Print advertising and signage can only do so much. Your law firm may be connecting with some clients but you’re probably still missing out. Your firm’s website is up and running but traffic is scarce. Unfortunately, your website isn’t driving potential clients to your law practice. So, what are you supposed to do when traditional advertising isn’t enough and your website’s falling flat?
Turning to an SEO company for lawyers is a great option. However, before forking over the funds to cover the cost it helps to know a bit about the potential benefits. After all, your firm probably doesn’t want to shell out money on a strategy that doesn’t increase your law firm’s visibility.
What is SEO for Lawyers?
SEO (search engine optimization) has a primary goal. The practice focuses on moving your law firm’s website to the top of the search engine rankings. In a nutshell, SEO when done right can significantly increase traffic to your website. This typically translates to an increase in clients looking to retain your legal services.
Can you skip going through an SEO company? Sure, you can tackle the best SEO practices on your own. However, SEO is complex and time-consuming. Along with generating informative content, you also need to optimize the technical side of your website. This is just the start.
Since SEO tends to be more than most attorneys and their staff can handle, most law firms tend to rely on professionals. Did you know around 96% of potential clients find their attorneys online? This statistic should be enough to convince your law firm it’s time to give SEO a try.
Benefits of Working with an SEO Company
Obviously, working with an SEO service provider means you’re going to have plenty of time to focus on your new clients. You’re probably not going to have time to keep up with your website’s SEO needs. Something to keep in mind is that SEO isn’t a one-time thing. SEO is an ongoing strategy that constantly needs tweaking if you want your site to stay visible.
So, along with saving time and boosting your law firm’s website visibility, here’s a look at some of the other benefits you can get by partnering with an SEO company.
Boost Lead Generation
Leads probably aren’t a large part of your firm’s business but they definitely help attract new clients. You typically get leads from both potential and current clients. Word of mouth, you know when someone tells a friend your law firm’s the best, can help boost your caseload. However, SEO takes it a bit further and turns site visitors into potential leads.
An online visitor may land on your firm’s website, remember SEO boosts it in the search engine rankings. From there, the visitor may send your site’s link to a friend looking for legal guidance. An uptick in website visitors also tends to lead to more queries.
Whether it’s instant messaging via the website, phone calls, or emails, your firm is getting noticed and potential clients are lining up to consult with someone from your law practice.
Improved Potential ROI
Law firms are often thought of as having unlimited funds. If you’ve ever paid an attorney’s bill you can probably understand where the misconception comes from. Even lower average attorney rates tend to run around $178 an hour. Just imagine what you’re paying if your case is considered complex.
With attorney fees never being considered exactly affordable, worrying about seeing a return on an advertising investment may not seem like such a big deal. However, law practices are a business and this means profit margins are always key. Law firms want to see a return on their investment, even if it’s advertising their services online.
While SEO is a long game. This means you’re probably not going to see next-day results. Sometimes it takes anywhere from three to six months before you start noticing an uptick in website traffic and potential clients. Overall, you’re spending less on SEO and seeing long-term results compared to more traditional advertising methods like print and outdoor signage.
See Your Firm’s Credibility Increase
Sure, you have a law degree and you’re a proud member of the bar. Degrees are prominently displayed throughout your law firm but this isn’t enough to indicate the practice is credible. Unfortunately, you can find plenty of news stories about less-than-scrupulous lawyers taking their clients’ money without producing results. This makes potential clients a little leery about partnering with an attorney.
SEO can help your law firm address any credibility issues. No, it’s not going to send up a virtual banner proclaiming your law firm is reputable and honest but it can get the message across. Employing SEO practices can help ensure prospective clients know your law firm is recognized in the area and that it’s reliable. An SEO provider can help you reach your target audience and boost your firm’s reputation with site visitors helping turn them into prospective paying clients.
Keep Up and Surpass Your Competition
You’re probably not the only law firm in the area. You’re competing with other practices for clients and only so many are available. In other words, not everyone in your area needs an attorney or one specializing in your law field.
Since potential clients are limited, you don’t want to lose out on your competition. Yep, SEO can help with this. Your competitors are also probably investing in SEO. Instead of watching their websites move up in the rankings, jump on board! With the right SEO service provider, your law firm can also watch its website move to the top of the search engine result page.
Make It Easier For Clients to Find Your Law Firm
Just because your law firm has a prominent physical location doesn’t mean you’re reaching every potential client. Your law practice needs an online presence and this means investing in SEO. Unless you’re familiar with SEO practices, it’s usually best to invest in a service provider. The benefits your firm can get from an SEO company more than pay for your initial investment.
