Is SEO Dead?: Search Engine Optimization for Family Law Attorneys

With Google making 500-600 updates to its algorithm every year, it is no surprise that search engine optimization (SEO) is constantly changing. Toss in a little bit of A.I. action that started happening in December 2022 and you’re surely in for a whirlwind of issues. You have competitors utilizing all these new tools and stealing your traffic away. So what can a divorce lawyer possibly do to rank on Google?

First off, let’s just state, family law firm SEO is not dead. It never will be. However it is ever-evolving, and that means SEO can be confusing, but it doesn’t have to be! It’s important to be aware of these updates, new tools and digital shiny bits that get introduced to the market so you understand how they will affect your law firm’s website and overall search ability.

What is SEO?

Simply put, SEO is search engine optimization. But what does that really mean? SEO is the process of improving the visibility and ranking of a website on search engines. Why is this important for family law attorneys? Because when people are looking for a divorce lawyer, they’re going to go to Google and search for one. If your website doesn’t show up near the top of the search results, you’re going to lose business to those who do, otherwise known as your competition. Let’s just say you don’t want to be on the second page of a google search! In this blog post, we’ll discuss how you can improve your firm’s SEO and get more leads that will become potential new clients.

Why is SEO Important for Attorneys?

There are a few reasons why search engine optimization is especially important for family law attorneys. First of all, most people who are getting divorced will go online to search for a lawyer. If your website doesn’t show up near the top of the search results, chances are you’re going to lose out on business to your competition.

Secondly, search engines are the number one source of information for people looking for a lawyer. In fact, a study by ilawyermarketing.com found that 86% of people are using google to search for an attorney. So if you want to reach more potential clients, you need to meet them where they’re at. In today’s world it should be no surprise you’ll find the clients you’re looking for online. That is why it is so important to help potential clients find you!

How Does SEO Impact Law Firms?

There are a few ways that search engine optimization can impact law firms. The most obvious way is by increasing the visibility of your website. When you rank higher in search engine results, more people will see your website and be more likely to contact you for legal services. While there may be ads that are listed at the top, ranking #1 organically (being at the top with no paid advertisements) is what every law firm and really every business should strive for. There are several ways that SEO can help law firms. For example, search engine optimization can help you attract more leads that will actually convert. And since leads are the lifeblood of any law firm, this is a very important benefit of SEO. This can also help you improve your website’s ROI. When you rank higher in search engine results,  you’ll get more clicks from potential clients, which will result in more leads and more business. 

Is SEO Dead?

H to the no, SEO is not dead! However, SEO has changed a lot over the years and will continue to change. While some previous SEO strategies may be fizzling out, there are always new strategies being sparked across the globe. It is important to stay on top of trends to find out what is working and what isn’t, so you aren’t wasting your efforts focusing on strategies that are no longer relevant. This is crucial when it comes to SEO. Google is constantly making updates to their algorithm and this will impact click-through-rates (CTR), however this doesn’t mean SEO isn’t important anymore. In fact it means just the opposite and a lot of new players have been added to the game. With a meaningful SEO strategy you can still implement tactics that will help you to successfully rank #1 on Google, organically. 

Improving Your Firm’s SEO

There are a few things you can do to improve your firm’s search engine optimization. The most important thing is to make sure your website is search engine friendly. This means including the right keywords, title tags, and meta descriptions on every page of your website. You should also make sure that your website content is high quality and relevant to your target audience. Focus on the user journey and customer experience. This is something that Google uses to rank sites. Having a high quality website is important, but it is even more important that your website attracts new visitors to your site.

You can also improve your firm’s SEO by building back links to your website from other authoritative websites. Additionally, make sure you’re actively engaged in social media and producing high quality content that your target audience can relate to. Share blog posts, articles, videos, news stories, and any other content related to family law on social media platforms like Facebook, Youtube, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. This will help increase your firm’s digital visibility.

To understand where you rank there are many free tools available such as Google Search Console, Moz, and ahrefs. When the Cardinal Concepts team does a comptetitive analysis of a website’s SEO, we evaluate three core areas; technical, content, and off-site. 

SEO may seem complex, and it is to an extent. We can help take the complexity out of SEO, by doing it for you. Our team at Cardinal Concepts is composed of digital marketing subject matter experts. More importantly we are experts in digital marketing for divorce and family law attorneys. Contact us today to learn how to take your divorce and family law firm’s SEO to the next level.