What to Track (and What to Ignore) in Law Firm Marketing Metrics

By John Hinson on July 28, 2025

A lot of solo and small firm owners want to get better at marketing. So they start looking at numbers: likes, followers, open rates, impressions. These stats are easy to find, but focusing on them too much can lead you in the wrong direction.

Not all marketing metrics matter. The ones that do are the ones that tie to real business outcomes. If you’re spending time obsessing over numbers that don’t connect to consultations or signed clients, you’re wasting time.

Here’s what to actually track, and what to ignore.

Track: Leads Generated

The first number that matters is how many leads you’re generating. That includes form fills, phone calls, and direct inquiries. If your marketing isn’t producing real leads, then the other numbers don’t matter.

You need to know not just that people are seeing your content, but whether they’re taking a step toward contacting you.

Track: Consultations Booked

It’s not enough to get a lead. You want to track how many of those leads actually book a consultation. This is a clearer sign that your marketing is attracting the right people.

If leads aren’t converting into consults, your messaging, targeting, or follow-up might be off.

Track: Client Conversion Rate

Of the consults you have, how many become clients? This is critical. If your conversion rate is low, you might have a marketing problem, but you might also have a sales or intake problem.

Tracking this helps you see whether you need more leads or better closing.

Track: Source of Leads

You should always know where your leads come from. Referrals, SEO, Google Ads, social media—track each one separately. This helps you decide where to spend more time or money.

If you don’t track this, you’ll end up investing in the wrong channels based on guesswork.

Ignore: Social Media Likes and Followers

It’s nice to see a post get likes. But likes and followers don’t pay the bills. Most legal content doesn’t go viral, and that’s okay. People aren’t always going to engage publicly with posts about serious or personal issues.

What matters more is whether your social media presence is driving traffic to your site or encouraging direct outreach.

Ignore: Email Open Rates

Open rates give a rough idea of whether your subject lines work, but they don’t tell the whole story. Sometimes people see your name in their inbox without opening the email, and that’s still valuable.

The goal of email marketing isn’t just opens. It’s staying visible and reminding people you exist. If people are booking consultations after an email, that’s the real metric.

Ignore: Website Traffic Alone

Getting more website traffic feels good. But it’s meaningless if that traffic isn’t turning into leads.

You’re better off with lower traffic that converts than with high traffic that doesn’t. Always track what percentage of your visitors actually fill out a form, call you, or book time.