The Ultimate Guide to SEO for Lawyers (+ Downloadable Checklist)

The legal world is changing fast, and if your firm isn’t keeping up – you’re falling behind. 

These days, when someone needs legal help, the first place they look is Google. 

In fact, our research found that 43% of people turn to Google when they need a lawyer.

But here’s the challenge: with over two-thirds of all clicks going to the top three search results, just having a website isn’t enough. 

Organic CTR for Top 5 Law Firms in SERP scaled

High search rankings are your firm’s digital “burden of proof,” instantly signaling credibility.

This guide, based on our experience working with over 150 law firms across the country, will show you how to get found online as part of a comprehensive law firm marketing strategy.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

  • Why SEO matters for lawyers 
  • Key Components of an SEO Strategy
  • Creating Engaging Content
  • Measuring and Refining Your SEO Efforts
  • Overcoming Common SEO Challenges
  • Actionable SEO Checklist

Let’s show you why SEO is your always-on legal advocate, working tirelessly to bring you new clients and build your reputation.

Download the SEO Checklist Template: Open as Google Doc. If you need help implementing the checklist, check out our complete SEO management solution designed specifically for lawyers like you.

Why SEO Is Crucial for Law Firms

PPC vs Business Profiles vs SEO Section in Google SERP

In law, “discovery” is the process of gathering evidence. Think of SEO as the discovery process for your website: it’s how you gather the right information to build a strong online presence and attract clients.

Here’s some eye opening stats that caught our eye:

  1. 87% of law firms have websites, but that number is actually down from previous years. This could mean that firms are consolidating, merging online presences, or focusing their efforts on more impactful online strategies, like SEO. Are you keeping up with the trends?
  2. Nearly a quarter of law firms now outsource their website management. They’re bringing in experts to handle their SEO – is it time you did the same?
  3. “Personal injury lawyer near me” and similar phrases are searched over 500k times a month in the U.S. alone. 
Keyword research example using Ahrefs
Source: Ahrefs

That’s a lot of people looking for a lawyer just like you. But with so much competition, how do you make sure your firm gets seen?

  1. 58% of businesses don’t optimize for local search. Let’s say someone needs legal help with a real estate issue. Without local SEO, your firm could be invisible to those searching online, even if you’re the most qualified in your area.

Our own research – using Google Trends – confirms this: searches for “lawyer near me” have skyrocketed, with 63 times more searches in January 2025 compared to June 2013. 

Google Trends data for "lawyer near me" keyword
source: Google Trends

This confirmed to us that nailing your local SEO is no longer optional—it’s a must.

  1. Furthermore, 76% of people who search for something locally on their phone visit a related business within 24 hours. With the right SEO, someone searching for a “family law attorney” today could be walking through your door tomorrow.
  2. On top of that, the average top-ranking result has a click-through rate of 9.28%, followed by 5.82% and 3.11% for positions two and three. 

This means that the higher you rank, the more likely people are to click on your website. You’ll make a strong first impression and establish your firm as a trusted authority in your field.

What Search Engines We Should Focus on While Optimizing for SEO?

Search Engines Market Share

As a lawyer, you know that staying ahead of the curve is key. In today’s digital world, that means understanding where your clients are looking for legal help. While there are several search engines out there, Google is the undisputed king.

  • Google holds a commanding 89.74% of the global search engine market share as of December 2024.
  • Bing trails behind at 3.97%, followed by Yandex (2.56%) and Yahoo! (1.29%).
Google Mobile Traffic Share

Google dominates especially on mobile devices, with a staggering 95% of search engine pie. This means that if you want to reach people who are searching for legal services online, you need to focus your SEO efforts on Google. 

Here’s our own first-hand experience of just how dominant Google is in driving traffic to law firm websites:

  • In our work with over 150 law firms across the country, we’ve found that roughly 93% of their website traffic originates from Google.
  • The remaining 7% comes from other search engines.

Additionally, the search world is constantly evolving, especially with the rise of AI. 

You may have noticed that Google is now providing an AI-generated overview at the top of the results page, gathering information from multiple sources and linking to them. 

This overview summarizes key information and cites relevant sources — which means those sources get valuable clicks: 

What else is coming or is already disrupting the search engine space?

  1. OpenAI has already introduced SearchGPT, an AI-driven search engine prototype. 
  2. Other platforms like Genspark are also emerging, aiming to provide custom summaries in response to search queries. 
  3. Meta is reportedly working on its own AI-powered search engine to reduce reliance on existing search engine providers. 
  4. In January 2025, Authority Hacker predicted Google will win the AI war this year, and we think that will play a huge part in how their AI Overview develops. 
  5. And we enjoy using Perplexity AI sometimes for research. It’s like Google search but much more powerful. Here’s an example of how the answer of a question looks like in Perplexity:
what-to-do-after-a-minor-car-accident-in-ontario Perplexity SERP

These AI-powered search engines are changing the way people find information online. They’re designed to provide direct, concise answers to user queries, almost like having a legal expert on call 24/7.

In fact, respected SEO Nathan Gotch recently told his 106k YouTube subscribers that SearchGPT and Perplexity will be key players in 2025 SEO.

  • This shift towards AI-driven search means we need to start thinking about Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) alongside traditional SEO.
  • With GEO, you’re crafting content that’s not only informative and engaging for your human audience but also easily understood and processed by AI algorithms.

But GEO is still on the horizon. Your priority right now is optimizing your strategy for traditional SEO and those all-important Google rankings.

Pro Tip: To get ahead of the curve, start thinking about how you can optimize your content for AI-powered search engines. This might involve using clear and concise language, structuring your content logically, and incorporating relevant keywords.

Top 7 Google Ranking Factors As Per Our Experience

Top 7 Google Ranking Factors As Per Our Experience

Over the past decade, we’ve worked with over 150 law firms, and we’ve learned a thing or two about what makes a website rank well in Google. 

These key factors – from creating killer content to fine-tuning the technical stuff –  will help you rise to the top.

