Search Engine Optimization for Lawyers
The two primary questions all law firms should ask when considering Search Engine optimization are:
- Will the work include total exclusivity for the keywords?
- Does the SEO firm have a track record of success with many firms in the legal space?
Exclusivity
When our founding partners started TSEG, their vision was aligned on the issue of exclusivity. Previous experience working for other marketing firms, convinced them of the need to set high standards and not compromise on this issue. Regardless of the performace of a campaign, trust is almost impossible if you know your vendor is working for your competition. This is why TSEG offers total exclusivity to our SEO clients. While this limited our short-term revenue opportunity, the limit has allowed us to develop strong partnerships with our clients. I guess we would rather be an inch wide and a mile deep than vice-versa.
Of course, offering exclusivity would be meaningless without results! It is nevertheless the foundation that all buyers of SEO should demand, it not only allows both parties to invest in process with confidence but it eliminates conflicts of interest on a technical level as well. True to life and business, clear boundaries make for great relationships.
Read our FAQs to learn more about how we define exclusivity for legal SEO at TSEG.
Results
Setting proper expectations with search engine optimization for attorneys is like preaching to the choir. We have found that the limitations and unknowns inherent in SEO are very similar to the limitations and unknowns that plaintiff and trial lawyers experience in the practice of law. We discuss results with sensitivity to the fact that what we achieved in the past, may not predict what we can achieve in the future. Attorneys understand this as they often explain this very principle to their clients, with the caveat that they will pursue the best possible outcome, but ultimately the outcome is in the hands of the judge and or jury.
In SEO world, the process of optimizing websites for lawyers, Google is judge, jury, prosecutor, parole officer, etc., etc. We might argue that this reality is even less predictable than the one our legal clients face; since there is no appeal process, dialog or negotiation with the other side.
To clarify, when we discuss “results” we are referencing page placements achieved on major search engines including Google, Yahoo, Bing. While results can also refer to: traffic to the website, phone calls/inquiries, and or cases – we acknowledge that our role is to deliver page placements that can lead to other positive outcomes. In short, we draw the line at page placements because of the may variables we do not control including: size of market, competition in the market, the strength or weakness of a firm’s story, other marketing campaigns (TV, print, Billboards, etc). We believe it would be more than a minor stretch to correlate what has happened with one firm and what will or might happen with another firm. We would rather set realistic expectations and focus on achieving page placements, than present ideal scenarios.
We currently optimize over 175 campaigns for law firms located throughout the US. Our track record providing SEO for lawyers can be viewed here results.
