Introduction to Local SEO for lawyers
Local SEO plays a key role for modern law firms to attract potential clients from their local area. Showing up in the top of the search engine search rankings for local searches is so important for any law firm.
A well thought out local SEO strategy can be the difference between lurking at the bottom of local rankings, and attaining a local pack for your area.
Implementing a local SEO campaign will not only get you visits to your law firm website, but also increase the amount of foot traffic, calls and enquiries from potential clients.
Your law firm will always have the strongest influence in your local area. By being at the top of the search results for relevant search queries, you will be be the first stop for local searchers. These are the core of why local SEO services are so valuable to law firms.
So now to dive into the best way to conduct local SEO for lawyers.
Setting Up Your Law Firm’s Online Presence
Creating a Google Business Profile
This is the first step in any local SEO strategy. And all law firms should have claimed, and optimised their google business profile. A critical step in performing local seo for lawyers.
Your google business profile is what is directly linked to your google maps listing. The primary place anyone looks when performing a local search. Hence the importance to law firms in not only claiming it, but also setting up correctly for local SEO efforts.
This can be summed up step by step as shown below:
Claim your Google Business Profile (GBP)
Visit the google business profile website, and sign in with your google account. Then search for your business and register it appropriately.
Complete Your Google business profile
Make sure this matches to all details on your website. Including contact info, opening times, images etc
Keyword Optimised Business Description
Write a keyword rich SEO optimised description for your law firm. Make sure you capture your top keywords at least once. Consider legal services, local search terms and other local queries you wish to rank for.
Engage with past clients
The goal here is to gain reviews and feedback. These client reviews will help convert local searches to new clients. This is because it causes your business to look more trustworthy to prospective clients.
Make sure you have registered your business under the correct primary category. Also the secondary categories. Consider all the legal services you provide when making this decision
Optimising Your Law Firm’s Website for Local Search
Another prelude step, needing to be done before performing local SEO for lawyers. If your website is not SEO optimised, the subsequent steps will not be as effective in boosting local SEO rankings.
Website checks before starting a law firms local SEO
Is the website mobile friendly?
For local searches, you have to consider the majority of people will be searching on a mobile device. This is down to things like google maps, and the way search engines consider searches coming from mobile data. A well made, mobile optimised website goes a long way in boosting your local rankings.
Has the website’s technical SEO been optimised?
Your existing law firm website should have fast load speeds, well structured data and tidy URLs. Search engines consider all these things when ranking local businesses.
Does your website have local keywords to target local search results?
If someone is performing a local search, it is very predictable what they may put into the search engines. “law firms in london”, “lawyer in manchester” and other specific search terms jump out at you. To rank higher in local search results, it is critical to capture the keywords with local intent.
This can be done by setting up specific landing pages for those terms. This will likely put your law firm in the search results for legal practices in that area.
Has your schema markup been set up correctly?
Schema markups are a specific code to help tell search engines key information about your business. To appear higher in local search results, or even attain a local pack, setting up your schema correctly is essential.
Now that we have checked all the foundations are built in your law firm, we can continue into a strategy for local SEO for lawyers.
Local SEO Strategies for Law Firms
Keyword Research and Optimisation
Consistent across general and local SEO for lawyers, keyword research is essential. To understand the amount of organic search traffic is generated by local searches, and local keywords is so important. Appearing at the top of organic search results is great, but if the keyword is never searched for, why waste the time?
Keyword research, with local search in mind looks a little like this:
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Use a KW research tool to create a list of relevant search queries. Consider also search terms for your specific legal services.
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Consider also local searches that include location terms: e.g “Lawyer in Scunthrope”. We call these local keywords.
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Use your SEO tool to analyse the keywords that rival law firms are ranking for.
Once you have a conclusive keyword list, including your consideration for local search results, you can start to consider how to put those on a page.
Part of any good local SEO services is strategising how, where and in what way to capture those local search terms. To many law firms local SEO can be built upon from just these thoughts.
Now to make the most of those keywords to prep your on page content for local SEO for lawyers.
On Page Content Writing
Now we have a list of keywords and know our approach to conducting our local SEO for lawyers. We need to apply this knowledge to build up an appropriate website for a law firm offering legal services to a specific area.
When potential clients are conducting a google search, their search engines will display not only web results, but also local search results. By creating landing pages for both legal services, search terms and local legal queries, you are able to further capture those keywords.
So utilising those key words that law firms want to rank for, this stage is important to actually provide information on those. These local search results will bring up google maps and your google business profile.
These pages can take the form of a blogs or a normal landing page. Having these are critical for law firms to have local SEO success. This is the same for any local businesses implementing local SEO.
Once you have planned how to create your site to best cater to search engines, you can begin to write your on page content.
Content writing practices for the best local SEO for a law firm.
