u/Akraammm

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https://reddit.com/link/1tfimbm/video/rk43o9b4hn1h1/player

Do clients still choose law firms mostly from referrals now… or has online presence started mattering way more than before?

I’ve noticed some firms have:

• modern websites
• active Google reviews
• educational content/videos
• fast online responses

while other firms still barely update their sites at all.

But honestly, some old-school firms with almost no online presence still seem to dominate because of reputation alone.

So from people actually inside the legal field:

What builds trust FIRST today?

Referrals?
Google reviews?
Website?
Case results?
Social proof?
Responsiveness?
Experience?

Curious what’s actually working in 2026 from real lawyers, not marketers.

Do clients still choose law firms mostly from referrals now… or has online presence started mattering way more than before?

I’ve noticed some firms have:

• modern websites
• active Google reviews
• educational content/videos
• fast online responses

while other firms still barely update their sites at all.

But honestly, some old-school firms with almost no online presence still seem to dominate because of reputation alone.

So from people actually inside the legal field:

What builds trust FIRST today?

Referrals?
Google reviews?
Website?
Case results?
Social proof?
Responsiveness?
Experience?

Curious what’s actually working in 2026 from real lawyers, not marketers.

https://reddit.com/link/1tfify1/video/65py9borfn1h1/player

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]

Genuine question because I’ve been talking to a lot of newer authors lately and almost everyone says the same thing.

Writing the book was hard…

But marketing it feels 10x harder 😭

Some people are posting on:

• TikTok
• Threads
• Instagram
• Amazon ads
• Facebook groups
• Reddit
• newsletters

…and still struggling to get readers consistently.

I’m honestly curious what’s been the hardest part for you guys after publishing:

• getting reviews?
• building audience?
• selling copies?
• social media?
• making a website?
• staying motivated?

Would love hearing real experiences from other new authors here because I feel like nobody talks enough about this side of publishing.

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i’ve been noticing something lately with videographers and indie filmmakers around me.

Some insanely talented people barely get clients…
while other filmmakers with average work somehow stay fully booked.

And honestly I’m starting to think filmmaking is becoming less about ONLY skill now and more about:

• presentation
• online presence
• networking
• portfolio
• branding
• consistency

Like nowadays clients check:

• your Instagram
• your portfolio
• your website
• your reels
• your vibe/personality

before even messaging.

I’ve even seen filmmakers lose clients just because their portfolio was hard to view or everything was scattered across random links.

Curious how most filmmakers here are actually getting work in 2026?

Still mostly:

• referrals?
• Instagram?
• production agencies?
• websites?
• YouTube?
• cold outreach?
• networking?

Would genuinely love hearing real experiences because the industry feels VERY different now compared to even 3-4 years ago.

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I’ve been noticing this more and more recently.

A customer lands on your:

• website
• Instagram
• Google page
• LinkedIn
• even your email

…and instantly decides whether your business feels:

• trustworthy
• modern
• active
• professional

before they even read anything.

Honestly, I think most businesses underestimate how fast online perception works now.

Curious if other business owners here have noticed this too.

What do you think customers judge FIRST when they find a business online?

Title: Trying to help small business owners while building my portfolio 😭

Hey everyone,

I’m 17 and currently learning/building websites for small businesses.

But honestly I’m not really into making those boring old-style websites that just sit there doing nothing 😭

I’ve been experimenting with more modern stuff:

• fast loading sites
• AI chat support
• booking/contact systems
• cleaner mobile designs
• better customer experience overall

I’m mainly doing this to build real projects, improve my skills, and honestly help pay for my school/coaching fees too.

One thing I noticed is a lot of small businesses are AMAZING at what they do offline… but online they either:

• have no website
• have outdated websites
• or have sites that don’t actually help convert customers

So right now I’m trying to work with more real businesses and create some genuinely cool projects for my portfolio.

If any business owner here wants feedback on their current website or online presence, drop it below. I’d genuinely love to check it out and give honest ideas.

Not because they look bad.

Not because they’re outdated.

But because they don’t answer the first thing customers are thinking:

“Why should I trust you?”

I’ve noticed a lot of small business sites focus so much on:

• animations
• colors
• fancy designs
• SEO buzzwords

…but forget basic trust signals.

Real photos.
Clear pricing.
Reviews.
Simple explanations.
Fast replies.

As a customer, I honestly leave most small business websites within 10 seconds 😭

Curious what other business owners think:

what’s the biggest mistake you see businesses make online?

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I know most cleaning business owners probably get asked about websites/marketing 100 times a week…

But I’m honestly curious:

Do you guys actually feel your current online presence helps bring customers in?

Like:

• website
• Google Maps
• reviews
• Facebook page
• before/after photos
• etc

Or does most business still come from referrals and repeat clients?

Would genuinely love hearing real experiences from cleaning business owners here because I feel like this industry works VERY differently from most businesses online.

Random question

When someone is choosing a lawyer/law firm for the first time, what do you think actually builds trust now?

Is it:

• referrals?
• reviews?
• reputation?
• website?
• social media presence?
• or just experience/history?

I’ve noticed some firms have very polished online presence while others barely even update their websites anymore.

Curious what people inside the legal field think actually matters most for bringing in clients today.

You guys can keep building the AI for the businesses but what I see is that mainly the businesses who are in low-tier countries like India and Pakistan are never going to adapt to the AI. If any business is interested they are just assuming they can get the whole AI system for under $50 or $100 and they don't even know the value of AI. That's why the main question is here: target only those businesses who understand the value of AI and are able to invest in business and see the value, not the fucking stuff. I get that because I already talked with over 200 plus businesses and I see that mostly international clients, like high-tier countries, adapt more to AI instead of India and low-tier countries. The step is:

1. First of all they need a fucking great website. I saw a lot of businesses that have a boring WordPress or Weebly website, not a good website. If you have a good social presence then everything goes well.
2. Let's suppose, let's take an example. If you're not having a fucking website, how the fucking AI can help you to bring more sales? If you have a fucking website then more leads can come through and then you're able to implement their system.

That's all. If any business owner is looking at this or any people looking at this, just let me know. What's your opinion on this? Feel free to reach out to me.

https://reddit.com/link/1tcpem2/video/87sskwmtn11h1/player

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