Understanding The 3 Main Pillars of SEO for Law Firms

“SEO for law firms sounds great, but what really helps a law firm to rank higher? What is it we need to focus on?” Those are some of the questions that we’ve been asked in one form or another. If you’re looking to get as much out of it as possible, you want to excel in every aspect. 

After all, odds are that competing law firms in your area will do the same. This is one reason, among many, that so many law firms work with a full-service digital marketing agency. However, there are three foundational pillars to keep in mind in terms of law firm SEO. They’re necessary for any SEO strategy to succeed. 

Optimized, Value-Laden Content 

Most of you probably assumed that “content” was going to be number one here. However, it has to be the right kind of content, and it has to be optimized probably. For one, your content has to be able to provide solutions to users, to answer the inquiries that they might have. Your content has to include the basics, such as where your law firm is located, what kind of law you practice, how you can serve the needs of your clients, and more. 

Beyond that, your content has to establish your expertise and authority, too. It has to show that someone can trust you with their case. Google ranks law firms, in part, through something called “YMYL,” an acronym for “your money your life.” So, your content must prove to Google as well as Google’s users that they can trust you with their money as well as with their lives. 

Should you be stuck for content ideas or even where to start, you won’t go wrong asking yourself: “how can we answer the questions of a website visitor?” That can lead to testimonials from satisfied clients, of course, but also describing what you offer in clear, concise terms. Being transparent about your prices, regardless of the law you practice, can be greatly beneficial, too. 

Optimized Content 

Simply typing the content onto your site is a great start, but is not enough in and of itself. The content has to be optimized, too. Think of it this way: your content has to show users that you can answer their questions, but you also have to show search engines that you can answer their questions, too. The way to do that: optimize keywords. 

Through this, you let Google’s bots know what every page of your site is about. Beyond simply using the keyword properly, you also need to take care of your title and description tags, your headings, subheadings, URL, and more – all of those need to use your keyword the right way and in the right amount. Too much, too little, too “off the mark,” and you’re more liable to hurt your SEO than to help it. 

Something to keep in mind: targeting the right keywords for your law firm. That means ranking for similar, long-tail keywords for your company. For example, perhaps you’re a “personal injury lawyer in Silver Lake,” that’s what you want to rank for. So, you most likely will also be served by ranking for keywords such as “best personal injury lawyer in Silver Lake,” “personal injury attorney in Silver Lake,” and more. 

Technical SEO

 Technical SEO is, as we’ve found over the years, both more important and more difficult to get right than many attorneys might think. With technical SEO, it all starts with Google’s guidelines. You have to follow them to a “T.” Some might seem a bit capricious, but Google lays out, very clearly, what they expect from law firms. The closer and better you can follow that, the more successful you can be. 

Speaking of success, you want to be able to offer the best website for your users possible. That means that your website has to be easy to navigate, for users and Google’s bots alike. An internal linking structure, a well-designed site – these are all crucial. 

Another important part of your site in regards to technical SEO: responsiveness. Your site has to be “responsive,” which in this context, means “optimized for mobile devices.” With this, anyone can use your site from anywhere, on any device. It will load quickly and completely so that anyone can find what they need in a hurry. There are many facets to technical SEO, these are just some of the most basic and important. 

Off-Page SEO 

A good synonym for “off-page SEO” is “backlinks.” You want Google and potential clients to look at your site as an authority. Your content can go a long way towards proving that, of course, as can satisfied client testimonials. Another: what other authorities, what other trusted sources, are saying about you. The more of them that link back to your site, to your content, the better. 

Then, potential clients (as well as Google) will see that you’re someone who is an expert, who does know what they’re talking about, who is, indeed, someone that they can trust with their money as well as with their life. Law firms have plenty of sites where they can receive these links, from directories such as Google My Business, Avvo, and others. 

SEO for Law Firms Professionals 

Here at Website Depot, we’ve helped law firms who practice so many different kinds of law with everything mentioned above and so much more. The truth is that your SEO is far too important to the success of your law firm to be left to amateurs, freelancers, those with limited resources and/or experience. 

We recently unveiled SEO packages just for lawyers and can customize one to fit your needs. To speak to our SEO for law firms’ experts to see how we can help, you can call us at (888) 477-9540.