3 Local Search Tactics for Family Lawyers

Naturally, you want high-quality leads for your family law firm. You probably already know that good web content matters, but content is not the sole factor that puts you at the top of search results.

Here are three tips for your firm that will help you get noticed by more potential new clients in your local area.

 

Utilize Google My Business to the Fullest

Google My Business or GMB is a Google tool where all businesses can set up listings.

It’s a match made in heaven if done properly because Google’s goal and your law firm marketing goals align. Google’s goal is to present searchers with relevant and complete information about local service providers. The goal for you, as the marketer of a family law practice, is to have your business appear before the eyes of potential clients.

Most individuals will look for a family lawyer close to where they live. They will very likely go to Google and search for something like “child custody lawyer in [my town]” or “divorce lawyer near me” Google then presents a page a map with GMB listings for local law firms that match the search query.

You get into this list by either advertising or organic placement through search engine optimization. Setting up a GMB listing is free but should not be done hastily or haphazardly. You want to craft every listing detail carefully. A quick scan by a potential client should inform them about your value proposition and how to make contact.

The importance of a GMB listing cannot be overstated, especially when people make generic searches for local lawyers just to explore their options. Your GMB listing can instantly make you visible to many of these people by giving you access to top-of-page placement.

If someone has heard of you and searches for your firm by name, GMB still offers great value. Alongside search results, Google inserts your GMB details, which makes your contact information, website link, and Google reviews instantly visible. Learn more about why GMB is important here.

Want to dig deeper? More family law marketing reads:

• Family Law Case Study
• Child Custody Marketing Tips That Actually Work
• Choosing the Right Platform for Divorce Lawyer Ads

 

Powerful Local Advertising Tools

If you want to expand beyond the basic Google My Business profile, your listing gives you the power to achieve even more visibility.

GMB connects you with the Google advertising product called Local Services Ads. The local ads provide tools to connect with your most relevant leads and enable instant messaging.

 

Master the Google Map Pack

Think back to a local business search that you did recently on Google. You probably saw a small map of your town along with a list of three local service providers.

The map and three business listings form what is known as the Google Map Pack. Appearing in the Map Pack makes you a winner in the local search game. Mobile searchers can use the click-to-call feature if they desire.

Earning a spot within this highly visible trinity of business listings starts with creating the all-important GMB listing and verifying your address. After that, Google selects from GMB listings that are fully filled out and connected to well-optimized websites.

 

Optimize Your Website for Mobile

People increasingly conduct searches on their smartphones and tablets. As of 2017, Techjury reported that 51 percent of time spent online involved a mobile device. About 40 percent of people only perform internet searches on mobile devices. Bounce rates (the number of people leaving a website as soon as they click through to it) are higher on mobile devices compared to desktop computers.

Taken together, these facts mean that a website optimized to load quickly and look good on mobile has a much better chance of producing leads for your law firm.

 

Optimize Your Website for Speed

People are impatient and will quickly move on to another search result if your website takes too long to load regardless of whether they are on mobile or desktop. Just like impatient people, search engines score slow-loading websites poorly.

Even if you have great search engine optimization in terms of keywords and high-value content, your website could still lose position to competitors with faster-loading websites.

Most businesses need some technical support to whip their websites into shape so that they work well on mobile and load quickly on all platforms.

Achieving those technical goals, along with building a robust Google My Business listing, gives your website a much greater chance of landing at the top of the search results or even inside the coveted Google Map Pack. And more visibility on Google = more leads for your firm! Or you can get more marketing ideas for your Law Firm here.