In today’s digital world, nearly all businesses need at least some effort toward SEO (search engine optimization) to be successful. This is especially true for family law firms, which need to be visible to potential clients who may be searching for help with a divorce, child custody dispute, or another family issue in their local area. SEO for family law may seem complicated, but we’re here to break it down into digestible pieces. In this article, you’ll learn what SEO is, why it matters for your family law practice, and 4 tips to get started with using SEO to find clients.
What is SEO for Family Law?
Search engine optimization (SEO) is one of the most effective ways to reach potential new clients.
When was the last time you needed a service? Where did you go to find it? Whether you needed a tailor, a barber, or an accountant, if you didn’t have a personal word-of-mouth recommendation, you likely turned to a search engine like Google. Your potential clients are looking for you the same way.
By optimizing your website for the right keywords, you can work your way up the search engine results pages (SERPs), making it more likely that potential clients will find you and click through to your site.
Why Does SEO Matter for Family Law Firms/Attorneys?
While SEO is a long-term investment of time and resources, most marketers agree: SEO is one of the most effective ways to attract new clients and grow your family law practice. According to Terakeet, SEO reduces customer acquisition costs by 87.41% on average when compared to paid strategies (like ads).
Three Reasons to Consider an SEO Marketing Strategy
Here are three reasons family law firms should consider investing in SEO:
Stay Competitive in Your Local Area
As you know, family law is an extremely competitive field. Those who don’t invest in SEO will find it harder to attract clients than their rivals who are ranking higher in search engine results.
Local and traditional SEO are great tools to improve your visibility in your area. Best of all, SEO creates warm leads that come to you.
Your Clients are Using Specific Searches
Family law clients are often looking for help with very specific legal issues, so they’re likely to use very specific search terms when they’re looking for an attorney. If your family law firm wants to be found by these potential clients, you’ll need to make sure you’re also using the right keywords within your website content and blog posts.
Convenience for the Client
Family law clients are often under a lot of stress and may not have a lot of time to research different attorneys before making a decision about their representation. This means that they’re likely to choose one of the first firms they find when they search for a keyword related to their legal issue. By investing in SEO, your family law firm can rise in the search results, giving you a better chance of winning new clients.
4 Tips to Improve SEO for Family Law Practices
Now that you have an idea about how SEO can benefit your family law practice, here are five tips to help you optimize your SEO and attract more clients:
Optimize your website for family law keywords
Do some research to find out which keywords potential clients are using when they search for family law services. You can see what Google auto-suggests when searching for things like “divorce,” “child custody,” or “prenup.”
Make sure that your website includes these keywords throughout in the website title, “meta” tags and descriptions, “alt” tags and descriptions, blog posts, website pages, landing pages, etc.
Create informative blog posts
Besides using keywords and local terms on your main website pages, write blog posts that will really educate potential clients. You can write about the family law process, for example, changes to local law, or specific ordinances that they may search for information about.
While there are many different factors that contribute to a website’s search engine ranking, one of the most important is the quality and quantity of its content. That’s where blog posts/informative articles come in. Blog posts can expand your keyword reach by touching on more specific topics. By regularly publishing high-quality, keyword-rich articles, you can help to improve your website’s search engine ranking and draw more visitors to your site.
Blog posts are also a way to add credibility. They show your potential clients that you are the expert and a source of information on topics that feel relevant to them. A strategic blogging strategy helps to build early relationships and establish your firm as an authoritative voice in the industry.
Optimize your website for local search
Include your city and state in your titles and tags. Add a map that depicts your law firm’s location. List all the local events/sponsorships your firm has taken part in over the years. The list goes on.
If your firm only takes clients in Temecula, California, for example, there’s not much of a benefit to showing up in Naples, Florida’s search results. The vast majority of your clients are going to be searching within and around Temecula. You can help them find you through local SEO.
I have a full article about local SEO available by clicking here if you’re interested in learning more.
Get listed in online directories
There are many online directories that list family law practices. So make sure that they list your practice in as many of these as possible. These directories can be a source of traffic on their own. But even if they aren’t notable websites, they’re still a great source of backlinks. (Note: a “backlink” is any reputable site that links to your website from within their own). Backlinks help Google and other search engines see your website as a credible source of information.
Closing Thoughts
SEO for family law is a marketing tool you shouldn’t overlook. But if you want guidance to get started with SEO, we’re here to help.
You can either send us an email, or keep reading about SEO here.
Our recommendation if you’re not sure where to start is to consider an SEO audit. An SEO audit will give you insight into where your website sits today. We will also give you a personalized roadmap that will get your website ranking.
Pingback: What is a Content Consultant? • Lavendai Creative