Why Law Firms Should Be Using SEO Marketing in 2020

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CEO Approved Content

SEO marketing is a phrase most professionals have heard, and for good reason. Its popularity is mostly because of its success in the digital marketing world–SEO is the best way to increase your search rankings in Google. 

We know the value of using SEO marketing to drive organic traffic to our client’s sites. Law firm SEO marketing is one of the most effective ways to drive quality traffic to a law firm’s website. 

With the right tweaks to site content, a significant increase in site traffic can be seen. This doesn’t happen overnight – it takes time. To get the most from a website’s content, starting the SEO process needs to happen sooner rather than later.

How Law Firm SEO Marketing Can Help a Practice

SEO marketing is more than just adding a few keywords to site content. It’s a complex algorithm that uses a variety of factors. Google, the most popular search engine, is constantly updating its SEO algorithm. 

The three most critical elements of law firm SEO marketing are:

  • Domain-level link authority features: This measures the quality and quantity of inbound links. If a site has high-quality links, search engines view it as a trusted authority in the industry.
  • Page-level link features: Search engines measure the links back to a single page on every website. The higher the quality and quantity, the higher the site page will score.
  • Page-level keyword and content features: Each page on a website is part of the search engine algorithm. This measures the quality of site content like headers, body text, and images. 

Why do we want to focus on these? These factors make up over half of the ranking factors in Google’s SEO algorithm. This means a website needs to have high-quality content that provides value, and it needs to be optimized properly.

What is the value of SEO? Aside from potentially reducing the need for ad spend, SEO is a relatively inexpensive way to drive traffic to a website. It also adds customer-value to a site. Consider these statistics:

  • First-page clicks: When it comes to results that are on the first page of a search engine, the top five organic results make up 67.6% of all search clicks.
  • Content development: The best SEO tactic is on-page content development. Over half of all marketing executives point to this as their most effective tactic.
  • Keyword searches: Long-tail keyword searches result in a higher click-through rate than generic searches, at a rate of 3% to 5% higher. 

Law firm SEO marketing can potentially lead to higher page rankings and click-through rates, which ultimately leads to more business for law firms. And it’s not hard to do it right.

7 Law Firm SEO Marketing Best Practices for 2020

It can be tempting to throw a few keywords into site content and hope for the best, but there are better ways to approach law firm SEO marketing. 

These SEO marketing best practices below offer insight into trends for 2020.

1. Use keywords and phrases in headers 

Google compares around 200 different factors in its SEO algorithm, and headers are one way to boost the value of keywords and phrases. Use the keyword once in the H1 tag and use it again throughout the content if there are instances of H2 or H3 tags.

Secondary keywords may fit more naturally in headers. Consider variations on the keyword or similar phrases that may spark search results. 

2. Link back to relevant internal pages 

Internal links help solidify and strengthen keywords, but they need to be done properly. Use anchor text that complements the link. For a link back to a page titled “The Best Law Firms in Dallas,” consider using variations on the anchor text, “Dallas law firms.”

Linking to external sites isn’t as important. In fact, try to avoid using anchor text that competes with internal keywords and phrases.

3. Optimize ALT text and image file names 

There are a couple of reasons to use ALT text when placing images on a website. First, it can help people who use accessibility readers. Second, it’s effectively the name of the file. This means using the keyword in the ALT text can boost search engine results.

Image file names are equally important. People regularly perform image searches and having relevant file names will help direct people to the right page on a website.

4. Choose targeted keywords in the site content 

Part of Google’s SEO algorithm is to analyze the uniqueness of site content. Websites that have multiple pages with the same content aren’t ranked as highly as those with unique content. Use targeted keywords through long-form content on a website to boost SEO rankings.

Use keywords naturally throughout the content and try to find opportunities to place relevant internal links throughout the site content. 

5. Focus on content authority in the beginning. 

One of the primary factors in Google’s SEO algorithm is links back to a website from other trusted sources. This means that a website needs to have expert-level content that other professionals find valuable. Once authority has been established, gaining traction will be easy.

In the beginning, it’s going to take some effort to get the content noticed. Reach out to other industry professionals, network the content, and find ways to get the site in front of more people.

6. Create long-form content to boost keyword placement. 

While a lot can be said in just 500 words, longer content pieces have a greater chance of gaining ground because they answer more questions. A 3,000-word blog contains more relevant information and keywords than a short piece, just be sure that quality doesn’t suffer for higher word counts.

Long-form content is also practical for improving site authority, and there are several opportunities for keywords in the headers. 

7. Analyze and revise keywords and phrases regularly

Though it does take time for SEO marketing to produce results, it’s good practice to regularly analyze what keywords are being used and how they are performing for content on a website. Reports can show where there are opportunities for adding other relevant keywords.

Having access to site traffic data is the only way to see how keywords are performing. Use SEO marketing tools to analyze content and traffic information.

Tips for Improving Law Firm SEO Marketing Efforts

 

Law firm SEO marketing best practices are just one piece of the SEO puzzle. Including links and keywords can certainly boost rankings, but site traffic and engagement are necessary for those rankings to stick. There are ways to enhance readability that will improve how long people visit a site.

Use these three tips to improve law firm SEO marketing efforts: 

  • Write naturally: Use shorter sentences when possible and try to use a natural tone and flow. Don’t force keywords or phrases into the content. Try to place them sparingly and where it’s most relevant.
  • Do a keyword search: To optimize SEO content, perform a keyword search in Google. See what other search terms are similar and use them as secondary keywords throughout the site.
  • Read competitor sites: If there are competitors that rank higher, we recommend reading through their content to see how it stacks up. See how they use headers and internal links in their content. 

Writing for an easy reading experience is critical. If people have a hard time understanding content, they will stop reading. Use concise language and keep the message relevant.

How We Can Boost Law Firm SEO Marketing Results

Most law firms don’t have a marketing professional on staff, but that’s not necessary these days. The best SEO service for attorneys in Dallas can help put together a comprehensive SEO marketing plan that will increase organic traffic and boost conversions. 

We offer a full suite of services including content marketing, link building, and web design–all of which are building blocks to improving site traffic. We produce high-quality content that helps build domain authority and we understand SEO marketing best practices. 

Looking for a professional law firm SEO agency? Contact us at Visual Rankings for a free SEO audit of your website.

 

Joshua Cabe Johnson

Joshua Cabe Johnson

Joshua Cabe Johnson has been an SEO since 2008. He has personally helped over 1000 clients with online visibility and brand strategy for SEO growth.

Visual rankings has been helping small business owners online since 2002.

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