How Google Search Works?

1. High-Quality Unique Helpful Content 

Let’s look at some mind-boggling stats that completely surprised us: 

In 2024, around 7.5 million blog posts were published every day

Now, as we’re writing this in January 2025, (and according to Worldometer) that number has climbed to a staggering 10 million daily posts: 

How many blog posts written today
source

This is AI saturation in full effect, and – unfortunately – we believe that number is only going to rise. 

With that much content flooding the internet, how can your law firm’s website possibly stand out and attract the right clients?

The answer is to offer unique value. As John Mueller – a Google Search Advocate – advises, you should focus on creating content that fills a need that others haven’t addressed.

Comment
byu/Jamesconnect from discussion
inSEO

Here’s the reality:

You’ve spent years (and a lot of money!) developing your law skills. Let’s put that knowledge to work in a way that connects with people facing challenges you’re equipped to solve.

Here’s how:

  1. Bring your cases to life: If you’re an entertainment lawyer, detail how you negotiated a favorable contract for an up-and-coming artist, outlining the key clauses you secured.
  2. Simplify the complex: Explain confusing legal terms in plain English. For example, if you’re a bankruptcy lawyer, create a guide comparing Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy, using relatable scenarios to illustrate the differences. 
  3. Offer real help: Provide practical advice that people can use immediately. If you’re a business lawyer, offer a checklist of essential steps for launching a startup, from choosing the right structure to obtaining necessary permits. 

Pro Tip: We believe that, ultimately, the best blog content comes from the heart of your practice. By sharing your insights and demonstrating a genuine commitment to helping people, you’ll build a strong online presence that lifts you above those millions of other posts published every day. 

2. Backlinks 

Backlinks are kind of like those expert witnesses you call upon to strengthen your case in court. And – just like a credible witness can sway a jury – a high-quality backlink can increase your website’s authority in the eyes of search engines.

  • Each backlink is like a vote of confidence from another website, telling Google, “Hey, this site has valuable information!”
  • And just like you wouldn’t want a witness with a shady past testifying for you, you don’t want low-quality or irrelevant backlinks pointing to your site.

Now, you might be thinking, “Okay, that makes sense, but how exactly do backlinks affect my website traffic?” 

Well, research from Ahrefs shows a direct link between the number of websites linking to a page and its search traffic.

Ahrefs shows a direct link between the number of websites linking to a page and its search traffic
source

Why Backlink Quality Matters

  1. Simply put, the more quality backlinks you have, the more visible your website becomes.
  2. Our research further found that pages with at least one exact match anchor text in their backlinks had at least five times more traffic than pages without.
  3. So, when other websites link to your content using relevant keywords, it’s like getting a glowing referral from a respected colleague. It carries a lot more weight than some random person on the street recommending your services, right?

Of course, Google is pretty smart. They know when you’re trying to game the system with dodgy link-building tactics – it’s a direct breach of their spam policies

That’s why it’s important to focus on earning those links organically with user-centric links.

  • Think of it like building your reputation in the legal community: it takes time, effort, and a genuine commitment to providing value.
  • By creating informative, engaging content that answers your audience’s burning questions, you can naturally attract backlinks from other websites.

We’ll explore specific strategies for building high-quality backlinks for you soon. But for now, let’s shift our focus to another important aspect of SEO: 

User experience. 

After all, what good is a website if it’s difficult to navigate or frustrating to use?

3. User Experience (UX) 

We all know that a good first impression can make all the difference in the courtroom. Well, the same goes for your website. A positive user experience (UX) can significantly impact your online success.

And Google knows it.

  • In fact, a 2024 Google Search documentation leak revealed that their Navboost algorithm is heavily focused on engagement metrics and intuitive navigation.
  • This means that Google is prioritizing websites that are not only informative but also easy to use and navigate.

Now, Google doesn’t have a specific “scorecard” for UX, but they do track certain metrics. Essentially, they’re looking for websites that offer a smooth and enjoyable experience for visitors.

  • These metrics include things like how long people stay on your site (total engaged time) and how many pages they visit (pages per session).
  • They’re also looking at how quickly your pages load (page loading times), whether your site is secure (HTTPS), and if it’s mobile-friendly—after all, most of us are browsing on our phones these days.

Speaking of mobile-friendliness, the ABA TechReport 2023 found that 74% of law firm websites are already optimized for mobile devices. 

That’s great news, but it also means that if your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you could be falling behind the competition.

4. Technical SEO Factors 

We want you to think of technical SEO as like following proper court procedures – it’s vital for winning your case in the search results.

  • It ensures your website is in top shape so that search engines can easily crawl, index, and understand your content.
  • This means addressing any issues that might be hindering those processes, such as problems with your robots.txt file, meta directives, or orphaned pages.
  • We studied over 500 law firm domains (see below), and here’s what we’ve found:
The Most Common Technical SEO Issues For Law Firm

You might wonder, “What exactly are these technical SEO factors?” We’ll explain this later in this blog.

Note: In our experience at LaGrande, we’ve consistently seen that addressing these technical fundamentals leads to significant improvements in search visibility and client acquisition. We’ll cover more advanced technical SEO topics for you soon – including website structure, mobile optimization, and page speed optimization. But – for now – just remember that a technically sound website is the bedrock of a successful SEO strategy.

5. Keyword Intent/Context Optimization

When someone searches for legal help online, they have a goal. And Google is getting better at understanding that goal, even if the search terms are vague. 

This is keyword intent: understanding the “why” behind searches to ensure your content delivers what users want.

Now, there are a few different types of search intent we need to consider:

3 Types of Legal Search Intent
  1. Informational: These people want to learn something, like “What’s the statute of limitations for personal injury in Texas?” or “How do I file for divorce?”
  2. Navigational: They’re looking for something specific, such as “Smith & Associates contact information” or “directions to the courthouse.”
  3. Transactional: These are ready-to-act searches like “Hire a family lawyer near me” or “Schedule a consultation with an estate planning attorney.”

