Local SEO for Lawyers (Part 2: Keyword research, Ranking factors, Google My Business, Onsite SEO) (ep 3)

Hi, it’s Brendan Kelso here Law. Grad turned Law Firm marketing

specialist founder of legal sites.com.au

and you’re listening to better Law Firm marketing now.

Welcome to part 2 of my complete guide to local SEO for lawyers.

Now why on Earth should lawyers care about local SEO?

Well, if you want to get more clients through local Google search than you’re going

to get a ton of value out of this complete guide to Local

SEO and specifically this episode now in part one.

I covered the basics of local SEO.

So I went through what is local SEO like what do we mean by that?

Why is it important for lawyers?

I reference some specific data as well,

which is quite interesting

and I’ll just briefly touched on some of the unique ranking signals

for local SEO and how that differs from General SEO now if you did Listen to part one.

I might politely suggest that you do go back

and listen or watch on YouTube part

1 but if you do not want to do that then that is absolutely okay.

And I’m just going to dive right into part 2 now.

This is going to be super specific get your notepad Out start taking notes

and you might want to come back

and listen to this again because I’m going to talk about keyword research

ranking factors how to rank on the map pack that top three.

Okay. I’m going to explain more about what the map pack means how to rank on the organic listings.

So just the normal listings on a local local search for a law firm.

I’m going to explain what really matters and what doesn’t as I said very specific.

So I hope you listening you can listen to this as many times as you like,

but let’s just Dive Right In let’s get into the keyword research.

This is when we find out the Type of keywords that people are searching to find

out find businesses in the local area like yours.

So, how do you do some keyword research? Okay.

If you don’t want to spend any money just use Google suggest or auto complete on Google,

you know, so just get on to your Google machine

and just start typing away law firms in Melbourne

and see what the additional suggestions are that Google gives

you you could even use Google keywords planner.

What on Earth is that? Well, you got to set up a Google Google ads account

and a campaign but you do not need to have an active campaign that’s costing you money,

which is the beauty of it. So you can use it for free technically now,

here’s a quick tip up. It’s pretty easy to use but here’s a quick tip.

Do you want to know the keywords that your top performing competitors are using?

Well, yeah, you probably do

so there’s an option that says start with a website you can put the URL in there

and it’s going to analyze that URL.

Okay, the the website address. If your competitor

and it’s going to provide you with a bunch of keywords based on

the terms that are showing up on that page.

So that is nice and handy isn’t it?

And it will explain what the monthly search volume is for those keywords.

The competitions are how many other people are trying to go after that

keyword how many other competitors are trying to rank

for it now if you want some other options,

I’m guessing you don’t want to pay for a premium keywords tool that if you do.

Do you can try Mars or you can get on to the Google machine

and research some of the premium keyword tools,

but they are pretty expensive especially if it’s just you or a small Law Firm that is paying for it.

You could go for one of the almost free keyword research options.

There’s keywords everywhere and there’s also Surfer SEO that’s pretty affordable as well.

Now, you can also consider getting in touch with me at legal sites.

Of course, we provide SEO services and we have all the best tools available here,

so you Get in touch with us or you can use those options that I’ve given you moving right on.

I’m making some really strange hand gestures on the video right now try and stop doing that.

The next thing we’re going to talk about is ranking factors.

So what are the factors that actually influence your ranking in local search pretty important stuff.

Here’s what’s really important your Google my business profile.

That’s the most important ranking factor for the map pack.

That’s the top. Three listings in a search result page when you search for lawyers and Melbourne,

you’ll get the ads at the top then you’ll probably get the map pack that top three

and then you can look at more of those listings on the map pack of you want

but there’s the top three that’s the position everyone wants that

and then below that is the organic listings the best way to get onto the map pack

is to have a really good Google my business profile.

What are some other quick ranking factors I can mention citations,

okay? They called nap citations name address place.

I believe it is and citation is just a sorry name address phone number,

of course a nap citation is essentially a place on the internet that

provides that information it mentions your name address

and phone number and usually a few other things now these could be social media.

