
As a lawyer SEO expert, you're likely no stranger to the importance of having a strong online presence. According to the article, 95% of people search for lawyers online, making it crucial to optimize your website for search engines.
To succeed in lawyer SEO, you need to focus on creating high-quality content that resonates with your target audience. This includes writing informative blog posts, such as the one you're reading now, that provide valuable insights and advice.
A well-structured website is also essential for lawyer SEO success. This includes having a clear navigation menu, easy-to-find contact information, and a clear call-to-action.
A fresh viewpoint: Seo for Wix Website
What Is Lawyer SEO?
Lawyers need SEO to make their website more discoverable and desirable to prospects who are choosing between law firms in their area.
In the US, some cities have a surplus of law firms, while others are lacking. This makes SEO crucial for law firms that target specific areas.
Optimizing a website for SEO can give law firms a competitive edge in local search results.
A majority of law firms target specific areas, such as divorce law or personal injury law, which makes SEO essential for them to stand out.
Keyword Research and Strategy
Keyword research is a crucial step in SEO for lawyers, and it's essential to use professional tools and strategies to discover how people are searching for the legal services you provide.
According to Example 2, keyword research consists of using tools like Ahrefs, Google Keyword Planner, and SEMrush to find relevant keywords and phrases. These tools can help you determine which keywords and phrases are being actively searched by your potential clients.
You can also use Google's search engine as a tool to find related searches by plugging in a keyword and scrolling down to see the suggestions. This can help you determine the right keywords to target on your site.
Some of the tools we use include Ahrefs, Google Keyword Planner, KWFinder, SEMrush, SpyFu, and Wordtracker. These tools can help you analyze keywords found for commercial intent, which have two advantages: you can rank more easily with these terms, and they tend to convert at a much higher rate because people are looking for services, rather than just information.
Here's an interesting read: Google Seo Expert
Here are some ways to get started with keyword research:
- Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, and Moz Keyword Explorer to generate keyword ideas and variations.
- Create a list of keywords and phrases that relate to your practice areas.
- Include a few "long-tail keywords", which are more specific and longer phrases, to target a specific audience more effectively.
Some examples of long-tail keywords include:
- "# of the Top Legal Issues in [your city]"
- "10 Tips for Choosing the Right Lawyer"
- "Your Go-To Dictionary for Legal Jargon"
- "# Main Legal Issues in [insert industry]"
- "Legal Considerations for [marriage, parenthood, etc]"
By using these tools and strategies, you can determine the right keywords to target on your site and increase your online visibility.
On-Page Optimization
A responsive site design is a must-have for any law firm website. You want your site to look great on any device, whether it's a desktop, tablet, or smartphone.
Optimizing your URLs is also crucial. Use keywords in each URL, but don't overdo it. For example, instead of www.domain-name.com/personal-injury-attorney-about-us, use www.domain-name.com/about-law-firm.
You should also optimize the title of each page, known as the H1 tag, and only use one per URL. This will help Google understand your content and improve your search engine rankings.
A unique perspective: Seo Expert Rapid Url Indexer
Optimization
Optimization is a crucial aspect of on-page optimization, and it's essential to get it right to improve your website's visibility and ranking. To start, your website must have a responsive site design, which is the baseline requirement for law firm website optimization.
You should optimize your URLs by using keywords in each URL without overdoing it. This means using relevant keywords in your URLs, but not stuffing them with too many keywords. For example, a URL like www.domain-name.com/personal-injury-attorney-about-us is better than www.domain-name.com/personal-injury-attorney-123456.
To optimize your pages and blog posts, use keywords strategically in the title, subheadings, and body copy. Use the H1 tag for the title, and H2 and H3 tags for subheadings. For instance, an H1 tag could be "Ultimate Digital Marketing Blueprint for Startups", while an H2 tag could be "Features Versus Benefits."
Here are some tips for optimizing your pages and blog posts:
Internal linking is also essential for optimization. This involves linking from one page on your site to another page on your site to provide relevant content to your site visitors. You can also use internal linking to send keyword signals to Google.
Prioritize mobile usability, as it's a critical aspect of SEO for law firms. Ensure that your website is responsive and easy to use on mobile devices, and test the mobile version of your site with tools like PageSpeed Insights and Lighthouse.