Here are a couple of stats to keep in mind:

So, how would we at LaGrande Marketing apply this to your law firm’s website?

  1. First, we’d identify the goal behind each keyword. Are people looking for information, trying to find your firm, or ready to hire a lawyer?
  2. Then, we’d design your pages to directly address those needs. For example, if someone searches for “how to file for divorce in California,” we want you to provide a clear and concise guide on the process.
  3. And – if they search for “best divorce lawyer in San Francisco” we’ll prioritize a practice area page that highlights your expertise and experience in family law.

6. Brand Signals

In the legal field, your reputation is everything. And these days, that reputation extends to the digital world.

  • Your online reputation significantly impacts how Google evaluates your website.
  • Key factors include how often your firm is mentioned, the quality of those mentions, and how well your firm demonstrates Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T).

These elements work together to establish your brand’s authority online. Here are nine strategies to strengthen your brand signals:

Tips to Increase Your Law Firm’s Brand Signal Online v2
  1. Use Branded Anchor Text: When you’re linking to other pages within your website or guest blogging on other sites, use your firm’s name in the anchor text. For example, instead of just saying “click here,” you could say “Learn more about Johnson & Carter Law.” 
  2. Encourage Branded Searches: You want people to know your firm so well that they search for you by name, like “Morgan & Morgan.” These searches signal to Google that your firm has recognition and credibility in the legal world.
Morgan & Morgan SERP Screenshot
  1. Optimize for Brand + Keyword Searches: This is where you combine your firm’s name with relevant keywords, like “Miller & Zois medical malpractice attorneys.” This helps you capture those valuable searches from people looking for a specific type of lawyer in your area.
  2. Be Active and Engaging on Social Media: Maintain active and engaging profiles on platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. This shows Google that your firm is present and active in the online world, just as you are present and active in the legal community. 

Pro Tip: We strongly recommend against faking your social numbers. Google has a patent for technology that determines whether social media accounts are real or fake. 

  1. Claim Authorship on High-Quality Content: When you publish articles or blog posts, make sure they’re linked to your attorneys’ verified online profiles. This adds credibility to your content and fits with Google’s emphasis on Expertise, Authority, and Trustworthiness. It’s like submitting your credentials to the court – it shows you’re qualified to speak on the matter.
  2. Get Positive Client testimonials: Encourage satisfied clients to leave positive reviews on platforms like Google Reviews, Avvo, and other review sites. Positive reviews build trust and can improve brand signals.
  3. Earn Mentions in News and Legal Blogs: Getting mentioned in reputable news outlets or legal industry blogs can do wonders for your online reputation. Even if those mentions aren’t hyperlinked, they still contribute to your brand authority. 
  4. Aim for Top Stories: When someone searches for “Kirkland & Ellis news,” Google displays a dedicated news box featuring articles and updates specifically about that law firm. 
Kirkland & Ellis Top Stories in Google SERP

This is one of the “Google holy grails” we think all law companies should be aiming for. 

  1. List a Verified Office Location: Make sure Google knows where your law firm is located. A verified physical address adds legitimacy to your business, especially for local searches. 

In addition, we recently saw SEO Matt Diggity’s “12 SEO Predictions for 2025” video and two facts definitely caught our eye. 

He showed his 165,000 subscribers two key images in relation to brand signals. 

Let’s take a look and give you our takeaway on each: 

Brand Authority’s Impact on Rankings

Brand Authority’s Impact on Rankings
source

This scatter plot highlights the importance of Brand Authority (BA) in search rankings:

  • Winners (Blue Line): Firms with high BA consistently rank higher.
  • Losers (Red Line): Even strong Domain Authority (DA) can’t overcome weak branding.
  • Neutral Firms (Black Line): Moderate performance improves with stronger BA.

Takeaway: Your online reputation matters as much as your technical SEO. To excel in search rankings, focus on building both recognition and trust for your firm.

Balancing DA and BA for Better Rankings

Moz Research on BA-DA ratio
source

And this chart shows how balancing Domain Authority (DA) and Brand Authority (BA) impacts search success. 

DA reflects your site’s technical strength and trustworthiness, while BA represents how well your brand is recognized online.

  • Winners: Strong branding and technical SEO work together. These firms rank highest because they balance both well.
  • Losers: Poor branding hurts rankings, even if the technical SEO is decent.
  • Neutral Firms: They perform okay but need better branding to compete with the top-ranking firms.

Takeaway: Think of it like a court case. Strong technical arguments (DA) help, but your reputation (BA) is just as important to win over judges. Or – in this case – Google.

7. Emerging Search Trends: AI and Multimodal Optimization

Want to know a little secret about the future of search? Google’s cooking up some seriously strong AI-powered tools that go way beyond just typing words into a search box.

  1. Gemini, for example, focuses on interpreting user intent across voice, image, and text searches. This means you’ll need to optimize your content for these formats with clear headings, alt text for images, and structured data.
  2. Astra is a universal assistant that responds to detailed, multi-step queries using AI. To keep up, you’ll need to address layered search intents by covering both broad and specific user needs in your law content.

Pro Tip: Google’s making a big push towards AI-powered apps in 2025. This evolution in search means SEO must prioritize flexibility and relevance across multiple search methods. Think of it like preparing your case for different courts—you need to know your audience and adjust your approach accordingly.

Key Components of SEO for Lawyers

The 6 Step Lawyer’s Playbook for Crushing Google Rankings

At LaGrande Marketing, we know that getting your law firm’s website seen by the right people is like winning half the battle. 

Let’s walk you through key strategies like keyword research and on-page optimization, so you can connect with more people who need your legal services.

Keyword Research 

Keyword research is like detective work for your website.

We need to uncover the exact phrases people use when they’re searching for legal help, so you can create content that addresses their needs and positions your firm as the right choice.

