11 Tips to Write Great Legal Blogs
This guide teaches you step-by-step how to write great legal blogs to drive website traffic, establish you as an authority in your field, and convert readers to clients for years.
1) How to choose the topic and title of your legal blog
Choosing the topic of your legal blog is the first step and arguably the most important. Your topic should address a specific pain point for your clients. Be specific when defining the topic. The purpose is to show clients that you can solve their particular issues. The more expert you are on their specific problem, the more likely they will hire you.
Once you’ve identified the topic, choose the title by thinking of a few keywords people are likely to search for, then type them into Google. Google will auto-fill the keywords with long-tail key phrases. These auto-fills are the most popular searches on the topic. As such, the auto-fills are a great source for keywords and key phrases to use in your title.
Using your location in the title of your blog post is a good idea. It helps Google define the purpose of your webpage and connect you to the audience you are trying to reach. You want to optimize for search results within your geographic area. For example, use a title like ‘’Electric Scooter Laws in San Diego’’ rather than simply ‘’Electric Scooter Laws.’’
2) How to choose keywords and headings for your legal blog
Choosing appropriate keywords and headings is critical for Google rankings. We recommend first identifying the keywords and headings and then using them as a frame to build the article around. It’s easier to rank for long-tail keywords (3-5 words) than for simple ones. As such, we recommend using long-tail keywords in highly competitive markets. We also strongly recommend using location-based keywords. For example, if you use ”San Diego Business Formations Lawyer” you will rank higher than if you used ”business lawyer.”
How to Choose Keywords
Choose the keywords that people are most likely to Google when looking for your content. Their search terms are your keywords. Google Keyword Planner is an excellent, free resource for identifying keywords. Ubersuggest (free) and Semrush (paid) are other keyword analysis tools.
How to Choose Headings
Headings are important for Google search results as they help Google determine the intent and purpose of your article. Use keywords and location in your headings, but only when it makes logical sense. Don’t try to stuff keywords into your article where they don’t belong. It will not help.
Avoid Keyword Stuffing
Resist the urge to cram as many keywords as possible into your article. Google penalizes for ‘’keyword stuffing’’ or overuse of keywords. Your content must have the right keyword density to rank as high as possible on Google. Your keywords should make up 1-3% of your article. If you have a three-word key phrase, you should use it once every 100 words. We recommend using a WordPress plugin like Rank Math to quickly and easily measure your keyword density.
Use Alternate Keywords and Key Phrases
If your keyword density is too high, try using synonyms or alternate key phrases, as these do not count towards your keyword density. Using closely related key phrases in your writing is a good idea because you also want to rank high for these phrases.
3) Readability and style for legal blogs
Your legal blogs should be detailed and legally accurate but must also be easy to read. Write your blogs at an 8th-grade reading level. That means someone with an 8th-grade reading level could easily read and understand your blog. Remember, your audience is potential clients, not lawyers or judges. Translating complex legal concepts into plain English can be challenging, so we recommend the following tips for legal blog style and readability.
Use short words
Use the simplest and most direct words possible. Use as few syllables as possible, and avoid using words with four syllables or more. Avoid using legal jargon. Explain things clearly and concisely in plain language.
Use short sentences
Sentence length greatly impacts readability. 75% of your sentences should be 20 words or less. Break longer sentences down into shorter ones. The shorter the words and sentences, the more readable the article. All your legal blogs should be as reader-friendly as possible.
Use short paragraphs
Each paragraph should be 3-5 sentences (6-7 max) and 150 words or less. Each paragraph should be about a single topic. Divide longer paragraphs into two shorter ones, or use subheadings to break the paragraph down even further. Readers and search engines like short paragraphs because they are easier to read and scan, leading to a lower bounce rate.
Avoid lists and bullets
Use bullets minimally. Instead of using bullet points, make each bullet a subheading and write a short paragraph about it – this will improve the article’s readability and search results. Also, avoid long lists separated by commas. Instead, use the same technique of making each item a subheading and writing a short paragraph about it.
Avoid passive voice
Always use active voice in your blogs. Passive voice is harder for the reader to understand. Less than 10% of your sentences should be written in passive voice. Grammar tools like Grammarly can be useful for identifying and eliminating passive voice from your writing. To change the passive voice to active, change the verb and switch the actor and receiver. For example, change “Bob was hit by Bill” (passive) to “Bill hit Bob” (active).
Use Transition Words
Transition words link thoughts together and make the article flow. They show the relationship between words, sentences, and paragraphs. Common transition words include ‘’and, but, so, because, thus, therefore, as such’’ and many more. Use transition words to improve readability and make your article flow better.
Use Readability Scores
You can check your legal blog’s readability score for free using Microsoft Word. Your article should be readable by an 8th-grade student. If your readability scores are low, you can improve them by 1) using shorter words, sentences, and paragraphs, 2) eliminating legal jargon, 3) changing passive voice to active voice, and 4) using more transition words.
