SEO stands for search engine optimization and involves a suite of tactics to ensure that your website is accessible and understandable by search engines while connecting you with customers who are looking for you online. For lawyers, this includes Mercury News the content on your website, obtaining relevant backlinks from high-authority websites, and developing an off-site strategy including profiles on Avvo, Justia, Super Lawyers, etc. Having a clear understanding of your ideal client and how they search for legal services is the foundation to a successful law firm SEO campaign.

Avoiding Common SEO Mistakes: Pitfalls to Watch Out for in Legal Marketing

Determining the right keywords is a crucial step in the SEO process. It is important to avoid “filler” keywords like those related to your location or practice area and instead focus on identifying the search terms that are actually being entered by potential clients. A great tool for this is Google Trends. A good law firm SEO agency will be able to analyze the data and provide you with a list of the most relevant keywords for your practice.

Once you have a list of targeted keywords, it is important to optimize your website and online content for those words. This includes optimizing your service pages, creating informative blog posts (ideally using infographics) that answer common questions from prospective clients, and leveraging guest blogging opportunities to obtain high-quality, relevant backlinks. The more relevant and authoritative your backlinks are, the better your search engine performance will be. Finally, utilizing social media to increase your brand visibility and establish yourself as an authority in your field is also an effective SEO tactic for attorneys.