From divorce lawyers to personal injury assistance, there seems to be no end to the number of legal sites that get indexed through Google on a daily basis.

As a lawyer, no matter how good you are with the law, it can be difficult to stand out in a sea of competition both at the national and local levels.

Visibility is key on search engines because in most cases, people looking for a lawyer head straight to Google.

Rather than get lost and hope your third-page search ranking enamors a visitor, we say shoot for the stars and get your website optimized for first-page hits.

As always, search engine optimization (SEO) isn’t a magic pill that works overnight. Even with the best practices in place, it could take weeks or months for your site to experience the result it needs.

Nonetheless! Persist and come out on top on the scales of greatness with Atlantic Digital Marketing’s guide to optimizing your legal website for first-page search results.

Always Start Local

As great as it would be to gain a national case for your law firm, focusing on high-difficulty keywords week after week won’t get you far in the search engine results page (SERPs).

Sure, you’ll see some growth over time, but you’d be missing out on so many local possibilities.

Even if it seems like there are several other similar law firms in your area (which there likely are), focusing your SEO on local keywords and practices can make a faster, more immediate impact on business.

While it may take some time to rank for “best divorce lawyer in Atlanta,” you’ll still be popping up on a lot more relevant results than if you focused solely on “best divorce lawyer” or just “divorce lawyer.”

Also, take some time to fill out your Google Business Profile (GBP). The information you add about your firm and its services can incorporate quality, localized keywords that help your business appear in the SERPs coveted local “Businesses” section.

Focus on Long-Tail Keywords

Long-tail keywords are essentially phrases that people have made popular as search terms in search.

Phrases like “affordable personal injury lawyers in Macon,” and “How do I start the divorce process” are examples of long-tail phrases you can aim for in your content.

Google is all about content speaking to humans over its AI. An emphasis on long-tail phrases forces your content to be more people-centric.

Not only does this get those critical keywords in your text, but your content reads naturally, connects with its target audience, and will likely bring in consultations.

Incorporate Keywords in Three Essential Places

While it may seem obvious that you want to use your chosen keywords in the bulk of your content, there are three places where keywords can be most effective, yet are easily forgotten.

Meta Descriptions

Meta descriptions are the small description below your link that lets Google and readers know exactly what they’re in for when they click on your link.

Sure, they’re just 160 or so characters in length, but they are the perfect opportunity to showcase those main and high-difficulty keywords you want to rank for.

Make sure your meta description is as accurate as possible. After all, what’s the use of trying to rank if Google bots can’t even index your pages?

Images

Image descriptions and alt-text may not be visible to the average viewer, but search engine crawlers definitely see them when they index the relevance of a ranking site.

Alt-text literally says what your image displays and is used as a read description when impaired readers visit your site.

Therefore, if you’re showcasing some lawyers talking around the boardroom table, an alt-text description like “Atlanta divorce lawyers discuss a case in the boardroom” would bring a visual element to your description and get some valuable keyword usage in.

Headers and Subheaders

One of the first things crawlers look at when indexing a page is its headers and subheaders. Consider these the table of contents for your site’s pages. Each header should describe what the section will discuss and serves as the perfect moment to use a valuable keyword.

Headers also help with the User Experience of your site. They make pages more scannable and let your readers enjoy the value of your site as they quickly find the information they need.

Make Sure Your Content is Helpful

Relevant content has always been the goal for successful sites. Yet, Google’s latest update, the Helpful Content Update emphasizes the importance of relevance more than it ever has.

Original content that provides answers to a reader’s burning questions is what your content goal should be. Remember our mantra: Write for a peer and you’re in the clear!

No one wants to read some robotic piece that gives vague “answers” and no reason to spend time on the content.

Put your experience to work in every piece you write and let your content build confidence in your readers.

Keep Content Coming

Finally, never stop writing your content. A blog for a month no longer cuts it, especially for a law firm. There are lawyers out there that use digital marketing teams to pump out 10 to 15 blogs per month.

Even if you can’t do that, a blog a week on a localized, relevant topic, should help your website increase its content value, search engine rankings, and conversions.

Focus on All Aspects of Your Law Firm’s SEO With Atlantic Digital Marketing

If you’re ready for your law firm to become a local name, let Atlantic Digital Marketing be your SEO partner. Our marketing team can help optimize your on-site pages, back end technical needs, and create content that is relevant and ranks.

Don’t spend your time waiting for leads to walk through your door. Take the initiative today and become part of the digital marketing solution.

Reach out to us today to schedule your free consultation with a member of our team.