Having a strong online presence is crucial for any business, including law firms. A law firm’s website and other online profiles are often the first interactions potential clients have with the firm. Thus, improving online visibility should be a top priority. Here are some of the main ways law firms can enhance their online visibility and attract more clients.
Optimize the Law Firm Website
A law firm’s website is the foundation of its online presence. There are several key steps firms can take to optimize their site:
- Make sure the website is mobile-friendly. 85.38% of Americans use mobile devices to access the internet.
- Include key search terms. Incorporate relevant keywords and phrases throughout the site content to help it rank better in search engines for related queries. The practice areas, attorney bios, blog posts, and other pages should all use strategic keywords.
- Focus on speed and user experience. 83% of users expect a site to load in 3 seconds or less.
- Integrate schema markup. Schema is code that helps search engines understand the content on a page. Law firms can benefit from schema like LegalService and LocalBusiness.
- Optimize technical elements. Proper URL structures, alt text for images, sitemaps, and other technical optimizations make the site more search engine friendly.
Produce Relevant, Engaging Content
Content marketing is a must for law firms like personal injury attorneys today. Blogging and other types of content help demonstrate expertise and authority. Law firms should publish content regularly including:
- Blog posts on legal news, tips, developments in the firm’s practice areas, attorney expertise spots, location-based content, etc.
- Legal guides, ebooks, whitepapers, and other resources that prospects find useful.
- Videos including attorney bios, client testimonials, explanations of law, and more.
- Social media content to give followers a glimpse into the firm’s work and personality.
All content should focus on topics and keywords that align with the firm’s services and target client groups. The content should provide value for visitors – not just promotional material.
Get Active on Social Media
Social platforms continue to gain importance in legal marketing. Law firms should actively manage business pages on sites like Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube (at a minimum). Firms can share content, engage with followers, run ads, and build their brand presence. Attorneys can also establish professional profiles highlighting their credentials, publications, speaking engagements, client reviews, and other details that impress prospective clients.
Claim and Optimize Profiles
There are many online directories and platforms where clients look for lawyers. Firms need to properly claim and optimize their profiles on these sites. Key profiles include Google My Business, Avvo, Martindale-Hubbell, FindLaw, Lawyers.com, and niche directories for the practice area. Provide complete and consistent details on these profiles and keep them updated. Customer reviews on these sites also lend credibility.
Implement Local SEO Tactics for your Law Firm
For firms that serve local markets, local SEO is key. Aaron Tillmann, a personal injury lawyer in Portland, recommends having a Google My Business profile, optimizing content for local keywords, generating online reviews, developing citations and backlinks from local directories and websites, sponsoring community events, and running local PPC ads. The goal is to signal relevance for searches in the specific metro area.
With consistent effort put into improving and monitoring online presence, law firms can thrive amidst growing competition.
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