SEO for Lawyers: Legal SEO Explained

When it comes to legal SEO, most law firms are in the dark. They know they should be doing something to improve their website’s search engine visibility, but they’re not sure what that something is. Your website is one of your most important assets. Not only does it represent your firm online, but it’s also the first place potential clients will go to learn more about your firm and service offerings. That’s why it’s so important to make sure your website is optimized for SEO.

What is SEO?

SEO stands for “search engine optimization.” In technical terms SEO is the process of improving the visibility and ranking of a website or web page in search engine results pages (SERPs). SEO makes it easier for search engines like Google and Bing to find you. When your website ranks higher on Google or other search engines,  it helps potential new clients find your firm’s website first when they search for keywords related to service offerings in your area. Without focusing on SEO you won’t rank on the first page of Google and no one, regardless of industry, wants to be on the second page of Google.

Why Law Firms Should Focus on Improving Their SEO

There are many reasons why law firms should focus on improving their SEO. For one, SEO can help you attract more website visitors. More visitors mean more potential clients! SEO can also help you build trust and credibility with potential clients. When your website appears at the top of SERPs, 1) this will be one of the first sites potential new clients see listed and 2) it demonstrates that you are a credible and trustworthy source of information. Finally, SEO can help you improve your website’s conversion volume. A higher ranking in SERPs will result in more clicks, and more clicks usually mean more conversions, which is what every attorney wants to see.

While there are many benefits to improving your law firm’s SEO, it’s important to note that SEO is not a quick or easy fix. It takes time, effort, and dedication to see results. But when done right, the return on investment is well worth it. In order for SEO to work the way you want it to, you have to work on it regularly and stay up to date on what different search engines are using to rank web pages, so you can continue to rank above your competitors.

5 Easy Steps You Can Take to Improve Your Law Firm’s SEO

Research Keywords: The first step to optimizing your website for SEO is to research keywords. What terms do potential clients use when they search for legal services? Use Google AdWords to research new keywords, so you can begin strategizing different ways to rank for those keywords.

Use Keywords Throughout Your Site: Once you’ve identified some relevant keywords, it’s important to use them throughout your website. This includes using them in your page titles, headings, alt tags, meta descriptions, and through the body content. It’s recommended to keep your keyword density between 1%-2%. So, if you have a page with 800 words, your keyword should appear no more than 16 times. It’s not a good idea to stuff your pages with keywords (a.k.a. keyword stuffing), this is something Google will flag and it will hurt your overall page ranking.

Optimize Your Website for Mobile: We really can’t stress this one enough! A large portion of internet users accesses the web from their mobile devices. That’s why it’s so important to make sure your website is optimized for both desktop and mobile. This means having a responsive design that looks good on all devices and making sure your site loads quickly on mobile networks. With approximately 83% of the United States being mobile internet users it’s so important to take the extra time to optimize your website across all devices.

Build High-Quality Backlinks: Backlinks are links from other websites to your website. Google uses backlinks as a ranking factor, which means they can help improve your website’s visibility in SERPs. However, it’s important to note that not all backlinks are created equal. Google only values high-quality backlinks from credible and relevant sources. When building backlinks, make sure you’re only linking to websites that are relevant to your industry and have a good reputation.

Monitor Your SEO Progress: Finally, it’s important to monitor your SEO progress over time. This will help you identify what’s working and what needs improvement. There are many tools you can use to track your SEO progress, including Google Analytics and Search Console. These tools will help you track things like website traffic, organic search impressions, and clicks.

SEO can be a complex and time-consuming process. It’s important to remember that SEO is an ongoing effort. You won’t see results overnight, but if you’re dedicated to improving your law firm’s SEO, you will see results over time.

Cardinal Concepts Can Take Your SEO to the Next Level

If you need help with your law firm’s SEO, Cardinal Concepts can help! We are a full-service digital marketing agency that specializes in all types of digital legal marketing. Whether it’s SEO, PPC, or social media, we have a team of experienced legal marketers who can help you develop a strategy that works for your firm. Contact us at (303) 376-3449 today!