Login | April 20, 2024
Google 2020 part 2: Local SEO for lawyers
RICHARD WEINER
Technology for Lawyers
Published: March 13, 2020
If you are an Akron divorce attorney, you want to be near the top of the first page of search results when someone types “Akron divorce attorney” into Google’s search window.
Especially without paying Google for the privilege.
Getting a handle on how Google affects the ability of law firms to generate new client leads is essential to firm success. Part one of our 2020 Google overview talked a little about how search engine optimization (SEO) language can affect where a firm lands on a search page. The higher the result appears on the search page, the more likely that that will turn into a potential client—without having to pay to advertise on the search engine.
The closer the SEO to what the potential client is looking for, the better. Clear and precise language is the starting place.
But localizing the search is what will separate the wheat from the chaff.
First of all, get a handle on your client reviews, as we’ve written about a few times before. Try to get satisfied clients to write good Google reviews (and AVVO and everywhere else).
Next, use SEO key words that will drive people to your page. In the above example, “Akron”, “divorce” and “lawyer” are all key words. But it can be narrowed down more.
To do all of that properly, you need to be completely up-to-date in Google My Business, a free business profile you can find here: https://www.google.com/business/. You’ll soar to the top of the map if the info here is accurate and fresh.
What you need is as close as you can get to your own little niche.
Use geography and Google Maps to narrow down the search. You want the Google suggestion “near me”, when it comes up after “Akron divorce attorney” to point to your address and be displayed on the map. Fifty percent of people who Google a place wind up visiting there in the next day or two.
If your office is in Fairlawn, put that city in the SEO, along with any surrounding communities. If you want Hudson clientele, put that in.
Also, hot tip: if you want a place to go to evaluate your key words, go here: https://ahrefs.com/.
And also check out the competition for their key words. No point in reinventing the wheel.