Search engine optimization is one of the most effective marketing strategies for law firms. Think about it: what better way to reach potential clients than on Google?
After all, people use Google to search for lawyers and legal service providers in their area - more than any other platform. Search engine optimization allows law firms to rank high in search results and attract clients who are already looking for services like theirs.
But SEO doesn't just help law firms attract new clients. There are many benefits to adopting an SEO strategy for law firms.
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How Does SEO Help Law Firms?
1. Organic traffic
SEO is primarily about improving a website's ranking on Google and generating organic traffic. Most often, the goal is to consistently rank high in search results and gain organic visitors over the long term.
Attorneys can optimize their website based on the search terms ("SEO keywords for lawyers") that people use to look for their services. For example, if you are a family law attorney in Denver, you can try ranking for “Denver family lawyer,” “family lawyer in Denver,” “family law attorney Denver” etc.
Organic (unpaid) marketing is great because it doesn't require significant advertising dollars to produce results. You can adapt your own SEO strategies to rank your law firm website or choose to hire an SEO expert or SEO agency to facilitate the process.
2. An improved user experience
Believe it or not, search engine optimization is not just about pleasing the Google gods. In reality, your goal should be to provide the best experience, content, and information to your potential visitors. Google's algorithm is used to rank content that best matches what users are looking for.
SEO necessarily improves user experience (UX), as UX is one of Google's known ranking factors. The speed, interactivity, and accessibility of your website are all important elements in pleasing visitors and letting Google know that your site is optimized.
A great UX keeps users on your website longer and encourages them to "opt-in" (contact you) rather than go to your competitors.
3. Faster website speed
Google evaluates a website's "Core Web Vitals" to determine if it is fast and if its content is easily accessible to users. In other words, it wants to make sure that when users arrive at your site, your content doesn't take decades to load.
A slow website can be a huge deterrent to potential customers. If your site takes too long, they are likely to go elsewhere. In addition, a slow website often means that your site contains "heavy" images and code, which can essentially present problems or fail to load when users interact with them.
An effective SEO strategy improves all of your website's basic web metrics, so you can be sure to provide your visitors with a fast and user-friendly web experience.
4. Better content marketing
Your SEO success depends largely on content. The content on your web pages and blog posts helps attract the right types of users to your site, improve your site's authority, and more.
When you care about SEO, you care about your content and in turn, you create better content for users and search engines. Better content not only ranks higher in search engines but is also more easily shared by users. Plus, your written content is often what ultimately convinces people to hire you.
5. Gained links and authority
Backlinks (links from other websites) are essentially votes of confidence from outside sites that your website is informative, factual, and useful to users. Every SEO strategy aims to earn these authority links to show Google that your website is legitimate.
The authority gained can improve your website's appearance in searches. At the same time, links from other websites can drive additional traffic to your site. Blogging, content marketing, and outreach are just a few of the ways law firms can get backlinks for SEO.
6. Referral traffic
Referral traffic is traffic that comes from external links or other websites. Search engine optimization can help drive referral traffic to your site, as other sites start to notice your content and want to link to it.
At the same time, most law firms adopt a localized SEO strategy of submitting their business information to local directories. These directories can then send more visitors (and leads) to your law firm's website.
In addition, publishing specialized content can attract the attention of other blogs and publications, who may then choose to feature you. You can then get this referral traffic through interviews, podcasts, and guest post articles.
7. More phone calls
SEO for law firms often requires a localized SEO strategy to target users in a specific service area. To do this, law firms can produce geo-specific content on their websites, submit it to local directories, and even create a Google My Business listing.
Local SEO optimization helps law firms get noticed in local searches. With local listings, law firms can share their business contact information to generate more phone calls and leads.
In short, visitors don't even need to visit your website if they are able to find your phone number directly from Google!
8. Improve customer reception
Website optimization makes it much easier to collect lead information and store it for better customer care. By including forms and contact information on your website, you can generate more digital leads and store that information in your customer management system.
If you rely strictly on phone calls, you're probably missing out on a ton of potential leads. With contact forms, chatbots, and opt-ins, it's easier than ever to gather lead information in real-time. You can even automate SMS or email follow-up to reach out to prospects faster.
9. Local and foot traffic
Local SEO optimization also makes it easier for potential customers to find your physical office. You can post your address and other business information so people can visit you in person, without ever having to go to your website.
The location also sends geo-specific "signals" to Google about where your business is located and the areas it serves. If you have this information, you are more likely to appear in the right local search results for the right audience. This is especially true if you are working in a competitive market, but your competitors have not implemented SEO.
10. Reviews and ratings
Reviews and SEO present a "chicken and egg" situation; good reviews influence SEO, and SEO helps law firms get reviews. There is no way to go wrong!
Positive client reviews tell Google (and users) that your law firm is trustworthy, real (important!), and highly respected. SEO, in turn, encourages law firms to generate more positive reviews to improve their rankings.
Think 5-star reviews aren't important for SEO? Think again! Not only do potential clients want to see those glowing reviews, but Google also values your firm's reputation. So don't forget reviews when it comes to your SEO.
SEO Helps Put Your Law Firm On The Map
Search engine optimization helps law firms beyond traffic and lead generation; it provides a comprehensive marketing strategy that improves your firm's overall digital presence. And a better digital presence means more opportunities to attract new legal clients!
Every law firm should embrace SEO to improve user experience, site speed, content, and local visibility. It's one of the best ways to generate sustainable organic traffic and put your law firm website on Google maps.
FAQs About SEO Importance For Attorneys
What does SEO mean in law?
SEO for lawyers is the process of increasing traffic to a law firm's website by achieving top positions on search engines like Google and Bing.
Does SEO work for lawyers?
SEO for lawyers remains one of the most effective ways for law firms to attract quality clients. Consider these legal statistics: 96% of people seeking legal advice use a search engine.
