For lawyers, attorneys and law firms, local visibility isn't just a marketing preference—it's a professional necessity. It is often the best way to start getting relevant traffic to your site quickly. Your potential clients are searching for legal services in their immediate area, and with effective local SEO strategies, you can ensure your firm appears prominently in these crucial local searches.
Utilizing Local Keywords for Law Firms:
While not exclusively a local SEO strategy, using location-specific keywords is a powerful way to quickly generate local traffic and visibility for your law firm.
How and why it works
Say you’re an attorney looking to gain traffic searching for the keyword “Estate Planning”. According to semrush.com as of August 16th, 2024 this keyword is searched for over 27,000 times per month. Awesome right!? Accept the Keyword Difficulty (how hard it would be for a website to rank organically in Google) is 77/100. It is next to impossible to rank for this keyword if you are a smaller firm with a new website.
Instead, you can simply tune your focus to ranking for the keyword “Estate Planning Chicago” this keyword has a difficulty of just 17/100! As you can see by focusing on local keywords it instantly cuts your competition in half or often more. That’s why it’s such a great tool for improving your law firm’s local SEO.
Quick Review
Instead of bidding on broad terms like "personal injury lawyer" or "family law attorney," focus on location-specific phrases. For example:
- "personal injury lawyer in [Your City]"
- "divorce attorney [Your County]"
- "[Your State] estate planning lawyer"
- "criminal defense attorney near [Local Landmark]"
Incorporate these localized keywords throughout your website's content, including page titles, headers, meta descriptions, and body text. This approach not only helps with organic search rankings but also provides targeted terms for local pay-per-click campaigns.
By being specific about your location, you're more likely to attract clients who are actively seeking legal services in your practice area. Remember, potential clients often search for lawyers using location-based terms because they need someone licensed in their area. By matching your keywords to how people search, you'll reach potential clients more effectively and increase your chances of gaining new clients.
Build NAP Citations for your Law Firm
Establishing a strong local presence is crucial, and one key strategy is building consistent NAP(W) citations. NAP stands for Name, Address, and Phone number, while NAPW includes your Website as well. These citations are mentions of your law firm's basic contact information across various online platforms. Why are NAP(W) citations important for lawyers, attorneys and firms?
- They help potential clients find your firm easily
- They boost your credibility in local search results
- They support your overall local SEO efforts as an attorney or firm
- Including your website (the 'W' in NAPW) provides a direct link to your online presence
As an attorney, focus on building NAP(W) citations in these legal-specific and local sources:
- State Bar Association websites
- Legal directories (e.g., Avvo, Martindale-Hubbell)
- Local chamber of commerce listings
- City-specific business directories
- Local law school alumni networks
When creating these citations, consistency is key. Ensure your firm's name, address, phone number, and website URL are identical across all platforms. This consistency helps search engines confidently associate your firm with its location, improving your visibility in local search results.
Consider the unique aspects of your legal practice when building citations. If you have multiple office locations or practice in several jurisdictions, make sure this information is accurately reflected in your citations.
Building NAP(W) citations can be time-consuming, but it's a valuable investment in your firm's local online presence. A strong foundation of NAP(W) citations makes it easier for potential clients in your area to find, contact, and learn about your legal services when they need them most.
Local Schema for Lawyers
At a basic level local schema markup is a language built specifically for search engines to better understand and interpret the information on your website. It’s an especially powerful tool in a lawyer’s local SEO arsenal.
Why Local Schema Works
- It helps search engines understand your firm's specialty areas
- It can improve your visibility in local search results
- It enables rich snippets in search results, potentially increasing the amount of people who click on your site in search results
- It allows you to specify important details like office hours, service areas, and accepted payment methods
By implementing local schema markup, you're essentially providing a clear, structured set of data about your law firm directly to search engines. This can include:
- Your firm's name and contact information
- Areas of practice
- Office locations and service areas
- Attorney profiles and credentials
- Reviews and more
While the technical aspects of adding schema markup to your website may seem daunting, the benefits for your law firm's local SEO efforts are substantial. It's an investment that can significantly enhance your firm's online visibility and make it easier for potential clients to find the exact legal services they need. Implementing local schema markup correctly is crucial for maximizing its benefits. For more information, check out our guide for adding local business schema on law firm websites.
Build Credibility with Online Reviews
Online reviews are crucial for building social proof but they can also enhance your law firm’s local SEO. Positive reviews not only attract new clients but also influence your search engine rankings. Here’s how online reviews impact local SEO for law firms:
- Boost Search Rankings: Search engines, including Google, factor in the quantity and quality of reviews when ranking businesses. More positive reviews can help your firm appear higher in search results. It also gives you the ability to add reviews into your local business schema (discussed above) that can appear directly in search results.
- Incorporate Keywords: Reviews that include relevant keywords and locations can further improve your rankings. Clients naturally mention these details in their feedback, enhancing your local search visibility.
Pro Tip: If you can have your clients mention your firm’s location inside their review.
Participate in Local Events
Engaging in local events can greatly improve your law firm’s local SEO. Here’s how involvement in community activities can elevate your online visibility:
- Earn Valuable Local Backlinks: When you sponsor or attend local events, your firm is often mentioned on event websites and in local news articles. These mentions, and the backlinks they generate, are crucial for enhancing your search engine rankings. High-quality local links signal to search engines that your business is reputable and relevant in the community.
- Increase Local Visibility: Active participation in community events boosts your firm's profile within your area. This increased visibility can lead to higher local search traffic, as more potential clients become aware of your firm and its services. The more visible your firm is in local activities, the more likely it is to attract search engine attention and drive local engagement.
- Build Local Authority: Associating with well-regarded local events and organizations helps establish your firm’s authority and relevance in your practice area. By aligning your firm with trusted community events, you enhance your credibility in the eyes of both search engines and potential clients, positioning your firm as a prominent player in the local legal landscape.
Pro Tip: Select events that align with your legal practice area or target demographic to maximize SEO benefits. Additionally, sharing content related to these events on your website and social media platforms can further amplify your local SEO efforts and strengthen your online presence.
Conclusion
Effective local SEO is crucial for law firms looking to enhance their online presence and attract clients in their area. By implementing the strategies outlined in this article, such as leveraging local keywords, building NAP citations, adding schema markup, encouraging online reviews, and participating in local events, your firm can significantly improve its local search visibility.
Key Takeaways for Law Firm Local SEO:
- Utilize Local Keywords: Target location-specific terms to attract clients searching for legal services in your area. This helps your firm stand out in local search results.
- Build NAP Citations: Ensure your firm's Name, Address, Phone number, and Website are consistently listed across various platforms to boost credibility and local search rankings.
- Implement Local Schema Markup: Provide search engines with structured data about your law firm to enhance visibility and attract more relevant search traffic.
- Encourage Online Reviews: Positive client feedback improves your search engine rankings and builds trust with potential clients. Monitor and respond to reviews to maintain a strong online reputation.
- Participate in Local Events: Engage with your community to earn valuable backlinks, increase visibility, and establish local authority. Share event-related content to further boost your SEO efforts.
By focusing on these local SEO strategies, your law firm can improve its ranking in local searches, attract more clients, and establish a stronger online presence. Embrace these tactics to ensure your practice not only meets but exceeds the expectations of potential clients in your jurisdiction.
