The Difference Between Lawyer SEO and General SEO

Inside the black box of search queries, the internet runs on search engine optimization (SEO). Regardless of the service or the product being offered, SEO is ever-present in the background, working to attract visitors to its page by persuading search engines’ algorithms that its site is the perfect fit for the user’s query. While the theory underlying SEO is the same across industries, legal SEO is different. Legal SEO is different because lawyers are different. 

Clients have different expectations of their attorneys than they do of their auto mechanics, hair stylists, and plumbers. While attorneys are expected to have the knowledge of a master mechanic, the finesse of a top-notch hairdresser, and the fortitude of the best plumber, the expectations don’t end there. Attorneys also have legal and ethical duties and often operate in highly competitive landscapes. At PaperStreet, we help our clients use SEO tools to thrive in these demanding environments.

Lawyer SEO Operates in an Extremely Competitive Market 

Legal SEO is the practice of optimizing a law firm’s online presence to improve its visibility in search results and attract prospective clients. One of the biggest obstacles to SEO success is that most other lawyers use very similar SEO tactics. This is compounded by the high lawyer-to-potential-client ratio. The problem is not new. Between 1959 and 1979, total law school student enrollment skyrocketed by more than 200% as demand for legal services expanded rapidly across the United States. Eventually, the market became saturated, and admissions plateaued. However, that plateau did not last. First-year enrollment hit an all-time high in 2010 with 52,488 new law students, driven largely by college graduates seeking shelter in graduate programs during a weak post-2008 job market. Almost twenty years later, the result is high competition in the legal industry. 

Because the market is crowded, legal keywords are among the most competitive and expensive search terms. A single new client can be highly valuable, especially in areas such as personal injury, mass torts, criminal defense, and family law. Add to this that national firms, local firms, directories, lead-generation sites, and legal information websites are all competing for the same searches. 

Legal SEO success isn’t about outspending the competition. It is about better strategy. Great strategies start with understanding what makes lawyer SEO different.

Reason Number One: Search Intent Is Different When Someone Needs a Lawyer

The main differentiator for legal searches is that casual shoppers are rare. If someone searches for an attorney, they likely have a specific problem to solve. Often there is a real or at least perceived urgency about the matter. Even visitors who arrive at your site on an informational search are likely to stick around if they find the answers they are seeking. Well-designed lawyer SEO reaches users at all stages of the legal search process. Consider the following searches: 

• “What happens after a DUI?”
• “DUI penalties in Florida”
• “DUI lawyer near me”

Remember, traffic alone is not the purpose of legal SEO. The goal is attracting qualified potential clients. The best way to do this is with content tailored to services your law firm offers in the geographic locations where you have a presence. 

An advantage of this strategy is that creating authoritative content in the practice areas where you have real expertise is a natural extension of the skills that you already have. For example, most attorneys already know what questions clients will ask during a consultation in their practice areas. You can easily turn this information into a Frequently Asked Questions piece. This type of legal content provides solid information to both potential clients and web crawlers indexing your site. 

Reason Number Two: Local SEO Matters More for Law Firms 

Unlike Amazon, most legal practices have clear geographic definitions. Whether this is driven by the fact that legal licenses are state-issued or simply because you do not want to drive three hours for a domestic relations hearing, most attorneys have a very clear idea about where they will go and where they will not. Attorneys are the opposite of the Prime delivery man that will make a special trip to bring you merchandise sourced from all over the world. 

Any good legal SEO strategy takes full advantage of this. Focus on the markets where you are or where you want to be. Everything else is irrelevant. 

In your defined markets, concentrate on the following: 

• Google Business Profile: Keep your profile complete and current so Google and potential clients know who you are, what you do, and where to find you.
• Local Search Results: Optimize for the searches people actually make when they need a lawyer in your geographic market.
• Reviews: Encourage satisfied clients to leave reviews, because reputation matters when prospective clients decide which lawyer to call. 
• Directories: Maintain accurate listings in the legal and local directories where potential clients are likely to look for attorneys.
• Local Citations: Build consistent mentions of your firm across reputable websites to reinforce your connection to the markets you serve.
• Consistent NAP Information: Make sure your firm’s name, address, and phone number are the same everywhere they appear online.
• Location-Specific Practice-Area Pages: Create useful pages that connect the legal services you provide with the particular communities where you provide them.

Avoid thin pages that simply substitute different city names into substantially identical content. When possible, create content that addresses locally important issues. Potential clients value locally specific information, and search engines reward it. 

Reason Number Three: Legal Content Has a Much Higher Trust and Accuracy Burden 

People may make decisions based on information they find online every day. When the shoes you order online aren’t as promised, it’s annoying; however, you are likely to have little recourse beyond a possible return. If the situation is particularly bad, you may not shop on that site again, but if the return is handled well, you may keep shopping there. In non-legal industries, good customer service can remedy a multitude of wrong descriptions and other fulfillment issues. Law firms are not as lucky.

In online legal marketing, if your online information is inaccurate or otherwise creates trust issues, it is unlikely that your staff will get a chance to fix it. Law firms get exactly one chance to make a first online impression. Potential clients are often hyperaroused because of the underlying legal issues that led them to search for an attorney.  It doesn’t take much to spook a potential client. Here are some of the top reasons clients will immediately bounce from your site: 

• Outdated or incorrect legal information 
• Broken links or poorly functioning pages 
• Inconsistent attorney or firm information 
• Obvious spelling and grammatical errors 
• Exaggerated promises or guarantees 
• Vague or misleading descriptions of experience 
• An outdated or unprofessional-looking website 
• Difficulty finding basic contact information

For law firms, accuracy and trust are inseparable. Every page should provide potential clients with current, reliable information while reinforcing the firm’s credibility and experience. Legal SEO must convince both search engines and potential clients that your firm is a source they can trust.

Reason Number Four: Lawyer SEO Must Account for Ethics and Professional Responsibility 

As much as we often wish it were so, when our online grocery order gets botched yet again, no higher authority exists to complain to. Law firms don’t get off so easily. State-level ethical rules can come into play when law firms market their services online. Claims about expertise, past results, testimonials, and even certain advertising language may be subject to restrictions that do not apply to businesses in other industries.

Potential issues include:

• Claims about results or expertise: Statements about a lawyer’s experience or past results must be accurate and cannot create unjustified expectations about what the lawyer can achieve for a future client.
• Testimonials: Client testimonials may be permitted, but states can impose requirements concerning their content, presentation, and accompanying disclaimers.
• Use of “specialist” or “expert”: Some jurisdictions restrict when attorneys may describe themselves as specialists or experts, particularly when they lack a recognized certification.
• Required disclaimers: Depending on the jurisdiction and the claim being made, law firm marketing materials may need specific disclaimers or qualifying language.
• Comparisons with other attorneys: Claims that a lawyer is “better,” “best,” or otherwise superior to another attorney can run afoul of rules prohibiting false, misleading, or unverifiable comparisons.

The ABA Model Rules provide a useful starting point for understanding ethical restrictions on lawyer advertising and marketing. However, individual states set and enforce their own rules, so complying with the requirements of every jurisdiction where your firm markets its services is essential to lawyer SEO. These rules hold attorneys to a higher standard than almost any other profession that markets services online. At PaperStreet, we only work with law firms. Contact us today to put our three decades of legal SEO experience to work for you.