Are you working to attract new clients to your family law practice? A savvy search engine optimization plan is the key to standing out in this competitive industry. You have the expertise, adaptability, compassion and knowledge, but you must rank high in search results to grow your firm. With 1.3 million lawyers in the United States, SEO for family law can strengthen your online presence with content that informs and captivates.

Effective SEO techniques can ensure your family law firm takes center stage and the spotlight finds you in an online search. Crafting compelling content that Google cannot resist can make your website the go-to destination for people seeking legal guidance in family matters.

Do You Need SEO for Family Law?

Many people research law firms online when choosing representation. A well-designed SEO strategy can:

• Increase your visibility
• Attract high-quality leads
• Improve local reach
• Enhance your credibility
• Establish your firm as an authority in the field of family law

By implementing a comprehensive SEO strategy, you can ultimately grow your business.

What Methods Make up a Good Family Law SEO Approach?

Crafting tailored content that addresses common legal concerns within family law, such as divorce, child custody and spousal support, ensures that your website ranks high in relevant search engine results. Incorporating localized keywords and phrases specific to the jurisdiction of your practice helps target the right audience.

For a comprehensive SEO approach, maintain an informative and user-friendly website, optimize meta tags and acquire quality backlinks from reputable legal directories. Stay on top of algorithm changes and continuously refine online content. These actions help your family law practice enhance its digital presence, reach a wider audience and connect with individuals seeking your expertise.

How Do You Create an SEO Plan?

To establish effective SEO for family law, you must employ a combination of strategic methods. At BKA, we create well-thought-out SEO blog content to improve your search rankings, site traffic and business growth. There are several steps to designing a comprehensive SEO strategy.

Site Audit

Optimize your family law firm’s website for SEO by conducting a comprehensive audit.

• Assess your site’s structure, focusing on user experience and easy navigation
• Check for broken links and address them promptly to enhance overall site functionality
• Evaluate the website’s loading speed, as slow load times can negatively impact SEO
• Optimize images and utilize browser caching to improve performance
• Ensure the mobile-friendliness of your site to cater to users on mobile devices
• Leverage local SEO by including location-specific keywords and updating your Google My Business listing

Regularly monitor your site’s analytics to track performance and adjust strategies accordingly.

Keyword Research

A strong SEO plan relies on strategic keyword research. Identify high-value keywords relevant to family law, such as “divorce attorney,” “child custody lawyer” and “family legal advice.” Gauge search volumes and competition for each term to determine which phrases to incorporate

Tailor your content to address potential clients’ common queries. Add keywords and phrases naturally into your website’s pages, blog posts and meta tags.

Leverage location-based keywords to target your local audience. Consistent production of informative and engaging content establishes your expertise and enhances your website’s SEO performance. Our team of writers can create regular content and post it for you. We can review and update your keyword strategy to adapt to evolving trends.

Blog Content

Search engines favor fresh and relevant content. Integrating blogging into your marketing plan is essential for improving your search rankings. Regularly crafting insightful, informative and keyword-rich blog posts can boost your website’s visibility and position you as an authoritative voice in family law. Sharing practical advice through your blog educates your audience and builds trust and credibility.

Blogging optimizes your website for search engine algorithms by incorporating crucial keywords and phrases related to family law. This strategic use of key terms can significantly improve your practice’s online discoverability, attracting potential clients seeking legal guidance. At BKA, we optimize content according to current SEO best practices.

A well-maintained blog is a dynamic platform that provides valuable information to your audience. Our SEO writers and editors ensure you get top-quality content that meets the unique needs of your clients. In the competitive landscape of family law, an active and well-crafted blog becomes integral to engaging, informing and ultimately converting online visitors into clients.

Link Building

Link building is an important ally in SEO for family law. Effective link building amplifies your visibility and establishes your authority in the family law domain.

Acquiring relevant and authoritative backlinks signals the credibility of your family law practice to search engines. Search algorithms analyze the quality and quantity of links pointing to your website to measure its reliability. The more reputable websites link to your family law content, the higher your SEO standing. As you strategically weave a network of authoritative links, you bolster your SEO and position your family law practice as a trusted online resource.

When reputable sites endorse your content through links, search engines regard your content as credible and elevate your website in search rankings. A higher ranking enhances your chances of reaching potential clients seeking family law expertise.

Social Media

Integrate platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn to bolster your SEO efforts. Regularly share insightful content, such as blog posts on legal updates or practical advice.

Professional writers can streamline the creation of engaging social media posts, ensuring that you communicate legal insights effectively. They can craft compelling blog posts that resonate with your audience, covering relevant topics and incorporating targeted keywords to enhance search engine optimization. Content writers can tailor each piece for different platforms, optimizing formatting and length for maximum impact.

Optimize your SEO efforts with social media by:

• Showcasing your expertise to engage potential clients
• Using hashtags relevant to family law to amplify reach and connect with a broader audience
• Participating in discussions, fostering a sense of community and trust
• Encouraging satisfied clients to write positive reviews helps your online reputation
• Sharing success stories and client testimonials to instill confidence in your services

Consistency is key. By intertwining social media prowess with your family law expertise, you strengthen your online presence and establish a reliable avenue for potential clients to find and choose your services.

Existing Content

Assess your current content to identify outdated information and ensure all legal blogs are up to date. Ensure all the links still work and direct readers to valuable pages. Google values new, relevant content, so consistently revisiting and refining your blog posts boosts your search engine rankings.

Add or rewrite blogs to incorporate updated information. Your content must be current, engaging, informative and shareable. This approach attracts more online visitors, encourages backlinks and improves your site’s performance. Regularly refreshing your family law blog showcases expertise, fosters trust and positions your site as a go-to resource.

Why Is Local SEO Important for Family Law Practices?

Many potential clients seeking family legal services search online to find attorneys. Optimizing your website for local search ensures visibility in your community.

