When it comes to creating content for a web page or blog entry, it’s easy to assume the process simply entails writing and publishing the content. Most website content is written with an eye toward search engine optimization (SEO), in order to help a site rank higher in search engine results and thus be seen by more potential clients. Writing content designed to rank in different search engines can be incredibly beneficial for any law practice.
What is SEO content?
SEO content refers to copy written for a website, blog, article, or other online medium that is designed to rank well in organic search results. At its core, SEO focuses on expanding a site’s visibility in organic search results, helping law firms rank higher and be more visible. SEO content must provide relevance and authority to the reader on a certain topic or industry. Below, we list important aspects law firm writers should bear in mind when crafting copy for the web.
Rankings
Search engines determine where to place a website or webpage within search results. The higher the ranking, the better chance for visibility on the first page of Google or other search engines.
Visibility
Visibility describes how prominent a particular domain is in search engine results. With higher visibility, a law firm’s domain becomes more prominent in search results.
Authority
Authority refers the influence your website has. Search engines evaluate multiple different factors for various websites and rank them accordingly. These factors can include the age, popularity, and the size of that website—all of which contribute to the authority of the site.
Relevance
Content pages should be relevant to the search queries related to the topic. If a clear connection isn’t made between the content and the keywords being targeted, the relevancy of the page and/or website as a whole will be negatively affected. If the relevancy of the topic does not coincide with your firm’s practice, lower rankings can be expected.
Creating SEO Content
The following steps should be taken when writing web content:
Find a proven topic
Before the writing process begins, ensure your topic is relevant to your firm. The content should be broad but also informative.
Keyword research
Keyword research is the process of finding and analyzing the search terms that users are entering into search engines. This typically involves identifying the terms and topics that are relevant to a specific law practice. Keyword research will tell the writer what specific topics potential clients care about and how popular those topics are among those searching for them. Using the proper keywords within the content for a topic that is valuable to potential visitors can help increase both the ranking and visibility of a webpage.
Utilize links
Include valuable links to outside recourses and/or internal pages of content that further reinforces the topic. The popularity of a linking site and the relevance of a topic should be considered before using them within the content. Backlinks – or links to a firm’s site from another platform – also help further the firm’s authority. Each time another site points their readers to the firm’s content it increases the authority and ranking of the site.
Utilize local SEO
The vast majority of (97%) of potential clients use search engines to find local information. Searchers look for specific information on a business and the services it provides. For example, searching for “law firm near me” can be used to define the location. In order for local SEO to work, firms must ensure the name, address, and phone number (NAP) are up to date.
Want to learn more?
Creating SEO content requires research and insight into the target audience to be effective. Since SEO copywriting is so time consuming, having a marketing agency can help. The legal marketing experts at Stacey E. Burke, P.C. have successfully written hundreds of optimized blog posts and website pages. If your law firm would like to learn more about SEO content, contact us today to discuss your needs.
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