At LaGrande, we focus on two main types of keywords that deliver results for law firms:

  • Location-Based Practice Area Keywords: Examples include “divorce lawyer in Miami” or “DUI attorney near me.”
  • Location-Based Long-Tail Keywords for Blogs: Questions such as “How do I challenge a will in Illinois courts?” or “What are the steps to take after a workplace injury in Manhattan?”

When it comes to choosing keywords, remember that focusing on local keywords means you’re speaking directly to the people in your area who need your legal expertise. 

Once you’ve built up a solid online presence and your website is attracting plenty of visitors, then you can start branching out with those broader, national keywords.

Starting Your Keyword Research

1. Laying the Groundwork

Begin by identifying your primary services and the challenges clients bring to your firm. For example, an estate planning lawyer might focus on:

  • Trust creation
  • Probate disputes
  • Power of attorney
  • Medicaid planning
  • Guardianship cases

These basic terms – we call them “seed keywords” – are your starting point for digging a little (or a lot) deeper into keyword research.

2. Reviewing Competitor Content

Next, explore competitors in your area to uncover gaps in their content or opportunities for differentiation. For instance, if another firm ranks for “Elder law attorney in Denver,” analyze their content, evaluate where it falls short, and create a more detailed or up-to-date version.

3. Using Keyword Research Tools

There are some pretty handy tools out there that can help you with keyword research. 

Platforms like Ahrefs, SEMrush, and more affordable options such as Keyword Chef can identify trends, search volumes, and related keywords. 

These tools are useful, but we don’t want you to just rely on the numbers. Your expertise in legal services is what will really make your content stand out.

4. Refining Keywords for Specific Needs

Adding details to your keywords makes them more precise and appropriate for user searches. Use:

  • Location Modifiers: Include terms like “Austin,” “Bronx,” or “Orange County.”
  • Practice-Specific Modifiers: Add terms like “attorney,” “lawyer,” or “law firm” to create targeted phrases.

Examples include:

  • “Child custody lawyer Bronx”
  • “Workplace injury attorney Orange County”
  • “Probate law firm Austin”
Let’s Do a Hands-On Keyword Research

To show you some examples of keyword research steps, we will use Ahrefs, a very popular SEO tool. There are many other tools in the market, like Semrush, Keyword Chef (in the budget), and Low Fruits (in the budget). Most of these are relatively good starting points.

Keyword Research for Homepage and Practice Area Pages

Let’s assume you run a Personal Injury Law Firm based in Texas, with offices in Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, and Houston.

So, the first step is to identify seed keywords that you’ll feed in the keyword tool. For example, based on your client interactions and your practice areas for a Personal Injury firm, the seed keywords could be:

  • personal injury 
  • car accident
  • auto injury 
  • motorcycle accident 
  • wrongful death
  • truck accident 
  • slip and fall 
  • workplace accident

This is just an example we’re using. Some of these may not result in search volume, but you get the idea right: you can identify these seed keywords based on your practice area and client pain points. 

Now, once you have a list of these seed keywords, you need to add the modifiers we mentioned above.

  1. Location-based
  2. Niche modifier

Location-based modifiers for Texas could be “Texas, TX.” You can also include the city. In this case, I’ll include cities where we have offices, like Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, and Houston.

Niche modifiers could be variations of terms searchers use to find a lawyer, such as lawyer, attorney, or law firm. 

Once we have these two modifiers ready, let’s jump into Ahref’s Keyword Explorer section:

First, start with the State modifier. I’ll add these variants to the keyword research tool:

  1. personal injury texas
  2. car accident texas
  3. auto injury texas
  4. motorcycle accident texas
  5. wrongful death texas
  6. truck accident texas
  7. child injury texas
  8. slip and fall texas
  9. workplace accident texas
Keyword research example using Ahrefs

Once you enter, you will get a long list of keywords. Remember the niche modifier, now you need to select it. It’s simple:

  • Go to include the filter
  • Select Any word
  • Add a comma-separated list of modifiers, such as lawyer, attorney, law firm, lawyers, attorneys, law firms.
Keyword research example

Now you have a list of all the keywords where the searcher has a commercial intent and is looking for a lawyer’s help.

Keyword research example

Remember, this will give you a list of keywords, including different locations.

You can filter the keywords from this list or similarly replicate the above steps to find specific location-based keywords.

For most city-based keywords, you can input keywords in the keyword explorer: personal injury dallas texas, personal injury dallas tx. You can repeat these for all your practice areas, and you have a list.

Now, here are a few tips for you:

  1. When we did a state-based search, we ended up with almost 1,343 keywords. You don’t need to add everything. For example, “Texas personal injury lawyers,” “personal injury lawyer Texas,” or “texas personal injury lawyer.” Many variants will be like this, and you just need to pick 1. You can look for decent search volume and KD to decide which one to pick.
  2. 3-4 keywords in enough to target different contexts. For example, if we need to pick 3-4, we’ll pick:
    • texas personal injury lawyer (MSV: 1200, KD: 68)
    • texas personal injury attorney (MSV: 1400, KD: 75)
    • personal injury law firms texas (MSV: 200, KD: 0)
  3. For the homepage, always target broad keywords like the ones we mentioned above: Texas personal injury lawyer, Texas personal injury attorney, and Texas personal injury law firms.
  4. If you work in multiple locations and do keyword research in two clusters:
    • Location-based cluster (example keywords “dallas texas personal injury attorneys” “houston texas car accident attorney” etc.
    • Practice area-based cluster (“texas car accident lawyer”, “texas truck accident lawyer”)

Now, the next step is to put competitors’ domains in Ahrefs to see if you are not missing any other practice areas that you may want to target.

Simple steps: If you already have a list of your competitors, go to Site Explorer in Ahrefs and add your competitor’s homepage.

Now, on the left sidebar, go to the top pages and go over your competitor’s top pages one by one to see what keywords they are ranking for, what type of practice area pages they have created, and if you are missing any of them. You can incorporate all this information in your keyword research.

