How to Improve Your Law Firm’s Online Presence

One of the first things people do when searching for a lawyer is to head to Google.

Prospective clients want to work with the most qualified and accomplished lawyer. And they use reviews to decide who’s the best.

In fact, 82% of clients check reviews before hiring a lawyer.

So, if you want to run a successful law firm in 2023, you’ll need to work on building up your law firm’s online presence.

In this blog, we’ll explore key tactics for establishing your law firm as a key player online. This includes building a law firm website, establishing yourself on social media and directories, and creating content.

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Develop your law firm’s website

A professional, modern website is crucial for any law firm looking to improve its online visibility and rank highly on Google.

It’s often the first impression clients will have of your firm, so it’s worth the investment.

We’ve put together a list of the best law firm websites.

Here are a few of them:

• Oykhman Criminal Defence Law
• Trey Porter Law
• The Law Office of Bryan R. Kazarian
• Taylor Janis Workplace Law
• McCarthy Tetrault

You could get a basic website up and running for under $100 a year, plus an upfront cost for a WordPress theme.

The most affordable option is going with a website builder like Squarespace, but these website builders are limited in functionality. So, we always recommend WordPress.

The basics of a law firm website include:

• Responsive design, ensuring your website is accessible on all devices (including mobile) and is easy to navigate
• Clear and concise messaging that aligns with your brand and client persona
• An attorney bio page
• Practice area power pages
• Obvious contact information (and a dedicated contact page)
• Content, like a blog and FAQ

It’ll take a huge time investment to get these things in place. And from our experience, most lawyers would instead put time toward their practice and clients.

If so, you could outsource your website design and development to an experienced website designer or law firm marketing agency.

We recommend hiring someone who specializes in building law firm websites that perform and are designed with SEO in mind — someone who knows what’s essential for a legal website.

You’ll still attract clients through word-of-mouth and referrals. But an optimized website will bring in many new leads you wouldn’t get otherwise.

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Implement search engine optimization (SEO) techniques

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of optimizing your website to increase the quantity and quality of traffic to your site from search engines.

You could have the best-looking website in the world. But if it’s not optimized for search, it’ll be left in the abyss where no one can find it.

If you want your website to appear at the top of Google when people search for legal services, you’ll prioritize SEO.

To get started with law firm SEO, start with keyword research using tools like Semrush to determine what phrases potential clients are searching for. Then, incorporate those keywords into your website’s content, including titles, headings, and across all pages.

That’s a fundamental place to start. But you can (and should) get into the weeds of SEO for the best results.

While you can DIY it, you’re better off with an SEO specialist with experience working with law firms. The upfront cost is nothing compared to the ROI you’ll experience once the ball’s rolling.

Plus, SEO is compounding. An upfront investment will continuously bring in leads over time. If you pull your budget, your leads will continue to come in, unlike other marketing tactics like PPC.

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Claim your social media profiles

Social media has become a necessity for law firms of all sizes.

The ABA recently reported that 35% of firms using social media reported getting new clients this way.

A simple funnel using social media could look like this:

• A prospective client sees your social media post on Instagram
• They go into your profile to find your website
• From your website, they explore your pages and sign up for your email list
• Finally, you nurture them through email marketing, and they request a free consult

You can leverage social media platforms to increase your brand awareness, engage with potential clients, and showcase your expertise in the legal field.

To effectively use social media, it’s important to identify the platforms where your target audience is active. We recommend a presence on LinkedIn, at the minimum. After that, explore Facebook and Instagram.

Just remember that it’s more important to be consistent with one social media platform than spread yourself too thin on many. Don’t bite off more than you can chew.

When creating social media content, focus on providing value to your audience through informative and engaging posts. Share industry news, offer helpful legal tips, and showcase your legal expertise by reviewing popular and/or local cases.

Don’t be afraid to inject some personality into your posts. It helps to humanize your law firm, which people typically perceive as stuffy and unapproachable.

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Set up your profiles on legal directories

Legal directories can be a valuable tool for improving a law firm’s online visibility.

These directories, including Avvo and FindLaw, are online databases of legal professionals and firms.

Potential clients can search for attorneys on these directories based on their location and practice areas.

Not only is it a good way to attract leads, but you can increase your online visibility and even boost your website’s SEO with these listings. They have high domain authority, meaning having a backlink from these sites can improve your overall SEO.

Ensure your listing is accurate and consistent across all listings, including your Google Business Profile.

You can also request past clients leave you reviews and ratings on the directories to further your reputation and credibility.

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Create quality content

High-quality content is the backbone of any successful SEO campaign.

Regarding content creation, think about your target audience and their pain points. One easy place to start is to ask yourself what questions clients frequently ask. Addressing those questions in blog posts and videos is a great place to start.

Here are a few types of content to consider creating:

• Blog posts
• FAQs
• Videos
• Case studies

Once your content begins to rank, you’ll start drawing in tons of traffic, and your visibility will skyrocket.

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Invest in online advertising

Online advertising, specifically Google Ads, can be a powerful way to increase your law firm’s visibility and get immediate traffic to your website.

You can run pay-per-click (PPC) ads that target your exact audience so you get the perfect type of traffic to your website.

Here are a few types of ads to consider running:

• Google Ads
• Social media ads
• Local service ads
• Legal directory ads

We recommend investing in online ads when your website is newly launched, as they can drive immediate leads to your site while you work on SEO.

When creating ads, focus on the benefits of your services and use clear and compelling calls to action. Consider running A/B tests to optimize your messaging and increase conversions.

It’s easy to lose track of your budget, especially if you’re starting out with PPC. We always recommend hiring a professional who works on Google Ads for law firms, as they’ll know the ins and outs of keyword targeting and best practices.

This will ultimately save you more money in the long run and help you generate a positive ROI.

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Level up your law firm’s online presence to get more clients

Building up your firm’s online presence is crucial to run a successful law firm in 2023.

An effective law firm marketing campaign will boost your firm’s visibility tenfold. If you invest in a responsive, modern website, plus a select few marketing channels, you’ll be on your way to becoming the most successful firm in your area.

If you’d rather focus on your practice and let someone else take care of your marketing, contact a law firm marketing agency like JurisPage for a free consult.