John and Kyle expose the truth about marketing accountability in personal injury firms — where the money really goes, why agencies often control the narrative, and how firms can take back visibility and results. They lay out the real levers that drive cases, the hidden revenue leaks inside intake, and why strategy and oversight beat blind spending every time. If you’re tired of guessing and want marketing that actually produces cases, this conversation hits directly where it matters.

In this episode, John and Kyle discuss:

• Why aggressive PI firms spend tens of thousands per month on SEO/PPC — and still feel stuck
• Where marketing retainers actually go (backlinks, content, commissions, etc.)
• How law firms can hold agencies accountable without needing to “speak SEO”
• Budget realism — why $2,500/month won’t move the needle in competitive markets
• Why intake, attribution, and internal leaks cost firms more than bad marketing

Key Takeaways:

• Most PI firms spend heavily on digital marketing without real clarity on whether that money is applied to tasks that actually drive rankings or produce signed cases. The spend is large, the insight is small.
• Agencies commonly “grade their own homework,” which is precisely why firms must define deliverables upfront instead of relying on polished reports and selective metrics. Accountability needs to be contractual, not cosmetic.
• SEO is not mandatory for growth — some firms thrive using LSAs, paid leads, or referral engines — but whatever path is chosen must be intentional, not accidental. Strategy should be driven by economics and market reality, not habit.
• Leakage in intake and tracking destroys more revenue than weak marketing ever will, with firms frequently losing six- and seven-figure matters that were already within reach. The phone rings — the process drops the ball.
• The biggest performance unlock is not “spend more” but “see clearly.” Strategic oversight, not bigger checks, is what converts marketing from a cost center into a returns engine.

“Advertisers don't really care where their leads or where their cases are coming from, or how they're getting them. They just want the cases that they want to work. They want to make money. They want to see a return on their investment. And they hire marketing agencies not because they do SEO or because they do PPC. They hire them because they want a partner that's going to deliver results.” — Kyle Sheldon

Connect with John and Kyle:

Website: https://defactodigitalconsulting.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-schroeder-b87b3821a/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeFactoDigital

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/defactodigitalconsulting/

Emails: [email protected] , [email protected]

Show notes by Podcastologist: Angelo Paul Tagama

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