Legal product reviews and business guidance from industry experts.
Chapter 6/6
Optimize Your Law Firm’s SEO and Grow Traffic
Law Firm Website Design
5 min read
Grow Your Law Firm’s Website Traffic with SEO and other Strategies
Now that you have an amazing and well-functioning website, we need to get people to visit. This is where law firm SEO, content marketing strategies, and paid search come in. We cover these topics and more in our Complete Guide to Law Firm Marketing.
For now, let’s focus on the things you can build into your website to make sure.
Optimize Your Website with SEO for Lawyers
SEO stands for search engine optimization. When someone goes to a search engine like Google and types in a question, the search engine gives the user its best estimation of websites it thinks will be responsive on a search engine result page (SERP). SEO refers to the methods and tools online marketers use to ensure their website and content have the best chance of ranking high on the SERP. (Pro tip: no one can guarantee you a first page ranking—don’t fall for it.)
The goal of SEO for lawyers is to optimize your website and content in a way that Google will understand it and rank it high for specific keywords. Google is always adjusting its algorithm, so no one knows for sure what “magic” things will help your site rank higher.
We do, however, know some primary Google algorithm factors and keeping these best practices in mind when you create content will help.
Content Authority
Google wants to deliver users meaningful content.
- Create depth. Consider writing longer posts with quality content.
- Update often. Write new posts or refresh older posts to show your content is relevant and that you are still active.
- Use keywords. Keywords help the search engines index your site. There are keyword tools that can help you figure out what your potential clients are searching for. SEO for lawyers, as with other professions, requires thoughtful keyword research.
Build Your Law Firm Website Pages for SEO
Make sure all the elements on the page are working in your favor.
- Headings. Optimize your headings and subheadings and ensure they include your keywords or target keywords. That said, make sure you’re writing for your reader and using headings that will help your reader navigate your page.
- Title Tags. You must fill in your Title Tag before publishing your post. This is how your title shows up in search results. Make sure your title tag contains the keywords that apply to the page’s content.
- Meta Descriptions. This is the brief paragraph of text that shows under the URL and is a preview of your content in search results. Include your keywords and make the description appealing to potential readers.
- Slugs. Optimize your URLs by keeping them simple and readable. Your slug is the last part of the URL. Use this to describe your content and try to use your main keyword. (i.e., www.websitename.com/content-topic-and-keyword.com)
- Alt Text. Optimize your images with alt text. The file name and description of your image should indicate its nature. An image names “image.png” tells search engines nothing about content.
- Site speed. Pay attention to site speed. Google itself said that page loading speed is an SEO ranking signal, so do your best to optimize your law firm website’s load times. There are many free site speed tools available.
- Mobile. Make sure your site is mobile-friendly and responsive. Does the desktop experience of your website transfer to the mobile experience? Make sure your site is easy to use on mobile devices.
Luckily, the work you do to make your site accessible and functional also will help your SEO rankings.
The Importance of Having a Blog
Many websites include a blog. A blog (a truncation of “weblog” in case you were wondering) is an informational page published on your website. It is a key aspect of good SEO for lawyers.
Blogging is an essential part of your content marketing efforts, even as a law firm. Many authorities rate blogs as the 5th most trusted source for accurate information. Businesses that post daily get 5 times more traffic than those who don’t. If that isn’t enough, blogging results in 55% more website visitors.
Blogging is a great way for potential clients to get to know you and your firm. In fact, 70% of people would rather learn about a company through articles than advertisements. Similarly, 47% of buyers view 3-5 pieces of content before making a purchasing decision.
Attorneys are busy. We get it. Yet, the time you spend on blogging will come back with an even greater return. More importantly, unlike paid search ads that go away the second you stop paying for them, your blog content is always available. It’s time to prioritize it.
-
Keep a list. Keep a notepad on your desk with common questions from clients and potential clients. These are prominent topics for future blog posts.
-
Schedule time for content creation. Make time to create new blog posts by scheduling time on your calendar to do so. Carve out a few hours each week to plan your posts, write them, and schedule them to publish. Start with a couple of posts a week and then scale up.
-
Recycle previous content. There’s no reason to reinvent the wheel. Use previous content to generate new content. For example, take a previous blog and add more information to make it more in-depth. Or, expand on a topic from your website in a blog post.
-
Outsource content creation. If you find that you simply can’t make it happen on your own, reach out for help. Outsource your content creation efforts to a content marketing agency or professional copywriter.
If you started a blog a long time ago and only have a few posts, it’s time to get it going again. Consistently is key. It may take time, but you will see results.
Boost Your Online Referral Traffic to Boost Your Law Firm SEO
To boost your website’s qualified lead traffic, you must enhance your online referral process. Referral traffic comes from online sources, such as other websites and social media. SEO for lawyers relies in large part on interaction with other sites and organizations.
To boost your online referral traffic:
-
Use online directories and review websites. Add your practice to online legal directories. Also, add your practice to online review websites such as Yelp. These websites showcase your practice to those searching for attorneys in their area. Plus, they’ll list your website for more information.
-
Take advantage of social media. Yes, attorneys should also use social media. By sharing your website content consistently on platforms such as Facebook and LinkedIn, you’ll generate traffic back to your website.
-
Engage with online content by other sources. Engage with online content such as videos, social media posts, blogs, and more. For example, comment on a blog post that another attorney shared. Remember, make sure all your engagements add to the original content.
-
Publish high-quality shareable content. Every time a client or social media follower shares your content, you’re exposed to potential clients. Make sure the content you’re producing is high quality and worth sharing. For example, infographics perform well and website visitors can easily consume the information and share them.
Websites can be a powerful part of your marketing toolbox. Don’t overlook your site’s ability to create new leads, convert those leads into clients, and be a place where your clients can transact business with your firm. SEO for lawyers isn’t something you can simply throw money at. It requires discipline and time. But, stick to the advice above and your law firm SEO is sure to get a boost.
Take the Next Step in Building a Healthy Firm
By designing a website that reflects your firm, is easy to navigate, provides useful information and tools, and offers value to your clients and potential clients, you’re more likely to attract the right potential clients and help your existing clients.
Learn more about Healthy Clients as part of your Healthy Firm.
Download the Full Guide to Law Firm Website Design
With this guide, you’ll have the tools to create strategic goals for your site. You’ll get web design basics and ways to enhance your content to attract and convert potential clients, driving more of the right traffic to your website.