Here are some tips on writing content for your law firm:
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Try to capture relevant keywords from your keyword research in your content. Using them in your headings, body text and titles in a natural way. Also consider naturally including these keywords in your meta descriptions.
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Write your content using short sentences, and make it clear and easy to read. The readability of your content is part of what makes it good or bad
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Try to use your main keywords in your page body text with around a 1-2% density.
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Check the first search engine results pages to see what the top ranking sites have covered on your topic. Prioritise looking at other local law firms.
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Aim to write at least 700 words for a blog post. Even then it is still good to see the word count of your competitors.
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Make sure your blog post, article, or page contains transition words. Things like “therefore”, “firstly”, “and then”. These break up your text and make it more readable.
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Use numbered lists. When considering SEO for lawyers, and writing informative content, there is always going to be lots of information thrown at readers. Numbered lists and bullet points can help structure your law firm’s website.
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Remember to keep it natural.
By keeping all of these things in mind, you give your content the best chance of ranking amongst local searchers. This will equate to bringing in the most possible potential clients for your law firm.
Building Local Citations and Directory Listings
Building local citations is another core part of local SEO for law firms. The effect of local directories is to give google the impression that your business is more known online.
These local citations and directory listings can be as simple as signing up and posting your listing online. Citations also make up a big part of local search ranking factors.
For any prospective clients looking for legal practices on google or any other search engines, if there is a large number of trusted sites referencing your law firm, you will achieve higher search rankings.
Making a law firm’s local citations a critical part of achieving higher local search engine results
Best practices when searching for and creating local citations.
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Check the authority on softwares like SEMrush or ahrefs to ensure it is a credible site.
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Ensure consistency in the details you share about your law firm. their NAP(name, address, phone number) should be consistent across all citations.
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Ensure that your Citations & Directories align with the data on your google business profile.
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Check the law firm that has the highest map listing in your area, you can view their backlinks with an SEO tool like SEMrush.
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Use a search engine. Check what google has to offer when you look for local directories and citations websites. Scroll down the search engine result pages to find more sites to link from.
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Check legal directories. The reason it is important that they are legal directories is that google will credit you more in search rankings. Solely for the reason that they(the other site) are an authority in your industry.
On top of any effect this has on your law firm’s SEO, this will also create instant website traffic through any users of those sites that find you. Another nice flow of potential clients.
Building Local Backlinks
Any time you are conducting local seo for law firms, you also need to consider building local backlinks. This is when local websites write a post, page or refer to your website with a link.
A website from your local community referring to your site shows the search engines that you are a trusted company locally. Then putting you higher in the local search results.
Some ways in which you can build up local backlinks when doing SEO for law firms are:
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Gust posting on credible news/blog/business sites
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Check your competitors to see where they are getting links from. There will probably be some sites that you can also post your backlink on.
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Blogger and website outreach. You can contact prominent local websites to get your backlinks. For sites in your niche linking back and forth can be beneficial for both of you.
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Look out for local events. Local events can be a great opportunity to gain backlinks. You will always be tagged in descriptions of the event. It can also be a good way to engage new clients.
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Sponsor local businesses. If your law firm sponsors a business in your area, you will more than likely be able to get a backlink there too.
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Write high quality content. If your content is good, others will want to refer to it in their articles.
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Client positive reviews. If you work with businesses, or people who also have websites, you can ask them to put a testimonial for your business on there.
All of these are methods to boost your authority with search engines. SEO for lawyers is all about becoming the trusted voice in your niche. Thus a critical part of local SEO for lawyers to boost rankings in organic search results.
Leveraging Reviews and Social Media
The Power of Reviews for Local SEO
Client reviews are a really powerful piece of local seo. If your law firm has loads of positive reviews, anyone who sees your local pack is far more inclined to convert to an enquiry. The first step in becoming a new client.
Consider converting happy clients to reviews
It is essential that you encourage your happy clients to leave reviews on your Google business profile. They can also leave reviews on other review platforms.
These reviews will also increase the context, keywords and relevance of your backlinks from review sites.
Respond to all reviews
All reviews, positive reviews and negative reviews are useful. It is important to show to people that your law firm values client feedback. Sometimes reviews can even show up in local packs. A big part of local SEO.
Your reviews are your measure of your trustworthiness. For a law firm this is a really important trait. Reinforcing the importance of good local SEO and good reviews on their google business profile.
Making the most of reviews is crucian for a law firm.
Using Social Media to Boost Local SEO Efforts
Social media is also a great tool for marketing. Being able to leverage social media can be a great method to bring in new clients.
Your law firm should be using social media to engage with your local community. This can be a method to promote your law firm’s legal services to potential clients.
You can also share local news, updates and information to draw in potential clients. It will also help establish your company in the local community.
