Integrating SEO Best Practices with Legal Directory Submissions and Profiles

In my conversations with law firms, I’m sometimes asked “what is point of legal directories?”. Fair! This question boils down to how much a firm should invest in the process given that the benefits can sometimes seem intangible at first glance. There are multiple reasons I think legal directories are still an important component of a law firm’s marketing strategy – from boosting the confidence of their lawyers (if that’s ever needed) to creating a well of content that can be repurposed on websites, social media and pitches. However, the one important benefit I can think of, and one that’s little understood in the industry, is the impact directory rankings and profiles have on a law firm’s search engine optimisation (SEO).

The visibility of a law firm online should be something law firms consider as part of their marketing strategies. Because legal directory rankings are a useful benchmark of a law firm’s credibility, they also significantly contribute to SEO. Directories rankings and SEO share many similar traits. Both hinge on consistency over time and an ability to demonstrate authority and relevance to clients (or search engine users). This blog explores the effective SEO strategies that can be integrated with legal directory submissions and profiles to maximise both visibility and searchability.

The Tangible Link Between Legal Directories and SEO

The “high authority” (sources that search engines view as trusted) directories, Legal 500 and Chambers, rank highly for a wide variety of queries relating to specific practice areas and particular firms globally, and some of these results also mention individuals and law firms by name. However, inclusion in the directories is also beneficial to the visibility of a firm’s own website and the factors that contribute to a stronger position in the directories are also relevant to a higher ranking on search engines. This highlights just how important it is to engage with the process beyond aiming for a ranking.

Below, I’ve put together some example queries and their results. The ranking position refers to the organic search result, i.e. where a listing is not sponsored.

“Best Personal Injury Lawyers in London”

Ranking Position #1

“Corporate Lawyers in Peru”

Ranking Positions #1 and #2

“Wolf Theiss”

Ranking Position #3

“Real Estate Lawyers in Texas”

Ranking Position #4

The Power of E-E-A-T

Search engines like Google look to prioritise rankings for law firms that can demonstrate Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T). Thinking about this another way, they want to give users the results they’re looking for, and these are the characteristics that are most likely going to return such results. This applies to search results more generally, but is particularly applicable to the legal profession as the stakes for providing bad information are much higher.

Legal directories play a role in bolstering the E-E-A-T of legal content online. They list lawyers and law firms, providing details about their expertise, areas of specialisation, and professional achievements. This information helps establish the authoritativeness and expertise of legal professionals. Moreover, they include positive feedback from clients, which contribute to the trustworthiness score under the E-E-A-T model. Ultimately, this can enhance the credibility of the legal content linked to these professionals.

One simple way law firms can harness the power of E-E-A-T on their website is to create an awards and accolades page that lists awards and rankings obtained by the firm and its lawyers. These successes should also be used to augment individual lawyer bios as evidence of their expertise and market recognition.

Importance of Keywords

Effective SEO begins with keyword optimisation. With regards to legal directories, a firm can influence this directly and indirectly. Firstly, by making sure that directory submissions present the expertise of a firm and its lawyers in a way that researchers can easily transfer into an editorial – this means making use of clear and exhaustive lists and spelling out the parts of the firm’s practice you would like to be recognised for. Of course, this also means aiming for higher tiers and bands, part of which involves improving the contents of submissions (happy to help you here!).

The second, direct, way a firm can influence keywords is via law firm profiles. Chambers and Legal 500 offer these as a paid product, but it means that firms can provide their own content that hits on the right keywords for their target clients.

For profiles, firms can identify keywords that potential clients use when searching for legal services. Although I would advise against purchasing many add-on products, profiles that link to a firm’s website are a genuine value-add for firms looking to boost their visibility online. Terms like "personal injury lawyer Atlanta" or "best corporate attorney in Chicago" are relevant to firms specialising in those respective areas.

Integrating these keywords into your law firm’s directory profile is beneficial. Keywords should be strategically placed in the firm’s description, areas of specialty, and notable deal highlights where possible. The objective is to incorporate keywords naturally to enhance both relevance and readability, thereby improving the profile’s search engine rankings.

Leveraging Link Building

A backlink is a link from one website to another – in this case, a link from a directory to the firm’s website. Legal directories can provide high-quality backlinks to a law firm’s website. These links are important as they enhance a site’s authority and improve its visibility on search engines. Directories that allow for law firm profiles offer opportunities to include multiple backlinks, significantly boosting a firm’s SEO profile.

Conclusion

It might not come as a surprise, but I argue that legal directories have a role to play in any online legal marketing strategy, particularly when it comes to SEO. Therefore, if a firm’s goal is to improve its online visibility to reach new clients, it makes sense to ensure that submissions to legal directories and engagement with law firm profiles is one pillar of its marketing strategy.

As outlined in this blog, legal directories provide a good platform for firms to showcase their expertise, increase their online presence, and leverage the high authority of the directories to boost their search engine rankings.

By using keywords well, securing backlinks, and making sure they’re getting the most out of client referees, law firms can improve their SEO outcomes. Most firms already have a strategy for the directories, but it’s also useful to understand the wider benefits that can be gained from engaging with the process.

Book a consultation now to find out more about how to align your directories strategy with SEO.