Local SEO Strategies for Legal Practices — Attracting Nearby Clients

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Law is one of the most competitive industries, especially when it comes to attracting clients online. And make no mistake — that’s exactly where people go to search for and research law firms. But if your firm is only focusing on general keywords for search traffic, it could be missing the mark in some critical ways.

Most law firms cater to local clients, meaning they serve people or businesses within a specified geographical area. Because of this, you want to show up in the search results for people in those areas looking for your services. This is why you need a solid local SEO strategy for your law firm.

What is Local SEO for Lawyers?

SEO is short for search engine optimization, and it involves strategies to drive a web page to the top of the organic (free) search results for various search terms. Because people usually search for law firms in their area, local SEO becomes important.

Local SEO is a set of specific strategies to rank your law firm’s web pages at the top of Google. In addition, it will help your firm show up in other ways, such as alongside the map results.

Why Local SEO is Essential for Law Firms

There are many ways to get your law firm noticed offline and online. But, by and large, how you show up in local search results can make a significant difference for your business. That’s where local SEO comes in. It provides your firm with several key benefits, including:

  • Greater Visibility— Google offers a “Local Pack,” which is a list of nearby businesses when a user searches for a local law firm. Being included in this result will give your firm greater online visibility.
  • More Targeted Traffic— Your firm’s website might get a ton of traffic. But, if it’s from people far outside your service area, this won’t do you much good. Local SEO helps pull in local visitors who are looking for your firm’s services.
  • Increased Credibility — Positive reviews on your firm’s Google Business profile will improve your local rankings and boost your local search results. Both of these will boost your online reputation and help build credibility with potential clients.

Top Local SEO Strategies for Legal Practices

Local SEO is one of the most effective digital marketing strategies for local businesses, including law firms. Here are some of the top local SEO strategies your legal practice can use to improve its results.

  1. Website Optimization

The first local SEO strategy your law firm will want to explore is website optimization. Whether you have an existing site or are building one from scratch, your firm’s online presence should follow certain SEO best practices that include technical and on-page SEO elements to achieve high rankings and attract local website traffic.

  1. Mobile-Friendliness

Over half of website traffic in the United States now comes from mobile devices. This means people are overwhelmingly using tablets and smartphones to locate goods and services. You’ll want your law firm’s website to be mobile-friendly so prospective local clients can find you quickly and easily. If they can’t, they’ll likely move on to someone else.

  1. Google Business Profile

Having a well-optimized Google Business Profile is one of the best ways to achieve high rankings on Google Maps. Google’s Local Pack algorithm reviews these profiles for a variety of elements, like address, phone number, service listings, website URL, hours, photos, and more. This should be a comprehensive picture for prospective clients regarding where you are located and what services you provide.

  1. Online Reviews & Reputation

Most consumers today want to read online reviews before they choose a local vendor, whether it’s an electrician or an attorney. Those reviews can also boost your local search engine rankings and overall authority.

Google values reviews because they show that your business is legitimate. You can ask former clients to leave feedback on your Google Business profile, social media pages, and various directory listings. You should also monitor these pages and respond appropriately to all reviews, positive and negative.

  1. Targeted Content

Your law firm’s website content can boost your local SEO efforts by using localized keywords throughout titles, headers, meta descriptions, and the text of your web pages. Whether it’s an Area of Practice Page or a blog post, you can include local search terms, like “divorce lawyer in Mobile” or “truck accident attorney in Atlanta,” to let readers and the search engines know your firm offers services relevant to a searcher’s interests.

  1. Link Building & Citations

Link building is something that needs to be done correctly, or you could potentially get your law firm’s website in hot water with search engines. To get the best results, you need high-quality backlinks from other local websites.

You might get links or citations from local newspapers or a Chamber of Commerce. Other options include exchanging content with outside blogs and using some select directories.

  1. Local Service Ads (LSAs)

Local Service Ads are a paid service through Google, so they may not belong in the category of “SEO.” However, they can be beneficial to your business as you wait for these other strategies to bear fruit.

Google allows certain local service businesses, including law firms, to get Google Screened before running local service ads (LSAs). These ads will show at the very top of search results and include a link to your Google Business profile with your star and feedback information.

Don’t Have Time for Local SEO? Too Darn Loud Legal Marketing Can Help

Local SEO is an essential part of your law firm’s ability to reach and connect with potential clients in your community. But it’s not something you need to tackle on your own. We understand that and would be happy to help.

Too Darn Loud Legal Marketing specializes in helping law firms get found and chosen by their target clients in their local communities. We understand how local SEO works and can help integrate these strategies into your overall digital marketing plan.

To find out more about how we can help your firm, call us today at (800) 864-1764 or contact us online. We offer a free internet marketing assessment and website evaluation to get started.

