social launched as a decentralized social media platform designed to give users more control over their data and content moderation. It’s not the same kind of “free-for-all” as Twitter (now X), and it’s a platform built to provide stability (they say) and a new approach to social media. Bluesky allows users to enjoy an experience that combines connectivity and customization, a feature that will resonate with lawyers and their clients.

    According to an article in The Verge, Bluesky’s approach is built on the AT Protocol, a new social networking technology focused on decentralization and user-controlled content moderation. By allowing users more control over who sees and engages with their posts, Bluesky creates a cleaner, more personalized environment that’s very different from the increasingly polarized landscape of X.

    Claire Wardle, Cornell University professor and expert in misinformation, says that Bluesky has a “quite different” value system than the big socials, which is evidenced in a March 2024 blog from Bluesky itself when they said, “The first generation of social media platforms connected the world, but ended up consolidating power in the hands of a few corporations and their leaders.”

    The goal of Bluesky, if you read the undertones, is to NOT be the bad guy.

    Ummm, hey, while you’re here (no, the other you), follow us Blue Seven Content on Bluesky Social! Or on LinkedIn. If you must, Instagram.

    Keep in mind, as you explore Bluesky Social for your law firm or as an individual attorney yourself, that this is a young platform. It’s going to have some bumps in the road, as NBC News points out. The company doesn’t have a big team (as of late 2024 and into early 2025), so moderating explosive growth has been challenging.

    How Bluesky Differs from X (Twitter)

    We can lament the state of Twitter (or X) in 2025, but it’s been on a spiral toward the depths of Hades for a minute now. The chaos following Elon Musk’s (our new co-president?) acquisition and rebranding has left a noticeable void in social spaces.* Many professionals, including lawyers (and us marketers), have been frustrated by X’s unfiltered content, lack of stability, and often combative environment. 

    Bluesky fills that gap with a focus on community-centered engagement. Basically, build “your people.” Quite different from the crush of weird algorithms overwhelming us that always seem to be out of our control.

    * Apologies for any offense to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). We acquiesce to your authority.

    Bluesky’s features could, if used correctly, speak directly to the needs of lawyers and law firms:

    • Controlled Content Moderation: Lawyers can engage in conversations with other professionals without the risk of unsolicited trolling (we’re all for solicited trolling, I guess) or inappropriate commentary that often plagues other platforms.
    • A More Curated Network: Bluesky’s user-driven curation tools create an environment where lawyers can connect with relevant audiences, including potential clients, thought leaders, and industry influencers.
    • Professional Atmosphere: Bluesky’s interface and moderation tools provide a cleaner, more professional space that allows attorneys to share insights and expertise without wading through irrelevant noise.

    The Future of Bluesky for Lawyers – Don’t Miss Your Early Mover Advantage

    Bluesky is still a young platform, and that means you have the chance to carve out your digital territory before it becomes overcrowded. Establishing your firm’s brand early could be a smart long-term strategy, allowing you to reserve the best handles and build an audience without the clutter of usernames with numbers or underscores (my first username online was “@bigcat_38” and it was for AOL Instant Messenger. Don’t knock it, you probably had a horrible handle at some point, too). 

    This is your chance to stand out in a professional space, maybe before your local competitors.

    As USA Today recently highlighted, Bluesky’s user base has grown rapidly, but it’s still in its infancy compared to other social platforms. We think early adopters are uniquely positioned to shape the platform’s culture and establish their voice. Don’t miss this early mover advantage. It’s rare to get this opportunity, and guess what – there are some parasitic movers out there sucking up Bluesky usernames so they can sell them back to big brands later. Don’t let someone else snag your name or your law firm’s name before you can.

    Why Lawyers and Law Firms Need to Pay Attention to Bluesky Social

    1. Early Adoption: Build Your Personal Brand and Your Firm’s Brand

    Joining Bluesky now allows lawyers to shape their own brand in a space that’s still evolving. Unlike the more crowded platforms, Bluesky offers room for growth and a chance to connect without the saturation of traditional social media.

    2. Connecting with Clients and Colleagues in an Emerging Space

    Bluesky’s community-focused design makes it an ideal platform for connecting with potential clients who value thoughtful content. It’s also a unique space to network with other legal professionals and industry influencers who are navigating the evolving landscape of legal marketing and technology.

    3. Bluesky as a Space for Thought Leadership in Law

    On Bluesky, your content isn’t just one more post in a sea of noise. The platform is primed for lawyers to share thought leadership, whether that’s offering legal insights, sharing opinions on current issues, or discussing broader industry trends. Unlike traditional social media, where engagement can be hit or miss, Bluesky’s audience is seeking meaningful content.

    Cell phone text chat between Blue Seven and a lawyer about Bluesky.
    Calling all of our favorite lawyers! You can get on Bluesky in a few minutes.

    How Do You Get Started on Bluesky as an Attorney?

    If you’re a lawyer (or anyone) or a law firm (or any entity) ready to get rolling on Bluesky, it’s pretty easy. We’ve linked better instructions from Wired, but here’s our snap summary:

    1. Set Up Your Account and Optimize Your Profile
      • Getting started on Bluesky is simple. Choose a professional photo, write a concise bio that reflects your expertise, and make sure to link back to your law firm’s website (hold that thought – it doesn’t seem like we have the ability to link in the profile bios yet).
    2. Identify Key Topics and Content Themes
      • Successful Bluesky content will be well-researched and relevant to your audience. For lawyers, this could include Q&As, recent legal case summaries, or explanations of complex legal issues in layman’s terms.
    3. Add Blue Seven Content on Bluesky Social
      • We’re just getting started on that platform as well, so maybe we can all learn together?
    4. Who Runs Your Social Media? Talk to Them.
      • If you have a team managing your social presence, make sure they understand Bluesky’s unique potential. This is a new platform with distinct expectations, and it requires a tailored approach that prioritizes professionalism and meaningful engagement.
      • It’s much better if YOU post on your own. In your voice. Trust us, authenticity should be the word of the decade when it comes to building a brand. Don’t worry about making it perfect. Just be you.
    5. Experiment with Bluesky’s Unique Content Formats and Engagement Tools
      • Bluesky’s platform design allows for more nuanced interactions through “Blues” and other engagement tools. Take time to test these features and find ways to effectively connect with your audience. We don’t even know what everything does yet.

    The Role of Content in Your Law Firm’s Bluesky Strategy

    A consistent, well-crafted content strategy is key to standing out on ANY social media platform, so we can expect the same tactic to work on Bluesky. Skilled content writers, especially those experienced in legal content, help convey your firm’s message in a way that’s compelling and compliant. High-quality content engages your audience, builds your firm’s credibility, and makes sure your posts reflect your brand accurately. But, can that longer-form content translate well to smaller social posts?

    Yes.

    At Blue Seven, we’re writers, not social media managers. While we understand the importance of a tailored social presence, our focus remains on crafting quality content that speaks to your audience. As Bluesky’s platform grows, we may expand our services to the social sphere, but for now, our priority is creating content that elevates your online presence.

    We will use this opportunity to stress the importance of a consistent branding message across your platforms. We also know that good content can be useful not just on your website or newsletter but also across your socials. Why reinvent the wheel? You can use a great, human-written blog or practice area page and chunk that into smaller bits for LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, X (Twitter), Bluesky, and more.

    So, if you want to talk about content, we can do that today.

    Crafted by Allen Watson – CEO and Co-Founder of Blue Seven Content