When you prioritize local SEO, your family law practice can appear in local search results, making it easier for nearby individuals facing family-related legal issues to find and contact you. This targeted approach improves your online presence and establishes a stronger connection with the local community. By optimizing for local keywords, creating location-specific content and managing your Google My Business profile effectively, you position your family law practice as a go-to resource in your area.

Embracing Local SEO makes it easier for potential clients to discover your firm. It fosters trust and credibility and drives growth for your family law practice.

How Much Should a Family Law Practice Spend on SEO?

The amount your family law practice should spend on SEO depends on factors such as your firm’s size, location and competition.

Generally, allocating 5-10% of the overall marketing budget to SEO is a reasonable starting point. A lower percentage may suffice for a smaller practice or one in a less competitive market. However, larger firms in highly competitive areas may need to invest up to 15% or more of their marketing budget.

A well-executed SEO strategy can significantly impact your online visibility and client acquisition. Investing in quality content, website optimization, and local search efforts can yield substantial returns over time. Continuous monitoring and adjustments to the SEO budget may be necessary based on performance metrics, industry changes, and the evolving digital landscape. Ultimately, a tailored approach that aligns with the specific goals and circumstances of the family law practice is essential.

How Can BKA Help With SEO for Family Law Practices?

With targeted keyword optimization and customized content, BKA helps improve your website ranking. Our writers craft engaging content that shows your expertise and builds trust with current and potential clients.

BKA’s skilled writers know how to craft compelling family law articles, blog posts and website content. We create a virtual pathway for potential clients to discover, understand and choose your family law firm with confidence.

Our SEO for family law services can capture the attention of people needing legal assistance by increasing organic traffic. More site traffic translates into more consultations and cases. Invest in the power of SEO-driven content to make your family law website the go-to destination for those seeking legal guidance for family matters.

You know what they say about good lawyer jokes? There are actually only three; the rest are all true stories. The legal profession in general often suffers from a bad reputation, which can have a harmful effect on online marketing for law firms. Much of that comes from misinformation that people get from media portrayals and news soundbites. When it comes to content marketing for law firms, a better understanding of consumer trends and digital strategy can increase your influence in the marketing world.

Unfortunately, the task of reeling in and retaining those consumers is becoming more difficult. Whether you work for a law firm or any other agency, careful online marketing strategy tips the scale. Updating content marketing strategies and optimizing online channels should be your top priority. Here’s a convincing case for attorney content marketing that is sure to persuade anyone. 

The Case for Online Marketing For Lawyers: Study the Legal Facts

Recent years have seen an over-saturation of the legal market. Study results shared by EconomicModeling.com shows that this trend was first noticed in 2009, when 53,508 law students passed the bar exam, only to find that there were less than half that number (26,754, to be exact) of available jobs. This led to many states having disparaging ratios of law school graduates to available job openings.

What does this mean for law firms and their online marketing strategies? They have to compete even harder to secure new business (and retain their already established clientele). It’s getting harder to be both the salesman and the attorney. However, with quality content marketing for law firms, you can reduce risks and improve your online reach. 

Streamline Online Marketing Strategies for Your Law Firm

You know full well that lawyers have no issue fighting back when elements of a case or individual testimony aren’t going their way. The last thing you want is for your law firm’s content marketing efforts to be met with a resounding objection by potential clients.

How, then, are you to streamline your strategies to best meet their needs? The answers are optimization and connection, and we can help you accomplish both. 

Work To Improve Legal Website Functionality

You can start by recognizing the need to have a well-built website. The time has long passed when having a site was just an added benefit of online marketing for law firms, which rarely could offer potential clients. Today, those firms that do not have an online presence are struggling to stay afloat. Word of mouth is no longer the primary driving force of business. Indeed, according to Blue Corona, Inc., 97% of today’s consumer’s research businesses online.

Yet law firm websites must be more than simply an overview of their legal specialties and an online contact form; they’ve got to engage potential clients by offering a good user experience. That begins from the moment they click in. Blue Corona shares two important arguments to support this notion: First, website abandonment rates increase with every extra second that it takes a site to load.

Think about it. How often do you wait for a page to load? Tools such as PageSpeed Insights by Google track page load times to help you know when website frameworks need to be tweaked to run more efficiently.

Decluttering website pages does a lot to improve speed, which ultimately helps online marketing for law firms. Reduce the sizes of images, update old plugins or even delete them to speed up the website you are optimizing for. Don’t forget to develop websites to become mobile-friendly for users who access through their phones. Websites that look funny on smaller screens are a big put-off. 

Augment Law Firm Aesthetics

The second point is that most users form an opinion of a site (and, by extension, the company it promotes) within .05 seconds. What can one do in .05 seconds? Basically take in the colors, images and theme of a site. It certainly doesn’t allow enough time to read all of the wonderful law firm content you helped create. Thus, a site has to be appealing enough to make users want to stay the moment they enter.

One easy and effective way to improve online marketing for law firms is to incorporate a video into the home page. This serves as your law firm’s virtual “door greeter,” welcoming visitors and directing them where to go. Again, Blue Corona points out that companies that utilize video marketing on their sites enjoy 27% higher click-through rates.

Focus on the Format

Along with videos, the format of your text has a big effect on first-time viewers. A visual hierarchy of online law firm content helps readers understand what is most important. Headers, bullet points and titles create a sense of cleanliness and organization to the website. Try a simple, modern design that looks professional. It’s amazing what first impressions can do to improve bounce rates.

Never Settle for Standard Legal Content

The aesthetics of a site don’t necessarily overrule its content, however. If a site’s visual design is likened to a lead attorney, then its content optimization is its team of paralegals working behind the scenes to ensure that said attorney has everything needed to present a winning case. The success of online marketing for law firms isn’t measured in acquittals or settlements; rather, it’s in seeing your website pages earn high rankings in organic searches.

Argue for SEO Content Marketing for Law Firms

Just how important is online marketing for legal sites? Consider the following individual case study conducted by Blue Corona. Optimizing legal content writing for a law firm yielded the following results:

Imagine being able to generate an increase of over 860% in web traffic in less than two years. This kind of online marketing for law firms can happen simply by focusing on SEO.

