The legal and technology industries could not be any different. One is steeped in tradition. The other is constantly evolving. It’s no longer enough to be a great law firm; you have to channel the power of an Internet presence as well. The firm with a grasp of both worlds will outdistance its competition almost immediately.
By choice, Obu only works with the greatest law firms in the country, and by greatest, I mean firms whose accolades and actions are positive for their local community. If you are a local leader and experience less-than-optimal search engine rankings, we will help you out! We will turn your firm’s upstanding status into SEO power that will increase your website traffic, leads and search engine rankings.
Perhaps, like so many others, your law firm’s website is getting its butt kicked in the ever flux of Google’s Panda and Penguin updates. You’re relying on old SEO tactics, and the number of visitors and leads has become stagnant or, even worse, is declining.
It’s okay; don’t panic. This is a common occurrence, especially in this day and age, but with Obu’s help you have the power to change the direction of that trend. Let’s dive in deeper.
I have the power?
As Wil Reynolds of Seer Interactive put it at a recent SEO conference, improving SEO has to do with RCS, or Real Company Stuff.
Here is a list of older SEO tactics that arguably could have generated traffic, leads and/or improve search engine placement in the past:
- keyword stuffing
- buying text links
- redirecting old domains
- reciprocal links
- cloaking
- getting thousands of followers
Search engines aside, does any of this add value for users? With these methods, the main priority is to send artificial signals to Google in order for them to rank you higher, rather than thinking about the users and what will provide them a positive experience. These are shameful and inauthentic tactics.
Instead, do this: use branding to generate SEO signals for better search engine rankings.
Take a look at this chart below that highlights brand signals using old methods of SEO versus using RCS methods.
As the chart illustrates, being real is tightly correlated with beneficial search engine results. Here is how it works.
- IF you employ real people, chances are your firm is answering users’ questions or providing support. By answering questions, you are putting your name out there and adding to the online conversation. You may be able to help someone directly or not, but regardless it’s an opportunity to brand your practice.
- IF you are exceptional and a leader in your field, you will earn mentions in the media. Just like any authority in a field, journalists and peers will flock to you for advice and talk about what you have to say on their own blogs and websites.
- IF you have detailed contact information, chances are you have a real office and have a better chance at ranking in local results. Google looks at structured data in a website, including the physical address and uses it to rank its local results.
- IF you are registered with your local chamber of commerce, BBB, ICLE or whatever it might be, consumers have more chances to learn/hear about you. Google is not the end all be all. Although it does contain 65% of searches, the sum of other sources can equal more than the traffic you get from Google. On top of that, being linked to from other sources might convert better, bumping your ranking search results.
- People talk. IF you’re exceptional, people will talk about you in social channels and even share content from your site. Just like anything in society, if people are wowed for whatever reason, they will talk about it with friends in their social networks. If a friend mentions your firm to another friend, they’re more likely to visit your site then a stranger who finds you through Google.
- This is my favorite. IF content on your site is as original as can possibly be, IF you have taken the time to think about a topic and the audience you intend to inform, you give yourself the opportunity to gain a fan. Content comes in many shapes or forms, but if it’s boring or the idea was ripped from another website and isn’t totally genuine, there is no sense in sharing it amongst your peers.
It comes down to this: Google algorithms are thinking more and more like you and me. They live and breathe and become more natural as time moves on. The algorithm of the future will automatically know a searcher’s intent, in 10 blue, shiny links or maybe even less.
Did you know that when you do all of this mentioned above you are actually doing the SEO yourself?!
So why are so many law firms behind the technology curve?
The problem is simple. When new technology was developed, law firms were slow to adapt for a number of reasons:
- not helping others due to concern of establishing client/attorney relationship
- not enough time to devote to learning new marketing channels
- most or all resources devoted to traditional marketing
- not enough transparency to understand the marketing practices
- technology is so damn fast!
Law firms are playing catch-up in many different areas when it comes to online marketing including lead generation, social media, email and so forth.
Why catch up when you can take over?
Given this significant problem, how does your law firm get over the hump? How does your law firm contribute in this new environment and become a leader? How does your law firm build a presence in a community and find new local clients?
The Obu local solution comprises plans for each of these areas. Our goal is to assist law firms with the heavy lifting while teaching them the tools for building their Internet foundation.
As a result, our clients’ law firms walk away with the following:
- holistic, evergreen lead generation
- optimized website via SEO
- growing list of subscribers for email marketing
- active blog with increasing visitors and unique content
- professional branding via custom website design
Perhaps the best part is that all of this technical and applicable knowledge is yours to keep regardless if you choose to work with us or not! We don’t take the work done for you and hold it for ransom like other providers.