10 Tips to Write Great Law Firm Web Pages
This guide explains how to write high-ranking law firm web pages that are evergreen business generators for your law firm.
1) Keywords and Headings for Law Firm Web Pages
Keyword research is the first and most important step to crafting great law firm web pages. The keywords and headings you use greatly influence your rankings on Google. Your keywords should match the search terms people use to find your content. Whatever phrase or phrases people type into Google to find you, those are the keywords you should use. In other words, “Their search terms are your keywords.’’
How to Identify Keywords
You can find keywords in a couple of different ways. One way is to use Google Keyword Planner, a free tool provided by Google. Another way is to use Google’s autofill feature. To do this, develop a list of keywords people might search for, then type them into Google and check the auto-fills. Google’s auto-fills often provide great key phrases for your article.
Use Long-Tail Keywords
Long-tail keywords are typically 3-5 words and are more specific than simple keywords. The more specific your keywords and key phrases, the more likely you rank higher. For example, you are more likely to rank higher using long-tail keywords like ”San Diego bicycle helmet law” than the more general ”bicycle law.” Thus, we recommend using long-tail keywords in high-competition markets where ranking is hard.
Location
Location is very important when choosing keywords. Using location-specific keywords will help you rank higher in local search results, establish you as a local authority, and make you more visible to potential clients in your area. Thus, it is a good idea to include your location in your keywords – such as ‘’Encinitas business lawyer.’’ Your keywords should target your specific location to find the right audience.
Headings
Your headings should contain keywords and be properly formatted (H1, H2, H3). Headings are very important for Google rankings. Use headings often – one heading for every paragraph or two (or maybe three if the paragraphs are small). Using lots of headings makes the article easily readable and scannable, which means it will have a lower bounce rate.
We suggest Googling every heading and subheading and checking the auto-fills for ideas about which words to use.
It’s good to phrase headings as questions, as people often enter search terms in the form of questions.
Keyword Density
Your keyword density should be 1-3% (1-3 words out of 100). So, for a 1,000-word article with a five-word keyphrase, you would use the keyphrase six times. Using the key phrase too few or too many times will cause the article to rank lower.
Use related key phrases or synonyms if your key phrase density is too high. Synonyms do not count towards keyword density. You can measure your article’s keyword density using a WordPress plugin like Rank Math.
2) Use Internal and External Links
Every law firm web page you publish should have at least one internal and one external link. Building an extensive network of backlinks on your website improves Google rankings and search results.
Internal Links
Internal links are links to other articles on your website, such as your blogs and practice area pages. Use as many internal links as possible. Be familiar with the material in your blogs and practice area pages, and link to it whenever possible.
External Links
External links to authoritative sites establish credibility and build trust with Google. Thus, external links to trusted sites are good for SEO. Provide links to relevant statutes and legal authorities in your articles. However, link only to high-quality, trusted sites (such as .gov websites).
Link Text
Use concise link text. Keep link text to four words or less and use the minimum necessary words. However, make the links as descriptive as possible and provide as much context as possible. Google assigns value to context, so giving context helps rankings. Be brief, but be as descriptive as possible.
Link Stuffing
Every link should be on topic and add something to the article. Don’t ”link stuff,” or cram as many links into the article as possible, thinking it will boost SEO. It won’t. Search engines penalize for link stuffing. Use links often, but only when it makes logical sense.
3) Readability and Style for Law Firm Web Pages
Write your law firm web pages at an 8th-grade reading level. That means a person with an 8th-grade education should be able to read and clearly understand your articles. Lawyers often fail at this because when they write about the law, they write like they are writing for judges or lawyers. Their work reads like a law review article, which the average reader cannot understand. Thus, their articles rank low on Google, and nobody sees them.
Your law firm web pages must be technically accurate, but it also must be reader-friendly and accessible. However, translating complex legal concepts into simple English can be challenging. That’s why we recommend the following tips for proper readability and style.
Use Short Words and Sentences
Use short sentences and use the shortest, most direct words possible. Two factors determine readability: 1) the average length of a sentence (in number of words), and 2) the average number of syllables per word. Thus, using shorter words and sentences makes the article more readable.
Break longer sentences down into shorter ones. Keep 75% of sentences under 20 words.
Use plain language. Avoid words with four or more syllables. Avoid using legal or technical jargon. ‘’Don’t use a dollar word when a 10-cent word will do.’’
Use Short Paragraphs
Short paragraphs are easier for the reader to read and scan. Make each paragraph about one topic. Use 3-5 sentences per paragraph (6-7 max). Keep paragraphs 150 words or less. Cut longer paragraphs into two small ones, or use subheadings to break the topic down even further.
