Cracking the Code: What Works and What Doesn’t in SEO for Lawyers in 2024 – Quick and

As the legal field becomes increasingly competitive, law firms grapple with a new challenge: how to stand out in the vast ocean of online information. The answer lies in search engine optimization (SEO) for lawyers.

In 2024, law firms have to fight for visibility in an increasingly crowded digital space. The rules of the game have changed, and what worked just a few years ago might now be outdated or even counterproductive. This article will dive deep into the current state of SEO for lawyers, exploring the strategies that are delivering results and those that have fallen by the wayside.

What works in lawyer SEO in 2024

Let’s start by reviewing the approaches that remain effective this year. These are the methods that a reliable law firm SEO agency like SeoProfy will use to achieve the best results for a legal website.

Hyper-local SEO focus

In 2024, one of the most effective strategies for law firms is hyper-local SEO. This approach involves optimizing your online presence for specific neighborhoods, districts, or even streets within your city or region. Here’s why it works and how to implement it:

• Create location-specific landing pages: Develop dedicated pages for each area you serve, incorporating local landmarks, street names, and neighborhood-specific information.
• Use localized keywords: Instead of targeting broad terms like “personal injury lawyer,” focus on phrases like “car accident attorney in Downtown Los Angeles” or “divorce lawyer near Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia.”
• Leverage Google Business Profile: Optimize your Google Business Profile with accurate, detailed information about your practice areas and the specific locations you serve.
• Encourage location-based reviews: Ask satisfied clients to mention their neighborhood or specific location when leaving reviews.
• Create local content: Develop blog posts or articles about local legal issues, changes in local laws, or community events related to your practice areas.

E-E-A-T optimization

Google’s emphasis on E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) has become even more pronounced in 2024, especially for law firms dealing with YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) topics. Here’s how to boost your E-E-A-T:

• Showcase attorney credentials: Highlight the qualifications, awards, and experience of your lawyers on your website.
• Publish authoritative content: Create in-depth, well-researched articles on legal topics relevant to your practice areas.
• Secure backlinks from reputable sources: Seek opportunities to contribute guest posts to respected legal publications or local news outlets.
• Maintain an active online presence: Regularly update your website and social media profiles with current information and insights.
• Display trust signals: Include client testimonials, case results (where ethically permissible), and professional affiliations prominently on your site.
• Implement structured data: Use schema markup to help search engines understand and display your firm’s credentials and expertise.

Video content optimization

In 2024, video content has become a crucial component of successful SEO strategies for law firms. Here’s how to leverage video effectively:

• Create FAQ videos: Develop short, informative videos answering common legal questions in your practice areas.
• Optimize video titles and descriptions: Use relevant keywords in your video titles, descriptions, and tags to improve searchability.
• Transcribe your videos: Include accurate transcriptions to make your content accessible and searchable.
• Work on YouTube SEO: Optimize your YouTube channel and videos to appear in both YouTube and Google search results.
• Embed videos on your website: Include relevant videos on your service pages and blog posts to increase engagement and time on site.
• Create video testimonials: Feature satisfied clients sharing their experiences with your firm (ensuring compliance with ethical guidelines).

Voice search optimization

With the increased popularity of voice-activated devices and virtual assistants, optimizing for voice search queries has become essential in 2024. Here’s how to adapt:

• Focus on natural language: Optimize for conversational phrases and questions that people are likely to ask when using voice search.
• Create FAQ pages: Develop comprehensive FAQ sections that address common voice search queries in your practice areas.
• Improve page loading speed: Voice search results often prioritize fast-loading pages, so ensure your website is optimized for speed.
• Use structured data: Implement schema markup to help search engines understand and potentially use your content for featured snippets, which are often used in voice search results.

User experience and core web vitals

In 2024, Google’s focus on user experience (UX) has intensified, making it a critical factor in SEO success. A website with a great user experience ranks better and converts more visitors into potential clients. Here’s how to optimize your website’s UX:

• Improve page speed: Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to identify and fix issues slowing down your site.
• Ensure mobile responsiveness: With mobile-first indexing, your site must provide an excellent experience on all devices.
• Optimize for Core Web Vitals: Focus on improving the Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS).
• Simplify navigation: Make it easy and quick for users to find the information they need.
• Use clear calls to action: Guide visitors towards contacting your firm or scheduling a consultation.
• Implement accessibility features: Ensure your website is usable by people with disabilities. Web accessibility principles can also improve the overall UX of your site.