4) How to determine the right length of a legal blog
Every legal blog you write should establish you as an expert on the topic you are writing. A granular issue may only require 600-700 words to establish you as an expert. A general issue may require 1,200-1,500 words, whereas a broad issue may require 2,000 words or more. The correct length of the article is the number of words it takes to establish you as an authority. Focusing on long-form content that can dominate search results is generally better. As such, most of your blogs should be at least 1,000 words.
5) Carefully proofread your legal blogs
Your content is your opportunity to impress potential clients. As such, your spelling and grammar must be impeccable. Mistakes in your online content erode trust. Carefully proofread each article for errors and omissions before you publish it. It is best to have someone else proofread your legal blog for you. However, if you do not have someone to proofread it for you, use a grammar checker like Grammarly to ensure your article is free from mistakes. Always make sure your article is error-free before you publish it.
6) Do not plagiarize or cannibalize content
Plagiarism is stealing content from someone else’s website. Content cannibalization is stealing content from your own website. Both are bad and will cause your website to rank lower on Google. Originality is important for Google rankings. As such, we recommend reviewing your article using plagiarism-checking software such as Grammarly before you publish it. This way, you can eliminate repetitive language and ensure the content is 100% original.
7) Use internal and external links in every blog
Internal links go to pages and blogs on your website. External links go to any website other than yours. Use at least one internal and external link in every blog. Link often to your blogs and practice area pages. Link to relevant statutes and legal authorities. Use authoritative links only, such as .gov websites. Developing an extensive network of links in your articles improves your Google rankings.
Include detailed information about your related practice areas in your blog and provide links to those pages. For example, if you are an estate planning lawyer writing about a wills and trusts issue that also raises business law issues, discuss the business law issues in detail and provide links to your business law practice pages.
Keep the link text as short as possible, but be descriptive. The link text should provide context. Google scores for context as it helps Google understand the purpose of the link and the article. Use no more than four words in the link text. Long link text causes confusion and functionality issues. Be concise, but be descriptive.
8) Include a sources section
Link often in your blogs, but only to authoritative sources such as .gov websites. Link to relevant statutes, forms, and government agencies. Include a sources section at the end of your blogs, with descriptions and links to the sources. Do not include internal links in the sources section. This section is for authoritative external links only.
9) Use a professional photo
Every blog should have an attractive photo directly relevant to the subject matter. The photo should be of professional quality and in a consistent style with all other images on your website. The photo should be engaging, clear, focused, centered, and uncluttered. You can find free professional photos on Pexels, Pixabay, and other free stock image websites.
10) Backend SEO for Legal Blogs
Backend SEO is off-page optimization, which means the reader doesn’t see it. We recommend installing a WordPress plugin like Yoast or Rank Math to easily manage your backend SEO. Use your SEO plugin to optimize your legal blog for keyword density, tags, title readability, Google snippet, alt text, and metadata.
Add Alt Text to Images
Use your SEO plugin to add alt text to your images and photos. The alt text optimizes the photo for SEO and helps drive traffic to your website. The alt text should describe the photo’s contents in enough detail that someone would know exactly what’s in it without seeing it. The alt text should include the context of the image.
It’s a good idea to include keywords in your alt text. For example, if you are a business law firm writing a blog about purchase agreements, a good alt text for the blog’s photo would be ‘’business person writing a purchase agreement.’’ Do not include the words ‘’photo’’ or ‘’image’’ in your alt text. The search engines already know it is a photo because of the file type.
Google Indexing and Site Mapping
Google indexing is crucial for your rankings. If Google does not index your site, it will not appear in search results. Request that Google crawl and index each page of your website. You can request that Google index your pages individually, or you can submit a sitemap to index many pages simultaneously. To find out whether your pages are indexed, go to your Google Search Console. Any time you add a new page or update an existing page on your website, have Google crawl and index the page to reflect the update.
Check How Your Content Is Doing
Google offers several tools for tracking content performance. We recommend using Google WordPress Site Kit to collect statistics from Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and Google Ads in one place – this will allow you to see which articles are performing best and which need to be updated.
11) Hire a professional legal blog writer
Writing great legal content takes time. Many lawyers do not have time to blog consistently. Google rewards consistency. If you want to develop your blog but don’t have time, hire a professional. However, don’t just hire anyone because you may waste your money.
Legal content is highly specialized, technical, and competitive. It isn’t easy to appear at the top of law firm search results. That means when hiring a writer, hire an experienced writer who specializes in legal content writing and has a proven track record of writing great legal content. It’s best if the writer is a professional lawyer or former lawyer.
Contact us today for a complimentary consultation and content plan based on your budget, location, and practice areas. You will have the chance to consult with an expert legal content writer and learn strategies and techniques to achieve your desired results. Schedule your free consultation today because we have limited space available.