What is the Importance of SEO Content?

Search engine optimization is the way your law firm gets recognized online. Based on the content you have, Google will rank your website according to relevance, quality and other factors that users care about. If you want people to find your website when searching for legal information, you have to put in some work. Marketing for attorneys and law firms has a lot to do with creating great content that Google can analyze.

Content is a vital part of online marketing for law firms. Start by understanding what makes content rank. As you add useful information and gain exposure, you begin to establish your law firm as an expert in the legal industry, which helps you gain the trust of readers. Content like this improves your brand image and can help you find potential leads. Over time, like the picture above, you can see incredible results.

Benefits of Pay-Per-Click Advertising

Organic results are not the only type of online marketing for attorneys. Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is a fast way to get on the front page of Google.

PPC advertising places your advertisement in hot spots where users can easily click on your website. You pay for each click, thus explaining the name. If you want fast results, take a little out of your attorney content marketing budget to advertise your services. Although users can tell you’re advertising, it’s a fast way to get clients who are looking for a law firm just like yours. With a combination of organic results and PPC advertising, online marketing for law firms can reach even further.

Leverage Local Associations With Content Marketing for Law Firms

What other types of content marketing optimization yield the best results for legal firms? Most people seeking your services are searching locally. Therefore, an emphasis should be placed on ranking high in local user searches. The best way to do this is by finding out how to land in Google’s Local Pack.

“Association” can be a buzzword in the legal community. A good online marketing company will tell you the same is true in content creation, yet in a good way. Say that a user is conducting a Google search for “divorce attorney in Detroit.” Notice what’s included in the results:

Google offers local listings to users who search for specific location queries. A map is included, along with a link to both the companies’ websites and locations. If your law firm can land in the Pack, users see both your location and link to your websites before even getting to the top-ranked organic search result.

Optimize for Local Searches

How do you land a site in the Pack and further expand online marketing for law firms? One way is to structure keywords and phrases similar to the way the one used in the example search was presented. Insert these into your content as naturally as you can. By appending a geographic location to the keyword, the targeted audience becomes even more well-defined.

Another is to simply check that your Google Account information form is completely filled out. This ensures its placement in the right local service directory. Don’t forget to update your address and phone number on your website and social media accounts.

Promote Law Firm Practice Areas

Equally as important as linking searches with local users is lining up potential clients with the right legal specialties. People looking for specialized legal services are typically going to find them on their own. Individuals needing more general assistance are likely to cast a wider net.

Attorney at Work lists the following practice areas as being included in the most commonly searched online queries:

• Family law
• Personal injury
• Criminal defense
• Estate planning

Within each of these general practice areas are unique specialties (e.g., child custody, DUI, probate). Keep these thoughts at the forefront of your mind when developing keywords and phrases in your online marketing strategy for attorneys.

Utilize Online Marketing Channels for Law Firms

Once visitors arrive at your law firm website, how comfortable are they going to feel that you will be able to help them? Attorneys call on expert witnesses to sway juries, and expert opinion has the same effect on prospective clients. You can answer website visitors’ concerns by positioning your law firm as a leader within a particular field. One surefire way to create such an impression is through legal blogging.

The Benefits of Legal Blogging

In its 2017 Legal Technology Survey Report, the American Bar Association reported that law firms and individual attorneys who maintained blogs reported that as much as 80% of their client conversion was due to blogging, while legal blogging also yielded a greater than 50% success rate at retaining clients.

Why is blogging so effective for law firm content marketing? Consider that most potential clients come to a firm’s website with a very specific legal question. If that firm is able to offer a blog post that addresses that question, the reader instantly assigns an expert-level understanding to its attorneys. Plus, including a call to action in the blog post prompting the reader to explore other pages on the site leads to a greater chance of conversion.

Get Creative With Your Legal Content

Push past the stereotypes of online marketing for law firms by creating engaging content. No matter the topic, you can find unique ways to hook your readers. If users like what they see, they will share it with friends and family, thus expanding your exposure.

However, facing a blank legal blog post can intimidate even the bravest lawyers. Here are a few out-of-the-box methods of attorney content writing:

• Legal FAQs: What questions are your clients asking? Compile a few, or do an extensive post on a specific topic.
• Recent News: Whether it’s nationwide or local legal news, take advantage of hot topics.
• Introduce the Team: Add some personality to your law firm by highlighting coworkers. Help readers see the unique talents and attributes of your team members, giving clients another reason to trust your services.

As you blog, don’t forget to use SEO practices that only enhance online marketing strategy for law firms. Legal blogs bring a lot of traffic and potential leads.

Don’t Overlook Social Media for Law Firms

Social media is another aspect of online marketing for attorneys that most legal professionals are underutilizing. In its 2017 Report, the American Bar Association reported the following social media usage rates amongst its membership:

• LinkedIn: 53%
• Facebook: 40%
• Twitter: 19%

This relatively low leveraging of social media as a marketing tool by attorneys underscores a more serious point: Many people simply are not sold on social media’s effectiveness. Indeed, Attorney at Work’s research returned results revealing that only 7% of respondents believed that their increased workflow was due to social media.

However, attitudes in this area seem to be changing slowly, as the same study showed that 42% claimed that their social media marketing for lawyers was “somewhat” responsible for bringing in new clients. Interestingly, Facebook was reported as yielding better client conversion results (31%) than LinkedIn (27%), despite LinkedIn being more widely utilized by attorneys.

Your job is to hasten your legal firm’s collective awakening to the benefits of social media in your attorney content marketing plan. Consider the extensive reach that social media offers (as shared by the Personal Injury Lawyers Marketing & Management Association):

Your law firm simply can’t afford to ignore that online marketing for law firms feeds from social media. Creating a strong social presence develops brand awareness, and encourages a wider social circle. What you share and who you associate with goes a long way on social media.

As you begin to develop that awareness, you can effortlessly engage target audiences by providing relevant legal content and interacting with them on your social media accounts. Additionally, another benefit of connecting with clients through social media is through access to their own individual social networks. Such a presence essentially serves as digital word-of-mouth marketing.

