If you’re a lawyer interested in or involved in building your law firm’s online presence, you have probably heard something about Panda, Penquin, and/or any of the other recent Google algorithm updates. For most of us, these updates are good news. They promote quality content over quantity, and reward bloggers who have taken the time to write accurate, thoughtful content — on a regular basis (as always, consistency is key).
A few years ago, anyone could throw low-quality, keyword-rich (and ethically dubious) content on his website/blog and see an increase in page rank for weeks! No such luck today. Every major search engine’s focus has moved sharply away from short, overly-optimized content, and has moved toward longer, more comprehensive and in-depth articles.
But at the end of the day, all we really want to know is how to secure that premium placement on page 1 of a Google search. How does Google determine which content is high quality (and should therefore rank highly), and which isn’t? Keep reading for 4 on-page strategies every blogging lawyer should utilize to ensure Google recognizes the value of your content.1. Appropriate Use of Keywords. Don’t believe the hype that keywords are no longer relevant. This is simply untrue. While over-keywording will absolutely work against you (Google sees this as spam), it is necessary to strategically use your keywords in your URL, throughout your content, in your title tag, in your meta description, in your alt image tags (where appropriate), and in your heading tags (H2, H3, H4 tags).2. Write Lengthier Posts. Unless Google already recognizes your blog/website as an authority in your practice area (and if it doesn’t, talk to us about effectively increasing your online presence), you have your work cut out for you (you didn’t think this was easy, did you?!). Staying on top also requires consistent maintenance. While all of your blog posts do not need to be long and detailed, you should absolutely make a point of including 500 word plus content that focuses on your areas of practice and includes keywords (as described in #1, above) on a regular basis.3. Set up Google Authorship. As we have discussed, Google Authorship and Google+ are a must for lawyers looking to increase their Google ranking. Google Authorship tells Google that the content is yours, and if you are a trusted authority in Google’s eyes, your content will benefit. Google wants to provide its users with the best experience, which often translates to providing the most relevant links for a particular query, and Google Authorship assists with this goal. What’s more, Google Authorship and ‘Author Rank’ is only going to increase in importance, so take a few minutes to set up your profile.4. Think Broadly. As we stated above, Google (and this goes for every search engine) wants to provide the ultimate user-experience. Take a moment to think like your prospective client. What keywords and/or phrases are they using to search for the services you provide? Be sure to include those in your posts. Uncovering this data often requires time, energy, and an understanding of your target audience. For guidance on savvy, ethical attorney marketing, contact an experienced legal marketing team.
Remember, securing premium page placement in any search engine takes time and consistency. If a web marketing company tells you they can guarantee first page placement in a certain length of time, be very way. Google has spent a great deal of time and money to ensure that Page 1 cannot be ‘bought’ overnight.For more information on SEO for lawyers, or to discuss content writing for your law firm, contact the experienced attorneys and social media marketers at WebPresence, Esq. today.
