Link building is the practice of getting hyperlinks (also known as “backlinks” or “inbound links”) from other websites to your website. Simply, it involves getting other websites to link back to your website.
Link building is main aspect of search engine optimization (SEO) because search engines like Google use links to determine the authority and relevance of a website. When a website has many high-quality links from other reputable websites, search engines view it as more authoritative and relevant, which can help improve its search engine rankings.
There are many strategies and techniques for link building, including creating valuable content that others want to link to, reaching out to other websites to request links, and using social media to promote your content and attract links. However, it’s important to note that link-building must be done naturally and ethically to avoid penalties from search engines.
Once you have a grasp of the fundamentals of links, there are eight effective tactics for link building that you can utilize for your law firm’s SEO. It’s essential to remember that a successful link-building strategy should incorporate a range of tactics to create a diverse link profile that appears organic.
Creating an Effective Profile on Legal Directories
Building a profile on lawyer directories is a simple way to create backlinks for your law firm’s website and can improve your overall link profile.
Additionally, consider a few paid directories, as they often have higher standards for entry and may rank well for local keywords. This can give your brand even more visibility on the first page of search results.
If you want to know the effectiveness of your directory citations, you can add UTM parameters to your URL and include a campaign source. For example:
https://www.YourLawFirmWebsite.com/cityname?utm_source=citation&utm_medium=referral
By doing this, you can monitor the performance of your directory citations within Google Analytics. Search for “citation” within the Source/Medium report.
Maintaining accurate and consistent NAP + W (name, address, phone number + website) information across all directories is crucial to demonstrate to Google that your law firm is a legitimate business. This may also provide a slight boost to your local SEO.
However, there are a couple of things to keep in mind when it comes to directory link building:
- Links may be nofollow: Many directories utilize the “nofollow” tag, meaning their links do not pass any authority to your website. Despite this, listing on these directories can still be beneficial as they can provide a reliable citation and may direct some referral traffic to your site. Moreover, Google considers the nofollow attribute a mere “hint,” so such backlinks can still contribute to building a natural link profile.
- Directory links are typically low in value: If it’s effortless to acquire a link from a particular directory, it tends to be less valuable. Thus, while the directory links mentioned above can help with link-building momentum, other link-building strategies are more likely to generate significant results.
Contributing as a Guest Author to Industry Publications
Are you looking to expand your law firm’s reach and influence? Do you have unique insights or strong, data-backed opinions on popular legal topics? If so, high-value law blogs and websites may be interested in featuring your guest post that can benefit other attorneys.
One significant SEO benefit of submitting a guest post is that these websites usually include one or two backlinks to your firm’s website in your author bio. In some cases, links within the body of the article may also be allowed.
But how can you find these websites? Some content platforms have a dedicated “write for us” page that outlines their writing guidelines and is readily accessible in their global navigation.
To submit your article, carefully follow the submission instructions provided (usually via email or a submission form). If you’re short on time, consider using content writing services to ghostwrite the article for you.
While most websites may not have a public “write for us” page, you can still contact the editor if you have exciting ideas that would be valuable to their audience. You’ll likely be welcomed, mainly if you offer fresh and unique angles.
In addition to legal publications, you can target websites covering topics related to your law practice, regional establishments, or interests. As long as you can find relevant angles that add value to a publication and tie it back to your law practice, guest posting can be effective.
If you can contribute to industry websites where your potential clients are active, you may not need to focus on links and SEO – you may be able to find clients directly.
Become a Trusted Source for Content Creators
If you need more time and can only write part of the article, consider contributing your insights to articles already in the works. Then, respond promptly and provide unique perspectives to increase your chances of being mentioned and getting a backlink from the article.
If you prefer to keep a low profile, you can create private Twitter lists of journalists and content creators to follow.
To be proactive, search for relevant keywords and the hashtag “#Journorequest” on Twitter to find source requests by journalists. I found a couple of examples by searching for “personal injury.”
Another practical approach is to actively reach out to journalists and let them know you can assist them.
Become a valuable resource for journalists with HARO
If you’re not active on social media, HARO can be your go-to platform to share your expertise with journalists. Once you sign up, you can choose the industries from which you want to receive source requests and get daily emails with journalists’ questions. To increase your chances of being quoted, respond promptly with original insights, and include a short bio, your law firm’s website, and any other requested information. Remember that journalists may not reply to you, even if they quote you in their articles. To track your mentions, you can use Ahrefs backlinks reports.
Make Your Content Stand Out with Custom Graphics and Shareable Resources
Traditionally, link-building involves reaching out to content creators and offering your insights. But what if you could change the script and have them come to you instead?
Content creators always look for original and insightful information to enhance their articles. By creating visually engaging resources on your website, you can attract them to your site and have them link back to you. Any information that can be visually appealing can be a valuable “linkable asset” for bloggers and content creators in your industry.
You can also provide value to publishers by compiling statistics and facts related to your area of law. For instance, as a family lawyer, you can create an article with statistics about marriage and divorce. This way, you can provide helpful information to content creators while earning valuable website backlinks.
Boost Your Law Firm’s Visibility by Listing on Your Alma Mater’s Website
Law schools often have an alumni section on their websites where they list law firms with their websites. You can start by submitting your information here and requesting to be included. Another way to get involved is to contribute to the college blog by sharing your tips with graduating students or sponsoring events.
Another option is to join committees and earn mentions from your law school’s .edu website, which usually has a high domain rating. Also, consider offering a scholarship for students from your university to increase your visibility and reputation.
Grow your law firm’s reputation through targeted partnerships and event sponsorships
By leveraging your legal expertise to give back to the community, you can establish trust and increase brand awareness for your law firm in your local area. Hosting or sponsoring events can also result in online promotion and mentions from event websites such as Meetup.com and Eventbrite.com, which can drive traffic to your law firm’s website. Even with limited physical events in your area, you can still seek opportunities to contribute to virtual events and engage with potential clients online.
Maximising Your Legal Business Exposure through PR
PR is a multifaceted endeavour that requires creativity, experimentation, capital, and a bit of luck. But if your PR efforts pay off, you can enjoy long-lasting brand recognition, recall value for your law firm, and valuable backlinks.
Law firm link building made easy
Outsourcing your law firm’s SEO needs can be a smart business move, especially in an industry where low utilization rates are common. Our monthly SEO package can help you attract ideal clients and improve your utilization rate. Consider leaving the technical work to us and focus on what you do best – serving your clients.
