How can SEO boost your law firm’s online presence? We have answers
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What is E-E-A-T and how does it impact law firm marketing? |
Can a client leave a star-rating review without a written review, or do they need to submit a written review too? |
When it comes to SEO, where should my law firm begin? |
How long does it take to start seeing results from SEO? |
In today’s highly competitive online legal landscape, solo and small law firms must look for any and every opportunity to distinguish their firms. Having an effective search engine optimization strategy is no longer a nice-to-have — it’s a must — but SEO can be confusing and seem overwhelming. After all, you know that search engines are constantly changing their algorithms and that tactics that worked a few years ago are now outdated and obsolete. As a busy attorney, how can you implement the right SEO strategies?
A panel of three legal marketing experts tackled this question in our recent webcast, “Cutting through the clutter: Key ingredients to SEO success for law firms,” offering insights to help lawyers discover the foundational SEO elements to set their firms up for long-term success. Now in this blog post, we’ll explore the inner workings of SEO and answer questions posed by webcast attendees.
What is E-E-A-T and how does it impact law firm marketing?
The acronym E-E-A-T stands for Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness — four critical components that Google uses to evaluate content. These are the ingredients for quality content. Your law firm’s online content and overall presence must tick each of these boxes, and having a comprehensive online content strategy is the best way to ensure your firm is meeting the E-E-A-T criteria. That means showing your expertise by listing where you went to law school, your credentials, and any certifications on your website. It also means mentioning how many years each attorney at your firm has practiced as well as notable cases, case studies, and legal articles.
It's also important to highlight things like client testimonials and reviews and to foster engagement via social media channels. Combined, these components signal to Google and other search engines that you and your law firm embody the very principles of E-E-A-T — increasing the likelihood that your website will be shown in relevant searches.
Can a client leave a star-rating review without a written review, or do they need to submit a written review too?
Getting reviews from former clients is one of the best ways to boost your law firm’s online visibility. But not all reviews are viewed as equal in the eyes of legal consumers or search engines. Context matters with online reviews for professional legal services, but unfortunately, some platforms allow reviewers to only select a star rating. That means you could get a one-star rating but have no way of knowing why, and even four or five-star ratings on their own aren’t very compelling. When asking former clients to leave a review, let them know it’s best if they’re able to include details about their experience.
Legal SEO guide for law firms: Practical and sensible tips
While the world of SEO moves quickly, it's necessary to keep up. By developing a solid foundation and understanding of key elements, your firm will be well on its way to showing up when – and where – it counts.
When it comes to SEO, where should my law firm begin?
SEO can seem complicated, but there are fundamental elements that lay the groundwork for a solid foundation. Don’t get bogged down trying to employ several specific SEO tactics right away. Instead, think of the big picture. When legal consumers come to you and your firm, think about how you help them. What questions and concerns do they have? How do you provide the information and answers they need to feel more empowered? How do you build a client relationship where trust is at the forefront? Now, think about what you need to do to accomplish these same things online including through local search results.
Also make sure your content is unique, human, and says something worthwhile about you and your firm. Highlight not only what you do, but also how you do it. What qualities make you and your firm unique? From your website and social media channels to legal directories and online reviews, use your online presence as a way to connect with potential clients and invoke feelings of trust and confidence.
How long does it take to start seeing results from SEO?
It’s important to think about SEO as an integral part of your firm’s long-term online strategy. And while it typically takes months, if not years, to reap the full rewards of a comprehensive SEO strategy, certain tactics can garner more immediate results. For example, publishing new and relevant content on a regular basis is one of the best ways to jumpstart your firm’s SEO. Additionally, make sure you’re taking SEO best practices into consideration by using relevant keywords and phrases throughout your website and directory listings, and especially in headers and metadata.
It’s also important to consider your website’s structure. Implement changes to improve not only how quickly pages load on your site, but also how readily search engines are able to crawl and index the pages on your site. There are several offsite tactics like online reviews and social media that are important to leverage.
Tune in to our on-demand webcast to learn more about how SEO can boost your firm’s online visibility.
Cutting through the clutter: Key ingredients to SEO success for law firms
By developing a solid foundation and understanding of key SEO elements, your law firm will be well on its way to showing up online when and where it counts.