Developing and implementing a marketing strategy for your small law firm is not a static action. Instead, think of your digital marketing strategy as an evolving and dynamic process to revisit, refine, and adapt as search engine algorithms and search engine optimization (SEO) best practices shift and change. As an attorney, you rely on a steady stream of clients to keep your business thriving. It’s essential to keep up with SEO best practices to ensure your law firm’s website ranks high on search results pages and remains visible to those looking for legal guidance in your area. Let’s take a look at some of the top SEO and digital marketing mistakes law firms tend to make and how to avoid them. As you wind down the final months of 2022 and look ahead to the new year, it’s time to maximize your marketing efforts and take them to the next level.
Focusing Only on One Keyword
Making your law firm’s website visible to search engines takes some effort. When someone in your local area searches for the answer to a legal question, they enter keywords like “How long does the divorce process take?” or “best divorce lawyer near me.” The search engine algorithm takes this information and returns results that best align with these search terms. Naturally, including keywords in the titles and content of your law firm’s website is a great way to make your site SEO friendly and boost your visibility. However, resist the urge to double down on just one keyword, repeating it over and over across every page of your website. Not only does this “keyword cannibalization” make your website sound clunky and repetitive, but search engines will pass your site over in favor of websites that are more organic and varied in their keyword implementation. Make sure to anticipate common client search terms and questions and write content that weaves in these terms more naturally.
Failing to Prioritize Your Site Loading Speed
Creating a client-centered, informative, and engaging website is only half the battle. If this polished and revamped website does not load in under three seconds, visitors will likely abandon your site in favor of a link that loads more quickly. Unfortunately, many law firms build and test their websites on desktop or laptop computers and neglect to check how they load or display on mobile devices. With just over half of all web searches occurring on smartphones or other mobile devices, your website should quickly and display correctly on mobile devices. If it loads too slowly or the images fail to appear as they do on the desktop version, it’s time to tweak the content (i.e., image size, resolution, etc.) to make your website mobile friendly.
Forgetting About Local SEO
As more people perform searches on mobile devices, they are more interested in the location of a store or service. People are increasingly entering terms like “personal injury lawyer near me” to find a firm that’s within a reasonable distance of their home or work. Additionally, search engines like Google prioritize location information when determining which results to provide the searcher. Google uses a site’s relevance, distance, and prominence to rank Google Business Profiles. Law firms that have taken the time to complete their Google Business Profiles and amassed client reviews will be displayed more prominently than those who have not taken these steps. It helps to think of your law firm’s profile in the same way you would a LinkedIn profile. Update it regularly and highlight your services, positive client reviews, and convenient location to maximize its impact.
Neglecting Video
In today’s increasingly visual world, videos matter more than ever. Social media platforms like Instagram and Tiktok have become powerful digital marketing tools to increase awareness of your law practice and engage with potential clients. Creating short videos addressing common client questions can boost your SEO rankings, as search engines favor sites that integrate multiple media types. Additionally, potential clients will have the opportunity to get a sense of you as a person and a professional. Watching a short video may inspire confidence in your ability to help them with their legal matter, leading to an uptick in inbound client leads.
Creating a Steady and Sustainable Future
Now more than ever, your law firm should invest in a digital marketing strategy that showcases who you are and what you believe. You need to find ways to distinguish your practice from other firms offering similar services in your area—what does your firm offer that no one else does? As you make your website and marketing efforts more client-centered, search engines will notice these efforts and begin ranking your site higher among the search results pages. Over time, you’ll become more visible to those in need of legal services in your community.
Discuss your law firm’s marketing strategy today by calling LeglRev at (800) 893-2590.
