Local SEO is a powerful tool for law firms aiming to increase their visibility and attract more potential clients. As competition in the legal sector grows, law firms need every edge they can get to dominate local search results.
Local citations mentions of a firm’s business information on various online platforms, play a significant role in enhancing a law firm’s search engine rankings.
What Are Citations?
A local business citation is any online mention of a business’s name, address, and phone number (NAP). Citations typically appear in business directories, social media platforms, legal directories, and other citation sites.
These listings offer search engines like Google valuable information that helps them verify the existence, legitimacy, and relevance of local businesses, including law firms.
There are two main types of citations:
- Structured Citations: Appear in business directories and follow a specific format, such as name, address, and phone number in a consistent order.
- Unstructured Citations: Appear on various websites, blogs, news outlets, or social media, often in a less formal structure but still providing key business details.
Are Citations a Ranking Factor for Local SEO?
Yes, citations are an essential ranking factor for local SEO. Consistent and accurate citations across multiple platforms improve a law firm’s credibility with search engines, directly impacting its local search rankings. When search engines see matching information across citation sites, it strengthens the firm’s authority in a given location, helping it to appear in more local search results.
For law firms specifically, this is crucial as clients often search for legal services within their locality. Proper citation management helps ensure that your law firm surfaces in these local searches, driving new clients to your practice.
How Law Firms Should Set Up Their Google Business Profile (GBP) Listing
A Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is one of the most valuable platforms for local SEO for lawyers. This profile helps law firms stand out on Google search and Google Maps, providing essential information at a glance to potential clients.
Optimizing Your Google Business Profile Listing
To maximize local SEO visibility, law firms should focus on the following optimizations in their Google Business Profile:
GBP Business Description
Your business description is your first opportunity to tell potential clients about your firm. Google allows up to 750 characters for this section, so make sure to make each word count.
How to Write Your Google Business Description
A well-written business description should provide a snapshot of your firm, including:
- Business Name
- Lead Attorney Name
- Years of Experience
- Practice Areas
- Locations Served
- Awards and Recognition
Example:
“Smith & Partners is a top-rated family law firm serving Chicago, IL, and nearby areas. Our firm handles divorce, child custody, and spousal support cases, with lead attorney Jane Smith having over 15 years of experience in family law. Recognized as one of Chicago’s top family law attorneys, we are committed to protecting our clients’ rights. Call today to schedule a consultation.”
Pro Tip: Include your main keyword naturally in the description to increase relevance for local searches. For example, if you’re a personal injury lawyer in New York, include “New York personal injury lawyer” within the description without overstuffing keywords, which can harm readability and ranking.
How to Add Keywords to Your Business Name the Right Way
Including keywords in your business name can significantly impact your search engine rankings.
However, keyword stuffing or artificially modifying your business name may get your listing flagged by Google. Follow these steps to add keywords to your business name legally and effectively:
- File a “Doing Business As” (DBA) document with your state if you plan to alter your firm name to include keywords. This step is essential as Google may require proof of your DBA in case of an audit.
- Update Signage on your office door and building directory to reflect your updated business name with keywords. If flagged, Google may request visual proof that the business name on your signage matches the name on your GBP.
- Update Your Logo and Branding Materials: Modify your business logo to reflect your revised name, if applicable, and order business cards that reflect this change for consistency.
- Modify Your Website’s Homepage: Ensure your website name reflects the same name as your GBP. Discrepancies here can cause user confusion and weaken SEO.
- Create a Walk-Through Video: This video should demonstrate your office location with the signage visible. If Google requests verification, this video can help confirm your business name and physical presence.
Important: Avoid adding regional modifiers (like a specific city) unless you exclusively serve that area. Misleading modifiers can lead to ranking penalties.
Choosing Categories
Your chosen GBP categories tell Google about your primary services, which directly impacts your visibility in local searches. Selecting relevant categories can make a significant difference in your ranking.
How to Choose the Right Categories
- Primary Category: Choose a category that best describes your main practice area, like “Personal Injury Attorney” or “Family Law Attorney.” This category is essential and affects how Google ranks your listing in local searches.
- Secondary Categories: Add additional relevant categories, such as “Law Firm,” “Trial Attorney,” or “Legal Services,” to broaden your reach without overcomplicating your profile.
Add Pictures to Your Listing
Adding pictures to your GBP profile increases engagement and makes your law firm appear more trustworthy to potential clients. According to Google, businesses with photos get 42% more driving direction requests and 35% more clicks to their website than those without.
Types of Photos to Add
- Team Photos: Show your team in action or in a professional setting to build client trust.
- Interior and Exterior Photos: Help clients recognize your office when they visit, making it easy for them to find your location.
- Practice Area-Specific Photos: If possible, include visuals that represent your practice areas, like courtrooms or consultation rooms.
Pro Tip: Rename your photos with relevant keywords before uploading them. For instance, if you’re a divorce attorney in Los Angeles, your file names could be “los-angeles-divorce-attorney.jpg” or “family-law-firm-la.jpg.” This simple step can improve SEO.