Competitor research example using Ahrefs
Keyword Research for Blogs

Blogs offer a way to answer detailed questions that potential clients are asking. By using tools like Ahrefs’ Questions filter, you might discover searches such as:

  • “What happens after filing for Chapter 13 bankruptcy in Miami?”
  • “How long does a landlord have to make repairs in Chicago?”
  • “What are a tenant’s rights during eviction in Boston?”

To give you a similar example to what we did for practice area pages, let’s assume you already have seed keywords that you used in Ahrefs for practice area keyword research. Similarly, search again with these variants:

  • personal injury texas
  • car accident texas
  • auto injury texas
  • motorcycle accident texas
  • wrongful death texas
  • truck accident texas
  • slip and fall texas
  • workplace accident texas

The easy step is that now you don’t need to filter commercial modifiers like lawyer, law firm, attorney, etc. Just select “Questions” in Ahrefs. Tada, you will get a long list of questions people ask that are highly relevant to your practice area.

Blog keyword research example using Ahrefs

And to stay ahead of the game, take a look at what your competitors are doing. 

Reviewing their top-performing blogs might give you some ideas for your own content. You might even find some questions they haven’t addressed yet, giving you a chance to swoop in and provide those answers.

Pro Tip: Cluster your content based on practice area for better rankings.

Based on our experience, we would always recommend that you group related content into sections or clusters to demonstrate expertise. 

For example: 

Structure of Practice Area-Based Cluster

Under “Estate Planning” create a main page titled “Estate Planning Lawyer in New York,” supported by blogs such as “How to Avoid Common Probate Issues in Brooklyn” or “Steps to Set Up a Living Trust in Manhattan.” 

This strategy helps search engines see your site as an authority for all things estate planning, which – we’ve found – can really increase your visibility in search results.

On-Page Optimization

Crafting well-optimized metadata and content ensures that search engines and visitors can quickly understand and engage with your site.

Metadata: Titles and Descriptions

Use clear, descriptive titles that include your brand name, primary keyword, and location. For example:

  • Homepage Title: “Hartman Legal Group: Immigration Attorneys in Minneapolis”
  • Practice Area Title: “Maritime Lawyers in Indianapolis – Free Case Review”

When it comes to those meta descriptions, you’ll want to give Google a little more to work with. Include details like your team size, years of experience, or any unique services you offer. 

For example:

“Hartman Legal Group has over 25 years of experience in maritime law. Visit our Indianapolis office to schedule a consultation today.”

Key stats about metadata:

Here’s the thing about metadata: Google can get a bit sneaky and likes to rewrite it sometimes.

Here’s a meta title formula we generally use at LaGrande Marketing. In our experience, we found it works best:

Page TypeMeta Title FormulaExample
HomepageYour Law Firm Name: + Practice Area + in + Location[Your Law Firm]: Personal Injury Attorneys in Texas.
Practice Area PagesLocation + Practice Area + Lawyers/Attorneys or both [modifier]- Your Law Firm NameTexas Truck Accident Lawyers [Free Case Review] – Your Law Firm Name

Blog Metadata for Specific Queries

Your blog is a great place to answer those detailed questions that clients are asking. And when it comes to your blog’s metadata, make sure it accurately reflects what those blog posts are all about.

Here’s how that could look like: 

  • Title: “What to Do After a Car Accident in Texas? (Step-by-Step)”
  • Meta Description: “The first thing that you should do is to report the incident to your insurance company, regardless of the extent of the damage.”

These strategies have consistently worked wonders for the law firms we’ve partnered with. By applying these tactics to your blog metadata, you can improve your website’s search visibility and attract new clients. 

You’ll also be building authority in your specific areas of law – which is never a bad thing, right?

Pro Tips:

  • For the meta description, try to summarize the answer directly. Avoid using phrases like “Learn more here” or “Explore different ways;” Google will most likely replace these.
  • Always optimize each page for 1 location only. For the same practice area in different locations, create different pages. Similarly, target multiple practice areas

Content Structure: Headers and Text

So, how do we make those pages easy for people (and Google) to read? Well, a good place to start is with your headers.

  • H1 Tags: Make sure each page has a unique H1 tag that highlights its main topic. For example, “Portland Maritime Lawyers for Cargo Disputes.”
  • Supporting Headers: Use secondary headers (H2, H3, etc.) to organize your information and naturally integrate related keywords. For example, “Legal Strategies for Immigration Cases in Minneapolis” or “Understanding Maritime Insurance in Indianapolis.”

Pro Tips:

  1. Ensure your practice area pages and homepage have sufficient content for Google to understand the context.
  2. You can use modifiers like “near me” in your content body
  3. Similar to metadata, always optimize each page for 1 location only. For the same practice area in different locations, create different pages. Similarly, target multiple practice areas

Slug Optimization

Keep those URL slugs clean and straightforward. For example:

  • /minneapolis-immigration-lawyers/
  • /indianapolis-maritime-law-attorneys/

Avoid unnecessary words, dates, or overly long URLs that can dilute relevance or become outdated.

Optimizing Images for SEO

Those images on your website are not just there to look pretty. They can actually give your SEO a nice little lift, too.

  1. File Names: Use descriptive file names that accurately reflect what the image is about. For example, instead of naming your image image1.jpg, name it something like hartman-legal-group-team.jpg.
  2. Alt Text: Alt text is the text that appears when an image can’t be displayed. It’s also used by screen readers to describe images to visually impaired users. 

Make sure your alt text is descriptive and includes relevant keywords. For example, “Hartman Legal Group – Immigration Lawyers in Minneapolis.”

Create Quality Content

You want to make sure your website shows off your expertise and meets the needs of your audience. There are three main areas we recommend you focus on: 

Your homepage, your practice area pages, and your blog.

Homepage

The homepage is like your firm’s online lobby. It’s the first thing visitors see, so you want to make a good impression.

