Using Local SEO to Take Your Legal Marketing Efforts to the Next Level

In today’s digital landscape, the more Google-friendly you make your website, the more your firm will become visible to potential clients. By marketing to your community, exploring backlink opportunities, and monitoring your client reviews, you can take your local SEO efforts to the next level.
December 3, 2020

By now, you’re probably aware of how important it is for your law firm to have an engaging and informative website. However, even if you have a website, you may wonder why you aren’t getting an increased volume of traffic or client calls. This is where optimizing your site to appeal to Google’s search algorithm pays off—the more Google-friendly you make your website, the more your firm will become visible to web searchers and to potential clients. In recent years, Google has incorporated newer services into their SERPs (search engine results pages), such as Google Maps, Google My Business (GMB) listings, and other features that are designed to provide the searcher with a quick and relevant answer. Currently, one of the most strategic actions you can take is to create optimized local content that ensures that your website appears in the search results of those in need of legal services in your community. Here’s what you need to know to get started.

Marketing Your Law Practice to Your Community

While it’s great to have content on your website that answers general questions about your practice area, it’s less likely that a client in New York will want to work with a legal practice in South Dakota. Clients want to work with a legal professional who understands their needs, so they will take the time to search for firms in their area. In order to make your law practice visible to searchers in your community, make sure that you are taking full advantage of locally-focused tools, such as Google My Business, Facebook Business, and Yelp. Building a strong presence on these platforms will give Google’s algorithm more information to use, thereby increasing your authority and relevance within the search results. If you already have activated these tools, make sure the information is accurate, complete, and up-to-date.

Exploring Backlink Opportunities

Although the days of linking to other sites as often as possible are gone, you can use some links strategically to build your presence within your community. If you’ve been recognized by your community in some way, or if you recently led a professional workshop in your area, these are opportunities to demonstrate your value and experience to potential clients. For instance, write a short post about a seminar you attended, and include a link to that page. Did an alumni association recently highlight your professional accomplishments? Write an update about this and include a link to that page. By organically and meaningfully engaging with other professional organizations and publications, Google will increasingly view your website as locally relevant—eventually boosting your search results rankings.

Keep an Eye on Client Reviews

As important as it is to create relevant content and to update your GMB and Facebook Business pages, client reviews are ultimately more critical to your success in the long run. In today’s increasingly digital world, online reviews are essential to establishing client trust. It’s estimated that 93 percent of consumers use online reviews to determine whether to make a purchase or use a service, and nearly all consumers will not consider engaging with a business with a rating of 3.3 or under. Make it a habit to monitor client reviews on a consistent basis. If you receive a poor review, consider reaching out to this individual privately and asking how you can improve their experience. It’s time to recognize that potential clients will look at your firm’s reviews when deciding whether to contact you, so make sure they accurately reflect the services you offer.

It’s time to take your SEO marketing efforts to the next level. Contact the LegalRev team today at (800) 893-2590 to discuss your goals.

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