Building Social Connections as a Part of Your Attorney Content Marketing Plan

Now you have an online marketing strategy for your law firm, but where do you begin? Here are four steps to get you started:

1. Choose a Social Media Platform: Does your law firm specialty target a specific audience? Consider how you can best reach potential clients.
2. Define Your Social Media Strategy: Make a few goals before starting. How will you connect and engage users and enforce your law firm content marketing plan?
3. Include Visuals and Engaging Social Content: Find media that will catch the eye of your followers. Every social media post can promote your services and content.

With consistent posts and a solid online marketing plan for your law firm, you can see an impressive increase in interaction with users. Every connection you have online can be another point in your marketing case.

 

Case Closed for Online Marketing For Law Firms

While the legal world is viewed by many as being cutthroat, the online marketing industry can be even more so. Just as clients need their attorneys to be bulldogs in the courtroom, you need to be just as aggressive in developing and optimizing law firm content marketing strategies.

Online marketing for law firms is necessary but remember that you’re not alone in this endeavor. At BKA Content, we offer services to help boost your online presence. This concludes our closing argument in the case for optimizing online legal marketing. What’s your verdict?

The difference between personal injury attorneys who do well and those who don’t is the number of cases they work. Utilizing your firm’s website to generate personal injury leads is a tactic that is often underutilized but can make a huge difference when done properly.

Here are some tips and ideas on how to generate more personal injury leads for your practice.

1. Use Your Blog To Generate Personal Injury Leads

The chances are good that your practice has a website, but does your website have an active blog or article section? Most attorneys struggle to find the time or the workforce to keep the blog section of their site active. However, if you don’t write blog content consistently, you’ll miss out on serious traffic and leads.

The Numbers:

• Businesses that blog consistently each month see 55% more monthly traffic
• Businesses that blog consistently get 67% more leads
• Businesses that blog consistently see 30% more revenue

These numbers cannot be ignored, because blogging consistently is one of the best ways to increase traffic to your site, thus increasing the chances of that traffic converting into leads and clients.

Why does blogging help to generate personal injury leads?

Blogging works so well because you can target a new subset of keywords with each blog post you write. Once the post is published, Google will crawl it and start ranking your content for certain keywords over time.

Once your content starts to rank on Google, your website will start to get more traffic. More traffic increases your chances of getting more leads and clients.

Blogging consistently increases traffic, and blogs have a unique compounding effect when it comes to leads as more time goes by.

HubSpot did a recent study that showed that over 50% of their website traffic came from older blog posts. Not only that, but they found that most of their leads came from older blog posts as well.

This shows that by blogging consistently each month, you can achieve a compounding effect when generating personal injury leads every month.

2. Use Lead Generation Forms

Once you’ve started blogging consistently, traffic should start to increase.

Now that you have more visitors to your website, it is important to make sure that you have some personal injury lead generation forms on your website.

Where should you put personal injury lead generation forms?

The first place you should make sure has a lead generation form is your home page. This is because most website visitors hit the home page first, before any other page.

Next, use Google Analytics to quickly see what your top 10 pages are for monthly traffic. These pages may include blog posts, services, or other pages – that’s OK!

Always put a personal injury lead generation form on your top 10 pages that garner the most monthly traffic.

Doing this will help to increase your chances of seeing an increased number of submitted forms each month.

3. Respond in a Timely Fashion To Convert Personal Injury Leads

Once you’ve got the lead, respond to them as quickly as possible.

According to an L.R.M. study, you are 21 times more likely to convert a lead if you can follow up with them within 30 minutes of them submitting their form.

To accomplish this, you could set up your lead gen forms to notify someone within your office whenever a lead comes in. This person’s job could be to call the lead immediately after a lead comes in. Doing this will help to increase your conversion rate when it comes to turning leads into working cases.

If you don’t have the staff resources to make immediate contact, you can create an autoresponder using automation tools such as Mailchimp to send leads an email instantly after they submit the form.

4. Build Trust To Nurture Your Personal Injury Leads

People want to feel like their personal information is valued. One of the best ways to accomplish this when generating personal injury leads is to set up your lead gen form to send leads to a thank you page once they’ve submitted their information.

Sending leads to a thank you page not only helps them feel safe about where their information was sent but also confirms that you received their information.

Another good practice to follow when it comes to lead gen form submission is to send leads a confirmation email. This confirmation email can be automated, and most lead form platforms have this function built in. However, if your lead gen platform does not have this built-in function, using a platform such as Zapier or Mailchimp should make it easy to accomplish.

The point is that personal information is sacred to the user giving it to you, so by acknowledging that you got their information and thanking them for it, you can build trust and help to increase your chances of conversion.

5. Ask for Reviews From Past Personal Injury Clients

Nothing beats the power of word-of-mouth referrals. The internet has made this incredibly easy with the ability to leave an online review via Google or other platforms.

When you work with a client, asking them to leave you a review is extremely important. The more positive reviews your practice has, the more social proof there is to help convince potential new clients to hire you.

You can also use those reviews on your website to show people that your services have worked for others and will work for them, too.

Social proof is an incredibly powerful motivator to fill out and submit a personal injury lead gen form.

Generate Personal Injury Leads Today

The best way to increase the number of submitted lead gen forms is by first focusing on getting more traffic to your website. Writing and posting blog content consistently is one of the best ways to do this. If you need help with your blogging efforts, BKA Content can help! Check out our blog writing services.

Once you have more traffic, implementing these tips and ideas can help you to further increase your conversion rate when generating personal injury leads.

According to the National Law Review, 38% of individuals who need legal services begin their search for an attorney online. Less than one-third of survey respondents would seek referrals from friends and family, and just 4% would rely on the yellow pages.  A whopping 96% of individuals who need legal advice turn to search engines. What these stats tell us is that the internet is the most popular way individuals search for an attorney. Publishing content regularly is the easiest and most affordable way for lawyers to get found, which is why if you don’t already have a legal content writer on your team, it may be time to hire one.