What doesn’t work in lawyer SEO in 2024

While understanding effective strategies is crucial, it’s equally important to recognize outdated tactics that can hinder your SEO efforts. Let’s explore the approaches that have lost their effectiveness in 2024 and could lead to SEO mistakes and harm your law firm’s online visibility.

Keyword stuffing and over-optimization

Keyword stuffing is not just ineffective; it can actively harm your search rankings. Google’s algorithms have become sophisticated enough to detect and penalize content that appears to be manipulating keywords. Instead:

• Focus on natural language: Write content that flows naturally and addresses user intent, rather than forcing keywords into every sentence.
• Use synonyms and related terms: Incorporate a variety of relevant terms rather than repeating the same keyword excessively.
• Prioritize quality over quantity: It’s better to have fewer high-quality pages than numerous low-quality, keyword-stuffed pages.

Ignoring user intent

Simply targeting high-volume keywords without considering user intent is no longer effective. Google now prioritizes content that best matches what the user is looking for. To address this:

• Analyze search intent: Understand whether users are looking for information, navigating to a specific site, or ready to take action.
• Create content that matches intent: Develop pages that directly address what users are searching for at each stage of their journey.
• Use long-tail keywords: These often better reflect user intent and can lead to higher conversion rates.

Neglecting mobile optimization

With Google’s mobile-first indexing, having a website that’s not fully optimized for mobile devices is a significant disadvantage. Avoid:

• Non-responsive design: Your site should adapt seamlessly to all screen sizes.
• Slow loading times on mobile: Optimize images and minimize code to ensure fast loading on mobile networks.
• Poor mobile user experience: Ensure buttons are easily clickable and forms are simple to fill out on mobile devices.

Buying low-quality backlinks:

The practice of purchasing backlinks from low-quality or irrelevant websites is not only ineffective but can result in penalties from Google. Instead:

• Focus on earning high-quality, relevant backlinks through great content and outreach.
• Engage in legitimate guest posting on reputable legal or local community websites.
• Participate in local events or sponsor community initiatives to earn natural, local backlinks.

Ignoring technical SEO

While content is crucial, neglecting the technical aspects of SEO can severely limit your website’s performance. Avoid:

• Broken links and 404 errors: Regularly audit your site for broken links and fix them promptly.
• Duplicate content: Ensure each page on your site has unique, valuable content.
• Poor site structure: Implement a logical, easy-to-navigate site structure that both users and search engines can understand.
• Ignoring HTTPS: In 2024, having a secure website is non-negotiable for building trust with users and search engines.

Copying competitor content

Simply replicating what your competitors are doing is not an effective strategy. Instead:

• Analyze competitor strategies: Understand what’s working for them, but use this as inspiration rather than a template to copy.
• Differentiate your content: Offer unique insights, perspectives, or information that sets your firm apart.
• Focus on your strengths: Highlight what makes your firm unique and valuable to potential clients.

Neglecting local citations

While local SEO is crucial, some firms make the mistake of neglecting their citations or having inconsistent information across different platforms. To avoid this:

• Ensure NAP (Name, Address, Phone) consistency across all online directories and platforms.
• Regularly audit and update your citations to reflect any changes in your firm’s information.
• Claim and optimize profiles on legal-specific directories and review sites.

Overlooking the power of internal linking

Some law firms focus so much on external links that they neglect the power of a strong internal linking strategy. Avoid:

• Random or excessive internal linking: Each internal link should serve a purpose and guide users to relevant information.
• Neglecting to update old content: Regularly review and update older content, adding internal links to newer, relevant pages.
• Using generic anchor text: Use descriptive, keyword-rich anchor text for internal links to provide context and value.

To sum up

As we navigate through 2024, the world of SEO for lawyers continues to evolve at a rapid pace. The key to success lies in adapting to these changes while maintaining a focus on providing value to your potential clients. By embracing strategies that work — such as hyper-local SEO, E-A-T optimization, and user experience improvements — and avoiding outdated tactics, your law firm can improve its online visibility and attract more qualified leads.

Remember, effective SEO is not about quick fixes or manipulating search engines. It’s about consistently delivering relevant content and a superior user experience that genuinely helps your potential clients.