As of 2020, the US had 14,573 bankruptcy lawyers and attorneys, and the industry employed 23,586 workers.
That’s a lot of competition from other bankruptcy attorneys.
To stand out, modern bankruptcy law firms need to have a robust marketing strategy, which includes search engine optimization (SEO).
Law firm SEO determines how well your website ranks on search engines like Google.
And since people go to Google for everything these days, you can’t afford to ignore it.
According to a 2017 Legal Trends Report, 37% of consumers said they use online searches to look for a lawyer.
So your bankruptcy law firm needs to take SEO seriously.
So here are our top 10 SEO strategies for bankruptcy lawyers you can start today:
Table of Contents
1. Make (& optimize) your Google My Business (GMB) page
SEO for bankruptcy law firms starts with creating a Google My Business (GMB) account.
GMB is like a giant free online business directory.
All you have to do is follow a simple account creation process. You’ll need to provide some basic information about your business like its name, address, and contact information.
You’ll also have to verify that your business actually exists by confirming a verification code that Google sends you via phone call, postcard, or email.
Then anytime someone searches online for a bankruptcy lawyer in your area, your business will show as a verified business on Google Maps.
Keep in mind that GMB is location-specific. So it will help drive local prospects to your business. And since it’s free, registering with GMB is a no-brainer. Just keep its information updated, and you’ll have a permanent source of leads.
2. Research target bankruptcy-related keywords
Next, do some keyword research.
Start by making a list of what your potential clients type into the search bar.
For example, people often type in the service they need, followed by their city, like this:
- bankruptcy lawyer Denver
- San Francisco bankruptcy law firms
But then there are also “long-tail” keywords you should consider.
For example, some might search for an answer to a specific question, like this:
- What to do if you go bankrupt with no house?
- What are the first steps to expect when hiring bankruptcy services?
Generally, long-tail keywords get less search volume, but there’s also less competition when you’re trying to rank for them.
Use an SEO tool like Ahrefs or SEMrush to identify other good keywords. These tools can provide keyword suggestions, show keyword difficulty (how competitive a keyword is to rank for), and help you understand search intent.
You can even use Google’s auto-suggest to find keywords related to the ones you come up with on your own. The key is to build a list of relevant keywords for your website to target.
3. Create powerful landing pages for various bankruptcy law firm niches
With a list of target keywords, you’re ready to create powerful landing pages. On top of welcoming site visitors and educating them on your service, landing pages can help your website rank on search engines.
For example, you could create landing pages on Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcies, means tests, qualifying for bankruptcy, the bankruptcy process, and more. Load your landing pages with valuable information on the keywords you selected.
But don’t be afraid to also create landing pages about narrower topics. These could include credit counseling, lien stripping, joint bankruptcy, and state-specific regulations. Such landing pages could be low-hanging fruit in the SEO game.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ) pages do well for SEO as well. And they’re the perfect opportunity to answer common questions that your potential clients have.
4. Start a blog focused on bankruptcy law
Landing pages aren’t the only type of content that can rank. So do blog posts. They give you a steady stream of content that builds up over time.
Write blog posts that target your keywords, address current trends, answer questions, and keep your clientele updated on your business. The more content you have, the better. It all boosts your SEO.
But make sure your blog posts are quality. In 2018, Google published a principle for how they rate content quality called E-A-T. It stands for expertise, authority, and trustworthiness.
To fulfill these three goals, your blog posts can’t be written poorly, plagiarized, or inaccurate.
Use writing tools like Grammarly and Yoast to help you write better.
5. Optimize your bankruptcy law firm website for user experience (UX)
Another critical part of SEO is user experience (UX). You could have the greatest content on bankruptcy in the world, but if people have a bad experience on your site, they’ll leave.
A high bounce rate like this tells Google that your site doesn’t satisfy search intent. So they’ll demote it.
In fact, in 2020, Google released its criteria for UX called Core Web Vitals. They’re based on three core pillars: site speed, responsiveness, and visual stability.
So to improve your site’s UX, here are some things to pay attention to:
Mobile responsiveness
Over 50% of worldwide web traffic comes from phones. So you need to make sure your website is optimized for mobile screens. Otherwise, you’re missing out on a lot of leads.
