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When you’re running a small or mid-sized law firm, there’s a decent chance that your clients are mostly locals—people who live in the same general area as you. What’s more, the odds are strong that you’re not the only game in town. Those local clients have a choice to make about which law firm they’ll choose for all their legal needs, and they will typically use Google to help narrow things down. The long and the short of it is this, then: your firm must be discoverable in local search queries, and that’s not something that happens by accident.

Setting Up a Google My Business Page

The question is, what can your law firm do to increase its local search visibility? There are a few basics that we’d recommend, starting with a Google My Business Page. This is one way to assist Google in serving your information to local searchers, and it will only help with your online visibility. As you set up a Google My Business page, make sure you include a full description of your firm, rich in keywords but also written to be readable and persuasive. Upload some high-quality images, and ensure that you have complete and accurate content information posted—including your website URL.

Optimize Your Website

Speaking of websites, it’s important to optimize yours with relevant, localized keywords. This is how you make sure Google knows how to categorize your site, and which “locals” to display it to, exactly. Some specific tips here:

  • Make sure you include your city/region judiciously, including in title tags.
  • Display your contact information, including local phone number, throughout the site.
  • Include local keywords throughout the site—organically, not awkwardly.
  • Include an embedded Google map on your Contact Us page, if you have one.

Take Care of NAP Citations

NAP stands for name, address, and phone number—the basic contact information that you should use throughout your website. What’s important is that you list this information consistently on your site, on social media profiles, on review sites, on local business directories, and on Google My Business. Precision is key; don’t use different phone numbers, and don’t state your street address differently from one site to the next. (For instance, don’t say 123 Main Street here and 123 Main St. there.) Be consistent in how you display your local contact information, as NAP is one of the key factors in Google’s local search distinctions.

Get Reviews

Getting user reviews is another important factor in local SEO—and Google reviews are especially important. There are many ways to encourage your clients to leave you their feedback, and one that we recommend is simply emailing your best and most loyal clients and asking them to help you out. Make sure you send them the link where they can leave their review! Including that link on your firm’s website is another smart move.

Generate Backlinks from Other Sites

Finally, do what you can to earn backlinks from other website—including local legal directors, small business associations, chamber of commerce pages, and authoritative law blogs. Backlinks from other sites prove your credibility, and make Google that much more likely to boost your rankings. For directory citations, remember what we said about consistent NAP.

Be Found by Local Clients

When locals go searching for a solid law firm, it’s important that they find your business—or else, that business might dry up. We can help you establish a strong local search presence. Reach out to the data-driven marketing pros at Driven2020 and start getting results today!

Reach out to the Driven2020 team today to talk about marketing for your law firm.

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