 

What Is a Legal Content Writer?

A legal content writer does what any professional content writer does — creates informative, relevant and keyword-focused content for websites and other online spaces. Though online content can take many forms, content writers typically specialize in the creation of written content, such as web pages, blog articles, press releases, video scripts, whitepapers and social media content.

Some copywriters are versatile and can create authoritative content for multiple industries. Others, however, specialize in one or two niches, such as law. Neither type of writer is better than the other. What matters is that the legal writer you choose has an intimate understanding of your target audience and its needs and that he or she can produce quality, well-researched and original content that provides readers with the value they seek.

 

Why Your Law Firm Needs a Legal Content Writer

It is true that far fewer people begin the search for a lawyer online compared to users who have other purchase intents. For instance, 63% of all shopping occasions begin online, which is nearly double that of searches for lawyers. However, that does not mean you should forego content marketing in favor of traditional marketing. Remember, less than 30% of people in need of legal help turn to friends, family and acquaintances for referrals, while nearly 40% turn to Google. This is reason enough to make sure you rank for relevant search queries.

 

The Reality of Legal Content Marketing

If you need more incentive to hire a legal content writer, consider these top three benefits of content marketing:

• Content helps users find you. The best copywriters write to both the search engines and the end-user. While the latter is by far the most important target, your content needs to appeal to the search bots as well. A strong writer naturally incorporates relevant search terms and phrases into the body, meta descriptions, alt texts and other locations to increase the likelihood that your content will get found.
• Strong content encourages engagement. Though only a little more than one-third of individuals begin their search for a lawyer online, nearly three-quarters go on to contact the offices they review. Of those individuals, 87% end up hiring the attorneys they call. Content incites engagement between your office and potential clients, as it starts a conversation, prompts questions and encourages comments. It also helps to build trust and showcase your expertise. Each of these factors gives visitors incentive to contact you, and, as research indicates, contact almost always ends in retention.
• Quality content builds authority. The best legal content informs readers and addresses any questions or concerns they may have regarding a given topic. If you’re able to better address common concerns, more users will trust your site and view it as an authority. Authority helps do two things: Generate leads and increase search engine rankings.

For content to do all it’s supposed to do, you need to hire a writer who possesses the traits necessary to move your business forward. Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done.

 

Content Marketing Challenges Unique to Law Firms

Whether you make the executive decision to hire a legal content writer only after thoroughly researching the pros and cons of doing so or you wake up one morning and decide that today is the day you will invest in content marketing, the biggest mistake you can make is to do any of the following:

1. Hire the first copywriter or agency that pops up in Google search
2. Employ the cheapest writer you can find on a freelance job platform
3. Recruit your sister’s friend’s niece who is between jobs and did fairly well in English class
4. Delegate content writing to a member of your team

The legal writer you hire should not only possess strong writing skills and ample online experience, but he or she should also have a strong legal background. A “strong legal background” does not necessarily mean the writer has a law degree or is a former legal professional. Rather, it means he or she has experience creating legal content and is familiar with the rules (read: challenges) associated with this particular niche

 

Additional Challenges in the Legal Writing Sphere

Lawyers are subject to stricter rules and higher standards than most other professionals, something their content should reflect. Common challenges law firms must avoid or overcome with their content are as follows:

• Plagiarism Issues: Every business is subject to the consequences of posting plagiarized content on their websites and other public domains. As a lawyer, however, plagiarism can be particularly devastating. You represent integrity and good moral behavior, and plagiarism claims can tarnish your image and even lead to legal issues.
• Copyright Infringement: Like plagiarism, copyright infringement claims can hurt your reputation. Not only that, but they may also lead to fines and lawsuits.
• Unexciting Subject Matter: Legal articles can quickly become wordy, tedious and flat-out boring. If your content continually fails to impress readers, the search engines will start to ignore your site, which can lead to a significant dip in rankings.
• Touchy Subject Matter: Legal articles must be informative, helpful and encouraging without giving legal advice or making any guarantees. Moreover, the articles must convey to readers that you are on their side without compromising your legal ethics.
• Bar Rules: The American Bar Association has strict rules regarding what lawyers can and cannot say in their communications. Among other things, the Model Rules for Professional Conduct states that lawyers “must avoid statements that may create an unjustified expectation about the results [they] can achieve;” must take care to avoid comparing their services to others; should exercise caution before using terms like “specialist,” “expert” or “certified;” and cannot indicate that they “specialize” in any one area of the law. Lawyers should also use disclaimers on their websites if they contain any advertising content and support any facts, figures, findings or statements with links to reputable resources.

The best legal content writers are familiar with these challenges and have established processes designed to help clients overcome them.

 

What To Look For in a Legal Content Writer

In addition to helping your law firm overcome the aforementioned challenges, a skilled legal writer can also help promote your firm, generate leads and further your content marketing goals. On the other hand, the wrong writer won’t just waste your time and resources — he or she can also damage your hard-earned reputation. To avoid hiring the latter type of writer, look for a professional with a few key traits.

 

An Intimate Understanding of Your Niche

Because of the nature of your industry, you need a writer who can discuss legal matters with an air of authority but in a way the everyday consumer will understand. This requires knowledge of the law, familiarity with writing best practices and an intimate understanding of both your target demographic and audience pain points.

 

Strong Research Skills

As an attorney, it’s crucial that you post credible content. Credible content is well researched and backed by trustworthy and authoritative resources. The best legal content writers know where to find reliable information and how to vet the reputable from the discreditable resources.

 

A Solid Grasp of Spelling, Grammar and Writing Best Practices

Often, lawyers hold the fate of their client’s futures in their hands. Given this fact, many individuals will be hard-pressed to hire an attorney whose site contains multiple spelling, grammar and factual errors. In most cases, your content serves as the first impression potential clients have of you. To make it a good one, seek out writers whose feathers get ruffled at the misuse of “their” versus “there,” and who are willing to risk their Facebook friendships by calling out other grammatical faux pas.

