By linking to him, you have helped him. Why not use a re-direct such as TinyUrl if you want people to see it? That way, the site gets no SEO benefit but you can still show people the example.

I'd be interested in your thoughts on what type of content a personal injury blog should maintain. Clearly, there are many "blogs" that simply cut and paste accident stories. And then there are a few blogs like Eric's that don't contain any regurgitation posts. I do notice that the LexBlog personal injury client in Dallas has a lot of regurgitation stories (though probably not merely cut and paste) with some substantive posts thrown in.

What do you think works to both get good rankings and to convert visits to clients?

Keep up the good work.

Brooks

Brooks, good question as to what to cover in a plaintiff's trial lawyer blog. I'll do a post on it by the end of the day.

But briefly, 3 things I suggest. One, any legal updates (there will be few). Two, short answers to questions that are routinely asked by both potential new clients and existing clients - not faq's, but real life q & a. Three, enter into the conversation going on among bloggers and reporters covering the niche you focus on. By exchanging commentary with thought leaders, you'll enhance your reputation.

The web has always been a snapshot of our greater society. For every lawyer willing to hand out a business card at the scene of an accident offline, there's an equivalent party spamming the hell out of the search engines online. At least we have Google running these guys into obscurity on the web. :)

But ya, it's frustrating.

Just cutting and pasting is boring and most folks will see right through it.

On the other hand, don't forget that the ONLY reason, in my view, to blog, have a website, etc. is to get your site positioned well in the search engines. Whatever your "reputation" in the blogosphere is, well, that doesn't necessarily translate into cases. So lets not confuse the fight for SEO dominance with what's "right" in terms of blog etiquette.

That all being said (not very well, I'm sorry), I do agree that those who blog intelligently, understanding SEO, the blogospher and, as Kevin points out, the "conversation already running through your prospects head" will "win" at the marketing game (provided that, in the end, you are not boring and lame like most blogs and websites are.)

Finally, don't be lazy... one can almost always find a "teaching point" in a news article and commenting on a news article, and adding your "voice" in terms of a bona-fide teaching point, does well all around.

Ben Glass
Fairfax, VA
www.BenGlassLaw.com
www.GreatLegalMarketing.com

In your post on what makes a good blog, you might want to include something else: Original content and news not found elsewhere. Those stories that I have done like that are clear favorites.

Finding them, of course, is another matter.

Do you not have anything better to do than to criticize my blog? If you don't like it, then don't look at it. Not all of us can afford $5,000 a month to buy the back of the phone book.

For us personal injury peons, a free blog may be our only option at marketing ourselves. Furthermore, as a solo practitioner, it is hard enough to find time to update a blog. My goal is to comment on articles and recent events as it pertains to the law, but I don't have as much time as you do to sit around and write articles for my blog.

I also maintain a criminal defense blog, which is my primary blog. Usually I spent the time that I can find on that blog - which, mind you, makes me no money. Rather, every time I do comment on something, it pisses someone off who either confronts me on the street or writes me hate mail.

You are the one to cast the first stone, yet your entire blog is a solicitation for your business. You derive satisfaction out of calling me an "idiot" and attacking my character. It sounds like you have some insecurity issues. For such a veteran attorney, you sure sound immature. Anyone who resorts to name-calling is lacking in substance within their own character.

And if he has no time to "sit around and write articles," then why does he have more than one blog?

Now if you will excuse me, I have a jury trial tomorrow and do not need to waste any more of my time here...