What keywords should law firms target?

Search engine optimisation (SEO) has evolved into an indispensable marketing tool across nearly all sectors, and the legal industry is no exception. With an increasing number of clients searching for legal services online, law firms that fail to optimise for search will inevitably lose market share to better-prepared competitors. One of the most crucial elements of SEO is keyword research and targeting—the bedrock upon which content strategy, website structure, and on-page optimisation are built.

Whether you’re a boutique solicitor practice or a top-tier, multi-service law firm, targeting the right keywords can dramatically increase your online visibility, bring in qualified leads, and ultimately, drive firm growth. But the legal industry is complex, and the keyword strategy that works for a criminal defence firm may be vastly different from that of a corporate law practice.

Why keyword selection matters for law firms

Choosing the right keywords isn’t just about ranking higher on Google. It’s about attracting the right type of client with the right intent at the right stage in their legal journey. If your firm focuses on property conveyancing, for instance, there’s little use in ranking for keywords related to personal injury law—traffic generated under the wrong pretences won’t convert.

Effective keyword strategy brings relevance, authority, and trust—key qualities Google looks for when serving up results. For law firms, these translate into increased credibility, improved ranking signals, and more case enquiries or client instructions. With Google’s local-first indexing and ongoing algorithm updates, the ability to laser-focus your keyword approach is more valuable than ever.

Understanding search intent: The foundation of legal SEO

Before diving into actual keyword targets, it’s essential to understand user intent—the driving purpose behind a search query. In the legal sector, search intent typically falls into one of four key categories:

• Informational: The user seeks knowledge on a legal subject (“What does a conveyancing solicitor do?”).
• Navigational: They’re looking for a specific law firm or solicitor (“Smith & Co solicitors Manchester”).
• Transactional: The user is ready to take action or hire a lawyer (“hire family lawyer London”).
• Local: Generally tied to a location-based service need (“immigration solicitor near me”).

Targeting keywords that match specific intents allows you to capture users at various stages of the client journey. Savvy law firms tailor their content and site structure to accommodate each type.

Pro tip: Map each keyword to the appropriate type of page—informational queries should target blog content while transactional and local searches are best served with specialised service or area-specific landing pages.

Types of keywords law firms should consider

Rather than relying on a pool of generic terms, law firms benefit from adopting a layered keyword strategy that combines several distinct types of search terms. Below are the main categories firms need to consider:

1. Practice area keywords

These are the bread and butter of legal keyword research. They generally relate to a service area or type of law, such as “family law solicitor”, “divorce lawyer”, and “employment solicitor”. These keywords are highly competitive but necessary to establish foundational visibility for your core offerings.

To be specific and effective, pair practice area keywords with regional terms. “Immigration solicitor Birmingham” is far more effective than simply “immigration lawyer” because it captures both user intent and locality.

2. Long-tail keywords

Long-tail keywords contain more words, often reflect higher intent, and convert better. For example, “how much does a divorce solicitor charge in London” or “best commercial property lawyer for tenants”. These searches tend to have lower competition and attract more qualified traffic.

Creating content like FAQs, guides, and blog articles can powerfully target these long-form queries. For instance, a well-written article titled “What to expect when hiring a family solicitor in Leeds” can generate consistent traffic and demonstrate expertise.

3. Location-based keywords

Potential clients rarely search for legal services without a location in mind. Your strategy must include keywords that reference your specific towns, cities, boroughs or even postcodes. Try combining locality with services: “Wills and estates solicitor Glasgow” or “legal aid solicitor Manchester”.

Optimise your Google Business Profile, leverage local schema markup, and create location landing pages to strengthen authority in targeted areas.

4. Competitor and branded keywords

Though controversial, targeting competitor names (sometimes through comparative blog content or alternative services) can intercept potential clients still weighing up their options. This must be done delicately and ethically, without infringing trademarks or violating advertising guidelines.

