New Year’s Resolution #4: Evaluate Your Website’s SEO
To start off the New Year on the right online path, schedule a consultation with your search engine optimization (SEO) provider to make sure that your website is optimized properly.
SEO is an ongoing process that requires periodic adjustments. Sometimes, it's just a matter of refreshing keywords, those terms sprinkled throughout your site that are found in phrases your target prospects enter into search engines when researching their legal problems (e.g., "Chicago bankruptcy attorney" or "Does my spouse have to file bankruptcy if I do?" or "Can I get a DUI if my car isn't moving?").
What Is SEO and Why Should You Care?
Generally speaking, SEO involves the content, design, links to your website and other things that collectively help influence how search engines like Google will rank your website in search results.
There are two types of SEO. First there is "onsite optimization," which is what can be done on the pages of a website to maximize its ranking performance in the search engines for target keywords. For example:
- Site structure: When coded correctly, site structure can help improve your organic visibility; e.g., keep title tags simple but descriptive.
- Keyword selection: Knowing what users actually type in to the search box plays an important role in optimizing your site.
- Content is king: The nature of the content on your site, its length and the freshness all impact your site's performance on search engines. Avoid duplicate content and keyword "spamming."
- Track conversions: Knowing what visitors did when they reached your site is as important as getting them there. Common tools to track conversions are www.google.com/analytics and www.webtrends.com.
Then there is "off-site optimization," which involves techniques to secure links from other websites back to your site. Off-site optimization accounts for the majority of search engine results ranking.
Ultimately, effective SEO will enable your website to be "found" by more consumers when they turn to search engines to ask questions. So it's a good idea to periodically check in on your SEO.
More Online Marketing Tips for Small Law Firms
In the coming weeks, follow me and Amy Kaplan, Director of Product Management for Advertising & Profile Services at LexisNexis® Martindale-Hubbell®, as we provide online marketing strategies and tactics that can help generate results for your law firm in the New Year. If you'd like to jump ahead, feel free to download our recent paper. Or if you prefer, download the free recording of the companion webinar Amy and I recently co-hosted.
Next Up: Resolution #5: Get More "Social" in 2013.
When you're ready, schedule your free online marketing consultation or email me at jay.butchko@lexisnexis.com.
Also check out these previous posts:
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