When it comes to being found by people using search engines, law firms are competing with each other for the few very coveted search results spots that are most likely to catch the attention of their potential clients. By ‘search engines,’ we really mean Google because the platform dominates the search engine market worldwide with over 86% of desktop searches and almost 95% of mobile searches.

There are two primary strategies law firms can use to try and achieve the top positions in search engine results.

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is an organic strategy that seeks to achieve the highest ranking result possible by creating content that meshes favorably with search engine algorithms.
• Pay-Per-Click (PPC) is a type of paid advertising through Google that law firms can use to have their content placed in the very highest-ranking results – ahead of organic content.

While all law firms can benefit from a good SEO strategy, they may not see the value in adding a PPC component to their marketing efforts. But the two types of strategies actually work well together because they can mutually support each other for greater overall results.

Law Firm Marketing with SEO

SEO is a long-term marketing strategy for law firms that focuses on building brand authority and trust. Consistently ranking high in search engine results tells potential clients a law firm is a good match for what they are looking for and has the expertise necessary to help them.

SEO benefits a law firm’s marketing strategy in several important ways.

• Creates a stable online presence
• Demonstrates authority and expertise
• Attracts better-qualified clients

The downside of SEO is that it can take time to see results and is dependent on staying on top of changing algorithms. Modifications to content at regular intervals are required to achieve or maintain high rankings.

Law Firm Marketing with PPC

When a law firm wants more immediate results, PPC can be used to target particular groups of potential clients in specific geographic areas. Content is seen by more potential clients faster than might be possible with SEO alone which converts to more clients in a shorter amount of time.

PPC can also be used effectively in law firm marketing because it:

• Allows for specific targeting
• Produces faster results
• Can be used for marketing research

A big drawback to PPC is cost. Every time an ad is clicked on, Google makes money whether the click generates a client or not. The more popular the keywords that are targeted, the higher the cost per keyword and the more expensive each click becomes. PPC can use up a significant chunk of a law firm’s marketing budget – especially if an ad is not properly targeted and the results are not measured.

Other Conditions Important for Search Result Rankings

For any law firm that is trying to rank in search engine results, there are some general digital marketing considerations that help search engines select a firm as the right match for a search query.

• Website loading speed – Content that does not load fairly immediately damages your marketing efforts twofold. People tend to get frustrated and click off, and that tells the algorithm that the site may not appeal to viewers, which can lower the content’s rank in search results.
• Fresh content – New or updated content gets the attention of the search engine bots that index a particular site to determine its ranking. Fresh content is an opportunity to associate a site with more relevant keywords, potentially increasing its rank.
• Localization – Using geographical keywords in content lets a search engine know where a law firm is located in relation to a searcher and helps to identify the content as a better match to a search query.
• Keyword Strategy – Using keywords in URLs, meta tags, and alt tags helps the algorithm understand what keywords are being targeted.

Importance of Ranking on Page One of Google Search Results

Just how important is it to appear on page one of Google search results if you want to drive traffic to your law firm’s website?

According to Wordstream, the first page of Google search results drives between 71% and 92% of web traffic. People tend to believe that what Google serves up first is the best option available in response to their search query. The click-through rates of search results bear this out.

• First organic result – 36% click-through rate
• Second organic result – 12.5% click-through rate
• Third organic result – 9.5% click-through rate

Click-through rates decline rapidly after the third organic result to a click-through rate of only 2.2% for the tenth result.

A recent study by BrightEdge found that while organic search remains the dominant source of web traffic, paid search continues to grow, and together organic and paid search account for 68% of trackable website visits.

Using SEO and PPC Together to Get Better Law Firm Marketing Results

The goal of law firm marketing is to reach the people that can be most helped by a law firm’s services and convince them to become clients. To achieve successful marketing results requires a strategy built from a combination of marketing tools that involves both organic and paid components.

To increase the chances of consistently achieving the most favorable search engine rankings and getting more desired clients to click through to your law firm’s website requires a combined marketing strategy using both SEO and PPC.

At Cross Country Creative, we work exclusively with law firms to develop comprehensive marketing campaigns to achieve high search result rankings that attract the right prospects and lead to more conversions. We closely monitor each client’s results and can rapidly adjust to changing conditions so we maximize every marketing dollar spent. With our 100% satisfaction guarantee, you lose nothing and stand to gain a robust and flourishing practice.

Call CCC at 866-568-3536 or contact us here to learn how our marketing efforts can keep your law firm supplied with a steady stream of highly qualified clients.