Business Strategy & Development, Digital Marketing
Search engine optimization (SEO) has changed dramatically over the years, and you might feel conflicted about what to focus on when building your home on the Web. Do links still matter? What about social media?
The way we encourage attorneys to look at law firm marketing is to consider it an extension of your practice. It should never feel unnatural. A website is essentially your home on the Internet, so making it authentic is important.
How do you go about achieving that?
From our experience designing and developing attorney websites, here’s what you need to focus on:
- Content – You cannot rank well over the long term without good content. This can be long-form, short-form, or somewhere in the middle. It should written naturally and without keyword stuffing. Consider content your bread and butter – it’s the foundation for a strong website that attracts and converts potential clients. Don’t limit yourself to just written content, either; videos, podcasts, and images can also be great ways to produce content that will appeal to different segments of your audience.
- Links – Though some say that links are less important now than they used to be, they still signal value and importance – particularly to your potential clients. If a legitimate media outlet links back to you as a resource for a piece on court reform, you are likely to be perceived as an authority on your subject matter. When it comes to links, strive for quality over quantity. Acquiring one good-quality link can have a very positive impact on your search rankings and potential client base, just as acquiring multiple spammy links can be incredibly detrimental.
- Website Design – In today’s world, a clean, streamlined design that is visually appealing and engages the reader is vital to conversion. With so many attorney websites out there, your audience needs to be able to cut to the chase and find something that attracts them. Your visual and written content needs to captivate your audience or answer questions, and a well thought-out design should speak to that.
- Mobile Optimization – Along with website design, you need to consider mobile. Statistics keep increasing, but as of January 2014, 58 percent of Americans over the age of 18 are smartphone owners. For many – roughly 34% of cellphone Internet users – mobile is their primary method of connecting to the Internet. If you’re missing mobile, you’re missing out on a big segment of the market. Whether your typical client is someone who has been charged with a DUI or someone who has been hurt as a result of someone else’s negligence, there’s a good chance that he or she is likely searching for you on a phone before a desktop.
- Social Media – Whether or not you’re on social media depends. If you have the time to invest in creating connections and interacting with your audience and peers, then it’s a worthwhile endeavor. Social likes, shares, follows, and retweets can amplify your reach to different segments of your audience. Another thing to consider is that not all social media networks are equal. Some that are more visually oriented like Instagram and Snapchat are not likely to be effective for lawyers professionally.
These five components of marketing online are just that – five components. There are many other elements and factors that go into creating a successful attorney website that converts readers into clients. We work with lawyers in markets big and small, all across the country and across several different areas of the law. We know that your legal marketing needs might be complex, and we would be happy to help answer any questions you might have. Feel free to keep checking back to our blog for other tips and recommendations from our legal marketing team.
Not sure where to begin?
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