So your Facebook page, it could be online directories like a local search

or be one flare or some of those other there’s Yellow Pages and so on now,

why are they important? Well,

it’s extra proof to Google that your Google my business profile is accurate.

In other words. It’s extra proof that you are who you say you are a new

your listing is located where you say that it is

what are some other quick ranking factors.

I can mention well online reviews are actually quite important

and yes negative reviews can actually harm your ranking Google even Look at third party review sites

as well.

So not just Google reviews

and also quickly responding to you reviews on your Google my business page.

I can actually even help you with your ranking

and even responding to those negative reviews can be really quite good for your ranking now,

it’s not going to directly influence your ranking,

but it’s going to increase their chances that people will click on your website.

Site or click to call you through your Google my business profile and those are ranking factors.

Those will improve your ranking because it tells Google that people will like oh,

yeah, this this is a good this is a good result.

I’m interested in this business and it fits my search criteria,

and I’m going to pursue this further. So that is a good ranking signal.

What are some other quick ranking factors your on-site SEO.

Okay. So according to Google your position in web results is also

a So SEO best practices also applied a local search optimization.

That means that you need to optimize your website.

Okay for local SEO. So all of the classic things are still relevant here,

I won’t go into it super deep

but things like creating content optimizing your pages building backlinks.

All of that stuff is super important.

Let’s get into the really juicy stuff.

So what do you need to dominate right now? You need to dominate that map pack.

Okay, and it’s going to be super crucial

for your local SEO and you need to dominate The Organic listings

and you do that by optimizing your website.

So the map pack, how do you get on that top three on the map pack?

Well the way that you do that is, of course,

you need to be registered for Google my business.

I’m waving my hands at the camera. Oh gosh.

Okay, you need you need to register on Google my business.

So go to google.com forward.

Business or you can just search on Google

for Google my business sign in if you don’t have a Google account,

you’re going to need one create your listing finish all the

steps and then Google’s going to send you a postcard a few days later

that’s going to have a verification code on it.

Okay. So you need it sent to the actual address that you are listing for.

Okay, be patient. Sometimes it can take longer than the amount of time that At it says

and it’s usually says six days that’s usually not really true.

It can take a bit longer. So be patient if it takes like more than a month,

maybe get in touch with Google support. Okay.

Now once the postcard arrives enter the code where it says to enter the code

and complete the recommended step two are in Google my business now super super important.

How do you optimize your Google my business profile?

Okay, here we go. This is the really good stuff.

First of all ensure that you have consistent data.

Okay. So look at the the address the phone number all that information on your

Google my business profile needs to be consistent on

there and then all other online sources.

Okay. So your Google my business address phone number that needs to be the same on your website

and needs to be the same on social media needs to be the same on your online directories.

Also, even little things like St.

Instead of Street. Okay, you need to pick which one you going with I think

Google my business likes to abbreviate those things.

So parade would be pde and clothes would be CL and so forth.

So that’s what they do include that abbreviation on your information on all other online

platforms to keep it consistent in your Google my business profile.

Make sure you complete it.

So Google my business will give you a score based on how much

you’ve completed your Google my business profile

and it’s going to lead you through completing it so fill in all of the relevant data points.

Don’t neglect category. Okay.

So what is the category for your top performing competitor?

What have they chosen? Okay, choose that category

and then you can actually choose second

or secondary categories and most people forget this for some reason,

so don’t forget to include the secondary categories.

You’re at Law Firm. There’s usually additional secondary categories

that might apply to you like you might be a law firm,

but you might specialize in criminal laws.

So usually you could have criminal law

or criminal lawyer or attorney

or something as your primary category

and then secondary keywords could be Law Firm solicitor

what just go and see what the options are that they have there,

but that will help you in search.

Don’t forget to complete the services section.

In in your Google my business profile. Don’t forget to keep your business hours up to date.

Have you changed address? Keep make sure you update that on all of your online platforms.

Okay. Have you got different hours during the holidays?

Do you have different hours because of the covid-19 thing that’s going on right now.

