SEO & PPC for Lawyers: What Are the Best Keywords to Target?

It is impossible to ignore the importance of keywords when it comes to promoting businesses online. The SEO and PPC methods of improving traffic both make the use of specific keywords, to differing extents. To maximize the reach of your website to lawyers, it is a good idea to use specific keywords that your target audience will be likely to search for.

It is important to remember that there are two main categories of keywords that are targeted in online searches for lawyers. The first category of keywords is the short ones having a high volume which position web pages in PPC ads as well as organic results regarding the legal questions. The second category of keywords is longer, typically with a lower volume of words. These are ideal for blogs and smaller websites that answer specific legal concerns.

Here is a comprehensive guide to help you understand the best keywords to use for a target audience whose main focus is on legal questions.

SEO and PPC: Strategic Keywords for Lawyers

As mentioned previously, there are two main kinds of keywords used by lawyers. Here is a quick rundown of the levels of search efficiency offered by both kinds.

1. Short Keywords for Big Impact

As you can guess, shorter keywords would have a higher search volume as they are more likely to be searched by people seeking lawyers and answers to related questions. These short keywords would be the primary ones used by firms for SEO and PPC searches. Law firm websites would use short keywords for greater organic traffic and higher internet search rankings. Moreover, some law firms would also opt to pay for ad listings that would showcase their services based on the keywords on popular search engines like Bing or Google.

Some of the most common target search terms functioning as keywords for lawyers include the following.

Attorney
Lawyer
Free legal advice
Free lawyer consultation
Law firm
Law office
Attorney at law

When these keywords are mixed with local and legal modifiers, it would narrow your search results to include websites that would cater to your needs with greater clarity. Some examples of local modifiers include, but are not limited to, the following.

The name of a specific state, province, or city

In my area

Near me

These key phrases would help personalize your search results to your geographical position for greater effectiveness. By specifying precisely which region, state, or city your target audience is from, you can ensure that your web traffic is less accidental and more effective.

Another range of short keywords includes words that cater to the intent of the visitors. Here are some of the short keywords which can help people specify the kind of help and law services that they are looking for.

Divorce and family law
Immigration
Corporate and business law (includes terms like "property", "real estate", "commercial litigation", "workplace harassment", etc.)
Personal injury (includes keywords like "car accident", "insurance claim", "disability insurance", "mesothelioma", etc.)
Criminal defense
Wills and estates

It is not hard to see how these short keywords are excellent for PPC and SEO purposes. Here are some common combinations of these keyword fragments that can help you visualize how these kinds of keywords are the most efficient. You will notice the skeletal nature of the phrases marked by the absence of common prepositions.

Toronto disability lawyer free consultation
Injury lawyer free legal advice California
San Diego lawyer for contested divorce
Child support attorney near me
Law firm for commercial litigation in my area

You will be able to understand the workings of various search engines and how they cater to individuals making specific searches. The organic results would match the search intent, and help users access the information they need.

2. Long-tail Keywords for Greater Variety

Long-tail keywords are an interesting kind that helps you access a wider range of information related to your original search. Since there are more combinations of keywords in longer searches, the overall complexity of the searches increases. If you are searching for blog topics regarding lawyers to write about, using long-tail keywords is the best way to go.

It is not hard to fathom the multiplicity of ways in which specific questions are phrased. Simple questions are sometimes expressed in unique ways. Usually, blogs or articles related to lawyers can rank for many long-tail keywords, effectively helping you satisfy your query.

Lawyers, Long and Short Keywords, Search Engines

Shorter keywords are more likely to highlight the intent for immediately finding a relevant lawyer. This would mean searches using stronger keywords would yield more relevant results. On the other hand, long-tail keywords may often cause searchers to click on particular ads that may not be relevant to what they are searching for. This may be a leading cause of wasted advertising budget, as the searchers will not be satisfied by clicking on your ad. Ineffectual clicks on unsatisfactory ads may cause many people to ignore your services, due to their little connection with the original search intent.

Thus, it is evident that for more effective advertising and budgeting, it is a good idea to concentrate your law practicing advertising budget on shorter keywords for better SOE. This would allow you to have better control over who accesses your service information than in PPC. Since long-tail keywords can be answered more effectively by blogs and articles, such keywords can be great for highlighting the services of your website.

A Quick Round-Up

As you have seen, choosing between short keywords and their long-tail counterparts has ramifications on the kind of searches you receive. To find the best answers to your queries regarding the law, particularly in your area, it is a good idea to first figure out if you want to access blog posts or direct answers. Hope this helps!