Eliminate Lists and Bullets
Use bullets minimally and avoid long lists separated by commas. Replace bullets and lists with subheadings, and write a short paragraph about each subheading. Doing so will make the article easier to read and process.
Use Active Voice
Less than 10% of sentences should have a passive voice. Passive voice is harder for the reader to understand. To turn the passive voice into active – the verb changes, and the actor and the receiver switch places. For example, change ”Fred was hit by John” (passive) to ”John hit Fred” (active).
Use Transition Words
Transition words like, ‘’and,’’ ‘’but,’’ ‘’so,’’ ‘’because,’’ ‘’thus,’’ and ‘’therefore’’ make the article easier to read because they show the relationship between sentences, phrases, and paragraphs. Transition words are the glue that holds the text together. Use transition words to link thoughts together and make your article flow better.
Check Readability Score
Check your article’s readability score for free using Microsoft Word. If your readability score is poor, improve it by 1) using shorter words, sentences, and paragraphs, 2) eliminating technical jargon, 3) eliminating passive voice, and 4) using transition words.
4) Proofread Carefully
Carefully proofread every article for errors and omissions before you publish it. Your articles must be free from mistakes to demonstrate expertise and earn trust. Before your article goes live, you must carefully proofread it for typos, misspellings, and grammatical errors.
It’s best to have someone else proofread your article for you. However, if you do not have someone to proofread your article, we recommend using a grammar-checking tool like Grammarly to ensure that your article is free from errors before you publish it.
5) Avoid Plagiarism and Content Cannibalization
Plagiarism is stealing content from other people’s websites. Content cannibalization is stealing content from your own website. Plagiarism and content cannibalization both cause your website to rank lower on Google.
Originality is an important factor for Google rankings. Your search results suffer when you take content from other websites or your own website. Use a plagiarism checker like Grammarly to eliminate repetitive language and ensure your content is 100% original.
6) Length of Law Firm Web Pages
Every article you write should establish you as the authority on the subject matter in your location. Thus, every article should be long enough to establish you as an expert. The appropriate length of the article depends on the number of words necessary to establish you as an expert on the topic.
A narrowly defined issue may only need 600-700 words to establish you as an expert. A general issue may take 1,200-1,500 words. A broad issue may require 2,000 words or more. For practice area pages, 2,000-5,000 words are typically appropriate. In general, you want to focus on long-form content that can dominate search results. As such, most articles should be over 1,000 words.
Write every article as tightly as possible, with no fluff. Every word, sentence, and paragraph should be as clear and concise as possible. Every word in the article should be completely necessary. It is better to have 1,500 tightly written words than 2,000 rambling words where the important information gets lost.
7) Use Featured Images
Every article you publish should have a featured image that is engaging and directly related to the written content. The photos should be of professional quality and in a consistent style with the other pictures on your website. The images should be clear, centered, properly focused, uncluttered, attention-grabbing, and directly correlated to the written message.
You can find free, professional-quality photos at Pexels, Pixabay, and other stock photo websites.
8) Include a Call to Action
Every page should have a clear call to action, such as “Contact Us” or “Schedule a Free Consultation Today.” The call to action is how your website converts readers into clients. It may prompt the reader to call, email, complete an intake form, or make a purchase.
9) Backend SEO for Law Firm Web Pages
Backend SEO is off-page optimization—the reader does not see it. It improves search results by helping search engines better understand your website’s purpose. Here are a few simple tips for optimizing your website’s backend SEO.
Install a WordPress SEO Plugin
Installing a WordPress SEO plugin makes it much easier for you to configure your backend SEO. Two of the most popular free SEO plugins are Yoast and Rank Math. For each article you publish, use your SEO plugin to optimize the article for tags, keyword density, title readability, alt text, Google snippets, and metadata.
Add Alt Text to Photos
Put a clear description of the photo, including keywords, in the photo’s alt text. The alt text should be descriptive enough that people would know exactly what is in the photo without seeing it. The description should include the context of the photo. Adding proper alt text optimizes the photo for SEO and helps Google rankings. Don’t use the word ‘’image’’ or ‘’photo’’ in the alt text.
Indexing and Site Mapping
Having your site indexed by Google is crucial for rankings. If your web pages are not indexed, they will not appear in Google search results. You can request that Google crawl and index your web pages individually or submit a sitemap to request indexing for several pages simultaneously.
10) Hire a Legal Content Writer
Your law firm web page content is too important to trust to an inexperienced writer. Hire a professional legal content writer who has the knowledge, experience, and skill to write legal contact that drives traffic, demonstrates authority, and converts readers into clients.
Contact us today to schedule a complimentary consultation. You will receive a detailed legal content plan tailored to your law firm for free. Schedule your free consultation without delay – we have limited space available.