Phone Number vs. Forms
In the legal field, your phone number should take precedence over having an accessible form on your website. This is because those seeking legal advice often prefer not to share personal information via a form.
Sensitive or timely cases require immediate attention, making it essential to have your phone number front and center on your website and local profiles.
Having a call tracking software like CallRail can provide valuable insights, such as where calls are coming from and which calls are abandoned, helping you optimize your phone number's visibility.
Investing in a call tracking software can also help you make data-driven decisions to improve your website's on-page optimization.
Site Structure and Technical Optimization
A well-structured site is essential for search engine optimization (SEO), and it's not just about having a pretty design. Your site's architecture should be easy for search engines to crawl and understand, with a logical organization that makes it simple for visitors to find what they need.
A responsive site design is a must-have, and your main navigation bar should feature your services section prominently, ideally to the left. This is because potential clients want to find your services quickly, and having them easily accessible will send authority signals to search engines.
To provide a quality user experience (UX), consider the following tips: Put your practice pages first in the navigation, as users tend to go there first.Use sidebar navigation elements on individual pages to progress deeper into a subject matter.Include appropriate site maps so search engines can easily find and index your content. By following these best practices, you can create a site that is both user-friendly and search engine-friendly.
Optimize URLs
Using keywords in each URL on your site without overdoing it is key to optimizing your URLs. This means incorporating relevant keywords into your URLs, but not stuffing them with too many keywords.
A good URL is one that accurately reflects the content of the page. For example, a better URL for an about us page would be www.domain-name.com/about-law-firm, rather than www.domain-name.com/personal-injury-attorney-about-us.
Additional reading: Trending Seo Keywords
Some examples of optimized URLs include www.domain-name.com/motorcycle-accident-attorney for a motorcycle accident services page and www.domain-name.com/car-accident-attorney for a car accident services page.
Here are some best practices to keep in mind when optimizing your URLs:
- Use relevant keywords, but avoid keyword stuffing.
- Keep URLs concise and easy to read.
- Make sure URLs accurately reflect the content of the page.
Core Web Vitals
Core Web Vitals are a set of metrics that measure the user experience of your website. They consist of three critical ranking signals: Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS). Google recommends that each page of your site have an LCP occur within the first 2.5 seconds.
LCP measures a page's loading time, while FID measures how long it takes for a user to interact with your webpage. Google suggests striving for an FID of less than 100 milliseconds. CLS measures the visual stability of your website, and according to Google, ideal user experiences come from sites with a CLS score of less than 0.1.
88 percent of users are less likely to return to a website after a poor user experience. By monitoring these metrics, you can improve your search engine ranking and optimize your law firm website design to help retain prospects.
A unique perspective: Expert Google Maps Seo
Here are the Core Web Vitals metrics in more detail:
By focusing on these Core Web Vitals metrics, you can create a better user experience for your website visitors and improve your search engine ranking.
Build Trust Backlinks
Building trust backlinks is a crucial aspect of lawyer SEO. You want quality backlinks that reinforce your website's authority and trustworthiness. A link back from a well-known law school is a great backlink, while a link back from a spammy advertising site can drag you down.
Good backlinks improve your rankings and bring in qualified referral traffic. You can get backlinks from local citations and business sites, such as being included in a guide to your city's best downtown businesses or listed in a local business directory.
Local lawyer-specific citation sites like Avvo or Best Lawyers are also important places to build backlinks. In some cases, searchers might see your Avvo listing before they find your website in their search results.
Curious to learn more? Check out: Hire Local Seo Expert
You can also get backlinks from your local Chamber of Commerce, which may publish a list of local businesses or provide directory links, spotlight articles, and top-10 lists.
Writing link-worthy content is another way to generate great backlinks. Articles that present important statistical content in an approachable way or interesting studies and great explanations of complex concepts are popular among other sites.
Here are some common backlink opportunities for lawyers:
- Local citations and business sites
- Lawyer-specific citation sites (e.g. Avvo or Best Lawyers)
- Chamber of Commerce
- News articles and media coverage
- Writing link-worthy content
- Promoting content through social media and other channels
If you're not sure how to get the kinds of backlinks you want, consider leveraging PR opportunities for better backlinks and visibility.
Tracking Progress and Results
Tracking progress and results is a crucial part of law firm SEO. You need to stay on top of how your website is performing and make adjustments as needed.
