No marketing channel can touch the power of the Internet. And no channel is as crowded with competitors or can be as intimidating to clients. That is why addressing the issue of visibility — how your Web site is linked to other legal Web sites, how easy is it for clients to find you, and how your firm can improve those connections — should be a critical component of your online client development strategy.
One smart strategy to consider is making changes to your Web site, and to your overall online presence, that boost your rankings with powerful search engines like Google,Yahoo and MSN. It is called Search Engine Optimization. The goal is to make your Web site more visible and relevant to both search engines and the people who use them to find legal representation. By taking a few basic steps to raise your Web site’s visibility on the search engines, your firm will have an excellent opportunity to generate more quality leads and increase the return on your Web investment.
The challenge, of course, is standing out from the crowd. Research shows that most people look at just the first page or two of a search result. So how do search engines compile those lists? Why does Firm A rank highly in a given result, while Firm B struggles in at No. 273? It starts with “spiders,” software programs that the search engines send out to visit Web pages, collect information, and then use that information to build a searchable index. When a potential client queries, e.g., “Milwaukee Employment Lawyer,” the search engine sorts through its vast index for the most relevant, authoritative information related to the request. Search engines frequently adjust the formulas they use to rank Web sites, making their rankings more precise and impeding spam.
Leave the technical fine-tuning to experts who focus on Search Engine Marketing and don’t have a law firm to run. Focus on strategies that will improve search engine results. These strategies include:
A rule of thumb: What attracts and holds the attention of site visitors will also improve search engine rankings. A search engine’s spider looks for fresh information to index. A straightforward, easy to browse design can make a significant difference in your site’s search engine ranking. The same slow-loading, overdone graphics and multimedia bells-and-whistles that drive Web users up the wall can also decrease the likelihood of your Web site’s pages being highly placed in a search engine results page.
One of the most important factors in search-engine-optimizing your Web site is to intelligently use keywords that promote your marketing objectives that identify your geographic location and practice areas, and match the words that clients use when they conduct a search.
To use keywords effectively on your site, remember to:
Content is king; therefore, if you work with a Web site provider, it is critical that they know the legal industry and how to write for it, and understand how search engines evaluate and rank Web sites.
INBOUND LINKS
Another factor influencing searchengine rankings are the inbound links to your Web address from other Web sites. With inbound links, quality is much more important than quantity. Relevant links from other law firms, legal information Web sites and bar associations, etc., influence your Web site’s results in the search engines. It is similar to a frequently cited legal case. A case is more important when other rulings reference it, particularly when they are directly on topic. In the same way, when authoritative Web sites link to your site, it raises your site’s credibility. However, inbound links should be considered for the traffic they will generate and never for any potential search engine result lift they might provide.
ONGOING PROCESS
Search engine optimization is a straightforward, common-sense process, but it’s important to keep at it — to analyze your site’s traffic and conversion rate, change and adjust your site’s content as your goals and the legal issues facing your clients change. Publish new content on your site when necessary. If you outsource your online marketing, look for a provider who can assist you for the long-term — from traffic analysis, content writing and design, to the nuts-and-bolts of site management, it is important to partner with an experienced company that fully understands strategic Internet marketing for law firms. Search Engine Optimization is a critical component in utilizing the Internet to its fullest potential. By optimizing your firm’s Web presence you will be able to focus more on quality client matters and strengthen existing client relationships.
JOHN LAMBERTO is an Internet marketing consultant with Thomson FindLaw, a division of Thomson West. Lamberto can be reached at 414-467-4965 or via email at John.Lamberto@thomson.com.
JOHN LAMBERTO
FINDLAW
One smart strategy to consider is making changes to your Web site, and to your overall online presence, that boost your rankings with powerful search engines like Google,Yahoo and MSN. It is called Search Engine Optimization. The goal is to make your Web site more visible and relevant to both search engines and the people who use them to find legal representation. By taking a few basic steps to raise your Web site’s visibility on the search engines, your firm will have an excellent opportunity to generate more quality leads and increase the return on your Web investment.
