Every law firm needs to have an online presence in this digital age. Most people go online when looking for something they need. So, being on top of a Google search results page is crucial for marketing your law firm and legal services.
A study conducted by AccuRanker in 2017 shows that the legal field is very competitive in SEO. The study further showed that law firms had difficulty generating traffic for their website.
This indicates that having a good SEO strategy is vital for law firms and attorneys if you want to gain visibility online. Strong marketing efforts will help your law firm’s website to rank higher on search engines.
So, you may be asking, ”Why is SEO important? What tips and tricks can I use to get my law firm to show up on the first page of a Google search?” This guide will provide you with some of the answers to these questions and more.
The Importance of SEO for Law Firms
According to the National Law Review, approximately 96% of people use online search engines to seek legal advice. Most of them are not looking for a specific law firm or attorney but want help in a legal matter.
SEO makes it easy for potential clients to find your law firm online. Not only that, but people will also trust your services if you rank higher on their search results. Besides, that’s how you will gain organic web traffic. Here is why SEO is important for law firms.
- More Exposure
More traffic translates to more prospective clients. SEO helps drive more traffic to your website, which means more phone calls to your office and increased conversion rates. When potential clients visit your website, they are usually ready to hire your services.
- Gain a Competitive Advantage
The legal service market is competitive, and it can be hard to keep up with well-developed and large companies. There are high chances that your competitors are investing in SEO.
However, some large legal firms don’t rely on marketing strategies to get clients. Instead, they believe that their reputation alone will get them noticed.
SEO will help you outrun companies that you believe are giants in the industry. You can stay relevant without investing heavily in marketing with the right strategy, as SEO is an inexpensive marketing strategy that will help you attract potential clients.
- Improves Visibility
As stated earlier, people use the internet to search for something they need. So, if your law firm does not appear in the first search results, chances are you will not attract any clients. But with SEO, your law firm can be on top of the search results when you rank for keywords that show the services you specialize in, like ‘divorce attorney’ or ‘criminal defence attorney’.
Moreover, you can include location in the keywords to boost your visibility and stand out to the person looking for specific legal services in their own geographical location. Failure to use the correct search terms/keywords means you’re not giving potential clients the opportunity to find you.
- Improves Credibility
SEO not only helps law firms boost rankings but also improves their credibility. SEO activities like guest posting and link building show that you are a trustworthy and reliable source. The more relevant the sources of your guest posts and links, the more you gain credibility.
Also, providing relevant articles and content proves that you can solve a specific problem for your online audience. Building credibility and trust can take time and requires a good strategy to rank high and foster a good reputation.
Tips and Tricks to Show Up on the First Page of Google SEO Ranking
Marketing your law firm can be challenging, especially with the stiff competition. But knowing how you can optimize SEO settings will give you a chance to reach the number one spot. Still, there are ways to ensure that your law firm is among the top on search engine results pages (SERPS), including:
- Using Targeted Keywords
An SEO-friendly website should have relevant keywords. Keywords are the connection between your site and a search. If you want to stay on top of search engines, you need to use specific keywords appropriately.
Use keywords on 1%- 3% of the text found on your web pages. Avoid keyword stuffing (using the same keyword over and over without context) because Google may penalize your page if you use too many keywords on the page.
- Creating Quality Videos
Video is a powerful way to educate your target clients and present your law firm. It converts higher than images and written text alone. All these lead to more clients for your firm.
Google favors video when it comes to ranking content. You can easily get higher click-through rates and gain top rankings by posting videos. Implement the targeted keywords in your video tags, descriptions, and titles.
- Using Long-Tail SEO Phrases
Apart from using relevant keywords, consider also using long-tail SEO phrases. They are more specific and attract clients looking for a particular result.
For example, a person looking for a criminal defence lawyer for financial crimes will most likely reach out to you than someone searching for a defence lawyer. Incorporating specific phrases when creating content will increase your contact rate because clients will know you can deliver the services they are looking for.
- Go Local
Local keywords are more valuable than long-tail keywords. States, city names, and neighborhood distinctions can improve your rankings and get your law firm to top search results.
To rank high on Google’s first page, you need to use citations that will let Google know that you are running a legitimate business. These citations can include your law firm address, phone number, and name.
Tip: make sure your law firm has claimed their business profile on Google.
Use Legal Time Tracking and Billing Software to Improve Productivity and Profitability
Now that you know how to increase your law firm’s SEO. The next step is to choose the right legal time tracking and billing software to improve productivity.
LawBillity offers customizable and flexible time tracking options making it easy to record every billable second from anywhere using any device. Once you have increased your new client leads, use LawBillity to track your clients’ hours.
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