Google Analytics is a powerful tool for tracking your website's performance. It provides hard data and insight into how people use your site, what they do when they get there, and how many people visit you. Google is gearing up to release a new version of Google Analytics (GA4) in 2023, which will shake up how data is measured and provide even more insight into user behaviors.
A unique perspective: Google Certified Seo Expert
Google Search Console is another essential tool for tracking your website's performance in search. It shows you where you need to improve and helps you make sure you're hitting the mark.
You can also use tools like web crawlers for technical audits to check the health of your website. These tools crawl your website looking for potential problems and give you a list of found issues and fixes.
Here are some specific tools you can use to track your progress:
- Google Analytics: tracks website performance and user behavior
- Google Search Console: tracks website performance in search
- Web crawler for technical audits: checks website health and finds issues
With the right tools, you can track your SEO efforts and see real results. For example, you can use Google Analytics to track organic traffic from blogs and landing pages, and conversions like form submissions and phone calls.
Common Mistakes and Challenges
As a lawyer SEO expert, I've seen my fair share of mistakes that can hinder your online success. One common mistake is using syndicated content, which can lead to duplicate content issues and even get you flagged as spam by search engines like Google. In fact, Google suggests you noindex syndicated content as of 2023.
Many law firms also neglect to promote their awards and recognition, which are essential for building trust and authority with search engines and potential clients. This is a key part of E-E-A-T, which stands for experience, expertise, authority, and trustworthiness.
Here are some unrealistic expectations to watch out for when hiring an SEO agency:
- You’ll get your site on page one within the month
- They will increase your backlink profile with “high quality” paid backlinks (a big NO NO)
- They use influencer campaigns that don’t follow FTC guidelines
Realistic Expectations
Setting realistic expectations is crucial when it comes to SEO. You can't expect to rank on page one overnight, as it takes constant monitoring to stay on top.
SEO traffic doesn't happen magically, and it's not something that can be achieved in a short period. If a prospective SEO agency promises to get your site on page one within a month, that's a red flag.
Here are some unrealistic promises to watch out for:
- You'll get your site on page one within the month
- They will increase your backlink profile with “high quality” paid backlinks (a big NO NO)
- They use influencer campaigns that don’t follow FTC guidelines
These promises are often made by agencies that don't have your best interests at heart. They might be more interested in making a quick sale than actually delivering results.
What Mistakes Do We Make?
We often make mistakes that can harm our online presence. One such mistake is using syndicated content on our blogs, which can lead to being flagged as spam by search engines.
Google suggests noindexing syndicated content as of 2023. This means publishing the same content across multiple sites can have serious consequences.
Many law firms don't promote their awards or recognition, which is a crucial factor in ranking well on Google. This is because Google looks for E-E-A-T, or experience, expertise, authority, and trustworthiness.
Providing proof of your reputation and credentials can make a big difference in how search engines and potential clients view your site.
Am I Not Ranking in Suburbs?
If your law office is located in a downtown metro area, you might be wondering why you're not ranking in nearby suburbs.
Proximity is a huge local ranking factor, so if your address isn't located in the city you're trying to rank in, it's going to be very difficult to do so.

Opening an office in a suburb you want to rank in can make a big difference, but it's not the only solution.
You can still get customers through organic listings below the local pack by supplementing your site with location pages for suburbs you want to rank in.
Renting an office space in a suburb of your choice can also be a viable option, but it requires optimization tactics to get your profile to rank.
Google Business and Local SEO
Having an optimized Google Business Profile is table stakes for lawyer SEO. You need to claim your listing, add your hours, contact information, a compelling description of what you do, and photos and videos. This will increase your online visibility, establish you as credible and trustworthy, and attract more potential clients to your law firm.
Google's algorithm considers NAP consistency a critical factor in local SEO, so ensure your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) are accurate and consistent across all online listings. This will help Google trust that your business information is up-to-date and credible, leading to higher search engine rankings.
Here are some niche attorney-specific categories you can choose from for your Google Business Profile:
- Administrative attorney
- Bankruptcy attorney
- Business attorney
- Civil law attorney
- Criminal justice attorney
- District attorney
- Elder law attorney
- Employment attorney
- Environmental attorney
- Estate litigation attorney
- Estate planning attorney
Remember, choose the most specific and relevant category as your main category, as this will help you rank better in local search results.