  • Headline and Hero Section: Use a specific headline that tells people exactly what you do, like “Cybersecurity Attorneys for Kansas City Businesses.” Include a concise summary of your services and a clear call to action, such as “Contact Us for a Consultation Today.”
  • Credibility Elements: Highlight testimonials, certifications, or notable achievements. For example, “Certified Privacy Law Specialists Protecting Kansas City Businesses.”
  • Key Information: Outline your legal services and emphasize local expertise. For example, “Our attorneys have over a decade of experience handling cybersecurity cases in Kansas City.”
The Anatomy of a High-Converting SEO Optimized Law Firm Homepage

Practice Area Pages

These pages are like your attorneys’ individual offices. They should focus on specific legal services and convert visitors into clients.

  • Clear H1 with Keywords: Use a clear H1 that includes relevant keywords, like “Consumer Protection Attorneys in San Diego.”
  • Service Breakdown: Describe the types of cases you handle, such as false advertising or breach of consumer rights. Explain the client process, such as consultations and representation in court.
  • Trust Indicators: Include testimonials or awards, like “Top Consumer Advocacy Firm.” Add team bios or notable achievements.
  • Add content: Make sure to add sufficient content for search engines to understand the page context.

Blog Posts

And think of your blog as your firm’s law library. It’s where you share your knowledge, answer common questions, and show your clients-to-be that you’re an expert in your field.

  • Answer Specific Queries: Answer questions that people are searching for, like “How to File a Medical Malpractice Claim in Connecticut”. Don’t be afraid to get into the nitty-gritty and provide real, actionable advice that’s relevant to your state’s laws.
  • Incorporate Real Examples: Sharing anonymized case details can really bring those legal concepts to life. For example, share something like “Six-figure settlement in missed diagnosis of _____” – make it a local case if possible and really dig into nuanced research. 
  • Develop Custom FAQs:  Finally – use real client concerns to create FAQs that address the specific needs and questions of your audience. For example, “What evidence is gathered in medical malpractice lawsuits?”

Local SEO

When it comes to getting more local clients, your Google Business Profile (GBP) for your law firm is key. It’s often the first thing people see when they search for you – so let’s make it shine.

Local SEO Organic SERP Snapshot

We recommend these 7 steps: 

  1. Make sure your GBP is claimed, fully completed with accurate information, verified, and up-to-date. 
  2. Choose categories that accurately reflect your practice areas and add high-quality photos. 
  3. You can also use the GBP description to provide a concise overview of your firm and highlight your expertise. Here’s an example: “XYZ Law Firm is a premier personal injury law firm in Los Angeles, CA, and surrounding areas. Lead attorney X has over X years of experience handling car accidents, slip and falls, workplace injuries, and more. Call today for a free consultation.”
  4. Regularly share updates, news, or special offers to increase user interaction with your GBP listing.
  5. Utilize the Q&A feature to proactively address common questions and provide valuable information to potential clients.
  6. Prominently display your Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP) and embed a Google Map on your website.
  7. Use tools like https://www.merchynt.com/paige to automate your workflow.

We’ve created a complete guide on local SEO for lawyers. Check it out for in-depth insights on local SEO strategies.

Build Local Citations

Remember how we talked about those location-based practice area pages and blogs? Well, combine those with some solid local citations, and you’ll be well on your way to dominating the local SEO game.

These online mentions of your firm’s name, address, and phone number (NAP) act as “votes of confidence” in the eyes of search engines. They’re like little endorsements scattered across the web, vouching for your firm’s existence and location.

Here’s how we do it at LaGrande:

  1. Make sure these citations are coming from the right places. Think of it like choosing the right legal journals to cite in your briefs – you want reputable sources that carry weight.
  2. Focus on well-respected legal directories like Lawyers.com, Avvo, FindLaw, Nolo, etc. Also list your firm on general directories like Yelp.
  3. Don’t forget about industry-specific platforms like your state’s bar association website or online legal communities.

Pro Tip:  When building citations, make sure to include detailed information about your firm, such as your practice areas, founding date, and any awards or recognitions you’ve received. This helps paint a complete picture of your firm’s expertise and credibility.

A study by Bright Local found that  80% of consumers  lose trust in local businesses if they see incorrect or inconsistent contact details or business names online..png

So, it’s vital to make sure your citations are accurate and consistent across the board.

Finally, if you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed by the thought of manually building citations, there’s some handy tools out there to help. Check out Moz Local, Yext, or Synup.

Technical SEO

A solid technical SEO setup ensures your website is easily found, understood, and ranked by search engines.

Let’s show you the key elements:

Website Architecture

First impressions matter, and that includes how your website is organized. A clear and logical structure helps both users and search engines understand your legal content. 

There are a couple of common approaches:

Flat URL Structure

Every page sits directly under your domain name, like this: https://www.examplelawfirm.com/car-accident-lawyer-new-york/. This works well for smaller sites.

Drawbacks of flat URL structure:

  1. A flat URL structure is simple but sometimes confuses search engines about the intent of the page. For example, you have a practice area page on Texas Truck Accident Lawyers and, similarly, a blog on What to Do After a Truck Accident in Texas. Both pages talk about Truck accidents in Texas, but one intent is commercial, where people look for lawyers, and the other intent is information, where people look for what to do. While Google is smart enough to understand intent when you keep a sub-directory URL structure, it always provides a context to Google about the intent. 
  2. Another disadvantage is tracking different sections’ metrics like clicks, impressions, etc., using tools like Google Search Console and Google Analytics. You can easily filter the practice area pages or blogs with a subdirectory structure.
Subdirectory URL Structure

This creates a hierarchy, organizing content into categories and subcategories. For example, https://www.examplelawfirm.com/practice-areas/personal-injury/car-accidents/. This is often a better choice for larger sites with lots of content.

