How Improving Your SEO Can Get You Ahead of Your Competitors

Law is one of the most important, dynamic industries in the United States. IBIS World reports that law firms will take in more than $360 billion in revenue in 2022 alone. As technology continues to change legal practice, more potential clients—individuals and businesses—are turning to the internet to find, research, and hire attorneys. 

One of the best steps that law firms can make to improve client acquisition is to upgrade their search engine optimization (SEO). At ONE400, we are leaders in law firm marketing. Our team puts a strong emphasis on effective SEO. Within this article, you will find an overview of how improving your SEO can get you ahead of your competitors in the legal industry. 

Understanding the Basics of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) 

As explained by Google Search Central, “SEO is an acronym for search engine optimization.” Broadly defined, SEO is the process of improving the visibility and ranking of a website in search engine results. Google is by far the dominant search engine in the United States. Though, the principles of SEO apply to other search engines, as well. 

Improving SEO is accomplished through various tactics and strategies, such as using keywords in website content and meta tags, building backlinks from other websites, and optimizing the website’s loading speed and mobile-friendliness. By implementing these techniques, a website can improve its ranking in search engine results and attract more organic traffic from interested users. 

Why SEO for Lawyers and Law Firms is So Important in 2023

Why does improving SEO matter so much for lawyers? A big reason is that more people are using the internet to find, research, and hire lawyers. The American Bar Association (ABA) Journal notes that surveys show that “people looking for a lawyer are turning to the internet first.” 

Of course, the entire internet is not about SEO. Some people may turn to a legal directory, others may go right to a lawyer’s website based on a word-of-mouth recommendation, and others may find a lawyer through pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. 

Still, the reality remains that a significant share of potential clients who look for professional services on the internet will run a web search. That search will usually, but not always, be run through Google. SEO rankings make a huge difference. According to data from infront webworks, the click-through-rate based on Google search position is as follows: 

• First Result: 28.5% 

• Second Result: 15.7%

• Third Result: 11%

• Fourth Result: 8%
• Fifth Result: 7.2%
• Sixth Result: 5.1%

• All Other Results: Less than 5%

What happens if your law firm does not even show up on the first page of search engine results? The reality is that most people who search are likely not going to see it. A high-ranking result in a search is far more likely to get organic traffic than a low-ranking search. Even a few positions in the search engine ranking can make an enormous difference. 

Law Firm SEO: Know the Best Practices for 2023

Search engine optimization is important for law firms. By improving your SEO, you can generate more organic traffic and—more importantly—connect with more qualified leads. SEO is one of the keys to cost-effective marketing for law firms in 2022. How do you do it? Here are five of the SEO best practices for attorneys and law firms in 2023: 

• Technical Setup is Important: To start,  technical setup is crucial for successful Law Firm SEO. For your law firm’s website to rank well in search results, the search engine needs to be able to find it. Technical setup—from ensuring that your website is mobile-friendly to ensuring that it has a fast loading speed to ensuring that the metadata is right—can make a big difference. 

• Content is King in SEO: Search engines are far more sophisticated than they used to be. Spamming keywords will get a website down-ranked. Content matters. It is crucial for law firms to create high-quality, informative content that is relevant to their practice areas and target audience. Content should be regularly updated, as search engines tend to favor websites that are consistently adding new, valuable content.    

• Keywords Matter—But they Must Be Used Properly: While the spamming of keywords is not effective SEO, keywords absolutely still matter. That being said, they must be used properly in order to be effective. Instead of stuffing your content with keywords, focus on creating natural, readable content that incorporates your targeted keywords in a way that flows smoothly and makes sense to readers.

• Backlinks Help to Establish Authority: In addition to creating high-quality content, it is also important for law firms to establish authority through backlinks. This means getting other reputable websites to link back to your website, which can help to improve your search engine rankings. To do this, you can focus on building relationships with other legal professionals and organizations, as well as creating content that is shareable and valuable to others in the legal industry.
• Local SEO is Crucial for Lawyers and Law Firms: While there are exceptions, most law firms are not advertising nationally. For small and mid-sized firms, local SEO is incredibly important. You want to appear at the top of a relevant Google search within your local market. There are SEO strategies that your law firm can use—from the use of location-specific keywords to the setting up of local business listings—that can help improve local SEO. 

ONE400 is a Leader in SEO for Lawyers, Law Firms, and Legal Tech Companies

At ONE400, we are proud to be leaders in digital innovation and legal technology for attorneys and law firms. If you have any specific questions about search engine optimization for the legal industry, our team is here to help. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help. ONE400 provides law firm SEO, legal tech SEO, full scale legal marketing services, legal operations consulting, legal subscription plans, and much more.  ONE400 is based in Los Angeles and serves law firms and legal tech companies in the United States and around the world.