Great content has the power to bring immense growth for your business. From traffic-generating SEO content to click-worthy social media content, content writing is a valuable medium through which you can drum up new business for your law firm.
When it comes to your law firm content marketing, it’s important to have engaging, informative content to draw users in. Learn how to generate big wins with landing pages, blog posts, ebooks, and more.
What is Content Writing?
Content Writing (for the web) is the process of creating written material specifically for websites and blogs. Web content writing involves writing engaging content that provides valuable information to users, generates traffic, and drives leads or conversions. This type of marketing content is important for businesses looking to increase their online authority and attract new customers.
Website content writing might involve:
- Creating written outlines for web pages, landing pages, or blog articles
- Researching information and topics related to your niche
- Writing informative and engaging blog posts
- Writing descriptive, conversion-optimized web pages
- Optimizing website content for Google searches (SEO)
- Adding calls-to-action or contact forms to content to drive leads
- Writing a click-worthy blog post title or description
- Adding persuasive copy to win over new customers or clients
Does Content Writing Matter for Law Firms?
Yes! Content is essential for law firms that are looking to explain legal concepts to prospective clients, showcase their firm’s expertise, and generate more website traffic. Not only does the content on your law firm website tell users about your law firm, but it can actively attract more users (i.e. potential clients) to you via SEO.
Benefits of Content Creation for Law Firms
The benefits of content creation for law firms go far beyond just having words on your website. It is a means through which you can generate more traffic, leads, and clients. Here are a few reasons why investing in content creation is a smart move for your legal business:
Online Visibility
Creating valuable content like blog posts, articles, FAQ pages, and web pages can help improve your law firm’s online visibility. Great content can lead to higher search rankings, more organic traffic, and even more social media traffic. This can help attract more clients to your business.
Industry Authority
Publishing great content not only helps win over potential clients, it helps your firm stand out in your industry as well. You can use content to showcase your expertise, highlight accolades, share tips and guides, and so much more to increase your authority in your niche.
Client Education
Content allows you to explain legal concepts and processes so they are easier to understand by potential clients. This can help them understand their options and make more informed decisions about their case. This positions your law firm as a valuable resource to existing clients and prospective clients.
Evergreen Benefits
Well-written, search-engine-optimized content can generate organic traffic for months or even years to come. Foundational, “evergreen” content can generate long-lasting benefits for your business. This content can continue to attract new clients even if you aren’t actively publishing.
How to Improve Your Law Firm Website Content
If you have a website for your law firm, chances are you already have some helpful content. But if your content wasn’t written with search engine optimization in mind – or you’re just not seeing the results you want – it may be time to update your content.
Here are a few strategies you can use to improve your law firm website content, increase your web traffic, and attract clients.
Audit Your Existing Website Content
One of the first steps to improving your law firm content is to take an inventory of the content you already have and how well it’s working. A content audit is an effective way to analyze your content, look at its performance, and find the gaps in your content strategy.
One way to do this is to use Google Search Console, Google’s own website analytics tool. Once you are set up with Google Search Console and it had started tracking your traffic, you can begin to see how much traffic is coming in, what keywords you are ranking for, and more.
Under “Performance,” go to the “Search Results” tab and you will be taken to a graph that shows you the Total Clicks, Total Impressions, Average Click Through Rate (CTR), and the average position of your pages and keywords. With this information, you can see which pages/posts are doing well and which can be improved.
Another tool you can use to conduct a content audit is Semrush. Semrush is a third-party SEO software that allows you to conduct keyword research, site audits, backlink analysis, and more. Use the Site Audit tool to find technical SEO issues, on-page SEO issues, and content issues. You will then have a roadmap of what needs to be optimized on your site.
Check this out for a complete guide on How to Conduct a Law Firm SEO Audit.
Brainstorm Relevant Content Topics
Once you have conducted a content audit, you should have a better idea of what content needs to be updated on your site. You might also discover that there are certain content topics that you have been missing that would be relevant to your audience.
Now is the chance to put on your creative thinking hat to come up with a list of topics for your website. This may include service pages you are missing or blog post topics that would be interesting to cover.
For example, if you are a DUI attorney, you might come up with some topics like:
- Basics of DUI laws
- Consequences of DUI conviction
- What to do if you are a first-time DUI offender
- What are ignition interlock devices
- Underage DUI
- DUI law practice areas
- The process of DUI expungement
- DUI defense FAQs
- DUI Law service page
If you need help brainstorming topics, you can use a tool like AnswerthePublic.com where you can generate a list of topics and/or questions related to your business. This can help you identify content areas that your audience might be interested in.
