As we go into 2024, your goal should be to have a strategy in mind to generate more business and grow your law firm. If you have a website, focus on creating more content around your area of practice as a strategy to drive more visitors to your website.
The goal should be to target your ideal clients’ most common queries and what they actively search for on platforms like Google, Yahoo, and Bing.
What is SEO, and Why Does it Matter for Law Firms?
As per statistics, a three-year ROI on SEO for an average law firm was around 526%. 1Bailyn, E. (2023, December 28). Law Firm SEO Statistics 2024. First Page Sage. https://firstpagesage.com/seo-blog/law-firm-seo-statistics/SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a practice to improve a website’s visibility on search engines like Google. The goal is to increase a site’s ranking in search results for specific keywords, making it more likely for users to find and visit the website.
SEO involves various techniques, including optimizing content, improving website structure, and obtaining high-quality backlinks, aiming to attract organic (non-paid) traffic to a website.
At its core, it aims to align a law firm’s online presence with user intent, ensuring that potential clients can easily find the legal services they seek.
If you plan to start SEO and need help, book a free consultation with LawSmiths. We’ve grown law firms at a pace of 3,000% in one year and achieved hundreds of top placements on search engine result pages (SERPs). Our SEO services can help your law firm reach more clients, stand out, and increase profits.
Top Law Firm SEO Statistics
1. Content marketing is considered “very important” to the overall marketing strategy by 89% of law firms.
2. 96% of individuals seeking legal advice utilize a search engine.2Fairley, S. (2023, August 25). Legal Marketing Stats Lawyers Need to Know. The National Law Review. https://www.natlawreview.com/article/legal-marketing-stats-lawyers-need-to-know
3. Social media is utilized for marketing by 71% of law firms3Martin, M. (2023, July 5). The 2023 Guide to Social Media for Law Firms and Lawyers. Social Media Marketing & Management Dashboard. https://blog.hootsuite.com/social-media-for-law-firms/.
4. 65% of law firms allocate the majority of their marketing budget to online channels.
5. The average spending by a law firm on SEO stands at $150,000.
6. Video is incorporated into the marketing strategy by only 24% of law firms.
7. 27% of firms with 10-49 lawyers include video in their marketing efforts.
8. More than one-third of potential clients initiate their attorney search online.
9. 79% of participants rated SEO as the most effective marketing channel.
10. Local and organic searches collectively contribute to 69% of digital traffic.
11. Organic search accounts for 66% of call conversions in the legal sector.
12. SEO has a conversion rate of over 4%, surpassing the overall 2.4% rate across all analyzed channels.
13. Only 27% of law firms maintain a blog, and a mere 5% of lawyers have a personal blog
14. A survey found that digital marketing is frequently outsourced in North America, since over 73% of legal clients discover their lawyers online.
15. 85% of respondents prefer using Google for lawyer research, with 98% reading online reviews before hiring an attorney.
1. Content Marketing is Considered “Very Important” to the Overall Marketing Strategy by 89% of Law Firms
Content marketing for law firms includes the creation and distribution of valuable, informative content tailored to address the legal needs and concerns of your target audience. This can include blog posts, articles, or videos that explain complex legal concepts, offer insights into industry trends, or provide practical tips for individuals navigating legal issues.
By adopting an audience-centric approach, your law firm can build trust, establish authority in their legal specialties, and connect with potential clients seeking reliable and relevant information.
Consistent and quality content not only increases a law firm’s online visibility but also contributes to its reputation as a trusted source of legal expertise.
That is precisely why content marketing holds such an important significance. 4Ku, D. (2023, March 10). The Growing Importance of Social Media Marketing in 2023. PostBeyond. https://www.postbeyond.com/blog/social-media-marketing-importance/
2. 96% of Individuals Seeking Legal Advice Utilize a Search Engine
As statistics show, a staggering 96 percent of the public uses search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo to be aware of certain legal issues and for legal advice. 5Fairley, S. (2023, August 25). Legal Marketing Stats Lawyers Need to Know. The National Law Review. https://www.natlawreview.com/article/legal-marketing-stats-lawyers-need-to-know
Keeping this in mind, it is important to keep the end consumer of the content in mind to make sure the content covers the information they are looking for. For example, it might be a good idea for a personal injury attorney in LA to write a blog on ‘What to do after a car accident in LA?’
3. Social Media is Utilized for Marketing by 71% of Law Firms
In the contemporary era, you can find a majority of the population active on social media. This creates the perfect opportunity for all businesses, including law firms, to make sure they are active on these platforms to increase visibility. 6Martin, M. (2023, July 5). The 2023 Guide to Social Media for Law Firms and Lawyers. Social Media Marketing & Management Dashboard. https://blog.hootsuite.com/social-media-for-law-firms/
Common platforms most law firms are active on include LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook. If you don’t have these, setting up all the accounts is the first step.
4. 65% of Law Firms Allocate the Majority of Their Marketing Budget to Online Channels
20 years ago, most law firms relied on traditional marketing channels, including billboards and radios. The past decade has significantly changed how advertisement works, and most businesses today rely on social media.