Advanced Techniques: Local SEO For Lawyers
Local Services Ads and Google Screened
Local services ads are a great tool for local SEO. It is a service provided by google to connect local businesses with local searchers. Running search ads is a sure fire way to drive traffic to your website.
Using local service ads your law firm is able to target specific search terms and attract traffic from potential clients.
Google Screened badge
This is a verification mark provided to a company by google. It will provide your company with additional trust from potential clients. They are generally given to lawyers, financial planners and estate agents, in the interest of verifying services to consumers.
Having a google screened badge alongside your local SEO efforts, can be a great
Multichannel Local Marketing for Law Firms local SEO strategies
A combination of marketing channels will always benefit your local SEO. One of google’s biggest factors in ranking websites is their direct traffic. More people going to your website means higher search rankings. For that reason, other marketing methods and increasing brand awareness are always a plus.
Use a combination of your local SEO, Social channels and running PPC ads can combine to kick off significant growth for your law firm.
This multichannel approach can be a great way to reach wider audiences. The first step in attracting more potential clients to your law firm’s site.
Leverage data in your local SEO strategy
You always need to have ways to know what is working, and what isn’t. Data sits at the core of this.
By utilising tools like google analytics, google search console and social media analytics tools, you will always be able to tell what has worked well and what hasn’t.
This is a key part of a successful and efficient marketing strategy.
Tracking and Measuring Your Local SEO Performance
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for Local SEO
Tying into the data management, setting KPI’s are a great way to measure success of your local seo campaigns.
It is also key to set your KPIs to important data points like search engine rankings, local search presence and the number of clicks converting to enquiries.
By tracking rankings for individual pages, queries and clicks you can evaluate the success of each and make your marketing strategy as effective as possible for your law firm’s website.
Put more resources into the successful things and take some away from stuff that isn’t working. Simple as that.
Common Local SEO Mistakes to Avoid
Now to go over some of the most common mistakes that are made when conducting a law firm’s local SEO. These are some very simple things to avoid, but important to overlook.
Avoid inconsistencies in your NAP info
Make sure in all your local citations, online directories and business listings your name, address and phone number are up to date and correct. This is key for local seo rankings.
Write original content, avoid duplicates and low quality
If your content is hand written, and follows the basics outlined in this article, you will do far better in your law firm’s local SEO. Much better than using low quality, plagiarised content.
This is simply a case of committing the time. Skipping out or rushing this will only be a detriment
Always reply to your reviews!
The effort to do SEO for lawyers, is wasted unless your views turn into clicks, calls and enquiries. Let your potential clients see that you care about client reviews.
Make sure you always try and reply to all of them. It has a larger impact than you think on your online reputation.
Conclusion
In conclusion; local seo should play a key part in the marketing strategies of law firms. It is a great way to attract more clients and bring in more cases.
By having digital “clout” amongst local organisations, can play a big role in your law firm’s growth.
By following the local SEO guidelines, and outlines that we have covered in this article, you can help to build your law firm’s digital presence. The more your online visibility, the more people see your site and the more clients that come in the door.
Always remember that everything you do, you need to track. You will never know what is working and what isn’t, if you don’t have the data available. Always think how you can improve your SEO strategies. Search engines are always changing, you need to always stay on the ball.
FAQ
Does my law firm need SEO?
Law firms of all sizes can benefit from local search engine optimization. In modern times the vast majority of potential clients are looking online to find their next lawyer.
The better your online visibility, the easier you are to find. Therefore the more new clients coming through the door. Also presenting you with great opportunities to connect with local organizations.
That is why local SEO optimisations is a great tool to leverage at any law firm.
Is local SEO useful for personal injury lawyers?
for personal injury lawyers, local SEO is a good addition to your marketing strategy. For a personal injury attorney, it does not work much different to other law firms. More online visibility means more clients able to find you.
Who is the best local SEO agency for lawyers?
Accsellera have a long history as an expert local SEO agency for lawyers. Our attitude to SEO depends on a deep understanding of your law firm’s business. Where the goals are and what your vision for growth is.
Many agencies just want to increase numbers of clicks, our focus is on improving your website’s performance in the most beneficial way to your law firm.
Our deep experience in the field, and network of backlink opportunities make Accsellera the top local SEO agency for law firms.
How much does local SEO cost law firms?
The cost of local SEO for lawyers can vary. It can range from as little as £500, but the price will always reflect in the quality of the job. It will also depend on the difficulty of the desired search terms.
At Accsellera, we believe in complete transparency. You will always know where your money goes, and be clued in on the strategy, KPIs and goals. This is what makes us the best local SEO agency for law firms.
One thing that always remains at Accsellera, is our 50% discount for the first 3 months. We believe in long term relationships. It is our way of showing confidence in our own abilities. And confidence that you will see the value in our work.