There are not a lot of ways for a law firm to advertise itself. Unlike retail or consumer services, people only pay attention to law firms when they need them. Then, it is usually a matter of a Google search and choosing one of the top three results. Hence, search engine optimization (SEO) and link building are essential for law firms who want to stand out from the pack in search results.
Link Building: How It Works
Backlinks are links from third-party sites that point to your web page. Typically, backlinks will direct readers to your site and result in an uptick in organic traffic and conversions. Backlinks can also help to improve your ranking on search engines such as Google by proving to them that your site is a credible entity with information that is useful to readers.
Link building refers to the process of fostering quality backlinks. In the world of SEO, not all news is good news. It can be easy to obtain many links to your website but backlinks from disreputable sites could harm your search ranking. Here are some ways to build a network of good backlinks that will help to take your web page to the top of the search rankings.
1. Get Listed
Clients like to know that their attorneys are part of a robust professional network. Therefore, getting listed in legal directories is an essential step for law firms. Luckily, it is easy to get listed. Many online legal directories are free but you should consider subscribing to a few premium directories that are more likely to send referral traffic and improve your rankings.
Legitimate school websites typically have a high-DA (domain authority) rating. Check if your alma mater has a dedicated alumni section or graduate directory on its website. You can request that they include information about yourself and your firm. In a firm with several partners, this could lead to quality backlinks from multiple law school websites.
When submitting your information, make sure that you use a consistent name, address, phone number, and website (NAP+W) across all sites. This data is important to prove to search engines that your business truly exists. Maintaining an accurate NAP+W can also help to improve your search engine visibility when people are using local search services.
2. Be the Voice of Authority
The best way to attract clients and gain their trust is to demonstrate your expertise and knowledge. Starting a blog is a recognized way to foster organic traffic. That said, the quality of your content is key. Authoritative and informative posts can generate backlinks from high-DA sites like The New York Times while poorly-written posts can damage your reputation.
Being a guest author for an established industry publication is another way to show off the capability of your firm. You can submit articles to law publications or write about your field of practice in exchange for a link to your website. Be creative. For instance, you can write about vehicle accident injury cases for a car magazine or divorce rights for a women’s magazine.
Speaking at conferences or sponsoring events will not only position you as a respected community leader but also add to your collection of backlinks. Although being featured is great publicity by itself, make sure that mentions of you or your firm are linked to your website. You can additionally offer to write a guest post for the event and gain more exposure and attention.
3. Become a Resource
If you do not have time to write whole articles or want to keep the tricks of your trade a secret, then contributing your opinions to another writer can be a good way to get mentions without having to invest too much time and effort. By helping a journalist and being credited for it, your law firm can receive significant results in terms of visibility and backlinks.
Help A Reporter Out (HARO) is a site where journalists seek expert input and quotes for their articles. Many of these articles end up on prestigious platforms such as Forbes or Insider. If you use Twitter, #journorequest is a popular hashtag used by writers who are looking for industry professionals willing to share their knowledge with their readers.
While becoming a resource for a third-party author may yield you less control or coverage than writing an entire article on your own, you benefit from being mentioned in key publications with hundreds of thousands of readers. On the search engine front, backlinks from these high-DA news sites will add to your website’s trustworthiness, thus improving its SERP rankings
It can be difficult for a law firm to advertise and grow its audience. Link building is a tried and tested method of improving organic reach and improving search rankings. By investing in link building, law firms can establish themselves as the center of a trusted network and enjoy greater visibility, more inquiries, and a larger client base.