Your own branded terms such as “Smith & Co solicitors” or “XYZ Legal LLP reviews” should also be tracked and optimised with testimonials, local listings and solid on-page presence.

5. Legal news and trending topics

Monitoring current legal affairs and trending case law developments can yield strong short-term SEO wins. Blog about changes in legislation, high-profile judgements, or controversial industry reforms. For example, “Impact of new Renting Reform Bill on landlords in the UK”.

These topical keywords often carry informational intent but help position your firm as thought leaders, especially on social media and email newsletters.

How to conduct keyword research for a law firm

Proper keyword research blends automation, competitor analysis and client empathy. Law firms should begin by brainstorming terms clients might use and expand using SEO tools such as:

• Google Keyword Planner
• SEMRush
• Ahrefs
• Google Search Console
• AnswerThePublic

Analyse the keywords your competitors are ranking for and examine the types of content that do well. Focus on keyword difficulty, search volume, and most importantly, relevance. Remember: targeting niche, highly specific keywords might not give you thousands of monthly searches, but the traffic that comes in is far more likely to convert.

Pro tip: Don’t ignore zero-volume keywords. In the legal space, many long-tail questions may show no volume data yet still yield consistent traffic because of their niche specificity.

Where to place your keywords

Once you’ve selected your keywords, strategic placement is key. Google assesses not just the frequency but also the context in which terms appear. Here are the essential locations for keyword inclusion:

In your title tags and meta descriptions, particularly for service and main practice pages. These appear in search result snippets and influence click-through rates. Throughout the H1 and H2 headings, which guide search engines on your content’s structure. Within the content body in natural, non-spammy ways. In image alt text for visual optimisation and accessibility. In internal links that guide users to related pages of interest. In local citations and schema markup for local SEO.

Voice search and emerging trends

Voice search is playing a growing role in how users find legal information. Keywords are becoming more conversational. Consider intent-based content that answers full questions like “What do I do if I was unfairly dismissed in Scotland?” instead of optimising only for “employment solicitor Scotland”.

Also, featured snippets (the zero-position answer box Google often shows above other results) are a game-changer. Structure some of your content to directly answer questions and include succinct answer paragraphs to increase the chance of being featured.

Measuring and refining your keyword strategy

No keyword strategy is set in stone. SEO is a constantly shifting landscape, particularly in competitive sectors like law. Monitor progress using analytics tools and track rankings alongside real-world outcomes—client enquiries, phone calls, and consultations booked.

A keyword that drives high traffic but low conversions may need improved targeting, landing page design, or clearer calls to action. Experiment, analyse, and iterate.

Common mistakes law firms make with keywords

Targeting naming conventions instead of search-friendly terms. (Users search for “property solicitor” more than “residential conveyancing partner”). Ignoring intent and targeting keywords too broadly. Stuffing too many high-volume keywords into a single page without relevance, which can harm rankings. Overlooking content opportunities—FAQs, blog series, and guides can often rank well for long-tail searches that generate leads. Neglecting to optimise for local variations—UK-based firms should focus on British English spelling (“defence solicitor” not “defense lawyer”) and avoid American SEO content when targeting local clients.

Pro tip: Google now understands semantically related keywords (also known as LSI keywords). Don’t limit yourself to a single phrase—use variations that reflect how people naturally describe your services.

In conclusion

Keyword research is not just a technical SEO activity—it’s fundamentally tied to the growth and visibility of your law firm. Whether you’re aiming to attract clients in a specific city or establish online domain authority in a particular practice area, your selection of keywords underpins every marketing success you hope to achieve online.

As competition within the digital legal space grows, so does the importance of data-led, location-specific, and intent-driven keyword strategy. Start by reviewing your current site for keyword opportunities, consider what your ideal clients are searching for, and build content that offers value, clarity and direction.

If you’re looking to take a strategic, expert-led approach to legal SEO, explore our law firm SEO guide for even deeper insights.

Looking to partner with specialists in legal sector search marketing? Trust a proven SEO agency for law firms today.