Every day, we speak to attorneys who have been burned by a marketing agency that overpromised and underdelivered. Holding your marketing agency accountable starts before you sign. It begins with vetting.
You need an agency with experience in your field. They should offer useful metrics, regular contact, and ownership over your data.
Lawyers can’t afford marketing “black boxes.” You’re held to high ethical standards, and your agency should be, too.
Here’s how to protect your investment and make sure your agency is working toward your goals.
Ask the right questions before you sign
Vet the agency in key areas to avoid wasting your firm’s time and money.
Here are 5 questions to ask a marketing agency before you sign:
- What metrics do you use to define success?
- Will I own my website, its content, and its data?
- What tools and platforms will I have access to?
- How often will we meet to review progress?
- Can you provide references from firms like mine?
Be sure to find out if the agency has experience in the legal industry. Do they understand the bar advertising rules in your jurisdiction? Do they have experience in your specific practice area? Personal injury vs. estate planning requires different marketing strategies.
Ask to see examples of state-specific legal content or campaigns. Localized content matters, as laws vary.
A good agency is realistic about its promises and transparent about its methods and limitations.
Demand access to your data
Under no circumstances should an agency restrict you from your data. If your agency won’t give you access, that’s a major red flag.
You must have full access to your Google Analytics and Google Search Console.
These platforms tell you:
✓ How people are finding your website
✓ What pages are performing well
✓ Where potential clients are dropping off
For instance, if you’re running ads for services like “DUI lawyer near me” or “car accident lawyer NYC,” you’ll want to see granular keyword data and click-through performance. Search Console can show you if you’re ranking for high-intent keywords like “free consultation” or “best criminal defense attorney.”
Without this data, you may be spending thousands of dollars on content or ads without targeting terms that actually convert. Your agency should be comfortable showing you the data, not keeping you away from it.
Insist on reporting that goes beyond vanity metrics
Page views and impressions are not the whole story.
We all like to see that our money is creating an impact. But a good agency knows which metrics really matter—and they won’t try to distract you with vanity metrics that make you feel good but don’t bring dollars in the door.
Look for reports that include:
✓ Organic traffic growth
✓ Keyword rankings (with context!)
✓ Conversion rates and lead sources
✓ Trends and actionable insights
Make sure the reporting is relevant to your industry.
As an example, conversions for a law firm might mean contact form submissions, live chat messages, or actual client intake calls. These should all be reflected in your report.
It’s totally appropriate to ask the agency to break down traffic by practice area page or landing page. For instance, how’s your personal injury traffic compared to your family law pages?
Ask for reporting that indicates whether you’re gaining visibility in your local pack/map results. This is especially critical for firms targeting a geographic area.
Bonus: Ask for reports you can understand—not just data dumps.
Regular strategy meetings are non-negotiable
Marketing is a tug of war between your dollars and the campaigns you’re running. A lot can change day to day, and you need to know if something’s not working so you can adapt.
All firms should have regular strategy meetings with their agency, but it’s especially critical if you’re investing in SEO or content marketing.
Meet quarterly at a minimum. Even better, meet monthly.
Here’s what you should discuss:
✓ Progress toward goals
✓ Tactics that are working
✓ Tactics that aren’t working (and why)
✓ Adjustments to the strategy based on data
Without regular meetings, you’ll wind up in a “set it and forget it” mode. At worst, a shady agency might take advantage of your lax attitude and keep charging you.
Regular meetings keep everyone aligned. Demand this time to ensure you get your money’s worth, reviewing seasonal trends in your area of law and pivoting as a team if caseload goals shift.
The best agencies bring insights, not just data—what are competitors in your city doing that you’re not?
Set up call tracking
As part of your metrics and reporting, make sure you set up call tracking.
If you are a criminal defense firm or a personal injury firm, call tracking is especially important. Phone contact is often the first and only step before retention.
Make sure you’re recording, reviewing, and learning from this data. Many attorneys underestimate how much business gets lost on the phone.
You need to know which campaigns are driving phone calls and identify patterns in call volume or quality. For instance, if you’re missing calls after hours, should you add a call service? Is your intake team not properly capturing leads? What about a chat tool?
Accountability is a two-way street: Track your intake
Your agency can only do so much. You have to handle the leads well once they come in.
If lead generation is a goal, you need a system to track what happens after the lead comes in.
This helps you distinguish bad leads from bad processes. This can also help your agency improve targeting. This is especially important if you’re doing PPC or SEO and expecting lead volume.
On your side, look for:
- Calls not answered
- Intake forms that were never followed up
- Poor follow-up processes or messaging
Take responsibility for your part, so you can have an honest conversation with your agency about lead quality and make improvements.
Review and next steps
Think of your agency as an extension of your practice, not a mystery vendor. A good partnership will help you build long-term visibility, credibility, and trust with the people who need your help most.
Visibility creates accountability. It’s the most important aspect of a marketing agency. With the right tools, access, and communication, your marketing efforts should drive real, measurable results.
If your current agency can’t deliver real results, it might be time for a change. Reserve a free consultation with OneFirst.
