Generating more clients is every digital marketing strategy for law firms' top priority.
But with so much competition online, how do you make your firm stand out? The answer lies in a comprehensive search engine optimization (SEO) strategy tailored specifically to the legal industry.
Implement these essential SEO best practices to build authority, improve visibility, and ultimately convert more prospects into clients for your law practice.
Conduct Extensive Keyword Research
Thorough keyword research provides the foundation for an effective legal SEO strategy.
You need to identify high-value search queries that potential clients are using to find legal help online.
Here are some tips:
● Leverage free keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner, Soovle, and UberSuggest to discover popular and low-competition keyword opportunities.
● Analyze the top 3-5 ranking competitors for keywords you want to target. This shows search volume and difficulty in ranking.
● Identify long-tail versions of core keywords for targeting too, like "personal injury lawyer city name". These are less competitive and more converting.
● Organize keywords by service area focus, geographic location, and average monthly search volume.
● Prioritize keywords with sufficient search volume and reasonable difficulty to rank for locally.
Optimize Website Pages for Target Keywords
With your legal SEO keywords identified, the next step is optimizing website pages to rank for those terms.
Each page should target 1-2 main keywords maximum. Relevance is key.
On-page optimization elements:
● Primary target keywords in strategic places like page titles, H1 and H2 tags
● Related long-tail secondary keywords in the body content
● Strong internal links to reinforce relevancy
● Useful contextual outbound links
● Engaging multimedia - charts, images, videos
● Proper heading tag structure (H1>H2>H3)
● Mobile responsive design
● Fast page speed
Ideally, create dedicated landing pages that align closely to individual keywords. This strengthens page authority and rankings for that specific search term.
Produce Link-Worthy Legal Content
Content remains king when it comes to SEO! Develop a legal blog filled with in-depth, useful articles that appeal to searchers.
Employ keyword-focused topics that provide real value for site visitors.
Features of effective SEO content:
● Directly answers questions searchers have
● Covers topics comprehensively
● Published regularly
● Contains relevant keyword phrases
● Formatted for easy scanning
● Promoted across digital channels
● Garners social shares and links
Each piece of content essentially functions as a new pathway for prospects to discover your firm. Prioritize topics with healthy search volume and traction.
Build High-Quality Backlinks
Inbound links remain one of the strongest ranking factors for SEO. Earn links pointing to your law firm site organically from other legal websites.
Contextually relevant links reinforce expertise and trust.
Valuable backlink sources include:
● Legal directories like Avvo and Lawyers.com
● State/local bar associations
● Attorney review sites
● Legal news websites
● Law firm partnership sites
● Reputable legal blogs accepting guest posts
● Court and government sites in the local area
Seek niche link-building opportunities like guest blogging to grow referral traffic. But stay away from low-value directories, paid links, or anything resembling link schemes.
Track Rankings and Traffic in Google Analytics
Measure the effectiveness of your legal SEO strategy by monitoring website analytics.
Establish clear baseline metrics then watch for positive trends across critical performance indicators.
Key ranking and traffic metrics to track:
● Google rankings for target keywords
● Organic traffic growth over time
● Click-through rate from SERPs
● Pages per session
● Average time on site
● Lower bounce rate
● More conversions and calls
Update underperforming pages as needed and continue optimizing new content. Compete for more valuable keywords over time leveraging what you learn.
Execute an Integrated Digital Marketing Strategy
While SEO sets the foundation, incorporate other digital marketing channels for the best results. Email, paid ads, and content syndication should complement organic search to maximize visibility and conversions.
Tactic | Role |
SEO | Increases organic rankings and traffic |
Expands visibility faster | |
Email marketing | Nurtures prospects deeper |
Social media | Boosts brand awareness |
Content syndication | Gets content in front of more searchers |
This integrated methodology provides multiple touchpoints to convert prospects across channels. Treat SEO as the hub that fuels greater success elsewhere.
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