As 2023 approaches, it is time to declare resolutions for the new year. If your law firm is not implementing local Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tactics in its legal marketing, now is the time to start!
Local Law Firms Need Local SEO
The legal industry is highly competitive, and you likely have numerous competitors vying for the same clients in the same geographic area. To gain an advantage, your law firm must implement local SEO. Your website is how most people find you and learn more about you. However, a website that focuses on a local campaign is different from websites focusing on a global audience. If your law firm gains most of its clients from your local geographic location, this blog is for you!
Local Content Marketing
The goal of local content marketing is to use your online content to grab the attention of your ideal clients by discussing the topics they are interested in while also informing them of your legal services. In sum, your content provides information that your target audience enjoys and finds helpful so they will keep coming back to your law firm as the source to provide answers to their legal questions. Use your local knowledge to provide a personal touch and to be authentic with your audience, which will build trust before you ever meet the potential client.
Tips for Law Firm Local SEO Content
Deciding where to start in creating your local SEO content can be challenging. Below are a few tips to get you started, but you can also contact the expert legal marketing team at The Rainmaker Institute for guidance.
1. Research Keywords
Understanding the queries your ideal clients are searching for on Google or other search engines is critical. If a potential client needed your legal services, what words would they enter the search bar? For example, a local search could be “Chicago personal injury attorney.” Even if the user doesn’t include the local term (Chicago) in their search query, Google usually recognizes their search as a local search intended and will provide local results based on the user’s location. This is like how “near me” searches work also.
Finding the best keywords can be a difficult task. It is helpful that you have current clients that likely found you online. Ask them what they searched for to locate you. Put yourself in a browser’s position and think about what you would search. Better yet, go online and enter searches to see what results you get and if your law firm appears in the search results. Don’t limit yourself to the obvious search results – think outside the box so you can also grab the attention of an audience your competitors are missing.
2. Use Local Headlines
Your headlines and the snippet of information Google previews of your website in the search results must be optimized for local SEO. You want the search engine to recognize your law firm is focusing on a local audience. Equally as important, this will help your browsers quickly understand that you are a local law firm.
3. Keep the Potential Client on Your Website
Once you have a user that clicks on your law firm from the search results page, you want to persuade them to spend time on your website. To accomplish this, your website should be user-friendly, quick to respond and provide content, videos, and images that establish a positive first impression. If you are a small firm, use that to your advantage by creating a more personal website with pictures of your staff, your local community involvement, or whatever shows your relatability. And remember, videos are a great tool for presenting your law firm to potential clients.
4. Create and Update Content
The content on your website is crucial to your ranking in Google search results. Blogs are one of the most effective strategies for local content marketing. In your blogs, you can discuss local occurrences and apply your legal commentary. You can create content discussing some of your success stories. Whatever topics you think your local audience would find interesting is great content for a blog. Posting local testimonials and reviews is impactful on your audience too. Don’t forget to optimize your blog posts for the keywords you selected during your keyword search!
5. Social Media Content
If you are not already, your law firm should include social media in its marketing campaign. While people can use social media to connect with others all over the world, most social media users connect with people located locally. As a result, your law firm should connect with local people too. It is human nature to interact with the people you see often, so your attorneys can take advantage of this to grow their business. Additionally, people are more likely to comment and interact with your social media posts, so routinely posting pictures, videos or other content is important to growing your business.
Contact The Rainmaker Institute for Legal Marketing Help
If you are not using local SEO marketing, but you are interested in learning more, contact The Rainmaker Institute. The experts at The Rainmaker have always focused on providing quality legal content to inform and educate your firm’s online visitors. Your law firm’s digital presence – particularly your website – is crucial in generating and converting leads. You have worked hard to get where you are, so learn to use technology to your advantage so you can enjoy the fruits of your labor more often while also generating new clients!
The Rainmaker Institute can help you create an effective Google Local Services Ad campaign and implement a successful SEO strategy with top-quality content created for your clients and potential clients that will take your law firm’s online presence to the next level. We handle your legal marketing so you can focus on lawyering.
If you are ready to ensure your law firm’s website is the best it can be and see your Google ranking improve, we can help. Whether you choose to attend one of our live events or you want a free, confidential consultation, we are here to help!