The Real Cost Of SEO

Long gone are the days when attorneys would advertise in the Yellow Pages. While some attorneys still advertise on television and billboards, increasingly, lawyers are turning to the organic digital marketing power of the internet. The truth is that instead of television, your potential clients are more likely to search for lawyers online and on social media. This is why it is so important to design a stellar SEO strategy for your law firm. Learn more about the cost of SEO and its benefits in today’s article.

What is SEO?
SEO stands for “search engine optimization” and can reflect and encompass a digital marketing strategy that many businesses use to increase their digital footprint and presence online.

Google takes into account several pieces online in order to determine who you are as an attorney, and what types of legal services you offer.

The Different Types of SEO
There are so many ways that SEO methods can be used to improve your website. Some of the different types of SEO include on-page SEO, off-page SEO, technical SEO, and more.

On-Page SEO
On-page SEO is an SEO method that you can utilize throughout your law firm’s website. These are the methods you can use on various website pages. Some examples of on-page SEO are keywording headlines, using correct alt-tag on images, keywording and posting consistent blog posts, internal linking into silos of content, and incorporating keywording in meta descriptions and in website page titles.

The content you place on your website makes all the difference in your search rankings. The types of written content, images, and links that you use can help increase your rankings in search engines, and as a result helps potential clients find you easier.

Off-Page SEO
Off-page SEO is an SEO method that takes place outside of your website. Some examples of off-page SEO include guest blogging with a backlink back to your website, social media content, Google reviews, citations and testimonials on other websites, and external links from your website to other websites. Off-page SEO is a bit more complex to implement, and it is important to make sure these strategies are done correctly for maximum digital marketing results.

Technical SEO
Outside your website’s content, your website must remain up-to-date and secure. Technical SEO assists with your website’s technical performance. Technical SEO helps improve your website’s appearance, functionality, and loading times. If a page on your website takes more than 3 seconds to load, your potential clients will leave. You can find out how fast your website loads by using an online tool for free. Simply type in “website loading speed” to find these free tools and discover how fast your website is loading. If it is over 2 seconds, you may want to consider working on your technical SEO on your website.

Additionally, you want to make sure that your website looks fantastic on both desktop, tablet, and mobile devices. Most people are looking and searching on their phones, and it is important that you reach these potential clients with a website that maintains a professional appearance.

What SEO Is Actually Worth
Some law firms want to know whether SEO is worth investing in, and whether it will bring potential clients to their virtual doorstep. It depends on the goals that you want for your law firm. Many businesses invest in SEO marketing strategies because they want to generate additional traffic to their websites. Trying to reach a large number of people online without SEO methods is difficult, if not impossible. SEO strategies can help you make the most use of your time and efforts. In the end, if you spend the time to invest in a comprehensive SEO strategy, you will reap the reward with more traffic, and more potential clients contacting you.

Digital Marketing Next Steps
SEO is not just one thing when done correctly. If you are interested in developing a strong SEO strategy, you need to consider your onsite SEO, offsite SEO, keywording, technical SEO, your social media, and Google reviews. The entire process of a comprehensive SEO strategy can seem overwhelming. Take one area to start, such as your website, and take the time to develop a strategy one step at a time. SEO can truly bring potential clients to your virtual doorstep. Your competitors are already using these strategies to gain visibility online and more clients — the true cost of SEO is far less than the rewards it reaps.

Annette Choti, Esq. graduated from law school 20 years ago, and is the Founder of Law Quill, a legal digital marketing agency focused on small and solo law firms. Annette wrote the bestselling book Click Magnet: The Ultimate Digital Marketing Guide For Law Firms, and hosts the podcast Legal Marketing Lounge. She is a sought-after keynote and CLE speaker throughout the United States and Canada. Annette used to do theatre and professional comedy, which is not so different from the legal field if we are all being honest. Annette can be found on LinkedIn or at at annette@lawquill.com.