Today, law firms spend the majority of their budget on online marketing strategies, including SEO, PPC and social media marketing. 7George, A. (2023, June 22). 7 Legal Marketing Statistics Every Attorney Should Know. Clio. https://www.clio.com/blog/legal-marketing-statistics/
5. The Average Spending by a Law Firm on SEO Stands at $150,000
Search engine optimization is one of the channels to get more organic traffic to your website. As discussed above, SEO has been known to have a staggering 500 percent plus ROI in 3 years.
As statistics shows, law firms, on average, spend upwards of 150,000 USD on SEO. 8S. (2023, December 19). Legal Marketing Statistics 2023. On the Map Marketing. https://www.onthemap.com/blog/legal-marketing-statistics/
6 and 7. Video Marketing
In the recent years, we have seen an upward trend in video marketing. This is largely due to shorter retention rates among consumers. As per statistics, only 24% of firms use video as part of their marketing. 9Waje, M. (2022, September 19). Why Video is the best Marketing Tool for Legal Firms. Legalwise Seminars. https://legalwiseseminars.com.au/insights/why-video-is-the-best-marketing-tool-for-legal-firms/ Moreover, 27% of Law firms with 10-49 lawyers use video as part of their marketing strategy. 10Chang, J. (2023, December 20). If you are a private practice lawyer who has yet to explore legal marketing, you may be familiar with the frus. Financesonline.com. https://financesonline.com/legal-marketing-statistics/
8. More Than One-third of Potential Clients Initiate Their Attorney Search Online
Another report says that 1/3 of all clients start their search for an attorney online. 11Mastropierro, C. (2022, October 31). 26 Legal Marketing Statistics Every Lawyer Needs to Know. WiseMedia. https://wisemedia.ca/legal-marketing-statistics/ Typically they use keywords like ‘attorney near me’ ‘personal injury lawyer in NY’. Make sure to optimize your profile to be at the front page when someone searches for relevant keywords.
9. 79% of Participants Rated SEO as the Most Effective Marketing Channel
In a 2020 research by Brandmuscle, SEO was rated as the most effective channel by 79% of surveyed participants. 12brand muscle. (n.d.). https://www.brandmuscle.com/resources/state-of-local-marketing-research/
And there’s a good reason behind it.
Although SEO takes a few months to show results, it involves a one time investment, and the impact stays for years. In recent years, more law firms have been investing heavily in SEO.
10. Local and Organic Searches Collectively Contribute to 69% of Digital Traffic
An analysis of 500 location-based websites by the Milestone Research department found that local and organic searches together make up to 69% of digital traffic. 13Varma, G. (2022, April 27). Organic Search and Local Drive 69% of Digital Traffic. Milestone Inc. Blog: SEO Digital Marketing Local Schemas, AMP. https://blog.milestoneinternet.com/digital-marketing-analytics/organic-search-and-local-drive-69-of-digital-traffic-for-location-based-businesses/
Therefore, it is important for your law firm to make sure that it is optimized for the area(s) your office(s) are based in. Consider focusing on Google Business My Profile optimization and writing content that primarily serves the queries of people around your area.
11 and 12. Organic Search Accounts for 66% of Call Conversions in the Legal Sector
Ruler Analytics 2021 analysis of 100M data points found that:
Organic search generates 66% of the call conversion in the legal sector, with a conversion rate of over 4% compared. 14Caveney, L. (2023, January 4). 17 Legal Marketing Statistics You Need to Know in 2023. Ruler Analytics. https://www.ruleranalytics.com/blog/reporting/legal-marketing-statistics/ Across 7 other types of marketing analyzed, this was the highest, with an overall of 2.4 percent. 15Caveney, L. (2023, January 4). 17 Legal Marketing Statistics You Need to Know in 2023. Ruler Analytics. https://www.ruleranalytics.com/blog/reporting/legal-marketing-statistics/
13. Only 27% of Law Firms Maintain a Blog, and a Mere 5% of Lawyers Have a Personal Blog
Better highlighted by the statistics, there is still a massive opportunity for law firms to get ahead by creating a blog and posting regularly.
At the moment, your competition is only 27 percent of law firms, and if you take action quickly and start posting, you’ll always be a step ahead. 16https://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/administrative/news/2021/0721/polp.pdf
14. A Survey Found That Digital Marketing is Frequently Outsourced in North America, Since Over 73% of Legal Clients Discover their Lawyers Online
It is common to hire external help to market law firms, and it makes sense.17C. (2023, August 15). Law Firm Marketing/BD Department Size Study 2020. Calibrate. https://calibrate-strategies.com/marketing-bd-survey-2020/
The average hourly wage charged by Attorneys in the US is far more than the hourly rates charged by marketing agencies. If you go with a marketing agency specializing in law firm marketing, you get specialists who take care of your online presence and get you more leads.
15. 85% of Respondents Prefer Using Google for Lawyer Research, With 98% Reading Online Reviews before Hiring an Attorney
Since Google is the biggest search engine on the internet, most searches to find lawyers are done on the platform. 18M. (2023, May 5). New Study: How Consumers Choose Lawyers Online | iLawyerMarketing.com. Internet Marketing for Lawyers. https://www.ilawyermarketing.com/new-study-how-consumers-choose-lawyers-online-in-2020/
Therefore, it is important to ensure the website adheres to Google updates on ranking factors and SEO, then continuously works towards strategies to maintain your rankings.
