Search Engine Optimization: Elements for a Successful Website

In our current day and age, the Internet can easily be considered the most powerful marketing channel. However, this makes it one of the most crowded channels for competitors, and it can also appear to be intimidating to many clients. In this regard, an important part of your online strategy should be the issue of visibility. Visibility pertains to the way prospects can find you, how to link your web site to others, and the best way to improve these connections.

One of the best moves to consider is trying to improve your rankings with some of the most powerful Internet search engines—Google, MSN, and Yahoo being a few examples. You can do this by changing some aspects to your site, and therefore changing your overall presence.

This strategy is called search engine optimization. There are no questionable tricks or tactics involved in this process.  Rather, the process makes your site more relevant and visible to search engines, and to those people who are looking for legal representation through the use of the search engines. Improving the visibility of your site through a few simple steps will provide you with an excellent opportunity for generating more leads and also increasing the return on your web investment.

It has been shown that when using an online search engine, the majority of people tend to only look at the first page or two for results. This presents the challenge of figuring out how to make your web site stand out against everyone else. It’s important to understand how the lists are compiled through the search engines, allowing Firm A to have a high rank yet Firm B will all but disappear at rank #65.

The compilation comes from “spiders,” which are software programs sent out to web sites through the search engines. They collect information from web sites and use the information in order to build a searchable index. The engines use this index when a person types in a question, looking for the most relevant, authoritative information for the search.

Frequently, the formulas used by the search engines to rank the sites change. This helps to prevent spam, but also to help the ranking become more exact. Luckily, you can give the responsibility of technical fine-tuning over to someone who doesn’t have to also run a law firm. Instead, you should focus on improving your search engine results through proven, successful strategies. For example:

• Make sure that the content on your site is fresh and easy to read
• Choose key words and phrases to help target your prospects
• Try to increase the amount of quality inbound links on other sites that will directly lead to yours

Subject Matter

An easy rule to remember is that, generally, what captures the interest of site visitors will tend to improve your rankings through a search engine. For example, it’s important to keep your content updated frequently. The spiders will look for new information when they are sorting an index. It would also be beneficial to your rankings if you made your design simple and straightforward, in turn making it easy to browse. By using slow-loading, overdone graphics and multimedia bells-and-whistles, your web users will be frustrated. This can dramatically decrease the chances of your site being found by a search engine.

Using keywords in smart and clever contexts is one of the most important factors to help with optimal search engine results. The use of your keywords should help promote your marketing objectives, fit with both your practice areas and geographic location, and should try and match words that possible clients will use when searching online. In order to use keywords effectively, you should:

Keep it readable: If you continuously repeat the same keywords—this is called keyword stuffing—you will not only cause a negative experience for the user, but you could also be flagged by search engines. Try to focus on keeping keyword-rich language while also allowing your site to be easily read.

Imagine yourself as a prospect: Oftentimes, prospects do not use the proper legal terms when conducting a search. It would be beneficial to your site’s ranking if you included layman’s terms in your key practice areas. For example, “attorney”, “lawyer”, or “law firm” are common words for searches. Try to cover both your geographic area and any variations: mention both your city and state. If you’re located in a big city, neighborhood key words can also be relevant.

Own a niche: Although most search engines generates thousands—sometimes millions—of results, users tend to look for links only on the first page or so. Because of this, it is incredibly important to make sure you are targeting your specific niche and location. It would be better for you to avoid generic and competitive keywords, such as “criminal-defense attorney” or “divorce lawyer”, and instead focus on garnering a high score in a unique search.

Another important place to implement keywords for your site is in the behind-the-scenes programming. Some elements of programming that can also help you obtain a high score through search engines are the use of properly written alt tags, title tags, and meta descriptions. Overall, the most important thing for your site is content. If you decide to work with a web-site provider, check to make sure they understand the legal industry and also know how to write web content for it. They should also be aware be aware of how law firm web sites are evaluated and ranked through search engines.

Inbound Links

Inbound links—links on another web site that connect to your web address—are another way of gathering high search-engine rankings.

Quality is more important than quantity. Your results in the search engines should be influenced by relevant links from other legal sites, bar associations, and law firms. Try to compare inbound links to a commonly cited legal case. Typically speaking, a certain case is considered to be important if later cases and rulings reference it—especially if the cases are high-profile cases, directly on topic. Your site’s credibility will rise in a similar fashion if other authoritative web sites link directly to yours. However, a word of caution: You should only purchase links for the traffic they will provide—not for a lift in search engine results.

Continuous Process

Search engine optimization is a common-sense, straightforward process, but it demands upkeep in order to be successful. You should regularly check your site traffic and conversion rate. Also, make sure to audit your content and make adjustments as your marketing goals-- and legal issues concerning your clients—change.

Whenever it’s needed, you should republish your site. If you decide to outsource your online marketing, try to find a provider to help you through the entire process. This will include assistance with traffic analysis to design and writing services to the nitty-gritty details of web site management.

All of these steps you take now—all of the money, time and creative energy you put into your web site—will pay off in the long run. Search engine optimization presents a great opportunity through the internet to help secure more leads, and, in the end, more cases, for your firm.