If you have multiple locations, you can opt for: https://www.examplelawfirm.com/locations/dallas/practice-areas/car-accident-lawyer/

If you have multiple locations and multiple practice areas, you can opt fo the following:
https://www.examplelawfirm.com/locations/dallas/practice-areas/personal-injury/car-accidents-lawyer/

And remember, consistency is key. Use a similar structure for different sections of your site, like your blog: https://www.examplelawfirm.com/blog/what-to-do-after-a-car-accident/

Or attorney profiles – with a hub page at https://www.examplelawfirm.com/attorneys

And individual profiles like https://www.examplelawfirm.com/attorneys/john-smith/.

Which structure is best? There is no definitive answer to this question. At LaGrande Marketing, we have had success using subdirectories and recommend them to our clients as well. However, ensure these pages are linked from your header and footer navigation menus to minimize click depth. Click depth refers to the number of clicks it takes to find from the homepage to these pages. The fewer clicks, the better. In a subdirectory structure, you must implement breadcrumbs for seamless interlinking between pages, particularly for Practice Area pages.

Page Architecture

Next up, let’s talk about the structure of your individual pages. This is where HTML elements like headers come into play. 

  • Think of them as signposts that guide readers (and search engines) through your content.
  • You only need one H1 tag per page – that’s your main headline. 
  • Then, use H2-H6 tags to create subheadings and break up your text into digestible chunks.

Here’s an example of page hierarchy:

  • H1
    • H2
    • H2
      • H3
        • H4
      • H3
    • H2
Mobile Optimization

These days, most people are browsing the web on their smartphones. So, if your website isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re missing out on a huge chunk of visitors. 

In fact, 79% of people say they’re more likely to revisit and/or share a mobile site if it is easy to use. And – with Google now using mobile-first indexing, it’s more important than ever to make sure your site functions smoothly on all devices.

SSL Certificate

Security is a must, especially for a law firm dealing with sensitive information. An SSL certificate encrypts data transmitted between your website and its visitors, building trust and protecting confidential data.

Schema Markup
  • Schema markup is like giving search engines a backstage pass to your website. 
  • It helps them understand your content on a deeper level, which can lead to better visibility in search results. 
  • For law firms, using LegalService schema is particularly important.
Page Speed & Load Times

According to Think With Google, an initiative by Google, 53% of visits are abandoned if a mobile site takes longer than 3 seconds to load. So you have only 3 seconds of time to fully load your webpage.

You can check your website speed with tools like https://pagespeed.web.dev/. Also, take a close look at your Core Web Vital. You can get these metrics from the Page Speed tool and Google Search Console.

Here’s a sobering statistic: only 33% of websites pass the Core Web Vitals threshold. 

That means 67% of websites are failing to meet Google’s standards for performance and user experience – and we believe this means opportunity for you. 

  • Core Web Vitals are a set of metrics that measure how quickly your website loads, how responsive it is to user interactions, and how visually stable it is.
  • These metrics include things like: how quickly the main content of your page loads, how quickly users can interact with it, and how much the page jumps around while loading.
  • Improving these metrics can not only improve your search rankings but also provide a better experience for your website visitors.

And speaking of speed, another study by Ahrefs found that 72% of websites have slow loading pages. This can be a major turn-off for visitors, especially in today’s fast-paced world where people expect instant gratification.

However, don’t worry. You don’t need to fix hundreds of things here are our battle-tested 4 factors that factor in 95% of the website speed, especially for WordPress websites:

  1. Your website hosting – Make sure you are using solid hosting. We recommend either Kinsta or Rocket.net.
  2. CDN you use – Always use Edge CDN. Generic CDNs only cache static resources like CSS, JS, and Images. However, an edge full-page CDN will cache your entire website in a different edge location. This means a copy of your website is stored in 100+ locations around the globe. Wherever a user requests any of your URLs, that URL is served from the nearest edge location. Nowadays, many host and plugin providers offer this as an add-on.
  3. Caching – You will need application-level caching. We recommend WP Rocket or FlyingPress. These are plug-and-play plugins. You don’t need any coding skills. 
  4. Image Compression: Most hosting services, like Rocket.net, provide this inbuilt feature, which compresses images and converts their format to JPG or PNG to WEBP, reducing file size on the fly. However, we also encourage using any free plugin like this to compress the images on WordPress while uploading.
Indexing Report Monitoring

Google Search Console is a valuable tool that provides insights into how Google sees your website. 

Make sure to submit your sitemap to Google and regularly monitor your indexing reports to catch any errors that might be hindering your site’s performance.

If you have hundreds of URLs, you might see several errors showing in the Google Search Console. For example, a few common errors we find on most law firm websites are:

  1. Page with redirect
  2. Not found (404)
  3. Excluded by ‘noindex’ tag
  4. Alternate page with proper canonical tag

Monitor and analyze the URLs in these areas to see whether any important pages appear in these sections. Addressing every error shown in the Google Search Console is not necessary. Instead, evaluate which fixes will have the most significant impact.

Additionally, prioritize the important pages that should be indexed.

Internal Linking
  • Internal links are like the threads that connect the different parts of your website. They help users find their way around and discover related information. 
  • They can also significantly help your SEO. 
  • A study we discovered found that pages with 40 to 44 internal links received four times more clicks from Google Search.

At LaGrande Marketing, we’ve learned a thing or two about what makes a law firm’s website tick. A strong technical SEO foundation is a game-changer. 

By getting these technical bits right, you can make sure your website is easy to find and understand, so you can connect with the people who need your legal expertise.

Link Building

What Are Backlinks for Law Firms?

Remember those backlinks we talked about earlier? How they’re like getting a shout-out from another website? Well, now it’s time to roll up our sleeves and get those referrals rolling in.

Let’s share our game plan with you:

Foundational Links

First things first, let’s get you on the map. Think of these as your online business cards.

Submit your firm to reputable legal directories. Here are some examples of foundational link-building websites. They vary from subscription-based, free, or even one-time fee-based services:

  • yelp.com
  • findlaw.com
  • justia.com
  • avvo.com
  • expertise.com
  • americanbar.org
  • nolo.com
  • martindale.com
  • legalzoom.com
  • chamberofcommerce.com

Don’t forget about those professional awards – apply for awards like Super Lawyers or Best Lawyers.

