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Law Firm Marketing Local SEO SEO Tips

SEO For Attorneys: Why is it So Important?

In today’s world, people turn to search engines such as Google to find the services they need, including legal services. In fact, according to Google, “near me” or local search queries have grown by 150% in the past two years.  

This means that if your law firm is not ranking well on search engines, potential clients may not even know you exist. By optimizing your website for search engines, you can increase your visibility online and attract more new clients and prospects to your law firm. 

Difference Between SEO and Other Law Firm Marketing Channels 

While there are many marketing channels available to attorneys, SEO offers unique benefits that cannot be achieved through other channels. For example, print advertisements and billboards have a limited reach and are often only seen by people in a specific geographic area. On the other hand, SEO allows you to reach potential clients who are searching for legal services online, regardless of their location. 

Additionally, while social media and email marketing can be effective marketing channels, they rely on building a relationship with potential clients over time. SEO, on the other hand, allows you to reach potential clients who are actively searching for legal services and are therefore more likely to convert into paying clients. 

So, what exactly is SEO?  

Search engine optimization is the process of refining a website to improve its ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs). By optimizing a website’s content and structure, law firms can increase their visibility in search results and attract more traffic to their site. 

Keyword Research 

Keyword research involves identifying the keywords and phrases that potential clients use when searching for legal services online. Lawyers should start by brainstorming a list of relevant keywords and phrases, such as “divorce lawyer,” “estate planning attorney,” or “Immigration law firm.” 

They can then use keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner to see how frequently these keywords are searched and identify related keywords that they may have missed. Other tools available to help attorneys identify relevant keywords for their practice area include: 

  1. Ahrefs – A comprehensive SEO tool that allows you to analyze your website’s search engine rankings, track your competitors, and identify relevant keywords. 
  2. Moz Keyword Explorer – A keyword research tool that provides detailed insights into search volume, difficulty, and opportunity for each keyword. 
  3. Ubersuggest – A free keyword research tool that provides keyword suggestions and related terms based on a seed keyword. 

On-Page Optimization  

On-page optimization refers to the various tactics that lawyers can use to optimize their website for search engines. This includes optimizing page titles and meta descriptions, using header tags to structure content, incorporating keywords into content, and ensuring that the website is mobile-friendly and loads quickly. Lawyers should also create a blog and regularly publish high-quality, informative content that incorporates relevant keywords. 

Link Building  

Link building is the process of acquiring backlinks, or links from other websites that point to your website. Backlinks are an important ranking factor for search engines, as they indicate that other websites consider your content to be valuable and informative. Lawyers can acquire backlinks by creating high-quality content that other websites will want to link to, by reaching out to other websites and requesting a link, or by participating in relevant online communities and forums. 

Local SEO  

Local SEO focuses on improving a website’s visibility in local search results. Lawyers can optimize their website for local search by creating a Google My Business listing, ensuring that their NAP (name, address, phone number) is consistent across all online directories and listings, and including location-specific keywords in their content. Lawyers should also encourage clients to leave reviews on their Google My Business listing, as positive reviews can help improve their visibility in local search results. 

Monitoring and Analysis 

Monitoring and Analysis of SEO is an ongoing process, and lawyers should regularly monitor and analyze their website’s performance continuously to identify areas for improvement. This includes tracking keyword rankings, analyzing website traffic and engagement metrics, and reviewing backlink profiles. Lawyers should also stay up to date with changes to search engine algorithms and adjust their SEO strategy accordingly. 

Effective Use of SEO Creates Competitive Advantages for Growing Law Firms 

While there are many marketing channels available to law firms, SEO stands out for its long-term impact, cost-effectiveness, and ability to build trust and authority. By focusing on SEO strategies like keyword research, content and website optimization, link building, optimizing for local search, and monitoring performance, law firms can improve their visibility in search results and attract more new clients. 

Is your google profile set up to attract your ideal clients? Is your firm’s visibility maximized in search results? Optimize your google profile to bring in more cases with this helpful checklist. 

GoBeyond, a full-service marketing agency, is ready to answer any questions and support your practice whether you are new to using SEO strategies or an expert practitioner. Contact us to discuss your needs and visit us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.  

Categories
How We Can Help Local SEO SEO Services SEO Tips Small Business SEO

Don’t Get Your SEO in Trouble: Explore the Benefits of a Boutique Digital Marketing Agency Instead

You know the importance of SEO (search engine optimization) to a growing business, but learning its complex in’s and out’s to do it where it’s successful enough to be worth your time…well, as a busy small business owner, it can easily get lost in the mix or pushed down the road.

For that reason, businesses often seek out third-party services to boost their website’s visibility. However, relying on services like Townsquare, Scorpion, or Thomson Reuters can unknowingly lead businesses into trouble. There are legitimate risks associated with these services and they can potentially have a negative impact on your SEO efforts.

1. Their Tactics Are Not What You Think

In the SEO world, there is something called “ethical SEO techniques”. This includes creating high-quality content, optimizing meta tags, and building high-quality backlinks. All of this leads to sustainable long-term success.

On the other hand, services like Townsquare, Scorpion, and Thomson Reuters tend to rely on more manipulative tactics that may work in the short term, but quickly have consequences regarding your digital marketing strategy overall.

Townsquare, for instance, relies heavily on keyword stuffing, which can result in Google penalizing your site. Scorpion utilizes aggressive tactics such as creating duplicate content, which can potentially lead to an actual decrease in search engine rankings if not done thoughtfully and creatively. Thomson Reuters tends to rely on outdated techniques like exact-match anchor text, which now violate Google’s guidelines.

2. You No Longer Own Your Content

When you search through a site looking for a potential service, many of us tend to skip the Terms of Use section listed on the bottom of a page.