Google Trusted Photographer
Consider hiring a Google Trusted Photographer to create a virtual 360-degree tour of your office. A virtual tour allows potential clients to view your office layout, adding transparency and familiarity, which can increase engagement and lead to higher rankings.
Google provides a list of trusted photographers based on your location, making it easy to find one near you.
Add Posts to Your GBP Listing
Posting regularly on your GBP listing can increase engagement, provide useful information to clients, and ultimately improve your local search visibility. Google allows you to add posts about news, events, special offers, and more.
How to Create a GBP Post
- Click on “Post” in your GBP dashboard.
- Add an Image: Use an image related to your post and rename it with keywords.
- Write a Brief Post: Share a short update or news about your firm, such as awards, office events, or relevant legal tips.
- Include a Call to Action: Use a CTA like “Learn More” to link back to your website for further information.
Pro Tip: Adding posts frequently can signal to Google that your profile is active, which can positively impact your local search rankings.
Questions and Answers (Q&A)
The Q&A section on GBP allows you to address common client questions directly on your listing, providing instant answers and helping clients make quick decisions. Since clients can also submit questions, actively monitoring this section is crucial.
How to Set Up Q&A
- Log in to your GBP listing and open a new browser tab.
- Google your business name and city/state (e.g., “Smith Law Firm Los Angeles, CA”).
- Click on “Ask a Question”: Submit a question relevant to your services, such as “Do you offer free consultations?” and answer it yourself.
- Refresh to view your Q&A and ensure it displays accurately.
Regularly updating this section with common questions builds credibility and makes your profile more informative.
Build Citations For Your Law Firm
Creating consistent, accurate citations across online directories is essential for your law firm’s online visibility in local searches.
These citations appear on various platforms, including major directories like Yelp, BBB, and Yellow Pages, as well as your social media profiles, helping search engines validate your law firm’s online presence. Rather than focusing on the specific directories, let’s explore two straightforward methods for quickly and effectively building citations for your law firm.
Automated Citation Building
Using automated citation-building tools saves time and ensures that your business information is accurate across multiple platforms. Two of the best options are Moz Local and Yext.
1. Moz Local
- Cost: $99 per year for small to mid-sized businesses.
- How it Works: Moz Local submits your law firm’s details to various data aggregators, including Acxiom, Infogroup, and Neustar/Localeze. These aggregators then distribute your information across numerous local directories, improving the chances of appearing in local search results.
- Other Benefits: Moz Local also manages your Bing listing and pushes updates to several local business directories.
For more information on pricing, visit Moz Local’s pricing page.
2. Yext
- Cost: $499 per year.
- How it Works: Yext automates your listing updates across 40+ directories and sites, providing an extensive range of citation opportunities.
- Unique Benefit: Yext helps manage reviews and online reputation, making it an all-in-one platform for both citation building and online brand management.
To explore Yext’s features and pricing, visit Yext’s pricing page.
While there is some overlap between Moz Local and Yext, law firms with ambitious local SEO goals may consider using both tools to maximize citation coverage across directories.
Do It Yourself – WhiteSpark
For a more hands-on approach, WhiteSpark offers a Local Citation Finder that allows you to manage citation-building manually.
- Cost: Starting at $20 per month.
- How it Works: With WhiteSpark, you can analyze competitor citations by entering a competitor’s business name or phone number to see which directories they’re using. This helps you identify valuable citation sources and build your listings on the same platforms.
- Top Citation Sources: WhiteSpark also provides a curated list of the top 50 citation sources in the U.S., making it easier for law firms to prioritize and build quality citations.
WhiteSpark also has a free version, though a paid subscription provides greater access to features and top directories.
Additionally, BrightLocal offers a list of the top 80+ citation sources specifically for lawyers, which is an excellent resource for identifying the best citation platforms tailored to the legal industry.
NAP Consistency
NAP stands for Name, Address, and Phone number, and ensuring NAP consistency across all listings is crucial for local SEO success. Inconsistent NAP information can harm your local search rank, especially in competitive industries like law. Issues often arise when a law firm changes office locations or uses multiple phone numbers for tracking purposes.
To verify your NAP consistency:
- Check that your business name, address, and phone number are identical across all citations.
- Google your law firm’s name alongside any old contact details (such as previous addresses or phone numbers) to identify outdated listings.
- If you find inconsistencies, contact the site admin to request an update.
Using Moz Local can simplify this process, as the tool provides an overview of your NAP consistency across various directories and data aggregators, making it easier to spot and correct discrepancies.
On-Page Optimization for Local SEO for Lawyers
On-page optimization is essential for local SEO. These optimization techniques are fundamental in ensuring that your firm ranks well in search results:
Update Your Title Tags and Meta Tags for Local SEO
Title tags and meta tags play a key role in signaling the relevance of your website to search engines. Here’s how to optimize them:
- Title Tags: Include primary keywords like “Local Personal Injury Attorney in [City Name]” to ensure your firm ranks for location-specific search terms.
