SEO for Lawyers: 5 Tips for Beginners

Once you build a website for your law firm, you need to make sure that it’s getting a reasonable amount of traffic. Thinking about SEO and content marketing as a lawyer might seem low on your priority list, but it shouldn’t be if you want to maximize your potential for success.

Improving your link building, on-page content, local SEO, and mobile optimization are the building blocks of a robust online presence. Most customers use the internet and, by extension, search engines to find information about almost everything.

If you’re not using SEO in an effective way, they’ll find your competitors instead of you. Let’s go over five tips to help you get started with SEO as a lawyer.

 

Build a list of targeted search terms.

Start with a list of at least 20 search terms. There are a few things to think about when identifying search terms to use. Consider the location of your practice, what your specialties are, and general terms related to lawyers. After you’ve made a list, use Google Analytics to figure out which terms you’ve selected and are most searched. Make sure you balance popular, general keywords with longer, more specific targeted keywords. SEO companies like Best Law Firm SEO can help you get started.

Make sure your website uses your target terms.

Once you’ve decided on your targeted search terms, make sure you’re using them on your website. Use the keywords not just in the descriptions but also in titles. Image descriptions should also be relevant, you don’t want to overlook any chances to build your SEO.

Avoid generating negative SEO.

If you generate too much negative SEO, Google can move your website down in the rankings, or even delist you. Negative SEO can include identical content on multiple websites, duplicate content on your own website, and backlinks from poorly rated websites. It’s not about gaming the system by using your keywords excessively. You want to make your SEO seem natural, fitting into the tone of your law firm’s brand.

Improve website speed.

Making sure your webpage loads quickly is just as important as using your keywords. Google’s PageSpeed Insights tool can help you check the current speed of your website. If your page speed is lower than it should be, there are a few simple things you can do to improve it. Limiting the size of your images to around 100 KB is recommended, and you’ll want to use JPGs over PNGs. Reduce the number of HTTP requests needed to load graphics and video content. If you’re using CMS, make sure all your plugins are up to date and remove any that you’re not using. These are just a few quick ways to boost your page speed.

Create unique original content.

What matters most on the internet is creating content. Lawyers might not be able to fit blogging into their schedule, though if you can, creating a law blog is a great way to gain more traffic for your website. Blog posts that mention your targeted keywords, especially ones with visual content or infographics, are one of the best ways to draw in potential customers. Creating content also allows users to share that information with their friends via social media and by email, so that’s another way you’re expanding your reach. Generating well-written public content is one of the best things you can do for your search engine rankings.

Lawyers might not think about crafting their brand, but learning how to use SEO to attract more potential customers is essential for any business today. There is a lot that goes into creating a comprehensive search engine optimization plan as a lawyer. You need targeted keywords to use on your website and in original content when promoting yourself and your brand. You should make sure the speed of your website and your page load times are manageable so your web presence is user-friendly. While you should be aggressive about boosting your traffic, avoid using bad linkbacks, overusing your keywords, or posting duplicate content. If these tasks feel overwhelming, you can always hire an SEO company like Best Law Firm SEO to help you out. With a little time and effort, you’ll soon be at the top of everyone’s Google search.