Loading speed of your bankruptcy site
People are becoming more and more impatient. If a website doesn’t load within 2 seconds, most people move on. Some things you can do to improve loading speed include compressing images, reducing redirects, and enabling browser caching.
High-quality images
These days, high-quality website photos are a must. Users can spot free stock images from miles away. So to look professional, make sure you pay for some high-quality images.
Readable text
Don’t stuff your website with too much text. Keep it minimal with plenty of white space and use only a few complimentary fonts and colors. This will make your site easier to read.
Easy navigation
Your site should have an intuitive structure. Give it a clear navigation bar at the top to help users quickly understand how to navigate your site.
If you optimize for all of the above, your bankruptcy site will do much better in search rankings.
Technical SEO
Be sure to consider all the technical SEO ranking factors when tuning your website like:
- Alt tags, meta descriptions
- Entity and LSI (latent semantic indexing) keywords
- Image sizes and image compression
Your search engine rankings will ultimately depend on hundreds of known and unknown factors.
6. Create an XML sitemap and build internal links
Next, create an XML sitemap. This is a file that helps Google understand how your site is structured and which pages are most important.
A good XML sitemap will help your pages get discovered faster, which means more traffic in the long run.
To boost your SEO even further, include internal links from existing web pages to new ones. This encourages users to visit different pages and spreads your domain authority across your entire site.
7. Highlight bankruptcy client testimonials
Have some satisfied clients? Ask them to write a testimonial for you on your website. This will encourage future prospects to trust your business (aka social proof). And search engines value social proof.
If Google sees that others recommend your business, they’re more likely to boost your site’s ranking in search results.
Showcasing existing and past clients will help to provide the social proof your law firm website needs to convert passive visitors into active clients.
8. Optimize online listings and local SEO profiles
In addition to getting testimonials, get your business listed in online directories like Yelp, Facebook, Avvo, and YellowPages.
The wider your online presence (and the more reviews you have on them), the more Google will value your site.
Because most bankruptcy law firms acquire most of their business from local bankruptcy attorney searches, ensuring your local listings, link citations and GMB listings are up-to-date and optimized will be critical for the long term success from organic traffic to your law firm website.
9. Build backlinks from quality, relevant sources
Another key to SEO is link building. This means getting other sites to link to yours to show Google that your site is valuable. Every link (aka backlink) is like a vote for your site.
Of course, you don’t want just any kind of backlinks. They should be from high-quality backlink sources in your industry. Think FindLaw and Justia. Disavow any spammy links and definitely don’t pay for any. It’s about quality over quantity.
Here are a few ways you can go about getting high-quality backlinks:
Help Out a Reporter (HARO)
This organization connects you with journalists looking for expert sources. Sign up to get alerts anytime someone needs a quote on bankruptcy law. Then if they use your quote, they’ll link it back to your site.
Broken link building
Many law sites have broken or outdated links. Identify them, inform the website, and offer your website as a replacement link.
If done right, broken link building has a lot of potential for acquiring quality backlinks.
Hire a white hat link building agency
If you don’t have the time or skill to worry about link building, you can always hire an agency like SEO.co to help you. Just make sure the agency you choose uses sound link-building practices.
Over time, building out your backlink profile will give your site more online authority and help it rank higher on search engines.
Source: https://www.brightedge.com/glossary/backlink-profile
10. Stay on top of SEO trends and adapt
Lastly, keep up with trends.
Google regularly releases algorithm updates.
Google ranking factors change or shift their weight regularly.
So you may need to pivot your SEO strategy and update your website over time.
Also, review your website analytics frequently to see what’s working and what’s not.
If you’re not seeing any results from your SEO efforts, it may be time to try another strategy.
Partner with SEO.co
Ultimately, SEO for lawyers is a long-term game. You have to stick with it for the long haul to see any results.
If you need comprehensive SEO services, consider partnering with SEO.co. Our SEO experts have helped law firms large and small dramatically increase their online visibility.
And we can help yours too! Contact us today for a free consultation.
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