Search engine optimization (SEO) is nothing new. For many years, websites have been trying to harness SEO tools to improve their website traffic and generate new leads.
Though the overall process is well established, the requirements of SEO are constantly changing. Basics such as keyword matching and paid ad options are still essential; however, the SEO game has changed significantly within the last few years. Between rising standards and Google’s Core Web Vitals, getting your website on the top of a results list is more complicated than ever.
Link building is a fantastic way to get ahead of the curve with your SEO tactics, but it can be hard to do if you aren’t sure where to start.
What Is Link Building?
Link building is an SEO strategy that involves getting your website links onto other websites. This strategy insinuates to search engines like Google that you are a reliable source or authority figure on a topic. As a result, the search engine is more likely to bump you up in search engine results because it believes you to be a credible expert. This wins you points over other web pages, even if they have the same information on their sites.
In the world of the modern internet, this is significant. Gone are the days where only a few websites matched each search. Instead, hundreds, if not thousands, of pages generally have the same information.
Link Building for Law Firms
For law firms, link building can be the key to landing new clients and beating the competition. If someone types “attorney in Grand Rapids,” they’ll get thousands of results. However, if you implement proper link-building techniques, yours will appear higher on the list. The higher you are on the list, the more likely the user will click on your site. After all, very few people go further than the first three results, and even fewer will bother to click onto the second page.
Ways to Build Links
While this may all be good to know, it is challenging to implement this tactic if you don’t know what to do. Luckily there are several ways to employ link-building techniques that can help your firm’s site.
1. Legal Directories
There are some primary online directories for law firms, and it is often relatively easy to get your name and website link onto their page. Sites like Findlaw, Justia, Super Lawyers, etc. Even though legal directories aren’t necessarily citing you for information, it is linking back to your website, which still counts in the world of search engines. Many law firms begin here, as it is more straightforward than a lot of other tactics.
2. Create Business-to-Business Relationships
Reach out and form solid alliances and relationships with other businesses in your area. For example, if you have done legal work for a business, ask them to link to your website on theirs. Likewise, ask vendors or suppliers to take photos of the work they’ve done for you and link it back to you on their website.
You can even reach out to non-competing firms and see if they would be open to a relationship. Many times, a firm cannot cover all topics. However, non-competing law firms can link to one another to build website validity and offer clients options if they need additional services.
3. Sponsor an Event or Sports Team
Charity events, marathons, sports teams, and clubs all get a significant amount of press. By spending a bit of (tax-deductible) money to sponsor one of these things, you are buying yourself a link in press releases and articles about your sponsee. For example, if you sponsor a men’s soccer league and win a game, local newspapers will often write articles about it. Your firm’s logo will be on the jerseys, and the press will likely mention your firm and link back to your website from their online platforms.
4. Create a Scholarship
For similar reasons, creating a scholarship is an intelligent move if you want to build your firm’s links. When you choose the winner of the scholarship, there is likely a chance that local news outlets will cover the story. In addition, the winner’s alma mater or university will probably also include the information in their newsletter or website, giving you another opportunity for a link.
5. Create a Unique Practice Area
There are hundreds of law firms around the country that practice the same kind of law that your firm does. Therefore, it is unlikely that generic practice areas will get linked. However, if you can develop a niche practice area, there is a greater chance that you will be linked to other blogs and articles.
This can be done in a few ways. Primarily, you can create more specific practice area pages. For example, instead of a page about “Michigan Drug Possession Cases,” you can break them up into pages such as “Michigan Heroin Possession Cases,” “Heroin Cocaine Possession Cases,” etc. This specificity helps you to stand out from the crowd.
If you can craft a more niche page, that’s even better. Examine cases that you’ve won. Are there any strange situations that you have handled? Are there any little-known specific situations that other people may be facing? These can make fantastic practice pages to help you stand out.
If you don’t wish to make them full practice pages, adding niche content to your blog can have a similar effect.
Please contact us to learn more and discuss the options that are available to you and what makes the most sense for you. Our contact form is below or you can call us at 616-333-9993.