Blogging is arguably one of the best online marketing strategies out there. While websites having a blog can get 434% more indexed pages, organizations having a blog can get 97% more links to their websites. Plus, running a personal blog can also help establish your online authority in your niche.
Attorneys and law firms can also take advantage of blogging from the marketing and branding points of view. However, it is an extremely competitive marketing channel. You need to use the right SEO techniques to bring your blog in the top search results.
Here are a few lawyer SEO tips to boost the search results of your blog.
1. Page Loading Speed Matters
We live in an era of instant gratification. If your blog fails to load within seconds, your potential readers will leave your blog, probably never to return. The average page load time for 2020 is 4.7 seconds on desktop and 11.4 seconds on mobile. However, Google recommends having the page loading speed index under three seconds.
You can use Google’s free Page Speed Insights Tool to find out how fast your blog is. If it is loading slowly, you are missing out on hundreds of potential readers. You can ask your web developer to reduce the amount of code and server response time to increase the speed. Using responsive images, videos, and other visual media can also help increase speed.
2. Create Compelling Headlines
Writing click-worthy titles is one of the best ways to boost your blog’s search result ranking. However, when creating a killer headline, keep in mind that you have a character limit of 65. Anything longer than that, no matter how great, will get cut off in the search results.
Always use the primary keyword in the beginning of the headline, especially if the length exceeds the character limit. Keep it simple, to-the-point, and add an emotional appeal or sense of urgency if you can. All these factors are likely to increase the click-through rate.
You can use free title analyzers like Sharethrough to find out how engaging your headline is. You can make the necessary changes to make it more appealing.
3. Use Keywords Naturally
Keywords are the bedrock of lawyer SEO marketing. However, keyword stuffing is a thing of the past. With Google’s search engine algorithms getting wiser by the day, you need to include keywords in the content as naturally as possible.
Focus on creating content that is fluid and click-worthy. Don’t force a keyword in a sentence if it doesn’t look natural. Try including questions, natural search phrases, and long tail keywords as it will increase the chances of ranking better.
However, keep your keyword density in check. You don’t have to use every type of keyword in each post, or else Google may penalize your content for keyword stuffing.
4. Focus on User Experience
Another important SEO factor is the user experience. Your readers should be able to browse and read your blog easily. In other words, choosing an aesthetically-pleasing theme alone is not enough to keep users engaged.
You need to categorize your blog and tag critical phrases to make it easier for readers to find what they want. Make sure to use the subject matter or different practice areas to create categories. You can add new categories, if required.
Keep your content clean and organized. Try to follow the same content flow for each blog post. Be sure to use images, videos, graphics, and quotes to increase readability. Use responsive design to keep your blog mobile-friendly as well.
5. Keep Track of Your SEO Efforts
This is probably a million-dollar tip.
Let’s consider for a moment that all your SEO efforts paid off, and your blog ranked in the top ten search results.
Now what? Should you stop doing SEO?
Certainly not!
SEO is not a one and done deal. Even if you rank first on Google, it will only be temporary as someone else with fresh and better content will take your place.
Also, Google keeps updating its search algorithms, requiring you to re-align your SEO strategy. As a result, you need to keep track of all your lawyer SEO marketing activities to make sure you are on the right path.
Your Search for a Law Firm Marketing Agency Ends Here
That’s it, bloggers! Armed with these basic SEO tips, you should be able to fire up your blog. If you think DIY SEO will consume too much of your time, you can always outsource the legwork to a trusted SEO partner like Gorilla Webtactics. We are a full-service law firm marketing agency. Contact us online or call us today at (612) 260-1506 to find out how we can help you.