Steps to Get a Law Firm Website Ranked by Google: From Recognition to Referral

In today’s digital-first world, having a website is just the beginning of your internet marketing journey. If you want people to actually find your website — especially through Google — you need to understand how to get your law firm website ranked. This doesn’t mean gaming the system with tricks and gimmicks; it’s about building a solid foundation that aligns with how Google evaluates and rewards websites.

Here are the four essential steps to getting your website ranked on Google: being recognized, acknowledged, trusted, and referred by Google. Each of these steps builds on the last and contributes to your overall visibility and authority in search engine results.

Step 1: Recognition by Google: Getting on the Radar

Before your firm’s website can rank, Google needs to know it exists. This is where the recognition phase begins — getting your website discovered and indexed by Google’s crawlers.

1. Submit Your Site to Google

Google uses bots (called “spiders”) to crawl the web, find websites and index content. While these bots can find websites on their own, especially if other sites link to yours, it helps to give them a head start by submitting your sitemap via Google Search Console. This tool allows you to:

• Submit your sitemap.xml file
• Monitor indexing status
• Get alerts for issues with indexing

2. Ensure Crawlability

Your site structure should make it easy for Google’s bots to explore all your content. Make sure:

• You have a clean, logical URL structure
• There are no major crawl errors in your robots.txt file
• Pages aren’t blocked by “noindex” or canonical misconfigurations

Use tools like Google Search Console or Screaming Frog to audit your site’s crawlability.

3. Mobile-Friendly and Fast

Because of the proliferation of mobile devices, Google uses mobile-first indexing, which means it primarily uses the mobile version of your site for ranking. Ensure your site is:

• Mobile friendly or mobile responsive
• Fast-loading (aim for under 2-3 seconds)
• Free of intrusive popups or interstitials

Google’s PageSpeed Insights can provide suggestions to improve load times and performance.

Step 2: Getting Acknowledged by Google: Showing Up with Relevance

Once your website is recognized and indexed by Google, the next step is to ensure it’s acknowledged for the right search queries — that is, Google understands what your pages are about and when to show them in search results.

1. Keyword Optimization

Do keyword research using tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Google Keyword Planner to find terms your audience is searching for. Then:

• Include primary keywords in titles, headers, and throughout the content
• Optimize meta descriptions and title tags
• Avoid keyword stuffing — prioritize natural language and relevance

2. Structured Data and Schema Markup

Structured data (like Schema.org markup) helps Google better understand the context of your content. This can result in rich snippets — enhanced search results that show ratings, FAQs, and more. You can add structured data to:

• Articles and blogs
• Products and services
• Events, recipes, reviews, and FAQs

Use Google’s Rich Results Test to ensure your markup is working correctly.

3. Internal Linking and Site Architecture

Link related pages on your website together using descriptive anchor text. A solid internal linking structure:

• Helps users navigate
• Distributes page authority (or “link juice”)
• Tells Google which pages are most important

A clear hierarchy (e.g., Homepage > Category > Subcategory > Page) supports indexing and relevance.

Step 3: Getting Trusted by Google: Earning Authority and Credibility

Recognition and relevance get you into the search results. Trust and authority help you climb them. Google wants to rank websites that are authoritative, secure, and provide value to their clients. Google’s clients of course are web searchers (consumers who search the web).

Google wants to remain the “go to” source for trusted information on the web, and to do so, they aim to provide consumers with search results that are reliable and relevant to what they are searching for. To earn Google’s trust, you must produce:

1. Quality Content

Google’s E-E-A-T principles — Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness — guide its view of content quality. To build trust:

• Create in-depth, robust, original content that solves real problems
• Use credible sources and data
• Regularly update outdated information
• Demonstrate your credentials and your subject matter expertise

Blog posts, whitepapers, and case studies are excellent formats to build authority.