That said, even the best writers make mistakes. A professional editor with an eye for detail can review the finished product for spelling, grammar and punctuation mistakes, look out for overused words and redundancy, and do away with fluff.

 

A Confident Writing Voice

Before prospects hire you, they’re going to want to have peace of mind that you can competently represent them. Always operate on the assumption that they will make a decision regarding your capabilities based on your website content alone. To ensure your content conveys confidence and capability, hire a legal content writer who is witty, engaging, smart, perceptive and persuasive. In short, look for a writer whose work you enjoy reading.

 

Solid Work Ethic and Commitment to Excellence

Ideally, you will work with the same writer or group of writers in the long-term, as this is the best way to establish a strong brand voice. To enjoy a successful partnership with your writer, look for one who possesses a work ethic you respect. Though what constitutes a respectable work ethic varies from lawyer to lawyer, top factors to consider are as follows:

• Timeliness: Can the writer or agency meet your turnaround times, no matter how strict or lenient they may be?
• Plagiarism: What is the writer’s/agency’s stance on plagiarism? Does the writer or firm have a history of “borrowing” or “spinning” content?
• Organization: Can the writer or agency keep up with the workload you assign?
• Communication: Does the writer feel comfortable reaching out to you with any questions, concerns or requests he or she may have?
• Adaptability: Your needs, style preferences or processes may evolve. Is the writer prepared and able to adapt when necessary?

Identify what traits matter most to you, make a list and use it to guide your search and hiring processes.

 

Where To Find a Legal Content Writer

So, now that we’ve established what a legal content writer is, why your law firm needs one and what to look for in a content marketing partner, the big question remains: Where can you find the best legal copywriters? There are dozens of platforms on which you can find and hire freelance writers, each of which comes with its fair share of pros and cons. Though we could probably create a whole eBook detailing each platform in-depth, we’ve listed the most popular ones below, along with the highlights/lowlights of each:

 

Upwork

Pros: It comes with the ability to set your own budget, and you gain access to thousands of freelancers in one convenient location.

Cons: Scams and low-quality work are not uncommon, and you may have to go through dozens of trials before you find The One.

 

LinkedIn

Pros: Members are typically serious professionals who want to establish a name for themselves.

Cons: Not many people are aware that LinkedIn is also a job board.

 

Indeed

Pros: It boasts an aggregated database that streamlines the job search process.

Cons: You may have to pay to get your ad in front of qualified candidates.

 

Craigslist

Pros: It remains a surprisingly great way to source top, local talent.

Cons: It’s rarely regulated and therefore full of scams. Also, many potential candidates end up being unreliable.

 

ProBlogger

Pros: This platform is a job board/training site and, therefore, is one of the most respected, online destinations for finding quality writers.

Cons: It’s a bit pricy for a job board, and not many writers know it exists.

While these sites — and dozens of others — are great sources for finding professional copywriters, they often cause more work than they’re worth. Whether you post a job ad to Indeed, LinkedIn, ProBlogger or all three, you alone are responsible for combing through the applications, judging the samples, scanning for plagiarism and communicating with candidates. The vetting and hiring processes can become full-time jobs in and of themselves, and there’s no guarantee that it will pay off. The good news is that there is a better way.

 

Working With BKA

At the risk of sounding biased, we’re going to recommend our own writing agency, BKA Content, as your go-to source for superior content from some of the top legal writers in the industry. Our editorial team puts each candidate through a rigorous application process that includes a spelling and grammar test, writing samples and an arduous training period. Only once a writer passes training does he or she have access to entry-level articles. From there, writers that prove their merit gain access to other projects with more demanding style guide requirements, such as the legal articles. If you so desire, each article you purchase will go through proofreading and then editing before making its way to your inbox.

 

Additional Benefits of Our Services

There are several advantages of using our Self-Service or Managed Services options:

1. You can leave the vetting and hiring processes to us. Have peace of mind that we will identify a legal content writer who can best meet your content needs while you focus on other, more important business matters.
2. We already have established guidelines. There is no need to play around with tone, style and other preferences unless, of course, you want to.
3. Our legal writers are adept at creating content that speaks to the desired audience and the search engines. They understand SEO and how to incorporate keywords naturally and in such a way that they deliver the visibility you desire.
4. Our writing team is flexible. Whether you have a time-sensitive project, need to increase the number of articles you order or even scale back on your orders, you can rest assured that you will get the writing services you need when you need them.

 

Want To Know More?

We get it — content marketing is a big investment and one that carries the possibility of massive returns. To enjoy those returns, you need to hire the right legal content writer for your needs, budget and preferences. Though we’re confident in our writers’ abilities to exceed your expectations, you cannot know for sure if we’re the agency for you until you learn more about us and vice versa. Contact us today to speak with a member of our team.

Thanks to certain global events of 2020, I have realized more than ever how lucky I am to have a job in an industry that easily allows for remote work. If there is even one thing that businesses might take away from these events, it is that online content writing is vital for continuing business even in the midst of a pandemic. But creating online content can be quite the undertaking, especially if your area of business deals more with in-person contact. For law firms, how can you find time to figure out what kind of content to write and to promote when you are also in the middle of handling cases and claims that take up all your spare time? While some attorneys take on the SEO writing themselves, others utilize legal writers for hire to create quality content to attract more potential clients.

 

Content Writing Tips for Law Firms

When enlisting a team of legal SEO writers to create and publish legal content, an understanding of the industry and how to appeal to the right audience is essential. Law firms have their own set of ethics, rules and regulations they need to adhere to, especially on their websites. With this in mind, consider implementing these SEO writing tips for law firms into your marketing strategy.

 

1. Know Your Target Audience

Getting the angle right for online legal content is vital as it is the first thing that will either draw in or drive away readers and potential clients. A firm that handles criminal defense has a different target audience than a firm that handles plaintiff personal injury claims. If your firm uses SEO writers for hire, they must keep the correct audience in mind in order to create an effective piece.

