Search engine optimization (SEO) can be an invaluable asset in expanding your law firm business. Nearly one in three people look online for attorneys; getting in front of these potential customers through your legal website could be key to its success.
A professional attorney SEO service can help your website gain greater exposure and rank highly for relevant keywords, which in turn increases website traffic and turns Google visitors into new clients.
Keyword research
Maintaining organic traffic growth requires optimizing your law firm website to appear in search results for key terms that matter, which requires conducting keyword research to understand which terms should be targeted on the website and which can result in conversions.
Selecting keywords requires taking several steps, beginning with compiling a list of potential target terms known as foundation keywords and selecting them based on factors like volume, competition and their potential to convert leads.
An effective keyword research tool such as Google Adwords Keyword Planner or SEMRush will assist in compiling an initial list of core terms that you can use in your campaign and suggest additional terms which could work well together. This process can help identify which are ideal, while suggesting additional potential candidates.
Once you have identified your foundation keywords, the next step should be identifying long-tail phrases relevant to your law firm’s practice area. Users searching for legal issues will often enter these search queries directly into search engines; ranking for such queries often proves less competitive if content that answers them is created specifically for these searches.
On-page optimization
On-page SEO refers to any activities taken on your website to increase its rankings with search engines, including meta descriptions, title tags and header tags, SEO writing services (with images included), keywords as well as link building activities ensuring content on each page aligns with searcher intent.
Off-page SEO refers to actions outside your website that impact its ranking, such as having positive reviews on third-party sites or using appropriate schema for local business information. Such factors can increase search engine rankings and bring more traffic for your law firm.
An effective Google My Business (GMB) listing is key to your attorney SEO strategy. By optimizing and claiming it properly, you can increase the odds that someone searching for attorneys in your area sees you appear in their map pack and 3-pack results. Furthermore, having backlinks from local nonprofit and charity websites increases its importance within Google’s local ranking pack rankings.
Link building
Link building is an essential element of any SEO strategy for lawyers. It helps increase Google’s perception of your pages, increasing their authority in its eyes, and ranking higher for search traffic.
One effective method for creating links is through guest posting on other websites, creating engaging pieces of content for publication on an authoritative platform.
Directory listings can also help your law firm build links, with Yelp and YellowPages listings providing great exposure among consumers and potential clients in its local community.
Legal directories provide more than citations; they also offer backlinks that are worth their weight in gold.
Indeed, legal directories can be one of the most successful link-building strategies a law firm can employ. Although these directories offer nofollow links, their contribution still strengthens your link profile.
Content creation
Content creation is an integral component of attorney SEO, helping establish your law firm as a market leader and building its brand and authority online. Furthermore, content can increase search engine ranking, increasing website exposure.
Effective attorney content marketing relies on clearly understanding both its purpose and audience when creating content, as well as creating an actionable SEO plan to meet business goals.
Writing topics instead of keywords is another critical component of successful attorney SEO, as this allows you to address your target audience rather than search engines; ultimately leading to higher rankings and enhanced user experiences.
Content marketing is an integral component of law firm sales pipelines, yet results may take time to show. Therefore, it’s essential that law firms monitor and measure the results from their content efforts in order to see if SEO content is providing returns.