The challenge, of course, is standing out from the crowd. Research shows that most people look at just the first page or two of a search result. So how do search engines compile those lists? Why does Firm A rank highly in a given result, while Firm B struggles in at No. 273? It starts with “spiders,” software programs that the search engines send out to visit Web pages, collect information, and then use that information to build a searchable index. When a potential client queries, e.g., “Milwaukee Employment Lawyer,” the search engine sorts through its vast index for the most relevant, authoritative information related to the request. Search engines frequently adjust the formulas they use to rank Web sites, making their rankings more precise and impeding spam.
Leave the technical fine-tuning to experts who focus on Search Engine Marketing and don’t have a law firm to run. Focus on strategies that will improve search engine results. These strategies include:
- Ensuring your Web site’s content is fresh and easily consumed by the spiders.
- Choosing words and phrases that target your prospects.
- Increasing the number of relevant inbound links from other legal related Web sites that drive clients to your firm’s Web site.
A rule of thumb: What attracts and holds the attention of site visitors will also improve search engine rankings. A search engine’s spider looks for fresh information to index. A straightforward, easy to browse design can make a significant difference in your site’s search engine ranking. The same slow-loading, overdone graphics and multimedia bells-and-whistles that drive Web users up the wall can also decrease the likelihood of your Web site’s pages being highly placed in a search engine results page.
One of the most important factors in search-engine-optimizing your Web site is to intelligently use keywords that promote your marketing objectives that identify your geographic location and practice areas, and match the words that clients use when they conduct a search.
To use keywords effectively on your site, remember to:
- Put yourself in your client’s shoes. Potential clients will not necessarily use legal terms of art when conducting a search. Incorporate layman’s terms for your key practice areas. Include “lawyer” and “attorney” and “law firm.” Cover your geographic area in all its permutations: city, state, even neighborhood if you’re in a big city.
- Keep it readable. Keyword stuffing — repeating key words and phrases over and over — makes for a poor user experience and could get your site flagged by the search engines. Your goal is keyword-rich language that is also natural and readable.
- Own a niche. While the typical search generates thousands (or even millions) of results, most users click the first few links. So it’s key to target your specific market niche and location. You are better off, in other words, scoring high in a unique search than chasing the most competitive, generic keywords like “divorce lawyer” or “criminal defense attorney.”
Content is king; therefore, if you work with a Web site provider, it is critical that they know the legal industry and how to write for it, and understand how search engines evaluate and rank Web sites.
INBOUND LINKS
Another factor influencing searchengine rankings are the inbound links to your Web address from other Web sites. With inbound links, quality is much more important than quantity. Relevant links from other law firms, legal information Web sites and bar associations, etc., influence your Web site’s results in the search engines. It is similar to a frequently cited legal case. A case is more important when other rulings reference it, particularly when they are directly on topic. In the same way, when authoritative Web sites link to your site, it raises your site’s credibility. However, inbound links should be considered for the traffic they will generate and never for any potential search engine result lift they might provide.
ONGOING PROCESS
Search engine optimization is a straightforward, common-sense process, but it’s important to keep at it — to analyze your site’s traffic and conversion rate, change and adjust your site’s content as your goals and the legal issues facing your clients change. Publish new content on your site when necessary. If you outsource your online marketing, look for a provider who can assist you for the long-term — from traffic analysis, content writing and design, to the nuts-and-bolts of site management, it is important to partner with an experienced company that fully understands strategic Internet marketing for law firms. Search Engine Optimization is a critical component in utilizing the Internet to its fullest potential. By optimizing your firm’s Web presence you will be able to focus more on quality client matters and strengthen existing client relationships.
JOHN LAMBERTO is an Internet marketing consultant with Thomson FindLaw, a division of Thomson West. Lamberto can be reached at 414-467-4965 or via email at John.Lamberto@thomson.com.
JOHN LAMBERTO
FINDLAW
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