Local SEO & Law Firm Marketing

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Consumers are increasingly searching for businesses that are “local” to them. Some research estimates that nearly half of all searches on Google are now local, such as “coffee near me” or “business lawyer in Los Angeles.”

The search engines have responded by creating products to cater to the wants and needs of consumers. Now, when you search for a local business, you will likely get Google Maps results that are pulled from Google My Business (GMB) profiles. But how do you make sure your law firm, and not your competitor, is at the top of those local search results? The answer is by focusing on local SEO.

What Does Local SEO Mean?

The acronym “SEO” tossed around by marketing professionals and clients alike stands for Search Engine Optimization. It relates to the ways that you build out and update your online presence to improve your organic website rankings.

SEO is necessary to gain client leads through Google searches, which brings us to the term “local SEO.” Most law firm clients are looking for an attorney that is local to them. With local SEO, a business will appear in search results in a variety of places when a potential client searches for an attorney “near me,” an attorney in a particular geographic area, or just an attorney in general, such as “find divorce attorney.”

Benefits of Local SEO for Law Firms

According to Google, 76% of people who search on their smartphones for a nearby business frequent that business within a day. Local SEO can help law firms optimize their efforts so that they can rank higher in search results.

If your law firm has a physical location and serves a particular geographic area, it can profit from using local SEO. Specifically, here are some of the benefits of making local SEO a priority:

Rank for More Local Keywords

As a business with an online presence, you may already be familiar with SEO. But you will want to take a more targeted approach for local SEO. For example, instead of just ranking for the keyword “DUI attorney,” you may attempt to rank for more targeted searches like “Florida DUI attorney,” “Pensacola DUI attorney,” or “fight a DUI in Panama City.”

Appear in Google’s Map Pack

When a consumer searches for a local business online using Google, the search engine automatically shows them a map of local businesses along with the organic search results. These Google Maps Packs show up on about one-third of all first-page search engine results. But there are likely many options that Google can choose. If you have focused your local SEO efforts correctly, your firm can appear in these results and achieve more online visibility.

Increase Your Local Client Base

Your local SEO efforts can help your law firm boost its online visibility. With this, your firm can expect to receive more emails and phone calls from prospective clients, an increase in foot traffic, and more client sign-ups overall. Local SEO is an effective way for a business to let the public know about the services it offers in a particular geographical area.

Improve Your Law Firm’s Reputation

Local SEO can also be useful for improving your law firm’s online reputation. When potential clients see that your firm ranks well in organic search results, this instills confidence in your brand. As you continue to build a larger client base, you will be able to hold onto those strong rankings.

How to Show Up in Local Search Results

Since most law firms compete for clients in a local area, figuring out how to show up in local search results is vital. Fortunately, you won’t need to reinvent the wheel. Here are some of the things your law firm can do to increase its local search visibility.

  1. Set Up and Optimize a “Google My Business” Page

The first step in your local SEO strategy should be to create and optimize your law firm’s Google My Business page. The data on the Maps Pack is pulled from this listing, and it is a primary source for local business information. It should include:

  • Your business name, address, and phone number
  • A link to your website
  • The correct categories for your law practice
  • Some relevant and high-quality photos
  • A keyword-rich description of your practice
  1. Optimize Your Website With Local Keywords

Your law firm’s website should also be optimized for local search. Specifically, you can add local keyword data to your Area of Practice pages and even create specific pages that target different geographic areas. Your digital marketing firm will help with on-page SEO items such as title tags and including location keywords in page URLs.

  1. Ensure NAP Citations Are Consistent

Consumers need to trust that they can contact and find a local business when they need it the most. You will achieve better rankings if your NAP (Name, Address, Phone information) is 100% consistent across all online properties. Confirm that these items are exactly the same on your website, directory listings, and social media accounts.

  1. Get Backlinks from Other Local Websites

Backlinks always play a role in SEO, and this is no different if you are trying to rank for local search. Your law firm should develop a long-term strategy to collect incoming links from other local businesses, such as charities, the Chamber of Commerce, and local news outlets.

  1. Generate Client Reviews on Google, Avvo, Facebook and Yelp

Finally, Google will grant more favor to local businesses that are generating consistent online feedback from clients. Specifically, your law firm should focus on encouraging clients to leave Google reviews, which will impact your local search rankings. It is also a good idea to have reviews on other platforms like Avvo and Yelp.

Get the Help You Need to Local SEO for Law Firms

When it comes to local SEO, there is a lot of ground to cover. It is vital that your firm takes the time to do the job thoroughly and correctly because missteps with SEO can be challenging to undo. Establishing a robust local profile is the key to success in local SEO.

You cannot afford to trust just anyone with your law firm’s digital marketing strategy, which is why we recommend you speak to us about our results-based solutions. At Too Darn Loud Legal Marketing, our team draws from years of experience handling law firm marketing as we ensure that your online listings are 100% consistent and accurate and search for the best possible local links to improve your results. Contact us today to learn more about our services.