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The Difference Between Core Content and Blogs and Why You Need Both

Services: Law Firm Website Design . SEO . Internet Marketing . Law Firm Marketing Guide . Content Marketing . PPC

Content marketing is an important step when optimizing your website for search purposes. This form of digital marketing contributes to Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and is also a means to engage and inform your potential clients. Blogs and core content are especially critical for law firm SEO as the legal world is typically viewed as confusing and complex by the average person. This post identifies how to write both forms of content and explains why you need them on your law practice’s website.

Distinguishing Core Content from Blog Posts

Core content, which is also known as “evergreen content,” refers to the text and information that appears on the main pages of your site. For law firms, your homepage and practice area descriptions are the most vital aspects of core content. Here, you try to explain legal concepts in a way that is understandable to someone without any legal knowledge. You also provide need-to-know information such as statutes of limitations, estimation of damages available, explanations of legal processes and your contact information. The quality of your core content will directly impact how site visitors view the authority of your practice and whether or not you are the law firm for them.

Blogs, on the other hand, are a bit more flexible in terms of the information you provide. Legal blog posts can certainly explain the law and legal processes, but other successful topics include news about the community, popular culture, recent court decisions, political controversies, etc. Blogs are still marketing tools in terms of establishing your legal authority, but they can also be simply engaging pieces that people will want to read.

The SEO Benefits of Core Content and Blog Posts

Core content and blog posts are both pages of your site that can, and should, be indexed by Google and other search engines. Once they are indexed, these pages will help Google identify what is on your site and the relevance of your website in conjunction with the searches your potential clients are running.

As such, both your blogs and core content should include law firm SEO practices to help improve rankings. SEO practices to keep in mind are:

  • Provide a specific keyword phrase that you are trying to rank for several times within the content—both in the headings and body content. Be sure to keep the keyword use natural and avoid keyword stuffing.
  • Include internal links within the content. For example, if you write a blog post about a recent drunk driving statute, be sure to link it to your criminal defense or DUI page. If you don’t have a page to link to the blog, that topic may not be useful for your site as a blog post.
  • Include valuable external links, as well. Provided that you select websites that are considered to have “authority” by the search engines, external links assist with your SEO. For core content, links to statutes are a good idea. Blogs can link to legal resources as well as local news pieces, community organizations, etc.
  • Keep your content the appropriate length; 500 words are typically the minimum amount of content per page to have the search engines consider your site relevant to the related searches.
  • Pay attention to the meta tags that appear on the search engine results page. If you write your content and blogs, be sure to understand what a meta description and title tag are. Both are vital for SEO purposes, as well as encouraging potential site visitors to click on your link.

Helpful Hints for Writing Law Firm Blogs and Core Content

Writing core content and blog posts are often unfamiliar territory for attorneys. Though lawyers have no trouble with legal writing, such as briefs and motions, content marketing and the incorporation of SEO techniques requires specific guidelines. Some of the most important rules include:

  • Stick to an eighth-grade reading level and avoid text that is wordy or dry
  • Break your content up with headings and white spaces
  • If you use legal terminology, provide a definition
  • The core content is typically 1,000 words or more, but a blog can be a minimum of 500 words
  • Be sure to include your contact information and key details about your practice in every post with a “call to action” so your content is still an advertisement for your firm
  • Update content regularly as updates can encourage search engines to rank your site higher (Similarly, if clients keep coming back to your site to read your blog, they are more likely to contact your firm or at least mention you to their peers)
  • Be sure to share your content on social media
  • Include images and videos whenever possible

In truth, writing compelling content is no small feat. If the content isn’t customized to your target audience or lacks proper SEO techniques, your site may not rank, or worse, be penalized. As most attorneys lack the time needed to craft these pieces to their highest potential, PaperStreet offers SEO content services and content marketing. Call 954-523-2181 or complete our contact form today for a free web analysis and quote.

 

 

 

 


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