Niche Edits & Guest Blogging

Now, let’s step it up a notch with some more advanced strategies.

Offer your expertise to update existing articles on legal blogs. For example, you could contribute commentary to a piece about recent changes in labor laws.

Guest blogging, on the other hand, is like writing a full-fledged article for a platform like JD Supra or the ABA Journal. Think something like, “What Employers Should Know About New Federal Labor Laws”.

You have two options to get these types of links: either ask for links through outreach or work with a link building agency.

Let’s be honest: the chances of getting links through organic outreach are really low, and so are the chances of not getting links. You need to pay for most of the links you get. Now, this needs to be done very carefully, as Google’s Spam Policy differs from buying links. So you need to make sure you only build user-centric links, mostly with generic or branded anchors, and provide actual value to the end user.

Always  look for:

  • Relevant, user-friendly, and high-quality sites
  • NOT from guest post farms
  • From sites with a clear business model
  • Authoritative in look and feel with clear author bio, social media following, etc.

Also, make sure about backlink velocity. Don’t build too many backlinks initially, which will look unnatural to Google. Imagine a new website that doesn’t have enough traffic. How does the website get links from other websites?

Digital PR and Press Strategies

Now, let’s get proactive with some digital PR and press strategies. This could involve submitting opinion pieces to legal publications on hot topics like regulatory changes or major legal rulings.

Or maybe you’ve got a big case victory to announce, or a new office location – shout it loud with a press release that includes backlinks to your website.

Keep an eye out for breaking legal stories, and be ready to offer your insights to journalists covering those topics. Tools like qwoted, connectively, and journofinder.com can help you connect with the right media people.

You can also participate in local events or sponsor community initiatives. This can lead to local news coverage and backlinks as well.

Stat Insight: Most top-ranking pages acquire “followed” backlinks at a growth rate of 5%–14.5% per month.

Video and Multimedia Links

Let’s not forget about the power of multimedia. Who said link building had to be boring?

Create explainer YouTube videos on topics like “7 Signs You Hired A Bad Lawyer” and don’t forget to include those backlinks in the video description.

The “Think Legal” firm did just that. First, they give value with information, like this popular video: 

Think Legal Firm YouTube Video Screenshot

Then – after attracting over 140,000 views – they make sure their all important website links are in the video description: 

Think Legal YouTube Video description
source for both images

Also:

  • Partner with other professionals to host webinars.
  • Appear on popular legal podcasts like LawNext – you’ll get a valuable backlink on major platforms, like Apple Podcasts and Spotify. 

Pro Tip: Always play by the rules. Focus on creating valuable content that people actually want to read and share. With Google’s AI growing smarter every day, the days of black hat SEO are truly numbered. 

Answer Questions on Legal Forums

Join popular Q&A sites like Quora, Reddit, or Avvo and start answering legal questions. When you provide helpful, insightful answers, you position yourself as an expert and get valuable social mentions.

This can attract potential clients who are already seeking legal help. It’s a win-win – you get recognition, and they get answers.

In a nutshell: 

Building high-quality backlinks is how you build a strong online presence. It’s like attending ABA Techshow and making connections with colleagues and experts – the more relevant links you have, the better your chances of attracting clients. 

Remember – just like in the real world – creating valuable content and forging genuine connections are key.

SEO Tools for Lawyers

Need a hand with your website’s SEO? Here’s some of the tools in our arsenal:

  1. Google Search Console: Keep an eye on your website’s performance in Google search.
  2. Google Analytics: See who’s visiting your law site and what they’re doing.
  3. SEMrush/Ahrefs: The heavy hitters for keyword research, competitor analysis, and more.
  4. KeywordChef/LowFruits: Budget-friendly keyword research tools.
  5. GMB Briefcase: Optimize your Google My Business profile.
  6. BrightLocal: This tool specializes in local SEO, helping you track rankings, build citations, and manage your online reputation. It’s a great option for law firms looking to attract more local clients.
  7. Moz Local: Manage your local business listings across the web.
  8. SurferSEO: Create SEO-friendly content that ranks well.

With these tools, you’ll be well-equipped to tackle your law firm’s SEO and improve your online visibility.

How to Start with Implementing a Law Firm SEO Strategy 

6 Steps to Implementing a Law Firm SEO Strategy

We’ve covered a lot of ground already, from keyword research to on-page optimization and link building. 

Now, let’s put it all together and create a killer SEO strategy for your law firm. 

  1. SEO Audit: Start with this checkup for your website, revealing any technical issues or content gaps that need fixing.
  2. Strategic Keyword Research: Figure out what your ideal clients are searching for online and use those keywords in your website’s content.
  3. Mapping Existing Pages (If Applicable): Take stock of your current web pages and see if they’re optimized for the right keywords.
  4. Content Strategy: Create high-quality, informative content that highlights your legal expertise and addresses your audience’s needs.
  5. Ongoing Optimization: SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. Continuously monitor your website’s performance and make adjustments as needed.
  6. Staying Updated: And remember, the world of SEO is constantly evolving. Think of it like keeping up with legal precedents – you need to know the latest developments to build a winning case.

In the legal field, building trust and showing your expertise are key – and that applies whether you’re in the courtroom or on the web.

Succeed with Law Firm SEO Campaigns in 2025

As we’ve seen, SEO is a vital tool for any law firm looking to attract clients and build a strong online presence. 

At LaGrande Marketing, we’re like your legal counsel for the digital world. 

We’ll help you build a strong online presence and get your website in front of the right people, at the right time, for the right legal needs.

We’ve done it for over 150 law firms and now we’d love to help you too. 

Want to lift your firm’s SEO strategy higher in 2025 and beyond? 

Get in touch for a free consultation and let’s prepare a winning case for your website’s visibility.

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