AI Search Is Redrawing the Funnel: Why UK Law Firms Must Unite SEO and Google Ads

AI-powered search isn’t just a curiosity anymore. It’s actively reshaping how legal service clients in the UK find and choose solicitors. Google’s AI Overviews are the biggest shake-up yet, squeezing organic results, scattering paid ads unpredictably, and leaving both SEO and Google Ads teams flying blind when it comes to performance data.

For law firms that rely on a steady flow of high-intent enquiries, the stakes are clear: if search strategies don’t adapt, you risk being cut out of the client journey before it even begins.

Why AI Overview Data Leaves Legal Marketers in the Dark

Traditionally, legal marketers could track impressions, clicks, and conversions with relative confidence. Now, with AI Overviews in play, that clarity has all but vanished:

1. Placement is opaque

Ads may appear above, inside, or below an AI Overview. However, Google Ads provides no segmentation data.

2. Same auction, different context

The bidding process hasn’t changed, but the environment has. An ad shown inside an AI summary performs very differently from one at the top of a traditional results page.

3. All data is lumped together

Just as Google Search Console doesn’t tell lawyers how often their firm appears in AI summaries, Google Ads rolls AI Overview clicks into the generic “Top Ads” category.

This lack of transparency means both SEO and PPC/Google Ads teams are working with incomplete pictures. For UK law firms, where every qualified enquiry counts, that’s a dangerous gap.

AI Search Hits Law Firms Harder

AI Overviews don’t just cut into traffic. They reshape the funnel. Where clients once clicked through to a solicitor’s website to research conveyancing fees, employment law expertise, or dispute resolution services, AI search now condenses much of that journey into a single on-page summary.

That means:

• Top-of-funnel queries dry up – informational searches that once fed into brand discovery are increasingly answered without clicks.
• Mid-funnel acceleration – clients who do engage move more quickly toward instructing a firm, often bypassing the “research” stage.
• Bottom-funnel competition intensifies – paid and organic results at the decision-making stage are more valuable than ever—but harder to win.

With less traffic coming in at the research stage, SEO work is increasingly focused on the same bottom-funnel pages that PPC campaigns target. For law firms, that overlap creates both competition and potential for stronger collaboration.

Why SEO and PPC Must Now Move in Lockstep

In the past, organic and paid search often ran in parallel. Two separate teams are chasing visibility with different methods. That won’t cut it anymore.

Today’s client journey is fragmented, compressed, and mediated by AI. Which means:

• SEO informs paid search – organic insights reveal which queries trigger AI Overviews, what phrases the summaries use, and which competitors are being cited.
• Paid search tests amplify SEO – Google can quickly validate whether those same keywords and copy approaches drive high-quality leads.
• Shared visibility wins – together, both functions can cover blind spots and focus spend and effort where it matters most: high-intent clients.

SEO now plays a key role in shaping what large language models surface and in reinforcing brand credibility across the client journey. Google Ads, on the other hand, is most effective at converting that trust into actual enquiries when clients are ready to instruct.

4 Ways Your Law Firm Can Leverage Google and SEO in the Age of AI

To thrive in an AI-powered search landscape and enjoy increased visibility, UK law firms must combine SEO and Google Ads. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Tag and track keywords triggering AI Overviews

Not every query activates an AI Overview yet. Your first move is to build a joint keyword set across Google Ads and SEO, tagging those that do.

For example:

• Conveyancing solicitors near me – may trigger an AI summary with top-ranked providers.
• How long does probate take in the UK – likely answered in-summary, with little click-through potential.
• Employment lawyer fixed fee consultation – high-intent, still more likely to drive conversions.

Flagging which terms fall into which bucket allows PPC teams to reallocate spend toward keywords with greater click potential while SEOs adjust strategies for competitive AI-triggered queries.

2. Mirror AI copy patterns in ad creative

AI Overviews aren’t random. They’re carefully curated to sound authoritative, accessible, and client-friendly. That makes them an invaluable source of market research.

When crafting ads, pay attention to:

• Recurring language – if Google consistently surfaces “fixed fee,” “local expertise,” or “no win no fee,” mirror that terminology in your ads.
• Tone – legal audiences often demand plain English, but in areas such as corporate law, a more formal tone may dominate.
• Competitor mentions – if your competitors are cited in AI summaries, make an effort to differentiate your ads.

By considering the way AI presents information, your ads will feel more relevant to searchers in the exact moment of decision.

3. Flag zero-click and low-click queries early

AI-driven search is accelerating the zero-click trend. Your SEO and Google Ads teams should be proactive in identifying queries where AI Overviews or snippets dominate, especially if those keywords are part of your PPC campaigns.

That means:

• Highlighting terms where CTRs are falling despite steady impressions.
• Spotting “answered in-search results” questions, such as timeframes for divorce or thresholds for unfair dismissal claims.
• Advising when it may be time to pause low-performing paid terms and reinvest in higher-intent opportunities.

This is not about abandoning organic or paid. It’s about directing budget and effort where it has the best chance of delivering real client leads.

4. Monitor competitor visibility in AI results

Law is a competitive market, and AI Overviews often name firms directly when summarising “best solicitors for…” style queries.

Your SEO team is already monitoring SERPs. Extend that to track:

• Which firms are consistently mentioned in AI Overviews.
• What types of content (guides, FAQs, case studies) are being cited.
• New entrants who may not yet appear in PPC Auction Insights.

For your Google Ads, that intelligence can inform conquest campaigns targeting named competitors or shape ad positioning to counter AI-surfaced claims directly.

Collaboration Is Key

AI search isn’t a passing phase. It’s the new normal. For UK law firms, that means embracing collaboration between SEO and paid media teams is no longer optional. Together, they can build smarter, intent-driven strategies that don’t just survive in an AI-dominated landscape but thrive. Because here’s the bottom line: clients still need lawyers. The question is whether your firm will show up in the moments that matter or whether AI search will quietly hand that visibility to someone else.

At Kinetic Traffic, we specialise in both Google Ads and SEO, giving law firms a joined-up strategy that works across the entire funnel. Our team tracks AI-driven shifts in real time, helping you adapt faster than competitors and capture high-intent clients where it matters most. Whether it’s optimising bottom-funnel pages for organic visibility or running tightly targeted ad campaigns, we make sure your firm shows up when potential clients are ready to act. Get in touch today.