Written for US law firms evaluating their marketing options in 2026. One honest answer: these aren't competing choices. They solve different problems. Here's when each one wins.
| Capability | Traditional Law Firm SEO Agency | AltorLab |
|---|---|---|
| Google rankings | ✓ Core strength — keyword research, on-page SEO, link building | ◑ Foundational — schema, entity signals, structured content also support Google |
| Local map pack | ✓ Core strength — GBP optimization, local citations, review strategy | ◑ Included — entity consistency across GBP and legal directories |
| ChatGPT citations | ✗ Rarely tracked — most don't measure AI citation rate | ✓ Core strength — monthly tracking across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews |
| Perplexity visibility | ✗ Not addressed | ✓ Core strength — PerplexityBot access, answer-first content, entity verification |
| FAQPage schema | ◑ Sometimes — often added for Google rich results, not AI extraction | ✓ Core deliverable — implemented on every practice area page |
| Answer-first content | ✗ Rarely — most write for keywords, not AI extraction format | ✓ Core deliverable — every page rewritten to lead with direct answers |
| AI crawler access | ✗ Not checked — most SEO agencies don't audit robots.txt for GPTBot | ✓ Week 1 fix — GPTBot, PerplexityBot, Google-Extended verified |
| Reporting | Rankings, traffic, leads | AI citation rate by query, GEO Health Score, citation source breakdown |
| Starting price | $1,000–$5,000/mo (typical for legal SEO) | $1,500/mo (single-location firm) |
If you're not on page 1 for your primary practice area + city, fix that first. 76% of AI citations also rank in Google's top 10. SEO is the foundation.
Google Maps visibility for "personal injury lawyer near me" still drives a large share of inbound calls. Traditional SEO agencies are stronger here.
Authoritative legal backlinks (bar associations, legal publications, local press) are a traditional SEO specialty that directly improves AI visibility too.
If you can only hire one, establish Google rankings first. AltorLab's work compounds faster on top of existing authority.
This is the most common gap. Good Google rankings + invisible in AI answers = exactly what AltorLab fixes. The technical issues are different from SEO.
When clients ask ChatGPT for a personal injury lawyer in your city and a competitor appears, AltorLab closes that gap specifically.
AltorLab measures your citation rate in ChatGPT and Perplexity by query — the metric that tells you whether AI is actually sending you clients.
AltorLab runs alongside your existing SEO retainer — handling the AI layer that most legal SEO agencies haven't built methodology for yet.
We run 10 real prompts about your firm across ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews — screenshots in 48 hours. Shows exactly where you appear and where competitors are being cited instead of you. Free for US law firms.
Get your free AI visibility audit →Law firm SEO optimizes your Google rankings through keywords, content, and links. AI search optimization (GEO) gets your practice area pages cited in ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews using FAQPage schema, answer-first content, and entity verification. The signals are different; the two work best together.
Most don't — they focus on Google. Ask any agency you evaluate: "Can you show my monthly citation rate in ChatGPT and Perplexity?" If they can't measure it, they're not optimizing for it. AltorLab tracks this monthly as the core deliverable.
Yes — this is the most common arrangement. Your SEO agency handles Google rankings and link building. AltorLab handles the AI search layer. The two don't overlap because the work and deliverables are different.