Let GetLegal Help You Build Broader Visibility for Your Practice
One of the things the pandemic has proven is that lawyers can practice from anywhere—in most instances, all that’s needed is a good internet connection. You can file most court documents digitally, transmit documents to other attorneys by e-mail, and use a smartphone to conduct a videoconference or participate in a hearing.
The ability to practice digitally can remove many of the geographical borders that previously made it practical only to work with clients within driving distance of your office. With a digital/virtual practice, you can expand your client base to include clients across your state, or in other jurisdictions where you may be licensed. Let’s look at some simple strategies to help ensure that your online marketing is available to potential clients outside your immediate community.
Target Specific Geographic Locations with Landing Pages
If you hope to be found in a search for legal services in a specific city or town, the name of the municipality must appear on your website. However, it can be counterproductive to take the buckshot approach and list a number of cities or towns on one or all of your pages. A better approach is to include pages limited to a specific location but with multiple references to that location on the same page. Prospective clients may land on those pages as the result of an online search and then can be redirected to your main site for more information.
You can even include some of the smaller suburbs and towns around each urban area. For example, if your practice is in Dallas, and you want to expand to the entire state of Texas, add landing pages for Austin, Houston, and San Antonio. Your Austin page should use the city name a minimum of 3-5 times and include a single mention of each of the larger communities in the area.
Set Up Addresses in Other Cities and Use Google My Business
If you can establish an address in a city, you can then take advantage of the benefits of Google My Business. Look for space-sharing arrangements such as The Legal Café in Fort Worth, where a membership will get you a premium downtown address. The Google My Business listing can help you appear in Google Map searches and show up in Google’s local three-pack listing for a specific geographic location. Google My Business currently allows as many as 20 service areas per business.
Be sure, though, to take the necessary steps to fully optimize your Google My Business listing for every service location:
- Fill out the listing in as much detail as possible;
- Make certain your listing includes the right keywords for your practice and client base;
- Confirm that the posted hours of operation are correct;
- Include pictures and photos on your listing; and
- Respond to all customer reviews.
Contact GetLegal to Improve Your Geographic Visibility
At GetLegal, we have provided a wide range of digital marketing services and products to attorneys and law firms across the United States for more than two decades. We offer comprehensive guidance with website development, search engine optimization, social media campaigns, reputation management, directory listings, customized content, and full video production. To learn how we can expand your geographic visibility in 2021, call 1-817-359-7077 or contact us online.
