How can lawyers improve their Google rankings?

In an industry as competitive and specialised as law, getting noticed online has never been more crucial. With more clients turning to Google to find trusted legal representation, search engine optimisation (SEO) is no longer optional; it’s a strategic necessity. Whether you’re a solo solicitor in a small town or a multi-partner legal firm in the City, understanding how to increase your Google rankings can drive more qualified enquiries and help establish your authority in your legal niche.

This guide will offer actionable strategies, insightful tips, and tailored SEO techniques specifically for lawyers that go beyond basic checklists. Let’s dive into exactly how your law firm can rise above the competition in the search engine results pages (SERPs) and turn visibility into new instructions.

Understanding the unique challenges of legal SEO

Before exploring solutions, it’s critical to understand why SEO for law firms is such a specialised area. Legal services are considered ‘Your Money or Your Life’ (YMYL) pages by Google. This means the information provided can significantly impact a person’s finances, safety, or future wellbeing. Due to this, legal websites are held to a higher standard regarding credibility, trustworthiness and content accuracy.

Moreover, there’s a geographical component involved in many legal searches. Potential clients will look for terms like “divorce solicitor in Manchester” or “criminal defence lawyer London”. As a result, local SEO plays a vital role in a lawyer’s online strategy.

Optimise for local intent

One of the quickest wins for any law firm is mastering local SEO. Google seeks to offer local results that best match a searcher’s intent. To tap into this, ensure your Google Business Profile is fully optimised and verified. This includes:

• Adding accurate NAP (Name, Address, Phone number) details
• Selecting the right categories (e.g., “Family Law Solicitor”)
• Incrementally gathering genuine client reviews
• Uploading high-quality photos of your firm, front entrance or office space

Pro tip: Respond to all Google reviews, both positive and negative – this demonstrates credibility and engagement to prospective clients and search engines alike.

In addition, create geo-targeted landing pages for your practice areas. For example, instead of a single “Family Law” page, consider geographically-specific pages like “Family Law Services in Leeds” or “Child Custody Lawyers in Birmingham”. This increases your chances of appearing in localised searches and in Google’s coveted local map pack.

Create authoritative, helpful content

The legal sector thrives on expertise and trust. Google’s E-E-A-T framework (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) is especially relevant to solicitors. You need to demonstrate that your website consistently produces content that displays in-depth knowledge and answers specific legal queries.

Write long-form articles that delve into legal topics that your clients ask the most about. Instead of generic information, focus on offering real, clear guidance. Some effective content ideas include:

• Step-by-step guides outlining legal processes, e.g., “What to expect in a divorce in the UK”
• Explainers on legal jargon – clients value clarity
• FAQ-style pages focusing on one area of law with rich answers
• Case studies (with client permission) showing successful outcomes

This content is beneficial for two reasons. Firstly, it helps clients find answers without calling a solicitor, building credibility before they even speak to you. Secondly, it helps tell Google that your site is a reliable, expert source worthy of being ranked highly.

Pro tip: Don’t be afraid to be detailed. Some of the best-performing law firm blogs are thousands of words long and still highly readable. Get to the heart of the matter.

Build a comprehensive internal linking structure

One frequently overlooked strategy is internal linking. Internal links help Google understand the structure of your website, which pages are most important, and how content relates. Use relevant anchor text to naturally link between content like your service pages and blog posts. For instance, when discussing a family law topic, link to your “Divorce Services” page with descriptive anchor text like “divorce solicitor services”.

Be strategic and avoid overdoing it. Internal links should serve the user first, search engine bots second. Use them to guide potential clients to more detailed or related resources that are helpful, informative, and aligned with their questions.

Keep your site technically sound

Even the best content means nothing if your site is slow, unsecure, or difficult to navigate. Technical SEO is the foundation upon which all other SEO sits. Ensure your firm’s website has:

• Fast page load times (ideally under 2.5 seconds)
• SSL security – Google increasingly favours HTTPS
• Mobile responsiveness for optimal viewing on all devices
• Clean, crawlable code so Google can properly index site pages

Use tools like Google Search Console and PageSpeed Insights to monitor and optimise the core health of your site. Technical SEO might not be flashy, but it is hugely influential on rankings and user experience.

Earn backlinks through trust and value

Backlinks – links from other websites to your own – signal authority to Google. In the legal space, not just any backlinks will do. Links from reputable, high-authority or relevant sites (e.g., legal directories, universities, legal publications) are what make the difference.

Build a digital PR strategy tailored for legal professionals. Host free webinars on trending legal topics, write expert commentary pieces for online media, or partner with legal advocacy groups to publish thought leadership content. Get listed on trusted directories like The Law Society and Legal500 with features back to your firm’s website.

Organic backlink building may be slower but is more sustainable and trusted by search algorithms. Avoid spammy tactics like paid link schemes which can actively harm your rankings.

Incorporate schema markup for law firms

Schema markup is structured data added to your site’s code to help Google better understand your content. Though invisible to users, it improves the chances of rich snippets (e.g., FAQs, star reviews) showing up on your search listings.

Use legal service-specific schema types such as LocalBusiness or Attorney where relevant. Markup client reviews, FAQs, office location, contact details, and available appointments. This added layer of clarity can boost your click-through rate even if your ranking remains the same.

Stay consistent with accurate citations

Law firms often appear in many online directories – but inconsistencies are common. Make sure your firm’s name, address and phone number (NAP) are completely consistent across all these platforms. Inconsistencies can confuse search engines and negatively impact local SEO.

Use citation management software or services to audit and consolidate all instances where your firm is mentioned online. Quality trumps quantity when it comes to citations – being listed on a handful of authoritative, consistent directories has more value than scattered, incorrect citations across dozens of poorly maintained platforms.

Track performance and refine your strategy

You cannot improve what you do not measure. Use analytics tools like Google Analytics 4, Google Search Console, and keyword rank tracking dashboards to monitor how your site is performing. Look into:

• Which blog posts generate the most organic visits
• Which keywords bring in the most enquiries
• How long users stay on each page
• Conversion rates through enquiry forms and calls

Refining your SEO strategy is not just about improving the numbers. It’s about understanding your clients’ behaviours and intentions online – then curating a content and technical strategy that meets them where they are.

Pro tip: SEO is not a one-time project. It’s a continual process of testing, improving, measuring and refining. Make it part of your firm’s routine marketing practice.

Be patient – SEO takes time

Unlike paid ads, SEO does not produce instant results. But when done well, the results are more sustainable, cost-effective and impact-rich. You’re building digital real estate that attracts clients even while you sleep.

For law firms, this means investing in future visibility and long-term authority. The return on investment may not be instant, but it will compound. Recognise that SEO should be a core component of your firm’s ongoing marketing strategy, not a seasonal campaign tactic.

Final thoughts

In a digitally-first world, your search visibility directly affects how many quality leads your law firm receives. Whether you’re trying to establish a reputation in a specialist niche, grow your regional footprint or dominate in national rankings, SEO is your gateway to achieving that visibility. From content to locality, from page speed to trust signals – every SEO element plays a part in how Google ranks your site.

Start working on your SEO today, and you’ll lay foundations for years of digital visibility and consistent lead generation. For a deeper dive into the ins and outs of SEO for lawyers, consult our complete law firm SEO guide.

If you’re ready to consistently bring in quality enquiries and stand out in your area of practise, partner with an expert SEO agency for law firms who understands the legal profession inside and out.