Whether we like to admit it or not, law firms tend to be a bit behind the curve when it comes to marketing. This is not due to any shortcomings or weaknesses on the part of the lawyers, you see; they just have their attention focused elsewhere. While it is true that it takes some time, another factor to consider is the personality type of the person practicing law. For some lawyers, the idea of networking and moving in social circles is less appetizing than going around and flexing their legal brains and 'muscle' to serve their client's needs.
You may be one of those lawyers who actually find marketing enjoyable and stimulating. If you are, then congratulations, because I expect that you and your firm are doing very well. The ability to lure and retain clients is, after all, critical to the success of any business, including law firms. However, if you do not relish the idea of going out there and attracting clients to your law firm, don't worry. SEO plays a major and important role in any marketing strategy.
I'm not saying that Law Firm SEO is a comprehensive marketing strategy, period. That's not true, and many lawyers fall for it, thinking search engine rankings can do everything. There is a place and time for relying on Google, Yahoo!, and Bing. Search engines work very well as a referrer, and if you are concerned with areas of law concerning one-off clients on immigration, family law or criminal defense issues, search engines are the way to go. However, even if your clients are institutional repeat clients, then you still need a way to put yourself out in front of those and similar potential clients on an ongoing basis, and SEO can be very helpful.
What Your Law Firm SEO Should Look Like
That is quite a difficult question to clear up. Ad nauseam, it's been said that all law firms have something unique to them that others do not have and, as such, their law firm marketing should reflect this individuality. As you guessed, however, I'm going to offer a couple tips that I feel most law firms could benefit from.
Have someone help you as you start your SEO. I don't mean you should shell out large chunks of cash to hire someone to rank your firm or increase the number of hits for your firm in a month. Actually, it is the other way around. Pay someone a small amount to figure out which keywords would be best for your firm to target, and then pay them another small amount to advise you how to best target those keywords. This will save you both time and money in the long run.
You must have a way to turn your visitors into actual clients. As with any website, your firm site should have a purpose. If you're engaging in law firm seo, then part of that purpose needs to be turning search traffic into paying customers (or at least initial consultations that can lead to paying customers). This is incredibly important and yet sometimes overlooked.
I'm not saying that Law Firm SEO is a comprehensive marketing strategy, period. That's not true, and many lawyers fall for it, thinking search engine rankings can do everything. There is a place and time for relying on Google, Yahoo!, and Bing. Search engines work very well as a referrer, and if you are concerned with areas of law concerning one-off clients on immigration, family law or criminal defense issues, search engines are the way to go. However, even if your clients are institutional repeat clients, then you still need a way to put yourself out in front of those and similar potential clients on an ongoing basis, and SEO can be very helpful.
What Your Law Firm SEO Should Look Like
That is quite a difficult question to clear up. Ad nauseam, it's been said that all law firms have something unique to them that others do not have and, as such, their law firm marketing should reflect this individuality. As you guessed, however, I'm going to offer a couple tips that I feel most law firms could benefit from.
Have someone help you as you start your SEO. I don't mean you should shell out large chunks of cash to hire someone to rank your firm or increase the number of hits for your firm in a month. Actually, it is the other way around. Pay someone a small amount to figure out which keywords would be best for your firm to target, and then pay them another small amount to advise you how to best target those keywords. This will save you both time and money in the long run.
You must have a way to turn your visitors into actual clients. As with any website, your firm site should have a purpose. If you're engaging in law firm seo, then part of that purpose needs to be turning search traffic into paying customers (or at least initial consultations that can lead to paying customers). This is incredibly important and yet sometimes overlooked.
About the Author:
Nothing about marketing is set in stone, and we strive to keep on top of every new marketing development. It's our goal that you won't need to worry about marketing. Constant communication is important to stay focused and directed, but it should cause you constant stress.