Conduct SEO Keyword Research
Brainstorming relevant topics will set you on the right path in terms of coming up with interesting content ideas for your audience, but the only way to drive more organic traffic is to go after keywords that users are actively searching for.
This process of “keyword research” allows you to match your topic ideas with actual keywords that have monthly organic search volume (SV). This refers to how many people, on average, are searching for that term on a monthly basis.
Tools like Semrush or Ahrefs are your best source of valuable keyword data. Simply look up a topic from your list and these tools will tell you the SV, keyword difficulty (KD), and more.
In considering content ideas for your law firm website, make sure to go after keywords that have at least 10 searches per month (if not more) and have low-to-medium KD, to start. As your law firm website grows, you can start pursuing more competitive keywords.
Check out the complete guide on How to Conduct Keyword Research.
Plan Out Your Content Strategy
By this point you should have a running list of topic ideas, plus the associated keywords to match (if available). You might have also added keywords to your list as you conducted your research. It’s at this point that you can start to develop your SEO content strategy.
Using the same topic ideas as the example above, assume you have matched the topics with associated keywords. Next, you will need to consider what types of content best matches what a user would intend to find when searching those topics – a blog article or a web page.
Topic | Keyword | SV | Content Type | Title |
Basics of DUI laws | dui laws | 5,400 | blog | X DUI Laws You Need to Know |
Consequences of DUI conviction | dui consequences | 1,000 | blog | What are the Consequences of DUI? |
What to do if you are a first-time DUI offender | what happens when you get a dui for the first-time | 480 | blog | What Happens After Your Get a DUI for the First Time |
What are ignition interlock devices | what is an ignition interlock device | 720 | blog | What is an Ignition Interlock Device and What is it Used for? |
Underage DUI | underage dui | 260 | page | Underage DUI Defense Lawyer |
DUI law practice areas | dui defense attorney | 1,300 | page | DUI Defense Practice Areas |
The process of DUI expungement | dui expungement | 590 | blog | How to Get a DUI Expunged in (State) |
DUI defense FAQs | n/a | n/a | page | DUI Defense FAQs |
DUI Law service page | dui services | 170 | page | (State) DUI Defense Services |
If you are not sure what content type is best fitting for your topic, do a Google search of the associated keyword. Then, look at what types of content come up. If most are blog posts, you should probably write a blog post. If most are web pages, you should probably write a web page.
Write Web Pages and Blog Content
Now that you have planned out the blog and web page topics for your website, it’s time to get writing! Some law firms decide to write this content in-house, while others decide to hire a content agency or freelance content writers.
Whatever path you choose, the goal is to craft detailed, well-written content that satisfies what users are searching for and that provides value to your target audience.
Here are a few tips for how to write great web pages and blog posts:
- Start with a compelling headline/title
- Write with your target audience in mind
- Use clear and concise language
- Organize your content with headings and subheadings
- Include relevant keywords in your content
- Provide valuable and accurate information
- Add engaging visuals like images and videos
- Break up text with bullet points and lists
- Include internal and external links to relevant content
- Make content scannable and easy to read
- Add a clear call to action (CTA)
Remember, crafting amazing content takes practice. Focus on providing value to your prospective clients, organize your content so it is easy for users to read, and follow SEO-best practices to create your very best content.
Implement On-Page SEO
Writing great content is only part of creating content that will rank in the search results. Your content also needs to adhere to on-page SEO best practices to ensure you are using target keywords in the right way and that your content is structured so search engines can “read” it effectively.
When creating new content or optimizing existing content, be sure to implement on-page SEO:
- Use keywords strategically in titles and headings
- Write compelling meta descriptions
- Optimize the URL structure
- Use descriptive alt text for images
- Format content for readability
- Ensure mobile-friendliness
- Include internal and external links
- Implement schema markup when relevant
- Optimize page load speed
- Enable SSL for secure browsing
- Add a sitemap for search engines
- Monitor and improve user experience
- Regularly update and refresh your content
Check out this On Page SEO Checklist for Law Firms.
Add CTAs, Images, and Social Sharing Buttons
Optimizing your content for search engines is one of the best ways to start generating organic traffic. But you don’t just want that traffic to visit your website and then leave. You want users to engage with your content, subscribe to your email list, schedule a consultation, and, ultimately, hire you!