Yet, you know that before you sign an agreement, you need to read ALL the fine print. 

Let’s take a look at the fine print on Townsquare’s site:

“Ownership. As between the Parties: (i) all Townsquare-Furnished Material and all IP rights associated therewith shall remain the sole property of Townsquare and all use thereof by Client shall inure to the sole benefit of Townsquare; and (ii) all Client-Furnished Material and all IP rights associated therewith shall remain the sole property of Client and all uses thereof by Townsquare shall inure to the sole benefit of Client.”

In other words, for many of these larger SEO companies, the content their team creates for you, whether it be blogs, web copy, eBooks, etc., is owned by them. That means, down the road, if you decide to go in-house or in another direction, when you break up with that company, they still own the content. And you start back at square one.

Be sure that when you sign on to partner with an agency, you will own the rights to all of your business’ material, no matter who creates it, after that partnership is over.

3. Nothing Is Truly Personalized 

It can be tempting, while looking for an SEO team to partner with, to choose a larger, big name agency. You know they have established themselves in the industry and seem the “safe” way to go.

However, in such an agency, your business can easily become a “drop in the bucket”, especially if your needs are lesser for the time being. 

In a boutique digital marketing agency, there is a personal touch not found elsewhere. The team knows who you are, your passion for your business, and how you want it presented to the world. They work hard to develop an individualized digital marketing strategy that will grow your unique business. 

We at GoBeyond SEO prides ourselves on delivering both exceptional digital marketing results and high-end customer service. We enable you to create a valuable user experience to potential clients, from which you will see a positive impact on your website’s search engine rankings over time. Our ethical SEO techniques yield the benefits you actually want: increased search engine visibility, improved online presence, and a portfolio of content all your own. 

Don’t hesitate to reach out for a free strategy consultation

Categories
Blog SEO Tips

Why Having a Well-Optimized, SEO Powerful Website is Valuable if You Ever Sell Your Business

Maybe it’s not in the near future, but as a business owner, positioning your business to sell it for the most value is always in the back of your mind. It’s similar to owning a house. You might love your home and want to cozy up in it as long as possible…but resale is always lurking when you make major homeowner decisions.

If you’ve been in the business game long enough, you know the deal: having a strong online presence is absolutely essential. Part of that is a visually appealing website all those brilliant social media posts link back to. 

More important than that, though, is that attention-grabbing, super accessible website needs to be optimized for search engines. Search engine optimization (SEO) improves the visibility and ranking of your website in a search engine results page. Having an SEO strategy increases the likelihood that your company will appear towards the top of the results, leading to more traffic. 

Bonus points: resale value of the business itself goes up and the eventual selling process is that much easier.

Check out these four reasons why having a well-optimized, SEO powerful website is a must-have when you are preparing to sell your business.

1. Attracts Potential Buyers

When you do decide to sell your business, the goal is to attract buyers who are legitimately interested in acquiring your business. 

With a strong SEO strategy, your website will be more visible to those buyers searching online for businesses like yours. The result: you reach a much larger pool of potential buyers, increasing your chances of landing on the perfect fit candidate.

2. Builds Your Business’ Credibility

A website with solid SEO immediately builds trust with those potential buyers. When your website ranks higher in search engine results pages, it gives the impression that your business is both reputable and trustworthy. Sending this type of message can go a long way in attracting more serious buyers willing to invest in your business.

You might have tried PPC (pay-per-click) marketing in the past, with your site appearing towards the top of the rankings as an ad. However, an organic SEO strategy will work to improve the ranking so the site is seen without the word “ad” written next to it. The result: a more reliable reputation. 

3. Showcases Your Business’ Unique Strengths

When you optimize your website for specific keywords, you can highlight the strengths and key features of your business that make it stand out from the competition. 

Showcasing the business’ unique selling points can help potential buyers gain a better understanding of exactly what your business has to offer, which can motivate them to make the next move.

4. Increases the Value of the Business Overall

By already having implemented an SEO strategy, your business has established:

All of this serves as proof to your potential buyer that your business and your brand are strong. Those buyers are more likely to pay a premium, and you will be able to maximize your return on investment.

If you are considering selling your business, or even if you can see the opportunity years from now, it is important to invest in a website with good SEO to ensure you are able to reach the right buyers and get the best possible price for your business.

GoBeyond SEO is a full-service marketing agency specializing in SEO strategy. We are here to answer any questions and guide you in the right direction to build a distinct digital presence. Contact us to book a free strategy session.

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Kristy is an Assistant & Coordinator of Awesome. She has worked extensively in academic administration and brings a varied wealth of knowledge. As a self-starter, she is ready to take on news projects and see them through to completion. Always curious, Kristy is an avid researcher and delights in the challenge of learning new skills.

When Kristy isn’t organizing or researching something, you can find her listening to a true crime podcast, re-watching How I Met Your Mother or The Big Bang Theory and coming up with some crazy shenanigan for her family’s next adventure.

5 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT KRISTY

  1. Kristy prefers the Harry Potter books over the movies. Her favorite book is The Prisoner of Azkaban and her favorite character is Luna Lovegood. Ravenclaw house. She just started her 8-year-old son on listening to the books.
  2. Kristy has a nail technician license, esthetician license, medical assisting certification, associate degree, and bachelor’s degree. She didn’t get her full cosmetology license because she can barely do her own hair, she shouldn’t be trusted with someone else’s.
  3. She doesn’t know how to gamble but is originally from Las Vegas, Nevada. She moved to Colorado three months before her 21st birthday.
  4. Her high school graduating class consisted of only 20 people.
  5. Kristy loves gift giving. One of her great joys in life is finding the “perfect” gift.
Kristy Elias