In the competitive legal market, small law firms need to compete against larger firms to succeed on search engines like Google.
With the right SEO strategies, small firms can stand out and rank higher on Google than larger law firms. This guide explores effective methods for small law firms to boost their online visibility and outrank larger law firms on Google.
If your plate’s already full, consider partnering with an attorney SEO agency that understands the ins and outs of legal SEO. Rankwise specializes in helping small law firms compete and win against bigger law firms by using innovative, modern SEO strategies tailored to the legal industry.
Your Small Law Firm Can Outrank Larger Law Firms on Google.
Here are some tips on how your small law firm can compete with and outrank larger law firms on Google:
1. Work On Your Local SEO.
Local SEO is your secret weapon. It helps small law firms like yours compete in areas dominated by larger law firms. By optimizing your Google Business Profile for local searches, you can reach clients searching for legal services nearby. Local SEO helps your business listing appear at the top of the search results whenever potential clients search for keywords like “criminal defense attorney near me.”
Why Does Local SEO Matter?
Local SEO matters because Google prioritizes local results for people searching for nearby attorney services. A strong local SEO strategy can boost your law firm in local search results, often above bigger firms without local optimization. Without local SEO, your law firm listing will be buried in the search results, causing your firm to, quite frankly, be invisible to your potential clients.
How to Improve Local SEO?
- Optimize Your Google Business Profile: Fill your profile with accurate details, like your firm’s name, address, phone number, and hours.
- Maintain NAP Consistency: Keep your firm’s Name, Address, and Phone number consistent across all online platforms and directories. The more consistent your NAP, the better you will rank on search engines when people search for local law firms.
- Gather Positive Reviews: Ask satisfied clients to leave positive reviews on your Google profile. This can significantly boost your local search rankings.
2. Create Great Legal Content.
Creating great legal content that’s helpful to people is one of the most powerful ways a small law firm can outrank bigger firms on Google. Why do we say this? Quality content does more than fill your website. It builds your Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (EAT). This is what Google requires from legal websites such as yours.
When done right, content becomes your 24/7 digital salesperson. It explains who you are, shows how you can help people, and proves you have the qualifications to do so.
Big law firms often rely on brand power and have generic content that’s not very helpful. This creates an opportunity for smaller law firms such as yours. Small law firms that produce clear and useful content will consistently outperform generic, robotic content.
Why Does Content Matter for Attorneys?
Google favors sites that provide valuable, helpful, and easily understandable information. By addressing common legal questions through your web content, you can attract and keep potential clients. Web content always builds your EAT.
How to Create Legal Content?
- Start a Legal Blog: Regularly post articles on common legal issues, recent law changes, or case studies.
- Use Relevant Keywords: Add keywords that potential clients might search for when seeking legal services. Don’t force keywords into your content. Place them naturally when they apply to your content.
- Create Practice Area Pages: Build dedicated pages detailing your services for each practice area. These practice area pages are a pillar for any law firm wanting to rank on search engines like Google.
3. Optimize Your Website for User Experience.
A user-friendly website keeps visitors engaged and shows search engines your site is trustworthy.
Why Does User Experience Matter?
User experience matters because Google ranks sites based on page load speed, mobile responsiveness, and site navigation. A good user experience can lead to better rankings and more client conversions. Likewise, a bad user experience often results in lower search engine rankings. So, pay attention to user experience. Create a simple website. It should be easy to navigate, and users must be able to find information quickly and easily.
How to Create a Good User Experience?
- Ensure Mobile Responsiveness: Your site must be mobile-friendly, as most users access sites via mobile devices. Data shows that more than 60% of users access websites from mobile devices. So, optimizing for them is very important.
- Improve Page Load Speed: Optimize images and use efficient coding to ensure quick loading.
- Simplify Navigation: Design clear menus and intuitive navigation to help users find information easily and quickly.
4. Build High-Quality Backlinks.
Backlinks are links from other websites to yours. They are essential for SEO, showing search engines your site is credible. Every authoritative backlink to your website is like a vote of confidence for your law firm. The more good-quality backlinks you have, the more authoritative your website will be in Google’s eyes. The more authoritative your website, the better your website will perform on Google.
Why Do Backlinks Matter?
Search engines view backlinks as endorsements. More high-quality backlinks can improve your website’s ranking in search results.
How to Build Backlinks to Your Website?
- Guest Blogging: Write articles for respected legal blogs or industry websites, including a link back to your site.
- Engage in Community Events: Get involved in local events or sponsorships and request backlinks from event websites.
- List in Legal Directories: Make sure your firm is listed in reputable legal directories that provide backlinks.