2. Backlinks from Reputable Sites

Backlinks are a major ranking factor. When trusted sites link to yours, it signals to Google that your content is valuable. It is like getting a “vote” from another proven, reliable source, which helps build your own site’s credibility. To build backlinks:

• Guest post on authoritative sites in your practice area
• Create shareable content like infographics or research
• Build relationships with legal industry influencers and bloggers
• Earn links naturally by offering exceptional content

Avoid buying links or engaging in link schemes — these can lead to penalties and your website suffering a loss in ranking.

3. HTTPS and Site Security

Google prioritizes secure websites. Ensure your site uses HTTPS (SSL certificates are often free via providers like Let’s Encrypt). Also, take steps to:

• Protect against malware and spam
• Use secure login credentials
• Backup your site regularly

A secure, stable website enhances both user trust and Google’s trust.

Step 4: Getting Referred by Google: Gaining Visibility and Clicks

When Google starts showing your site prominently in search results — especially on page one (and now increasingly on Google’s AI summaries section) — you’ve entered the “referred” stage. This is when Google not only recognizes and trusts you but is actively recommending your content to users.

1. Optimize for Click-Through Rate (CTR)

Being ranked doesn’t guarantee clicks. Your titles and descriptions must entice users to click. Tips for boosting CTR:

• Write compelling meta titles (use action words and include the keyword)
• Create meta descriptions that answer the user’s intent
• Use numbers, brackets, or questions (e.g., “3 Things you should do immediately after an accident or Five Things You Need to Bring to Your First Meeting With my Divorce Attorney”)

A/B test titles if you’re using platforms like Google Ads or paid content.

2. Target Featured Snippets and “People Also Ask”

As mentioned, Google often shows featured snippets at the very top of search results, increasingly in their AI summaries section — which appears even above the first organic link. To target them:

• Answer specific questions clearly and concisely in your content
• Use bullet points, numbered lists, and tables
• Identify commonly asked questions in your practice area

Tools like “Also Asked” and “Answer the Public” can help you discover snippet-worthy questions.

3. Improve Engagement and Retention

Google looks at how users interact with your site. If people click but leave quickly (a high bounce rate), it may hurt your rankings. Improve engagement by:

• Creating scannable content (use headings, short paragraphs, images)
• Embedding videos or interactive elements
• Providing clear calls-to-action (CTAs)
• Making your site easy to navigate

If visitors spend time on your website, it signals that your content is useful.

Step 5: Conducting Ongoing Maintenance and Monitoring

Google’s algorithm is constantly evolving. Staying ranked means continually optimizing your site and staying informed.

• Monitor rankings with tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console
• Perform regular SEO audits to fix technical issues
• Regularly add new content
• Update existing content to keep it fresh and accurate
• Adapt to algorithm updates and industry trends

SEO isn’t a one-time task — it’s an ongoing investment in your brand’s visibility.

Final Thoughts on Getting Your Law Firm Website Ranked

Getting your law firm website ranked by Google is a process that mirrors building a real-world reputation for you and your law firm. First, you need to be recognized and acknowledged — that is, discovered and understood. Next, you must be trusted, showing that your content is authoritative, secure, and valuable. Finally, you aim to be referred by Google — placed at the top of search results where users can find and click on your content.

Each stage builds momentum, and when done correctly, the results can be game-changing. SEO often takes time, but it’s one of the most sustainable, high-ROI strategies you can pursue.

So, whether you’re starting a new site or improving an existing one, remember these four pillars:

• Recognition
• Acknowledgment
• Trust
• Referral

That’s how Google ranks websites and how your site succeeds.

Help with Getting Your Law Firm Website Ranked

If your law firm’s website isn’t providing a steady stream of new clients, you need to shake things up. Being found at the top of searches for keywords associated with your practice areas is a proven strategy for success. But to do so, you need to get on Google’s good side.

Remember – Google is still by far the biggest player in web search, currently boasting around 90% of the global market share. Even with other AI-driven search engines coming on the market, they are still projected to maintain at least 85% of the market share through 2030 and beyond.

At Too Darn Loud Legal Marketing, we can help your law firm create a customized legal marketing strategy that includes crafting and nurturing an SEO plan that works. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation to learn more about our services.