Verify Business Listings
Verifying your business listings is a crucial step in establishing credibility and trust with potential clients. This includes claiming and optimizing your Google Business Profile.
To start, claim your Google Business Profile and optimize your profile by adding your hours, contact information, a compelling description of what you do, and photos and videos. By implementing the best practices for optimizing your Google Business Profile, you can increase your online visibility and establish yourself as credible and trustworthy.
Google's algorithm considers NAP consistency a critical factor in local SEO. Ensure your name, address, and phone number (NAP) information is accurate and consistent across all online listings.
Here's a breakdown of the importance of NAP consistency:
By ensuring your NAP information is accurate and consistent, you can gain Google's trust and improve your local search engine rankings.
Optimizing My Google Business Profile
Optimizing your Google Business Profile is a crucial step in establishing your online presence and attracting potential clients. First, claim your listing and optimize your profile by adding your hours, contact information, a compelling description of what you do, and photos and videos.
To increase your online visibility, especially in the coveted "local pack", you should establish yourself as credible and trustworthy. This can be achieved by implementing the best practices for optimizing your Google Business Profile.
Pay attention to how your name, address, and phone number (NAP) are listed, as Google's algorithm considers NAP consistency a critical factor in local SEO. Ensure your NAP information is accurate and consistent across all online listings.
Choosing the right main category for your Google Business Profile is also essential. You can select one main category and up to 9 others from over 4,000 categories available. For the legal industry, some relevant categories include Administrative attorney, Bankruptcy attorney, and Business attorney.
Here are some niche attorney-specific categories to consider:
Make sure to choose the most specific and relevant category as your main category, and the other more broad categories are tougher to rank with.
SEO Services and Benefits
SEO success doesn't happen overnight, it's a slow process that takes time and patience. It can take at least six months for a brand-new website to start ranking, and even longer for a total redesign and overhaul.
Our SEO agency has a simple, three-step strategy to help your website climb the search engine rankings: competitor research, optimized writing, and technical adjustments.
Competitor research is crucial to understanding how other lawyers in your area are ranking and what separates their websites from yours. We do a deep dive into their strategies to identify opportunities for improvement.
Optimized writing is a key aspect of SEO, and our in-house team of writers have the expertise to strategically write for search engines and your client base. They have backgrounds in marketing, journalism, advertising, English, and similar majors.
For your interest: How to Write Great Seo Content
Local focus is essential, as 46% of all Google searches are local. We can help your firm rank better locally through various strategies such as link building, citation management, spam cleanup, and more.
Here are the SEO services we provide for lawyers and attorneys:
- Competitor Research
- Optimized Writing
- Local Focus
- Technical Adjustments
- Link Building
- Data Monitoring and Collection
SEO is an investment for long-term results, not a quick fix. It can help replace the cost of quick advertising tactics such as PPC and Google ads.
With effective SEO, your firm can dramatically increase your online exposure and bring in a steady stream of qualified, attributable traffic that converts into quality potential new clients.
Case Studies and Success Stories
A tax law firm based in Washington D.C. with five locations has top rankings in multiple cities with 100+ top ranked keyword phrases in each location.
Having videos on your site can definitely help with search engine rankings, as it increases visibility and gives more keyword opportunities.
A well-made video can keep people interested and on your site longer, potentially leading to more shares on social media and increased sales.
However, it's essential to ensure your site has enhancements to improve page speeds, as videos can also hurt your site if they slow it down.
Working with an SEO Agency
Working with an SEO agency can be a crucial step in boosting your law firm's online presence. It's essential to do your research before selecting an SEO agency, as not all companies are created equal.
To find the right agency, start by performing a Google search and reading testimonials, case studies, and asking the agency directly about their strengths and weaknesses. Consider whether the agency is lead-based or conversion-based, and if they can provide valuable metrics to measure progress towards your goals.
A one-stop shop that can handle all your marketing efforts can be a significant time and cost saver. Look for an agency with a dedicated agent who can answer questions and provide updates on your account. Don't forget to check the agency's online reputation by reading reviews on Google, Facebook, and Yelp.
Meet Our Team
Our team of experts has over 40 years combined digital marketing experience, ensuring you get the best possible guidance for your law firm's online presence.
We have a comprehensive strategy in place, designed to meet your specific goals, whether short-term, long-term, or somewhere in between.
