To a certain type of lawyer, “law firm SEO” sounds like a nonsense phrase, like “football astrophysics” or “honest politics” – two elements that have nothing to do with one another. But these days, understanding SEO is an important part of running a successful law firm. Let’s look at how to do it and why you have to.
When Did SEO Get to Be Part of My Job?
In the old days, lawyers liked to think that they got cases based purely on word of mouth and their reputation. But now, an important part of building up your name as a lawyer is making sure that when people open up Google and type in “lawyers near me,” yours is the first name that comes up.
In a sense, that’s nothing new. The same old-school lawyers who boast about living on their wits in the pre-internet days once daydreamed about working for the first law firm listed in their local White Pages. But the difference is that now you can do something about it. Here’s how you can SEO-optimize your professional page so that when people are looking for lawyers in your area, your firm is the one they find.
Is Law Firm SEO Really That Important?
Short version: Yes. Slightly longer version: Extremely. According to a 2015 article by the National Law Review, when prospects start looking for a lawyer, 96 percent use a search engine. Some of those are probably looking for the website of a law firm they’ve already heard of, but even if you are that lucky firm, it’s still a good idea to be the first result. The free market can be a harsh mistress.
However, 62 percent of searches for law firms do not include the name of the firm. They use generic terms, like “injury attorney in Anytown, CA.” Those are the kinds of open minds you’re trying to reach.
What Does an SEO-Friendly Website Look Like?
Google prioritizes websites that are easy to navigate, with an intuitive drop-down menu on the homepage that takes the customer anywhere they’re going. Just because you know that you have to get to the “child custody” page through the “family law” page doesn’t mean the customer will, and if that page is buried, then the site won’t turn up in a search for “child custody lawyer.”
Google also has an easier time finding firms whose homepages have a mission statement saying who they are and what they do. Break this introductory text up with lots of images and headings, making sure to put important ideas in the headings.
What Are the Secrets of an SEO-Friendly Site?
Under the hood, a good site should be as clean and efficient as possible. If your company has had a website for a few years, try going through and removing old press releases and other chaff. You can also use Google’s free Page Speed Insights tool to check your website for lag. If you have a problem, consider switching hosts.
Make sure your home page has plenty of keywords that say what you do, but also make sure they’re used naturally. There was a time when Google would have prioritized a page that just said “Detroit area lawyer” fifty times, but its algorithms have gotten smarter.
Let the SEO professionals at Social Uprising handle your webpage SEO optimization. Visit Social Uprising today to browse our services, and get your webpage working for you.