Make sure you keep that up to date also get reviews and reply to them.

Even the negative reviews. How do you get reviews?

You have to ask a lot of happy clients aren’t actually going to leave a review

so ask and make it really easy.

I like to send a direct link to them.

Usually, I would email and ask for review.

You could send a text message. If you prefer,

you can get a direct link through your Google my business dashboard.

If you have a look there you will find the direct link.

Okay to send people to your review platforms.

Them so they can leave a review. Now. You might even want to let them know that if they

include the location where your where your where your listed if you are Newcastle

business if they include the word Newcastle

and a few enthusiastic words and maybe a few relevant keywords,

like lawyers, for example, that’s actually going to help more people find your business

and if they’re really big fan of your business and what you’ve done for them,

then they might be inclined. To write a really good review based on those suggestions

so they can just help you out to help you stand out from the other businesses out there.

What else can you do to optimize your Google my business profile?

You can geotag your photos.

A lot of people don’t even talk about this but there’s a website called GOI MGR.

Okay. So it’s GE O So Gio

and then I MGR.com you can geotag your photos

and make it look like they were We would take in at your office,

even if they weren’t now, I’ll leave it up to you if you think that’s unethical than don’t do it.

But otherwise you can geotag your photos

and that’s just one more indication that you are where you say you are.

What else can you do? There’s also an info section on your Google my business profile.

I’d encourage you to complete that

and to include keywords in that writing as well in that info section.

You’ll just Here you are and why someone should get in touch with you,

but try and include some of those keywords.

Keep it natural if possible possible don’t keyword stuff

and I think you can get up to 750 words in there.

So everything counts. You can also add different types of

photos throughout your Google my business profile

and there are Suggestions by Google my business there like you can

have photos of the team photos of inside the office

for example,

and believe me. Lots of people are going to be looking at your photos

and you can actually see how many people view them that it’s actually quite amazing.

How many people are looking at them you can even add videos you can post on Google my business

and that will help get traffic and they’re really encouraging people to post so In that case,

I think try and post once a week if possible on Google my business,

but whilst many of these suggestions that I’ve made some of them aren’t

going to or arguably are going to be direct ranking factors,

but they will increase the amount of people who view your profile on Google my business

and then click the website or click to call and these are ranking factors because once again,

it tells Google that they’ve got their done a good job.

They’ve shown I want a business that fulfills their search criteria.

Okay, let’s keep it moving on. The next thing I’m going to talk to you today

about is how to optimize your website to rank better

for organic listings.

I’m going to be as quick as possible.

So your website super important ensure.

Your website is mobile friendly.

You can use the mobile-friendly test by Google ensure that your business.

– category title and city is in your headline.

So try and get it in your head H1 tag,

you’re heading tag at the top and also several other areas around your home page.

If you’re running WordPress consider downloading rank math,

SEO and running their SEO analysis

and that will help you out there consider including your business name

your category title your phone number your address

and business.

In your footer you can also embed the map from your Google my business profile in your footer

and include a link for a link

for driving directions and you could also create location landing pages

location landing pages are Just landing pages that are optimized

for a specific location.

So on legal sites.com that I you I have location pages

for all of the major Capital Cities throughout Australia

even though I’m not physically located in them,

but those those landing pages actually rank really well and those locations I’ve noticed.

I’ve been getting a lot of people checking me out from Canberra lately.

So that’s cool. There we go.

That was a jam-packed episode.

If you have any questions about anything that I’ve mentioned that in this episode,

please leave a comment below if you’re watching on YouTube.

You can just leave a comment there. Otherwise,

you can email me to Brandon at legal sites.

Calm did I you that’s bre ndan stay tuned

for part three of this three-part series on local SEO for lawyers.

It would be really helpful. If you consider smashing the like button if you’re watching on YouTube

subscribe on whatever platform you’re listening to if you’re listening on a podcast

or five star review would really help out with the algorithm.

But until next time I’m Brandon Kelso and you’ve been listening to better Law Firm marketing.