Have You Been Googled? How To Market Your Firm Online In 2004
Having a web site will not drive clients to your firm. Odd that a web designer
would write something that bold, but it is true. It is also true
that simply advertising in an online legal directory is not enough.
Neither is it enough to create a snazzy intro or plug in a few keywords
into your web page, relax and wait for the clients to roll in.
However, you
can generate new clients from the Internet using a combination of
these techniques. Potential clients are looking for legal assistance
online and the amount of people searching for a lawyer on the Internet
increases each day. This brief article will detail how you can help
clients find your firm instead of your competition through a variety
of techniques. A more in-depth look at these strategies will be
published next month on our web site and at TechnoLawyer.com.
Before we begin
our article, we must first talk about the Google Algorithm. A change
took place in late January with Google updating its algorithm that
is used to rank web sites. Google provides 75% of all search results,
so this is a major change. The bad news is that if your web site
was once ranked well, it has quite probably fallen off the face
of the earth due to this “update.” The good news is
that there are still techniques that can achieve a high ranking
and, rest assured, every search engine specialist out there is trying
to figure out exactly what qualities in a web site the new algorithm
likes or dislikes, which then translates into rankings.
While it is
too soon to say what the secret is for the new Google algorithm,
this is most likely an update of the November algorithm that changed
how web sites were ranked in larger industries (insurance, hotels,
travel, tickets, personal injury attorneys, etc.). The new algorithm
has expanded to cover nearly all legal practice areas and all major
geographic regions.
The recent changes
in Google and other search engines prove that you should not put
all your eggs in one basket, relying totally on search engine optimization
as your only avenue of Internet marketing. While there are always
fixes to get your web site ranked high again, it is better to have
a steady stream of client inquiries from multiple marketing avenues.
1.
Still Optimize
Despite the forewarning, your law firm can increase traffic to its
web site by editing your Meta tags, creating reciprocal links, adding
relevant content, and registering your web site. Search engine optimization
works and your law firm can have a leg-up on the competition if
you find a web designer who can do it properly.
2.
Sign up to Directories
How good are legal directories? Very. Depending upon the legal directory,
you can gain new clients and increase your overall web site presence.
In fact, Google now relies on a lot of legal directories as its
search results. With the new Google update you can increase your
web site ranking and overall Internet presence by signing up with
multiple directories (from small to large).
3.
Create Newsletters
Your law firm should publish a quarterly newsletter. Even better,
publish a monthly newsletter and you will see instant results. This
form of marketing is great for generating repeat traffic to your
web site and introducing new clients to your firm. Newsletters also
boost your image with other attorneys because they can establish
your firm as a go-to place for up-to-date information.
4.
Create Affiliations
Affiliations are links with other web sites. All you need to do
is find web sites that have related industries and request links
from their web designer. Most web designers will be happy to reciprocate
links with your web site, thereby raising your web site and their
web sites ranking. You will be very surprised how people can find
your web site. The most insignificant link can turn into a client.
5.
Create Blogs
A blog is a web page made up of usually short, frequently updated
posts that are arranged chronologically, like a journal. The content
and purposes of blogs varies greatly from links and commentary about
other web sites to news about a company/person/idea, to diaries,
photos, poetry, mini-essays, project updates, even fiction. In the
legal field, you could promote your firm’s services, cases,
clients, and other notable news in the blog. Blogs rank very high
in the search results and provide a great way to spread the word
about your firm.
6.
Advertise - Pay per Click
If your firm does not wish to optimize the web site for search engine
placement, you can buy your way to the top. Your firm may wish to
consider an Internet marketing campaign with keyword buying on Google
and Overture. This will keep your web site ranked in the top search
results year-round and may even been less expensive than paying
a yearly fee to a web designer to optimize your web site.
7.
Write Good Content
Content is king. To attract visitors to your web site, your firm
needs to offer useful content. If your firm offers authoritative
information about your practice areas, then you will notice a dramatic
increase in web site traffic and search engine placement. Having
an online firm brochure that lists your firm's credentials, practice
areas, and attorney biographies is a start. However, serious web
sites place articles, newsletters, bulletin alerts, links, statistics,
and other information that educates a potential client.
About The Author
Peter Boyd, Esq. at PaperStreet Web Design. Located in Miami, FL, PaperStreet Web Design has extensive experience developing, redesigning and optimizing law-related web sites. Our expertise can save you time and money while increasing your firm's business traffic.Contact
us and we can easily redesign your web site to impress clients and
get profitable results. Feel free to contact Peter Boyd at PaperStreet Web Design, peteboyd@paperst.com
or 954.523.2181.
The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the opinion of ILW.COM.
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