How Blogging Can Get Law Firms More Clients

Any basic search about marketing a law firm online will mention blogging as a cost-effective way to get new clients. HubSpot reports that businesses with blogs get 67% more leads each month. But how does it actually work? 

Let’s take a look at how blogging can connect your firm with potential clients who are seeking legal representation or advice online.

1. Blogging Can Improve Your Law Firm Website’s SEO

Importantly, while blog posts can rank individually, blogging can improve your site’s search engine optimization as a whole. In other words, regularly adding blog content can affect how visible your site’s homepage is for search terms that are relevant to your practice. 

When you regularly update your blog, you are signaling to Google that your site is active and has fresh content, both of which are rewarded with better rankings. On the other hand, if you have not updated your site in months or years, Google will likely rank sites with newer content higher than yours for relevant search terms.

Blogging can also attract backlinks, which are links from other sites to your site. Backlinks are one of the most important SEO factors — think of them as votes from other sites for your site. 

Creating engaging, authoritative and informative blogs can attract quality backlinks from other sites.

2. Blogging Allows You to Target Long-Tail Keywords

Blogging also gives law firms an opportunity to target long-tail keywords, which are low-volume keywords that are highly specific. These keywords often have high conversion rates, as the searcher might be close to ready to retain an attorney. Some examples of long-tail keyword phrases that are relevant to law firms include:

• Compensation for whiplash injury from rear-end collisions
• Lawsuit for slip and fall accidents in grocery stores
• Who will keep the house in a divorce?
• First-time DUI penalties in Colorado
• Prenuptial agreement for a business owner

3. Blogging Provides You With Content to Share on Social Media

If you want to attract legal clients online, your law firm should have a presence on social media. That said, it’s not enough to simply create accounts — you need to regularly post and engage with people who engage with your posts. But what should you post on social sites? 

One simple answer is your blog posts. If you share high-quality blog posts that are of interest to your potential clients, you will increase website traffic and social shares, amplifying your blog’s reach.

4. Blogging Can Establish Your Law Firm as a Leader in Your Niche or Practice Area

Regularly updating your blog with well-written and informative posts can establish your law firm as the go-to source of information for your practice areas. 

By consistently producing high-quality content that addresses common client concerns and emerging legal trends, you demonstrate your expertise and stay at the forefront of your field. This not only attracts potential clients but also positions your firm as a thought leader within the legal community. As a thought leader, you will also attract more backlinks, leading to a compounding effect for your site’s SEO.

Additionally, a well-maintained blog can serve as a valuable resource for other professionals, journalists, and even judges seeking insights on complex legal matters. As your blog gains traction and recognition, you may find opportunities to contribute to wider discussions in your practice area, potentially leading to speaking engagements, media appearances, or collaborative projects with industry leaders. (Read: “How Digital PR Helps Attorneys Gain a Competitive Advantage.”)

5. What About AI-Generated Content?

At this point, you may be wondering about the role of AI in creating content for your law firm blog. After all, if everyone can generate blog posts and other content at scale using generative AI models like ChatGPT or Claude, what’s the value in creating another blog?

The fact is, people are still using Google and other search engines to find professional services, and there is still only one result in the first position for any given keyword. We can assume Google wants to surface the best, most helpful search results, so your best strategy is to differentiate your content from your competitors — whether or not you use AI to assist you. (Read: “FAQs About Google’s March 2024 Core Algorithm Update.”)

Here are some of the ways you can differentiate your content and give it the best chance of showing up in the search results:

• Demonstrate your experience, expertise, authority and trust (E-E-A-T). Google has been clear that it rewards content that demonstrates E-E-A-T. You can align your content with this guidance by infusing your content with details about your firm’s experience or recognition in your community. Also, make sure that your content is up-to-date and that you link to authoritative sources if you are discussing the current law or making factual claims.
• Make sure your content adds something to the conversation. Content that simply regurgitates existing information on the web is unlikely to rank well. One of the best ways to get content to rank quickly is the concept of “information gain,” which is the level of uniqueness of content compared to existing content on an issue. Information gain can involve adding a fresh perspective to existing topics, creating a comprehensive overview of a particular issue, or publishing new information about an existing topic.

Of course, as a busy practicing attorney, you likely do not have time to create and post well-written and fully SEO-optimized content on your website, or to keep up with Google’s latest developments. Fortunately, plenty of marketing agencies and freelancers specialize in creating high-quality content for law firm blogs and websites.

More Advice on Blogging from Attorney at Work Authors

• “Blogging About Boring or Complex Legal Topics” by Ruth Carter
• “Mastering the Art of Blogging: Key Strategies for Lawyers from Orbit Media’s Annual Blogger Survey” by Ruth Carter
• “Best Practices for Your Law Firm’s Blog” by David Arato
• “Long-Form Content: Create Once, Cash in for Years” by Ruth Carter

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