As the marketing director and one of the founding partners here at ControlYourCity.com, I’ve got to start out by saying I don’t like what SEO has become. The simple fact is that many people that call themselves SEOs are doing little more than putting spam everywhere they can on the internet in hopes that it will help rankings. With that said, I can’t discount the fact that it’s still important to keep old school SEO going…especially for attorneys & professional services.
What I mean by old school SEO is simply focusing on onsite factors that will help Google and other major search engines crawl your website and get a better understanding of what you have to offer. You shouldn’t be focusing on this or that anchor text from this or that website, but onsite factors still matter. Depending on your industry, you’ll take advantage of onsite SEO in different ways. So, today, we’re going to provide a checklist specifically tailored to attorneys & professional services.
- Optimize Your Title – Google and other search engines expect your title to properly describe what users can expect when they click on your site in search results. There are a few key factors attorneys and professional service providers are going to want in their titles. They include your location, what you do, and your name or firm’s name. So let’s say you’re a car accident or personal injury attorney in Westlake Village, CA. Your title should be something along the lines of “Personal Injury Attorney | Westlake Village, CA| (Company Name). Ohh, check out what Google shows as the first result for “Car Accident Attorney in Westlake Village CA”…
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
- Optimize Your Description - It always surprises me when I take on a new client that doesn’t have a description written for their website. When writing a description for a website that advertises attorneys or professional services, it’s important to remember to include both what you offer in more detail as well as the location you’re marketing your services to. Lets take a look at the same search from above…
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
- Include N.A.P. On Every Page - One of the most important pieces of data to include on your pages is your N.A.P. or your Name, Address, and Phone Number. As an attorney or other professional service provider, you should make it easy for potential clients to get in contact with you. Also, Google and other search engines compare this data to data across the web to gauge the legitimacy of your business. I generally suggest placing this data either in the footer or the sidebar of your website. Here’s an example of how it should look…
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
- Create Separate Pages For Separate Offices - As I mentioned above, Google uses your name, address, and phone number to verify the validity of your business. If you convoluted this data by including more than one set for more than one office on the same page, it can cause problems when it comes time to market your website. So, instead of listing several locations in the footer of your website, make a dedicated page on your site for each branch. Then, include the contact information for your main office in the footer of your website.
- Make Sure Location Pages Are Unique - Google and other search engines don’t like thin content that provides no value. However, I see it all the time on attorney and professional service websites. Instead of making unique pages for each location, I’ll see the same content with the location changed on each page. All this does is load your website with duplicate content that adds no value for the user. Instead, it’s best to take this opportunity to introduce your staff at the office, talk about the particular community the office is in and why you’re happy to serve that community, and more! The more unique you make these pages, the better your chances are of showing up on the first page of search!
- Include A Blog In Your Design - Blogs give you the opportunity to reach out to your audience in ways a website without a blog can’t! Through a blog, you can provide answers to common questions, generate great user engagement signals like social shares, and create link bait that will make other authorities want to mention you on their blogs. To learn more about why attorneys and professional service providers should have a blog, click here!
Final Thoughts
Although SEO is important, it shouldn’t be taken beyond onsite SEO. By following the check list above, attorneys and professional services can make it easier for Google and other major search engines to want to show their sites on the first page. For a free inbound marketing audit or to find out how we can help you, contact us today!
The post Onsite SEO Checklist For Attorneys & Professional Services appeared first on ControlYourCity.com, LLC..