Located in multiple cities across the US, including Cleveland, Columbus, Indianapolis, Chicago, Nashville, and Pittsburgh, our team is accessible and knowledgeable about the local market.
With 25+ years of collective experience working with diverse businesses, including law firms, we understand the unique needs of your industry.
We offer a wide range of digital marketing services, from website design to social media management, to help your law firm thrive online.
Finding the Best Agency
Research is key when selecting an SEO agency for your law firm. Perform your own Google search and don't be afraid to ask a few questions before trusting a company with your budget, digital assets, and reputation.
Reading testimonials, case studies, and asking the agency directly can help you learn about their strengths and weaknesses. This will give you a better understanding of whether they're a good fit for your law firm.
Before getting started, confirm that the agency will provide valuable metrics to measure your progress towards your goals and objectives. A lead-based or conversion-based approach can help you track your success.
If your law firm has a preference for lawyers to write content, choose an agency that can accommodate this request. An agency with experience working in your industry will have a better understanding of your firm's needs.
A one-stop shop can save you time and money by having one dedicated agent handle all your marketing efforts. However, if an agency can't manage its own online reputation, how can you expect it to properly manage yours? Check reviews on Google, Facebook, and Yelp to learn about their strengths, weaknesses, and communication with clients.
Here are some key questions to ask when selecting an SEO agency:
- What specific SEO services will you provide?
- What recommendations do you have for improvements to our website to support SEO success?
- What key performance indicators (KPIs) do you focus on?
- How often will you report on results and what will the reports include?
- Do you work with any of my competitors?
- Do you have experience in local SEO for law firms?
- Can you provide references from both past and current law firm clients?
Hire Experts for Your Campaign
You can't just hire any SEO agency for your law firm's campaign. With most consumers searching exclusively online for an attorney, it takes more than keywords for your website to rank higher than those of competitors who have a comprehensive SEO strategy in place.
According to Example 4, "With most consumers searching exclusively online for an attorney, it takes more than keywords for your website to rank higher than those of competitors who have a comprehensive SEO strategy in place."
Our team of experts can help you create a customized SEO campaign that meets your specific goals and objectives. We've worked with law firms in all areas of law, including personal injury, criminal defense, family law, and estate planning.
If you're a plaintiff's attorney, you need law firm SEO, as mentioned in Example 6. Our law firm SEO campaigns start at several thousands of dollars and vary depending on several factors, including the size of the firm, its geographical location, and the level of competition in its legal niche.
Here are some key services we provide for lawyers and attorneys, as listed in Example 8:
- Competitor Research
- Optimized Writing
- Local Focus
- Technical Adjustments
- Link Building
- Data Monitoring and Collection
We'll work with you to create a comprehensive strategy designed to meet your specific goals for today, this year, and long-term, as mentioned in Example 3. Our team of experts will provide you with valuable metrics that enable your law firm to measure how close you are to your goals and objectives, as noted in Example 1.
SEO Tips and Best Practices
As a lawyer SEO expert, I've learned that the legal industry is one of the most competitive online, so it's essential to outsmart and outrank competitors with a strategic approach.
To start, prioritize keywords with high volume, but low competition. This will give you a better chance of ranking higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). For example, focusing on long-tail keywords can help you target specific search queries and attract more relevant traffic to your website.
Incorporating relevant long-tail keywords into your content is also crucial. This type of keyword has lower search volume, but is more specific and targeted to your audience.
To satisfy both search engines and user intent, make sure your content is high-quality and provides value to your readers. This can be achieved by producing longer, but easier-to-read content that addresses specific pain points or questions.
Including both on-page and off-page SEO in your strategy is also essential. This means optimizing your website's structure, content, and internal linking, as well as building high-quality backlinks from other reputable websites.
Here are some additional SEO tips for law firms:
By following these SEO tips, you can improve your website's ranking, increase traffic, and grow your client base with more of the "perfect clients" you want to work with.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does SEO for lawyers cost?
SEO costs for lawyers vary widely, ranging from $3,000 to $15,000 per month, depending on your website's current rankings, local competition, and practice area. Learn more about how these factors impact your SEO expenses.
What is a SEO lawyer?
A SEO lawyer is a legal professional who specializes in optimizing law firm websites to improve search engine rankings and increase online visibility. By leveraging SEO strategies, a SEO lawyer helps law firms attract more potential clients and grow their online presence.
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