The best legal content writers for hire avoid wording that comes across as victim-blaming, as well as phrasing that assumes the target client is guilty. Instead, the legal content should reaffirm that the law firm is there to help and is understanding of the situations the clients may find themselves in. Even lawyers who want their clientele to know they will take a tough stance and fight the case in court can appeal to emotion by letting the reader know they are committed to their clients.

 

2. Write to Practice Area Topics

Figuring out what to write for a law firm is often as simple as looking at the practice area. If the goal of content writing for law firms is to have a client think of a particular lawyer or attorney for a specific legal service, then that is the practice area to write about. This varies by every firm and law office, but the end goal is the same: Keep the target audience and clients in mind.

While keywords were an essential SEO writing component in the past, search engines like Google now evaluate the quality of the search results based on search queries. By writing for a practice area topic instead of a keyword, you will organically develop keywords that aid in ranking your page. In addition, law firms that focused on a single practice area tended to rank better in search results over trying to promote all of their practice areas equally.

How will your law blog writers know what to write about? Research what the target clientele is looking for online and answer their questions in your content. Consider frequently asked questions, recent (and, if possible, local) news and other need-to-know topics for the practice area that potential clients would want to know.

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3. Ensure Statements Are Factually Accurate

Many legal professionals handle the writing of their legal website content on their own, but for attorneys using professional content writers, it is vital to ensure those writers are making factually accurate statements. A blog topic about a desired practice area, such as personal injury, might reference local laws for making a claim, for example.

The best legal content writers always ensure that whatever law is mentioned is up to date and accurately explained. It is also a good idea to link to a current source where that information can quickly be verified. Publishing out-of-date or false information could not only cause trouble for the lawyer but also lead to the page diving in search engine rankings.

The sources you use are an important component in presenting factually accurate information to the reader. Check the publication date of any sources you plan to cite or use. Reference the most recent information, and to be safe, avoid using sources that are more than a few years old.

 

4. Avoid Unethical Language

Lawyers and attorneys have a strict code of ethics they must adhere to, especially when it comes to marketing. Unethical language for law firms includes anything that may misrepresent the attorney or mislead potential clients. Different states may even have stringent regulations on the wording that legal professionals can use, so the unethical language may differ depending on where the lawyer is located.

When engaging in SEO content writing for law firms, make sure the wording does not sound like a promise or a guarantee. It is also a good idea to avoid such words as “best,” “specialist” and “expert” when talking about the attorney and offered services. Before publishing, read over the content as though you are the target audience and take out any language that may come across as insensitive or that might drive away clients.

Although you want to avoid touting an attorney as “the best,” you can still mention awards, memberships, and other accolades and successes the law office or firm has earned. While this can be tougher to include in blog content, it tends to fit in well on About Us pages or other site landing pages.

 

5. Incorporate the Target Geography Naturally

Although the topic may be more important than the keyword in terms of establishing authority and ranking in search engines, one easy way to both target an audience and generate a long-tail keyword is to incorporate the geographic location of the legal professional into the content. It can be as simple as “practice area + geography.”

Incorporating the geography aids in narrowing the target audience as well. Though some law firms have offices nationwide, a vast majority are smaller or solo practices that operate in a single location. To set your firm or office apart, have your SEO writers for hire include your target geography or service area in your content where it fits. Avoid forcing the geography into the text, though – awkward phrasing may drive away readers.

 

6. Be the Authority

Whatever your content is saying, say it with confidence. The more knowledgeable content writing for law firms comes across on its topic, the more authoritative it will sound. SEO content that backs itself up with authority is likely to rank higher in searches.

How can you establish authority if your website is new? The first step is to create more legal SEO content! It also helps to have other sites link to yours, but make sure the sites themselves are not questionable as that could come back to bite you. Basically, make your site as information-rich as possible for your client base.

 

7. Mind Social Media

There is no doubt that social media outreach is essential for any modern business, even law firms. However, according to the American Bar Association’s 2019 Legal Technology Survey Report, the use of social media to raise awareness and educate readers dropped to 42% for solo practices and firms with 10-49 lawyers. The majority of firms and practices cited LinkedIn as their platform of choice, and many others reported using other social media for personal or social reasons.

Reaching out across different social media platforms is a vital component to reaching target clientele. Social media is also the perfect place to promote new legal content, such as your most recently published law blog, and to make it shareable. You can also employ visual marketing through images and videos more easily through these platforms.

One social media tip for law firms is to employ the help of a legal SEO writer to manage the the accounts for you. This ensures that you stay focused on what makes your firm great while also making sure new law content is published regularly.

However, don’t forget the different community and business standards for promoting on different platforms. For example, if you are an attorney who handles criminal law in any form, some social media platforms could flag any content that contains references to violence and weapons. Use social media to your advantage, but make sure you follow platform guidelines so your legal SEO content remains visible and shareable.

 

8. Create Reputable Backlinks

Backlinks are links in various locations around the internet that lead back to the intended website. For legal professionals, creating backlinks is an important part of reaching more potential clients and building authority. In general, the more backlinks your site has, the more authoritative it may appear to search engines. However, it is important to also consider the quality of the backlink and where it is located.

Just as using unethical language and inaccurate sources can harm content, a backlink located on a questionable site may harm a legal page’s potential search engine rankings. One effective way to create stronger backlinks is to write guest posts for other authoritative sites in a lawyer’s practice area or industry. Not only does a well-placed, quality legal blog establish you as a knowledgeable professional, but it also allows you to reach a wider audience. While you definitely want to increase the number of backlinks to your site, make quality linking the priority.

 

9. Post and Promote New SEO Content Regularly With Legal Writers for Hire

Did you know that a law firm can increase its website traffic by 15 times simply by publishing new content regularly? Creating a site is a start, but if you are not updating its content with new blogs, you are missing out on potential clients. This can be as simple as finding legal writers for hire and publishing a single new law blog each month.

Creating and promoting new content each month shows site visitors that you are active and aware of the situations potential clients may find themselves in. This is also a great way to once again establish your authority as a professional in your practice area by writing about new or changing laws that would directly affect clients.

