How to use SEO for a law firm – tips and tricks

Description: Law firm SEO can be used as a marketing tactic to help legal practices that are struggling with the increasing online competition. This article will cover SEO strategies tailored particularly for the legal industry. Learn some actionable tips and tricks of lawyer SEO, and you’ll be well on your way to improving your site rankings and traffic.

While search engine optimization strategies can cut across different industries and be just as effective, when it comes to lawyer SEO, more customization needs to be done to ensure the marketing adheres to the rules and guidelines set aside by their regulatory organizations. For instance, the copy used on a law firm’s website must not misrepresent the firm online. Having offered search engine optimization services for many years, we’ve seen stiff penalties imposed by associations on law firms that have sometimes violated basic ethics and marketing guidelines online. 

Go over these SEO tips for lawyers to get started. 

Start with keyword research

A rule of thumb in any search engine optimization strategy is to begin with thorough keyword research. If your goal is to get more leads and consequently more business to your law firm, the first step should be to identify the keywords with a purchase intent. The idea here is to rank top, especially on organic search results, and attract searchers looking for legal services. Proper keyword research involves finding out what people are actually typing in search engines. With a reliable keyword tool, you can quickly narrow down relevant terms and phrases with high search volumes and purchase intent.

Using keywords for lawyer SEO

Now that you have your keywords, the next step to start ranking in search engine results pages is to place these keywords throughout the law firm’s website. Here are some simple guidelines on how and where to use the keywords in your law firm website’s content.

• Start by optimizing all page titles using relevant keywords. Page titles show up on search engine results pages, and they describe the main subject of the page you’re about to click. In most cases, the page title appears as the headline of a blog or a post on the page, but you can use law firm SEO software to improve your titles for better rankings.
• Next, optimize the meta descriptions. These are the sections that show up after the page title. Meta descriptions are no longer a ranking factor, but they can give your listings on search engines a better click-through rate. These descriptions show searchers what kind of content they are likely to find when they click through.
• You also need to include keywords in the subheadings. In fact, doing so can help your law firm’s website appear on search as part of the featured snippet. Keyword-rich titles also help web visitors to easily scan through your content as it becomes more structured.
• All images uploaded on law firm websites should also be optimized. The keywords included in the image titles and alt-text should be relevant to your content. Don’t just use the keyword for the sake of it. It should be descriptive.
• Include keywords in the URLs as well. Your URLs shouldn’t be numbers and weird characters, as this could result in a high bounce rate since users cannot quickly tell what’s on the page. Keep your URLs short, and don’t include more than two keywords.
• Include keywords in the link anchor text too. Avoid using the same anchor text for multiple inbound links, as this could get your law firm website penalized by search engines. 

Optimizing content for SEO for law firms

Whether it’s blog posts, web copy or articles on your law firm website, SEO keywords must be strategically placed within this content for it to appear on search engine results pages. Poor keyword usage within content can actually get your law firm’s website penalized. 

The dos and don’ts of using keywords within content

• Don’t stuff keywords. Avoid using keywords in every other sentence. Keyword-stuffed content is hard to read, and it will not sit well with search engines.
• Use the main keyword in the first paragraph, as high up in the article or blog as possible. 
• Come up with different variations for that main keyword and use them throughout the content.
• Avoid including the exact keyword every time and instead use LSI keywords (variations of that main keyword).
• Most importantly, focus on creating content that is engaging, unique and flows naturally. Content must be written for your readers first, so make sure it’s understandable and readable.

Directories and external listings

External business listings are especially important in attorney SEO. These listings will not only boost your local SEO for lawyers but also ensure that your law firm website appears top on Google search for relevant terms. A great place to start is to set up your law firm’s Google My Business listing. When setting this up, make sure you include keywords in the business description. Also, ensure that details such as your law practice location and practice areas are accurate in every listing online. Discrepancies in such details can hinder your rankings.

Focus on local law firm SEO

Most law firms will only serve specific demographics, which is why local SEO is so important. Additionally, the competition among local businesses is growing, and Google is making them compete for prominence in Google My Business listings. There are other ways to boost your local search efforts:

• Ensure your law firm is listed on local legal and traditional directories
• Claim your Google My Business profile and take time to ensure all information is filled accurately
• Create a location-specific page on your website based on certain keyword terms 

Follow the actionable tips and tricks we’ve covered in this article to help your law firm’s website rank high on Google and hire a law firm SEO agency to ensure that this is done in an ethical manner.