While keywords and traffic goals will vary by business and industry, Google’s ranking factors are categorized into several elements that are consistent across the net. As an attorney, the same rules apply to you as apply to any other business. Consistently high-ranking websites, whether for a law firm or other type of business, will always have the same structural elements in play.
When aiming to break into Google’s Page 1 search rankings, you’ll need a comprehensive digital marketing plan that meets these algorithmic standards. The bad news is: it can take a lot of work to get onto Page 1 for any popular Google search—and more so for competitive commercial keyword phrases like “personal injury lawyer near me.” The good news is: it is possible to reach Google’s Page 1 for competitive keywords, even as a sole practitioner or new attorney.
If you are ready to upgrade your digital presence and improve your digital marketing leads, contact Trial Guides Digital Marketing for a free consultation.
Content quality can seem subjective, but the Google algorithm has given us straightforward clues (as well as word-for-word guidance) about the kinds of content it prefers. Pages authored by credible sources rank higher; this means they have high rankings in terms of expertise, experience, authoritativeness and trustworthiness (EEAT). Several factors will contribute to these metrics, including backlinks, or links from authoritative websites signal trustworthiness and content depth.
Your website content—blog posts, FAQs, resource guides and so forth—plays a dual role in user experience (UX) and digital marketing. Not only does your content provide value to visitors, but it also enhances search engine optimization (SEO). For example, a blog titled “What to Do After a Car Accident in [Your State]” will not only address your prospective clients’ question, but also improve your site’s visibility on local search engines.
High-quality content is arguably the most important component of digital marketing and UX web design. You will want to write in a way that shows you to be competent, approachable, and knowledgeable in your field. With that said, we highly recommend avoiding “legalese” wherever possible. Your website should be written in plain language that resonates with your audience.
The highest-ranking pages will pretty much always include keywords related to the user query. In the above example, keyword phrases like “plumber near me” and “emergency plumbing services” will move a website up in rankings. The algorithm analyzes context and intent beyond exact keyword matches; it’s generally best practice to target one keyword, not including variations, for each page.
You offer free consultations, great legal advice, and a contingency fee structure—but so does the law firm down the street from you. How do you distinguish yourself among your local competitors?
We always recommend leaning on trust-building content when designing or updating your website content. This may include:
A personal statement about what got your into law
Client testimonials and positive reviews
A detailed bio page with professional photos, credentials, human interest facts about each lawyer
Case studies highlighting exceptional cases verdicts or settlements received
Certifications, awards and affiliations that underscore your education and training.
Community involvement. Fundraisers, Charity events, Scholarships, etc.
Some attorneys even offer videos about complicated elements of case law, as well as a library of resources that improve the website value (and SEO). Generally speaking, more content is always better—and SEO-optimized content is best. Your website should not only communicate professionalism and reliability, but be designed with an eye toward improving your overall Google ranking.
One simple way to improve the perceived trust of your website is to ask a nonattorney friend to review it. Do they know what you do? Can they navigate around the website intuitively? Is there useful information, and do they know where to find it? It’s critically important to ask for feedback
Designing a law firm website with the trust in mind is both an art and a science. By prioritizing clarity, accessibility, and trust-building with your users, you can help your website become a powerful tool for attracting clients.
While there’s a lot to be said about UX/UI (“user experience” and “user interface”, respectively), we’ll keep this simple. Here are the five major components to bear in mind when optimizing your website for the Google Algorithm:
Prospective clients should be able to find critical information quickly—within three clicks or fewer. A clear navigation bar with sections such as Practice Areas, About Us, Attorney Profiles, Resources, and Contact Us can guide users efficiently. Drop-down menus and internal search functionality can further enhance usability. You may improve your standing in search results by hiring a digital design company to consult on your website navigation.
Your website user should also be able to understand exactly what you offer, and how to get in touch with you. You may also want to write content with a lower reading level in mind, particularly if you work with people who have suffered catastrophic injuries. “How We Can Help” is preferable to vague terms like “Services” to make navigation more relatable.
Have you ever closed out of a browser window because the website was loading too slowly? Your prospective clients have, too. Internet denizens have come to expect websites to load within seconds; slow-loading pages frustrate your users and can send them seeing answers elsewhere.
If you feel your website has a longer loading time than your competitors, we recommend speaking with a web developer or back-end digital marketing professional to resolve these issues. A team like ours can work with you on moving to a faster hosting platform or resolving problematic aspects of your website that are holding you back.
Google completed their switch to mobile-first indexing in 2024. Google now uses the performance of the mobile version of your site to determine ranking. Content consistency across mobile and desktop, and a positive user experience, is paramount to your SEO
More than half of all website traffic now comes from mobile devices—and maybe more so for your law firm. For this reason, mobile optimization—making sure your website loads quickly and functionally on all mobile devices—is essential. A mobile-optimized site ensures that pages load quickly, text is legible, and buttons are easy to tap on smaller screens. Law firm websites that fail to accommodate mobile users risk alienating potential clients.
How do you create a mobile-friendly website? We always start by developing a responsive layout: one that scales to fit the user’s device, optimizes website speed and compresses images for faster loading. We recommend avoiding Adobe Flash and pop-up plugins, both of which can make the user experience uncomfortable. Finally, keep your font large and your content de-cluttered. Sometimes less is more!
Legal websites must comply with accessibility standards, such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Features like alt text for images, clear headings, keyboard navigation, and high-contrast design ensure that the site is usable by individuals with disabilities, including those who rely on screen readers. (Accessibility isn’t just good for business; it’s a legal obligation under the Americans with Disabilities Act).
If you work in personal injury, you already know that many of your prospective clients may be seriously injured. This is all the more reason to make sure your website is accessible. Consider how your website reads to someone who is blind, how it looks to someone who is losing their eyesight, and how comprehensible your content is to someone who is living with a brain injury. Improving your law firm SEO must incorporate accessibility on all pages, as well as social media.
A call to action is a prompt, such as a button, link, or statement, that encourages visitors to take a specific next step. This could mean making a purchase, signing up, or contacting you. In the context of your law firm, this generally means filling out an intake form or calling your office. You will have more success getting website visitors to follow through if you use prominent, actionable CTAs:
“Schedule a Free Consultation”
“Speak with a Personal Injury Attorney Today”
“Fill Out Our Intake Form”
The content may change depending on your firm's branding. Regardless of which calls to actions you choose, make sure that the buttons stand out visually, and work across all devices. With all your CTAs, you will want to direct users to easy-to-complete forms or direct contact options.
If you’re doing everything right but your numbers are stagnant, it’s time to call an expert. Working with an experienced marketing agency can make a tremendous difference in the number of client leads generated from your website; they often have access to data that will help them devise a keyword strategy that narrows in on content that will resonate with prospective clients.
If you are ready to upgrade your digital presence and improve your digital marketing leads, contact Trial Guides Digital Marketing for a free consultation.
In digital marketing, four simple metrics often make the biggest difference: clicks, calls, likes, and shares. Each one represents a different type of engagement with your potential clients, and each can be improved through deliberate, targeted strategies.
Over the weekend of September 12, 2025, many SEOs and site owners, particularly in service-based niches such as legal and home services, observed ~50% drops in Google Search Console (GSC) impressions, despite rankings and clicks remaining largely stable.
On Sunday, August 24, 2025, we began observing a significant decline in both impressions and clicks across multiple Google Search Console (GSC) accounts, spanning legal, home services, and e‑commerce websites. This post documents our findings to date and w