If creating, publishing and promoting fresh monthly content does not fit into your schedule, many law firms rely on law blog writers for hire or content management services to handle marketing for them. While each law firm should be aware of the online content that is associated with its name, you can still have an efficient SEO marketing strategy without having to shoulder all the work yourself.

 

10. Review Analytics To Determine the Effectiveness of Your Legal Content

What good is creating fantastic law content if you do not know how well it is working? Whatever program you decide to use to monitor activity, make sure you have access to analytics that let you know which content on your website is giving you the best results. It may surprise some firms to learn that certain practice areas they thought were their bread and butter do not bring in as many clients online as others. Analyzing the performance of content writing for law firms allows you to adapt your strategy over time.

A content approach that works one year may not work as well the next. To stay relevant, your SEO strategy needs to be adaptable.

 

Content Writing for Law Firms: Time To Start

Effective, efficient legal SEO writing is more important than ever, even for attorneys that tend to handle the bulk of their work face-to-face. Remember: You do not have to create all of your website content yourself. Legal writers for hire and content management options are available to make your online marketing strategy a success while you focus on your clients. Which of these content writing for law firm tips has worked for your business? What else do law firms need to know about creating web content? Have you ever used a legal SEO writer before? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.

Prospective clients searching for a lawyer want to know that the professional they ultimately hire has the legal chops to help them achieve the best possible outcome. Effective content marketing provides a unique opportunity to position yourself as that experienced, knowledgeable attorney.

When it comes to legal content writing, consistent messaging is one of the most important factors in building trust with your readers. Provide valuable, actionable information that answers the questions they have about your specialty area.

Many busy attorneys make the smart choice to hire a professional firm to create relevant, high-quality content that supports their marketing goals. Whether you decide to outsource content development or plan to go it alone, keep these best practices in mind to attract and engage readers and to increase client conversion.

 

The Value of Legal Content Marketing

Content marketing can maximize the ROI of your firm’s marketing budget. Consider this data reported by the Content Marketing Institute:

• Every dollar spent on content marketing generates three times the leads than a dollar spent on paid search ads.
• Content marketing costs 62% less than traditional outbound marketing and generates three times as many leads.
• Small businesses that have a blog report 126% more leads than comparable firms without a blog.
• Content marketing produces a conversion rate six times the conversion rate of traditional marketing methods.

Even when firms invest in writing services from professional content marketing companies, they still tend to save money and produce much better results than with traditional methods of marketing and advertising.

 

Start With Primary Content Pages

Evergreen primary content pages create the backbone of your legal website. Each should focus on a practice area or business development goal and highlight popular keywords relevant to that topic. For example, an attorney who focuses on family law may want to develop primary content pages for divorce, child custody, child support, adoption, guardianship, paternity and other key services he or she offers.

The more comprehensive, rich content you can provide on these pages, the better position you are in to achieve a high ranking on Google and other search engines. In fact, Search Engine Journal notes that Google’s three most important factors when judging page quality for ranking purposes include “expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness.”

 

Develop a Content Calendar

If you want to attract and keep readers, publishing high-quality content is the most important step. Secondly, your readers should be able to count on a regular posting schedule with consistent updates. If you add a new blog post every Friday, over time site visitors will begin to count on that content.

Blogs with rare posts usually suffer attrition, which means that readers visit once or twice and never return. Search engines also boost the ranking of sites that frequently post new content. The older the information on your site, the less likely that you’ll appear on the first page of local search results.

 

Repurpose Valuable Content

In content marketing, a blog post isn’t just a blog post. In fact, none of your content should be stagnant. The more ways you can use an article, the greater its reach and the better your return on investment. Be sure to adjust the messaging so it’s appropriate for each platform by paying attention to word and character counts, attractive headlines and eye-catching images.

For example, a family law practice could create a series of blog posts answering common client questions about child custody, spousal support, property division and other hot topics. Each post should be distilled into a brief snippet that can be used to attract readers on social media. Then, you could pull interesting statistics from each post to create an infographic. Once you complete the Q&A blog series, pull the posts together and offer them as a longer whitepaper or e-book download.

 

Cater to Your Audience

The type of writing you need for the web is quite different from the writing you probably do as an attorney, where the use of precise legal language is necessary. When online, jargon and complex legal concepts don’t translate well to a general audience.

Instead, write in the voice you would use with a new client when explaining the legal concepts that apply to their situation. Strive to be clear, concise and understandable. Focus on showing your readers how you can solve their specific problems.

 

Utilize Social Media

The phrase “if you build it, they will come” doesn’t apply to websites. Connecting with your clients and potential clients on social media drives traffic to your site, where visitors are hopefully converted to hire you for their legal needs.

Sharing your blog posts on social media is a great start, but your strategy shouldn’t end there. You can highlight client reviews and testimonials, certifications and industry accolades, community service efforts and reader questions.

 

Keep Readers Engaged

When determining how to rank your site, search engines also look at the bounce rate. This number refers to site visitors who immediately click away from a page without spending time reading or interacting.

Interactive features and detailed content encourage readers to stay on your page. Consider videos, infographics and long-form media to boost your relevance and value to visitors. You can write a downloadable guide centered around your practice area and use this strategy to gather visitor email addresses.

 

Share Relevant News

Set up a Google alert related to your practice area. Weighing in on current events and legal news that affects your readers helps establish you as a thought leader. This is also a free source of ideas for your blog posts, no brainstorming required.

Focus on education, not promotion, when covering topics as part of your content marketing strategy. According to statistics cited by Forbes in 2019, 90% of people who find content marketing success prioritize audience education in their content.

At BKA Content, we specialize in effective content marketing strategies for busy professionals who believe in the power of leveraging online content but don’t have time to actually write. For legal content marketing to succeed, it must convey a consistent message that highlights trustworthy knowledge in your practice area. Our content shop is ready to help with your writing needs both large and small, boasting a team of professional writers trained in SEO best practices. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your firm shine online.