Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a proven and viable strategy to help potential clients discover your law firm online. Fighting your way to the top of the Google Search rankings is no easy task with the sheer amount of content online — from competitor websites and blogs to Reddit posts and legal review sites — so how do you compete?
That is where Civille can help. This Family Law Attorney SEO Guide will provide you with foundational knowledge on how you can improve your law firm’s Google Search rankings and reach more potential clients on the World Wide Web.
Contact Civille today for more information on our custom law firm websites and SEO content packages!
READ MORE: SEO Basics for Attorneys
What Makes Family Law SEO Different?
All SEO content is not the same.
Family law firms that want to upgrade their SEO will find that it requires a slightly different focus than other legal spaces. Family law attorneys find themselves in intense and emotional family situations that need to be handled with a degree of tact and compassion — not just hard legal facts. This is an important aspect that family law attorneys need to understand.
When it comes to the Search Engine Optimization element of family law, a key difference is the importance and influence of local, geographic content. When families search for a divorce or child custody attorney, they want to find someone who is close and in their area, that they can speak with in person, and build trust with. A law firm’s content needs to include where your law firm is located, so when families in need search for Family Law Attorney in City, State your law firm’s content shows up higher in the rankings.
READ MORE: Does Your Law Firm Website Need an Upgrade?
Build a Quality Website with Quality SEO
Your law firm’s website is likely the first time a potential client will see, hear, or learn about your law firm in this modern age and it is important to create a good first impression — but that means more than just a creative and beautiful website design.
A high-quality website will employ elements of Search Engine Optimization across the board with content that uses relevant keywords that can help Google and website visitors understand what services you can provide. Find the keywords that your potential clients will use when they search for a family law attorney. You need to go deeper than Family Law Attorney in City, State and cover the most common search terms and keyword phrases that apply to your law firm, like child custody attorney near me or divorce lawyers near me. A little SEO and keyword research can help you find multiple ways to reach potential clients in Google Search rankings.
In addition to an attractive design and high-quality content, your law firm’s website needs to be able to perform and have useful tools for website visitors and potential clients. Site speed is a critical ranking factor for Google and a slow, lethargic website that does not perform well on mobile platforms — like Civille websites are designed to do — can have a negative impact on how well your law firm ranks in search results and if online visitors stay on your website.
It is also important to have content and tools that can keep potential clients informed and connected, like content that highlights the types of family law cases you specialize in, attorney About Us pages to put faces with the names, clear contact options for your law firm, 24/7 chat options when necessary, and a secure HTTPS website that protects client information.
Employ Smart SEO Strategies
If you have done your keyword research, you know what kind of keywords to use on your website and for your SEO content — but it is important to use those keywords in a smart way that makes sense to the people who visit your website and Google Search bots. Avoid keyword stuffing on your website, it will only hurt you.
Effective page titles and meta descriptions will illustrate what your on-page content is about for Google and website visitors. Your SEO content needs to incorporate clear, concise, and creative titles that will prompt website visitors to click on your content rather than your competitors and subheadlines built into your content will help break up the page and provide additional, easy-to-find information and context. H1 headlines should be used as the main page title to reflect what the content is about and subsequent H2, H3, and H4 headlines can provide additional detail.
SEO is about more than just headlines, titles, and meta descriptions. The content needs to be creative and client-focused to provide answers to their family law questions and stay true to the keywords you built the content around. Your content needs to demonstrate that you and your law firm are experts in your field to instill confidence in potential clients. Make sure to use easy-to-understand language for potential clients. They are already faced with a stressful, emotional situation and complex legal language will only make the situation more stressful. It is also important to organically incorporate variations of your keywords into the content where it makes sense and link your SEO content to other relevant content on your website.
Focus on Local SEO and Your Google Business Profile (GBP)
Local SEO content and keywords are critical to the success of family law attorneys. Potential clients want to find an attorney they can trust in their geographical area and that is how they will search it on Google. Your goal should be the top result in Google Search when someone searches for family law attorney near me — and your Google Business Profile (GBP) plays an important role in local SEO.
Why Is Your Google Business Profile Important?
Your Google Business Profile is a critical tool in local searches and is the first interaction that potential clients will have with your law firm online. Here are a few things you need to pay attention to when you setup your Google Business Profile:
- Business Name, Address, and Phone Number: When you create your GBP and your law firm’s website, it is important to have a consistent and accurate name, address, and phone number across all platforms — website, GBP, and directories.
- Categories and Services: When you create your GBP, it is important that the categories and services you set for your law firm are clear and specific. Highlight keywords like family law attorney or divorce attorney rather than generic keywords like lawyer and highlight the types of cases you handle.
- Description and Photos: Write a description that tells potential clients who you are and what you do as a law firm. Use photos of your office and legal team to build trust and recognition with potential clients.
- Posts and Q&A: The Google Posts feature on your business profile allows you to share news and links to new content as it is relevant and the Q&A section allows you to proactively answer any FAQs that visitors may have.
READ MORE: Top 10 Tips and Tricks for Google Business Profile Optimization
Partner with Civille for Your Family Law Firm Website and SEO
We hope that this Family Law Attorney SEO Guide has provided you with information on a few of the SEO basics — but we know it can be overwhelming — and that is where Civille can help.
We know undertaking SEO and content creation on top of running a law firm can be a lot and Civille is here to partner with your law firm and help you reach more clients online. We have years of experience with website design and SEO content creation in the legal space and that experience makes us a valuable resource and partner for family law firms.
Custom Civille legal websites meet and exceed industry standards to provide online visitors with an exceptional experience and provide law firms with a competitive advantage due to brilliant designs and industry-best page speeds and performance metrics. Custom-created content built for search engines adheres to SEO principles and will help your website and content stand out in Google Search rankings and attract potential clients. Available Civille digital marketing services are an added asset for law firms with additional SEO content, content marketing, GBP optimization, paid advertising, and more that can set your law firm apart.
Contact the Civille Team today for more information on our website and digital marketing services for family law firms!