- Meta Descriptions: These should provide a concise description of your legal services and highlight your practice areas.
Here’s an example of a top-ranking law firm’s optimized meta title and description:
Include Your Target Keyword in the Most Important Places
Your target keywords, such as “local business citations for law firms” or “law firms in [city],” should appear naturally in headings, body content, URLs, and image alt text on your website. This makes it easier for search engines to understand your page’s focus and rank it appropriately.
Display Your Name, Address, and Phone Number (NAP)
Ensure your NAP information is visible on every page of your website, ideally in the header or footer, and make sure it is consistent across all citation sites and local listings.
Link-Building for Local SEO
Link-building is crucial for establishing authority in local SEO. Here are some link-building strategies for law firms:
- Internal Links: Link to relevant pages within your website, like different practice areas or contact pages, to improve user navigation and increase SEO value.
- External Links with City Anchor Text: Build links from local business sites, directories, and industry-specific websites with city-based anchor text. For example, “Los Angeles family law attorney” is a valuable anchor text for a Los Angeles-based firm.
- Legal Associations and Community Involvement: Join local bar associations, legal help organizations, and community sites to earn valuable backlinks and demonstrate authority in your field.
Overview of Anchor Text
Anchor text, the clickable text in a hyperlink, should be descriptive and relevant. For example, “top criminal defense lawyer in New York” as anchor text provides both search engines and potential clients with valuable context, enhancing your site’s relevance and authority.
Factors That Influence Local SEO Rankings for Attorneys
Several factors affect a law firm’s ability to rank locally. Let’s explore some essential local SEO tips for lawyers that will help enhance their search visibility:
- Add Keywords to Your Business Name: If your business name naturally includes keywords, such as “Criminal Defense Law Firm,” it can give you an edge in local SEO rankings. But avoid keyword stuffing, as it can negatively impact your credibility.
- Consistently Get Reviews: Positive reviews on Google and other platforms are essential. They boost credibility and influence ranking, as search engines prioritize listings with higher engagement. Encourage satisfied clients to leave reviews on your Google Business Profile and legal directories.
- Link Internally to the Right Pages: Ensure that your website’s internal linking structure supports your local SEO efforts. Link from blog posts or practice area pages back to relevant service pages, increasing search engine rankings for these pages.
- Get Links with the City in the Anchor Text: Local links with location-specific anchor text, such as “Los Angeles personal injury lawyer,” signal to search engines your relevance for specific areas, increasing your chances of ranking in those locations.
- GEO Tag the Images You Post to Your GMB Account: GEO-tagging images with location data can enhance Google Maps visibility and improve your local search rankings, particularly when clients are searching from nearby areas.
How SEO Strategies Pro Can Help You
At SEO Strategies Pro, we specialize in helping law firms increase their local SEO visibility through strategic citation building, Google Business Profile management, and more. With our team of experts, we ensure your firm is listed in the top citation sites and all major directories, boosting your chances to attract new clients consistently.
Our services include:
- Comprehensive Citation Building: Our team identifies and lists your law firm across business directories, legal associations, and data aggregators to maximize your online presence.
- Google Business Profile Optimization: We’ll set up, optimize, and maintain your Google Business Profile, from writing an SEO-friendly description to adding high-quality photos and managing reviews.
- Reputation Management: We help manage both positive and negative reviews across various platforms, building a strong online presence that potential clients trust.
- Local Link Building: We connect your law firm with local publications and blogs, helping you secure valuable backlinks with location-based keywords that improve search rankings.
If you’re a law firm looking to dominate local SEO, our tailored services will ensure you stand out in local searches and reach future clients who need your expertise.
Ready to Boost Your Law Firm’s Local SEO?
Local business citations are fundamental for law firms aiming to improve their local search rankings. By building citations, optimizing a Google Business Profile, and maintaining NAP consistency, your law firm can rise above competitors in local searches and gain more visibility where it counts. Effective local SEO for lawyers requires consistency, precision, and a proactive approach to citation building.
With SEO Strategies Pro, your law firm can take control of its online footprint and enhance its presence in local search results.
Contact us today to learn how we can help you establish a robust local SEO strategy that brings in more clients and strengthens your firm’s online reputation.
FAQs
Why is local SEO important for law firms?
Local SEO helps law firms attract clients in their immediate area by appearing prominently in local search results. This is crucial because legal services are typically sought locally.
Why are local citations important for SEO?
Local citations (mentions of a business’s name, address, and phone number online) improve a business’s credibility and visibility in search engines, signaling relevance and trustworthiness in a specific location.
Why is local SEO important for local businesses?
Local SEO allows local businesses to reach nearby customers by improving their visibility in local search results, driving foot traffic, and increasing calls or online inquiries from the immediate area.
Do citations matter for SEO?
Yes, citations are important for SEO as they enhance a business’s local search visibility and authority. Consistent citations across directories help search engines confirm a business’s legitimacy and improve rankings.
