Are you a bankruptcy attorney or law firm operating within a specific area (such as a city or state)? If yes, then you probably need to target your marketing efforts toward the people living in the particular area that you are serving. Unlike most businesses these days that cater to an online demographic or whose products or services are not geographically limited, bankruptcy attorneys that focus on a particular location must differentiate their marketing strategy. This is where local SEO for bankruptcy law firms come in. It is your secret to staying competitive and hopefully becoming the first law firm that comes to the minds of your target audience looking for your specific type of legal service.
SEO for Bankruptcy Law Firms 101
You can’t talk about digital marketing without mentioning SEO. In fact, many experts agree that SEO is the heart of any digital marketing campaign.
After all, any consumer looking for a particular product or service provider (or has questions about a particular product) turns to Google for answers. You need to optimize your website and social media pages so they are the answers that Google would recommend for specific searches.
Unfortunately, search engine optimization is complex and time-consuming. You can’t expect to reach the number one spot for a specific keyword on the search engine results page overnight. It can take months, or even years for that to happen, especially when you do things organically.
It is, therefore, important to understand the complexity of search engine optimization so you can get the results you want. For bankruptcy attorneys, getting your website to rank within the first page of the Google search engine results could mean a higher possibility of getting more inquiries to your services or the possibility of booking more clients.
What Is Local SEO?
Local SEO is one of the various subcategories of search engine optimization which should form part of your overall marketing strategy. As the name suggests, it specifically deals with ranking your website for a local community or a specific geographic area. The goal with local SEO is to rank higher than other businesses offering the same products or services within that same geographic area.
For example, you need to employ local SEO strategies to rank higher than other bankruptcy attorneys in your city. Many web users often add the specific city or location in the search box when looking for a specific product or service within that city. For example, “bankruptcy attorney in New York” will provide the user with a wide array of selection of law firms to potentially hire within New York. If you are one of these firms, then you need to make sure that you rank higher to be considered.
It’s no secret that organic search traffic is pivotal to growing a law firm. However, not too many attorneys or law firms have given local SEO as much attention as it deserves. Given the increased reliance of consumers on Google to find information or look for professional services, you can only expect that percentage to grow over the next few years.
Employing a solid local SEO strategy is what you need to rank higher on the Google search engine results page. This will enable you to cut through the noise and make it easier for prospective clients to find you online.
Why is Local SEO for Bankruptcy Law Firms Important?
Success with local SEO for bankruptcy law firms is not guaranteed. Like with any other marketing strategy, you need to try out various methods so you can determine which ones bring the desired results (or you can analyze data insights to see which ones offer the highest conversion rates).
The following are the benefits that you can get for implementing local SEO that makes the effort worthwhile.
Rank for Local-Centric Keywords
As mentioned earlier, web users tend to vary their search terms when looking for local businesses or services. For example, local searches use keywords such as “bankruptcy law firms near me” or “bankruptcy law firms in Boston”. If you want to show up as one of the suggested results for a particular local-centric search keyword, make sure you optimize the keywords you are targeting based on your geographic area.
You need to start with keyword research so you can analyze the top keyword search terms for your particular location. If you are serving more than one area, it is also a good idea to optimize the search term for every area you are serving. For example, if you are also serving other cities in Massachusetts, such as Salem or Cambridge. This will let potential clients in these areas know that you are serving their area when they conduct their research via Google.
The use of local-centric keywords also helps to filter the prospective clients that search for your services. This targeted approach will significantly improve your conversion rate.
Boost Your Reputation Locally
When you make your local presence known online, it becomes easier for people within that area to build their trust and to reaffirm your reputation as a law firm. Having a local online presence gives potential clients more confidence that you are a reputable and existing business, especially if you claim your Google My Business page.
This will give you the opportunity to add relevant information on this page for prospects to see when they search for information about your law firm online. Make sure to provide relevant and accurate information about your business, such as operating hours and contact information. If you can, feel free to add photos to your law firm as well.
Build a Local Client Base
When you set up your local page on Google for your law firm, you can also leverage that to increase your client base. Previous clients have the opportunity to leave reviews about your services. The more positive reviews and ratings you get, the more you can increase your online reputation as a local law firm. This will also entice other customers to your law firm.
Local SEO for bankruptcy law firms provide additional benefits such as reduced outbound marketing budget, attracting more qualified leads, and the potential for repeat business.