For many attorneys and law offices, the website is home base. This is the place where they capture new leads and interact with current clients. But what is the point in having a website if it isn’t getting found in search results? Search engine optimization is the process of improving your ranking in search engine results. Take a look at your website. Is it optimized for search engines? Is it receiving the traffic it deserves? This list of do’s and don’ts will help you transform your website, improving traffic and enhancing the ROI of your digital marketing efforts over time.
Do Conduct Research on Your Targeted Keywords
Which is searched more: attorney or lawyer? It is important to determine what your targeted keywords are before you begin developing site content. Hold a brainstorming session within your law office, conduct a focus group and ask clients what terms they search for, and consult the Google AdWords Keyword Planner. All of these things will help you identify keywords that resonate with your audience and yield return. Something as simple as switching attorney out for lawyer, or using both interchangeably, can greatly affect your overall traffic rates.
Do Develop a Social Media Presence
Social media plays an important role in search engine optimization. A social media presence will help your law firm to interact with potential clients in different channels as well as give you the opportunity to utilize your targeted keywords beyond your website. Social media sites allow you to drive traffic to your website, interact with leads on various platforms, promote your brand, and share your keywords. All of these things will help Google see you in a more positive light. We recommend joining 2-3 social media sites that make sense for your business and your goals. Fully optimize your social media sites and follow best practices for how often you will post and what you will post. If you’re new to all of this, take a look at our blog on how your law office can get the most out of social media.
Do Go Responsive
Having a mobile-friendly website is an absolute must for SEO. On April 21, 2015, Google updated their algorithm to place a greater emphasis on mobile-friendly websites. This means that non-mobile-friendly sites will rank lower in search results. If you do one thing to your website in 2015, retrofit it for responsive design. Responsive design technology allows your website to respond and re-size to fit the device it is being displayed on. This is critical for all of your clients and potential leads trying to access your website on the go. It’s time to give the people what they want; go responsive!
Don’t Host Your Blog Off-Site
Does your law firm have a blog? If not, start one now! And if you are debating between WordPress or Blogger, our vote is neither. Opting to host your blog on your own website will be very beneficial for your SEO. Each blog visit, each comment, and each social media share, will be credited to your website. Let your site benefit from the traffic to your blog, not WordPress!
Don’t Use Internal Jargon
We’re sure that internal jargon is a dime a dozen at a law firm, but we want you to fight the urge to use it on your website. Internal jargon is not useful for your users or your SEO. Instead of using those confusing terms and acronyms that are so popular in internal meetings, conduct some research to determine what people are actually searching for. There is no point in using complicated terminology if it is not being searched for in search engines. You are much better off just telling it like it is, in layman’s terms.
Don’t Buy Links
So you are looking for a quick way to improve your SEO. We have one strong suggestion: do not buy backlinks. Buying backlinks refers to the practice of paying for other websites (typically link farms) to link to your website. This is considered an unethical practice and is frowned upon by Google. If you are in desperate need of backlinks, there are other more ethical ways to go about getting them. For example, you can add your website to directories, build up a social media presence, or ask your clients to reference your website in their content. Just know that if you choose to purchase backlinks, you may be penalized by Google, something that can take a long time to recover from.
If you need assistance with improving your website’s search engine optimization, contact Informatics.
View the rest of the attorney digital marketing blogs from this month:
How Your Law Office Can Get the Most Out of Social Media
10 Ways Attorneys Can Generate Leads through Email Marketing
Top 10 Blogging Tips for Attorneys