That’s why you also need to add CTAs and other engaging types of media so people click on, share, sign up for, and interact with your content.
Here are a few CTAs you could include on your web page and in your blog posts to entice users to take action:
- Schedule a Free Consultation
- Contact Us Today
- Get Legal Advice Now
- Request a Case Evaluation
- Speak to an Attorney
- Download Our Free Legal Guide
- Subscribe to Our Newsletter
- Read Our Success Stories
- Explore Our Practice Areas
- Follow Us on Social Media
- Leave a Review
- Check Out These Legal Resources
- Request a Quote
- Explore Our Blog
You can also add images, videos, PDFs, infographics, GIFs, and other types of media to add to the visual value of your content and encourage people to share your blog posts. Adding social sharing buttons makes it easier for users to share your content to Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, X (Twitter), and more.
Don’t Forget Legal Compliance
As a law firm, it’s important to make sure that your content complies with legal ethics and regulations, especially when discussing specific cases or legal topics. This will help ensure that you don’t violate client privacy or land yourself in legal trouble.
Here are a few important factors to consider:
- Client Confidentiality: Avoid sharing any client-specific information. Do not reveal any confidential details or case specifics.
Misleading or False Claims: Do not make misleading or false claims about the firm’s capabilities, results, or experience. All statements should be accurate and verifiable. - Unlawful Solicitation: Don’t engage in any aggressive or unlawful solicitation practices, such as misrepresenting your services.
Attorney Advertising Rules: Familiarize yourself with your jurisdiction’s rules and guidelines regarding attorney advertising, including what can be mentioned, how it can be presented, and required disclaimers. - Testimonials and Endorsements: If you include client testimonials, ensure they are accurate, and comply with your jurisdiction’s rules on client endorsements.
- Avoiding Conflict of Interest: Be cautious not to publish content that might create a conflict of interest with existing or potential clients.
Non-Discrimination and Equal Opportunity: Ensure that your content adheres to non-discrimination and equal opportunity principles. Avoid any content that may be perceived as discriminatory or biased. - Privacy Policies: Maintain a privacy policy that complies with data protection regulations. Clearly explain how you collect, use, and protect user data, especially when collecting contact information through contact forms or newsletter sign-ups.
- Disclaimers: Use appropriate disclaimers to clarify the limitations of the information provided in your content. For example, disclaim that the content does not establish an attorney-client relationship.
- Avoiding Plagiarism: Ensure that all content is original and does not infringe on copyright or intellectual property rights. Cite sources when using third-party content or quotations.
- Bar Association Rules: Familiarize yourself with the rules and guidelines set forth by your state or country’s bar association, as they may have specific regulations regarding attorney advertising and online content.
Offering the Best in Law Firm Content Services
Got content? At Hennessey Digital, we help law firms like yours publish great content that generates more traffic and attracts new clients. Whether your existing content needs a refresh or you are starting with something new, we are here to help you!
Jason Hennessey wrote the book on law firm SEO (literally!). With 20+ years of SEO experience, we help law firms achieve massive growth goals by getting more quality leads and signed cases.
Work With UsFrequently Asked Questions
How do you write content for a law firm?
To write content for a law firm, start by understanding your target audience, including their pain points, needs, and what they are looking for when it comes to hiring an attorney. Create informative, well-researched, and accurate content that addresses legal topics, adheres to ethical guidelines, and showcases the firm’s expertise. Then, optimize your content for search engines to improve online visibility and increase organic traffic.
Should you hire a legal content writer?
Law firms should hire a legal content writer or content agency in order to create well-researched, engaging, and search engine optimized content. Content writers are skilled in crafting high-quality that can effectively communicate your firm’s expertise and offerings to a wider audience. By delegating content creation to a professional, you can focus on your legal work while ensuring your website, blog, and other online materials attract and engage potential clients. This will ultimately boost your law firm’s credibility and business growth.
What legal content writing services does Hennessey Digital offer?
Hennessey Digital offers a full suite of legal content writing services to help law firms create engaging, eye-catching, and search engine friendly content. Here are just a few of the many content services we offer:
- Blog post writing
- Article writing
- Website content creation
- SEO content optimization
- Email newsletter writing
- Press release writing
- Case study development
- Whitepaper and eBook creation
- Infographic design
- Content strategy development
- Content editing and proofreading
- Content analytics and reporting