If you’re a lawyer or part of a law firm, you know how important it is to gain clients. More and more individuals now Google search lawyers in their area, and thus local SEO becomes imperative. Law firm SEO agency come up in the search when individuals in your area look for legal help. The better your local SEO, the greater the opportunity for clients to find you and contact you.
Here’s a step-by-step tutorial to help your law firm rank higher in local searches.
What is Local SEO?
Local SEO is the process of optimizing your website and online presence to rank higher in local search results. When someone types in a lawyer in their area—like “best divorce lawyer in [city]”—local SEO makes your firm show up in the search results.
For example, if a client is looking for “personal injury lawyer near me,” local SEO tells Google that your law firm is exactly what they are looking for. It brings local customers to you.
Why Law Firms Need Local SEO?
It Brings Local Customers: Legal practice is mostly localized. Clients would want lawyers nearby, so showing up on local search increases your odds of being hired.
Increases Your Visibility: Being listed in local search results, particularly Google’s “3-Pack” (the top 3 local results with a map), makes more people aware of your law firm when they are searching for legal services in the area.
Establishes Trust: Local businesses are more likely to be trusted. When your firm is well-optimized for local search results, it indicates Google and potential customers that your firm is trustworthy and reliable.
Gives You an Edge Over Your Competition: Few law firms optimize their local SEO. By improving yours, you can stand out and get more clients.
Simple Steps to Rank Higher in Local Search Results
Claim and Optimize Your Google My Business (GMB) Listing
Google My Business is a free tool that gets your firm listed in local search results. Make sure to:
Claim Your Listing: Google search your company and claim your listing.
Finish Your Profile: Fill out your GMB with your law office’s name, address, telephone number, web address, office hours, and services description.
Add Photos: Add pictures of your office space, employees, and events.
Get Reviews: Ask happy customers to review your business. Quality reviews boost your ranking and validity.
Make Sure NAP is Constant Everywhere (Name, Address, Phone Number)
Your NAP must be the same on your website, Google My Business, and all online directories (such as Yelp, Avvo, etc.). If your NAP is inconsistent, it will harm your rankings.
You can utilize tools such as Moz Local to verify if your NAP is accurate on various sites.
Include Local Keywords on Your Website
Target keywords that feature your city or area. For instance, rather than simply using “personal injury lawyer,” use “personal injury lawyer in [city].”
Some places to place these keywords are:
Page titles and meta descriptions
Headers and subheaders
Blog posts
Contact page
You can even publish blog posts on legal issues concerning your geographic location. For instance, if there is a new law concerning your city, write on it.
Get Listed in Local Directories
Local business directories tell Google that your business belongs in the community. Get listed in reputable directories, such as:
Yelp
Avvo
Super Lawyers
Local Chamber of Commerce websites
List yourself in these directories, and keep your NAP information consistent.
Create Location-Specific Pages on Your Website
If you have clients within multiple cities or regions, make separate pages for each. An example would be if you had cases in City A and City B, so you would have a page on both. All pages need:
Local keywords (such as “Divorce attorney in City A”)
Details on your service in that location
Customer reviews for that location, if any
Build Local Backlinks
Backlinks are links from other websites to your site. To increase your local SEO, get backlinks from local businesses, news sites, or community organizations.
You can:
Sponsor an event locally and ask for a backlink on their website.
Guest blog on local websites or blogs.
Partner with local organizations and businesses and ask for a mention on their website.
Use Social Media to Interact with Your Local Community
Social media isn’t a ranking signal per se, but it does help your law firm have a local presence. Share community-related content such as:
Legal tips for those living in your area
Events or news local to your location
Your clients’ success stories with testimonials
Don’t forget to link to your website and Google My Business listing on social media.
Make Your Website Mobile-Friendly
More people seek lawyers on their phones than before. If your website is not mobile-responsive, you stand a chance to miss potential clients.
Make your website:
Load efficiently
Be easy to navigate through
Possess a contact form that is optimized for mobiles
Keep Track Of Your Local SEO Performance
Make use of applications like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to view how your site is faring. Monitor:
How many people visit your site from local queries
How your rankings change over time
How many messages or calls you get coming through your website
Keeping an eye on these metrics lets you see what’s going well and what isn’t.
Conclusion
Local SEO is a powerful way for law firms to attract clients in their locality. Claiming your Google My Business listing, using local keywords, getting listed in directories, and building local backlinks are all techniques for building your local search rankings and getting more clients.
Local SEO does take time, but it will be well worth it. Get started using these simple steps right now, and you can observe your law office rise in search rankings for locals, making your business easier to grow and take on more customers in your local area.