5. Leverage Social Media Platforms.
Social media boosts your content, engages potential clients, and drives traffic to your site.
Why Does Social Media Matter for Attorneys?
Active social media profiles can enhance your law firm’s visibility and provide channels for client engagement.
How to Leverage Social Media for Attorneys?
- Share Your Content: Promote blog posts and articles on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.
- Engage with Your Audience: Respond to comments and messages promptly to build relationships.
- Use Targeted Advertising: Use social media ads to reach specific demographics and areas.
6. Monitor and Analyze Your SEO Performance.
Regularly tracking your SEO efforts helps you see what’s working and what needs to change. Use tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to see which pages on your website are performing well. Double down on what’s working for your law firm and improve the pages that aren’t performing well.
Why Does Monitoring Your SEO Performance Matter?
SEO is ongoing. Analyzing your performance allows you to refine your marketing strategies for better results. Without monitoring your performance, you won’t know what’s working and what’s not.
How to Monitor Your SEO Performance?
- Use Google Analytics: Track your website traffic, user behavior, and conversion rates via Google Analytics and Google Search Console.
- Track Keyword Rankings: Use tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs to monitor your keywords.
- Adjust SEO Strategies: Look at your analysis. Then, change your content, keywords, or backlinks to boost performance.
7. Establish EAT: Build Google’s Trust in Your Law Firm’s Website.
If Google doesn’t trust your website, it won’t perform well on the search engine. Building EAT (Expertise, Authority, Trustworthiness) is key for small law firms like yours. Big firms have name recognition, but small firms can compete too. They can earn trust by showing Google and potential clients what they know and why they are reliable.
Why Does EAT Matter for Law Firms?
Google’s guidelines stress EAT, especially for Your Money or Your Life (YMYL) topics, like law. Since legal advice can impact lives, Google only wants credible sites providing information about legal issues. You can beat bigger firms if your website displays real-world experience, expert knowledge, and trust signals.
How to Establish Your EAT?
- Showcase Attorney Credentials: Create bio pages for each attorney. Include details like education, practice years, bar certifications, case highlights, and media mentions. Link to professional organizations (e.g., ABA) to reinforce authority.
- Use Author Bylines and Schema Markup: Every article should include an author byline with the attorney’s name and credentials. Use the author schema to help Google understand who wrote the content.
- Add Experience-Rich Content: Share real stories (while keeping confidentiality), explain how you’ve helped clients and detail case outcomes. This shows experience and builds trust.
- Feature Client Testimonials and Case Studies: Add client testimonials and case results to reinforce trust. Use Review schema to boost visibility in search results.
- Secure Your Site and Protect Privacy: Ensure your website is HTTPS-secured and has a clear privacy policy. This helps show trustworthiness.
- Maintain Consistency Across the Web: Your NAP info, branding, tone, and attorney bios should be consistent across your site and social platforms. Consistent messaging builds trust.
The EAT Edge.
Big law firms often rely on their brand name and don’t showcase individual attorney experience. That’s your chance to beat the competition. A small firm can appear more human, relatable, and transparent. This approach resonates with potential clients and is what Google seeks.
8. Partner with an SEO Agency That Specializes in Attorney SEO
Small law firms juggle caseloads, court appearances, and client communication. Adding SEO can lead to burnout or poor results. Partnering with an SEO agency specializing in attorney SEO is essential to outrank bigger players.
Why Does Attorney SEO Specialization Matter?
Not all SEO is the same. Law firm SEO has strict regulations, high competition, and a unique buyer’s journey. An agency specializing in attorney SEO understands:
- Bar advertising rules and compliance.
- How legal clients search and what makes them convert.
- Keyword intent for different practice areas.
- Ranking for YMYL topics under Google’s guidelines.
This expertise is something a general digital agency can’t provide.
How to Choose the Right SEO Agency for Attorneys?
- Vet for Legal Industry Experience: Choose an agency with a track record of helping law firms grow. Ask for case studies and proof of rankings.
- Ask About Local SEO Strategy: A good attorney SEO agency should emphasize local visibility, especially for your Google Business Profile and citation management.
- Ensure Content Is Legally Sound: Legal content must be SEO-optimized and accurate. An experienced agency will have writers who understand legal nuances and compliance.
- Get Full Transparency: The right agency provides transparent reporting and outlines its SEO strategy. You should know exactly how they help your firm outrank competitors.
- Focus on ROI, Not Just Rankings: High rankings mean little without client leads. A specialized agency aligns its efforts with what matters—more phone calls, consultations, and signed clients.
Attorneys Rankwise Helps
Rankwise offers SEO services to attorneys, lawyers, and law firms throughout the US.
Here are some of the most popular locations we serve:
