Here's Why You Need Legal SEO For Your Practice

When you’re looking for a lawyer, it’s safe to say that something is not quite going how you want. The process can be stressful, nerve-wracking, and confusing for anyone new to finding a lawyer. You can help alleviate stress and inspire confidence in your practice with the right legal SEO focused on informational content and localized optimization.

Legal SEO You Need For Your Practice

Law firms are often focused on creating genuine interactions with customers, usually face-to-face, in an attempt to gain repour and better understand their needs. But sometimes this focus on old school connections and communications means that law firms are missing out on a huge way they can find and retain new customers: SEO.

Short for search engine optimization, SEO is the process of optimizing a website’s content and technical configuration in an attempt to not only get more eyes on your site but gain trust with content. This often includes using powerful keywords on your site, adding hyperlinks to inspire authority, and writing a blog with useful information. But with law firms, there’s some specific things you should be doing if you want to truly take advantage of SEO to reach new customers.

Localized, Relevant Content

Location is everything in the legal world. Potential clients are typically searching for law firms that serve their specific geographic area. Optimizing for local SEO by creating location-based content — such as city/state-specific practice area pages, lawyer bios, and FAQ sections — can help law firms rank higher in local search results.

Authoritative, Informative Blogs

Establishing thought leadership through a well-optimized blog is a powerful SEO strategy for law firms. By publishing informative, educational content related to their practice areas, firms can position themselves as trusted experts and improve their organic search rankings. Blogs should be regularly updated and structured around relevant keywords.

Remember to make these blogs more than just info dumps. You want to make sure your law firms’ personality shines through, including personal anecdotes, real life examples, and your brand’s voice. This will help create an authentic connection between you and your readers, like they’re talking to an old friend with the best advice.

Optimized Attorney Profiles

Individual lawyer profiles on the firm’s website are a prime opportunity for SEO. Ensuring these pages are fully optimized — with bio content, practice area details, awards, and other relevant information — can help drive more traffic to specific attorneys and the overall firm.

Structured, Detailed Service Pages

The core service and practice area pages on a law firm’s website need to be thoroughly optimized. This includes incorporating the right keywords, providing comprehensive explanations of each legal service, and structuring the content in a user-friendly, scannable way.

Technical Website Optimization

The technical side of a law firm’s website also plays a crucial role in SEO. Aspects like site speed, mobile-friendliness, schema markup, and clean URL structure all contribute to better search engine visibility and rankings.

Review and Citation Management

Online reviews and citations (mentions of the firm’s name, address, and phone number) are SEO gold for law practices. Actively managing these digital signals of credibility and authority can significantly boost the firm’s local search presence. People want to see that others have enjoyed working with you, what their experience was like, and how you were able to help them. Creating that sense of relatability and transparency will win you new customers.

The purpose of these specific SEO-related strategies is to create familiarity and trust. The service pages and attorney profiles let customers fully understand what it is you offer but also get to know the people who will be by their side throughout the process. Informational blogs will give them much-needed advice and center you as an expert in your field. Through all of these SEO practices, your law firm can stand out online, allowing you to reach even more people in your area who may be in need.

What People Look For in a Lawyer

Wondering what type of content to include when you are working on your various website pages — including the home page, about me, and lawyer profiles? Here are some things that clients are looking for when searching for a law firm to handle their serious and personal matters.

Expertise and Experience — Clients want a lawyer who has deep knowledge and proven experience in the specific area of law relevant to their case or needs. This could include criminal law, personal injury, estate planning, business law, etc. Seeing a lawyer’s track record of successful outcomes is important.
Reputation and Trustworthiness — A lawyer’s reputation, both professionally and personally, is crucial. Clients want to work with someone who is respected in the legal community and seen as ethical, honest, and reliable. Online reviews, referrals, and the lawyer’s standing in the community all contribute to their perceived trustworthiness.
Communication and Responsiveness — Strong communication skills and responsiveness are high priorities for legal clients. They want a lawyer who listens attentively, explains things clearly, responds promptly to calls/emails, and keeps them regularly updated on the status of their case.
Empathy and Understanding — The ability to understand the client’s unique situation, concerns, and goals is valuable. Clients want a lawyer who is compassionate, patient, and willing to provide emotional support throughout the legal process.
Accessibility and Availability — Clients expect their lawyer to be accessible and available when needed. This includes having office hours and meeting locations that are convenient, as well as the capacity to take on new clients in a timely manner.
Cost and Fee Transparency — The cost of legal services is always a major consideration. Clients want a lawyer who is upfront about fees, offers flexible payment options, and provides clear explanations of all billing.

How to Improve Your Legal SEO

If you have a practice that’s in need of improved legal SEO, we can help. 1Digital has a team of legal SEO experts focused on law firms and their services that can help you connect with potential clients. We understand the complexities and challenges in the legal landscape and can provide you with reliable legal SEO solutions that are tailored to your specific focus. Our goal is to create online visibility and attract more traffic to your site, but also provide consistently updated and useful content to improve your connection with customers in your area.

Here's Why You Need Legal SEO For Your Practice - 1Digital® Agency (2024)