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Lawyers like to give advice. We give it to our clients, our families, and one another.

Our advice is often pretty good. That’s why our clients pay us for it.

Sometimes, however, we pass along advice about things we don’t really understand. For many of us, myself included, it’s hard to stop talking, even when the conversation turns to something about which we know little.

That’s how I end up giving advice about breastfeeding, international relations, and biotechnology ethics. I just keep talking: it’s an affliction.

I overheard a conversation yesterday (yes, I was eavesdropping) in which one lawyer explained to another lawyer that Google would move a law firm up in the organic search rankings if the firm purchased advertising on Google AdWords. The lawyer called it a “pay to play” scheme.

I held my tongue as long as possible and didn’t jump into the conversation. I saved my words for you, here, now, today.

Does Google Reward Its Advertisers?

You see, I happen to have wondered about Google and “pay to play” myself. I wondered so much that I’ve tested the theory on my site and others. I wanted to find out whether Google was selling the rankings. Would an advertiser get special treatment?

Cutting to the chase: buying ads from Google doesn’t improve organic ranking. It has no impact. I could link to hundreds of search engine optimization experts (along with Google itself) making the same point (but that would require much cutting and pasting, and I’d rather spend my time dispensing advice on topics about which I am uninformed).

The lawyer declaring Google a “pay to play” scheme might as well have been giving advice about breastfeeding, international relations, or biotechnology ethics. He had no idea what he was talking about.

Google AdWords offers many benefits. I use it myself, but moving you up in the organic search results is not something it does. There are lots of ways to improve law firm organic rankings, but buying AdWords won’t do it for you.