Research has shown that 96% of people who need legal advice turn to a search engine. That is why SEO is no longer an option for law firms; it is a must if you want to survive. SEO, which stands for search engine optimization, is the process that is used to increase the number of people who visit your website by ensuring it appears in top search results. SEO involves configuring on-site and off-site elements to attract prospective clients.
For years, Google has dominated the online space as the most preferred search engine in the world. Therefore, when thinking about SEO, you should be thinking of optimizing your content for Google search.
Here are some things you should consider when focussing on SEO:
1. Keyword Research
Keyword research is a crucial part of SEO. This research is used to find out what search terms people use when they are looking online for a particular topic. Keyword research helps those practising SEO to discover the best keywords to target for content to achieve better rankings in search results. The way people behave online is constantly changing, so you must do continuous keyword research.
2. Lawyer-specific calls to action
A call to action (CTA) on your website is designed to encourage a visitor to perform a specific action. Creating calls to action for boosting SEO requires a different strategy from CTAs on other websites. On a website, for example, calls to action should be placed above the fold. This is the point at which visitors must start scrolling to read more information.
Websites should include a telephone number in a prominent location on each page. A page header is a good place to put your telephone number. You should also provide people with more than one way to get in touch with you. So, in addition to a telephone number, you might want to include a contact form and email address as well.
3. Unique content
For content to appear at the top of search engine results you must have content that was developed specifically for your law firm. Google will not index your content if it is a duplicate of content that already appears somewhere else online. This simply means Google will not add your web page to it’s search engine.
4. Content organization
When your practice areas are organized in a logical manner, with a page dedicated to each area, it makes it easier for visitors to find the information they need on your website. The proper content organization is also important when it comes to SEO as Google’s search bot software (Googlebot) discovers content to be indexed in a methodical and systematic way.
5. Link building
According to Google, links are one of the top factors that influence where web pages rank in search results. Link building is the process used to get other online sources to link back your web pages. When other sources link back to your website, it tells Google that your site is a valuable resource that is worthy of being cited. It is important to get high-quality, relevant sources to link to your website as they count more towards improving your ranking than questionable or new online sources.
Do you need help with SEO?
We know your clients come first, so you may not have the time to create and implement an effective SEO strategy. Furthermore, you probably do not have the expertise needed to tackle SEO on your own. That is why we are here to help. At Soulpepper, our team has years of experience in this space. We have used this experience to help lawyers like you grow their practices online and we’d love to help you too. So, give us a call today to schedule a free marketing consultation.