January 16, 2012

The Key to Keywords is to Just Be Natural

Have you ever heard an advertisement that was more sales-pitchy than informative? For the majority of companies out there, an eye-catching, effective advertising campaign is a necessity, and finding one is often a difficult task. Whether you hire an advertising firm to oversee your campaign or you employ an in-house department to do the same, advertising is an absolute must as far as acquiring new business is concerned.

In the world of legal Internet marketing, advertising comes in no better form than a properly optimized and well designed website. And at the root of the website is the copy, and how well that copy incorporates pertinent information (to sell the consumer) and keywords (to help the website rank well).

laptop-notes-2508116.jpgDo you know what keyword stuffing is? It’s the act of incorporating as many keywords into your website content as possible, often at the expense of the content sounding natural. Basically, keyword stuffing is a blatant attempt to manipulate content SEO so that a page ranks well. Put even more simply, keyword stuffing is bad.

People don’t appreciate reading keyword stuffed content. Search engines don’t like it, and neither do potential clients. Think about it. If you choose to use keyword stuffed content on your website, the risks you’re taking outnumber the benefits. While keyword stuffing may allow your website to rank better, this improved ranking is going to be temporary.

Once search engines such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo determine that your site uses keyword stuffing as a ranking tactic, they will devalue your site, hurting your rankings and lowering them even more than they were in the first place. On top of that, visitors to your site won’t remain their very long, particularly since keyword stuffing makes content less informative and more annoying.

The most important thing to remember about content is to make it informative, yet accessible. If you’re an attorney, for instance, don’t use intricate legal jargon in all of your content. Write for your audience, and your audience will appreciate you for it. Who knows, it may even lead to future business, and all because you chose not to sully your content with too many keywords.

People don’t appreciate reading content that uses keyword stuffing, and often think lesser of companies who utilize it. Remember, while some keyword stuffing may help your site rank better, it won’t help you obtain new business in the long run. That is, if people visit your site, and your content is filled with advertising language rather than pertinent information that visitors are looking for, no one is going to want to remain on your site, thus increasing your bounce rate and hurting your overall marketing effort.

To learn more about how to grow your business online, contact the legal Internet marketing team at SLS Consulting. Call (323) 254-1510 today for a free growth assessment.

January 11, 2012

How Google Improves Search Results

google.jpgHave you ever wondered what Google does to improve search results and keep users happy with such a reliable and trustworthy search engine? So have we, and so does everybody else; and with good reason: the Internet is always evolving.

To stay ahead of the competition and effectively promote your law firm or business online, you need to know how the Internet is changing, especially when it comes to search.

This Message Will Self-destruct in 5…4…
It may seem like top secret information, but a recent SearchEngineLand article discusses the most recent Google search results improvements made in December. Some of the highlights, with their respective Google codenames, are as follows:

  • “Megasitelinks”Sitelinks in search results are invaluable and help with SEO in that they provide additional links to your website by showing specific web pages. Google recently improved their algorithm (guidelines/processes that apply to search engines for ranking a site’s listing within its index) for selecting sitelinks so that results are more relevant. One example of how this improves search results is that sitelinks may be displayed based on precise geographic locations.

  • “Foby” - Byline dates, the date connected with an online document/publication, helps search engine users skim the results to assess whether a site will be helpful to them based on when a site was last updated or when the content on a page was published. Google isn’t giving away much, but has stated that improvements have been made to establish what date goes with a document. As such, users should expect to see more precise dates being added to search results. So, even if a blog post is a few years old, a 2011 or 2012 byline date may show up in search results displaying the most recent updated dates.

  • “Simple” and “Leaf” – To ensure that search results are displaying the most relevant images with regard to the inquiry and that images are being linked to the highest quality source pages, Google has improved quality sources with the “simple” image search update. In other words, the quality of a landing page now serves as an algorithmic flag for image search. The “leaf” image search upgrade expands algorithms used for main search results to spam detection. With better spam identification in Image Search, users shouldn’t have to do as much sifting as before when trying to find the right photo(s) or image(s).

Other Google search updates from December range from song lyric search results to live NFL and college football results, and from a +1 button visual display update to enhanced Vietnamese spell check.

Client Development Starts with Search
Want to net more clients? The place to start is with search results. For a free growth assessment of your law firm, contact Susan L. Sipe at SLS Consulting by calling (323) 254-1510 today. For over a decade, SLS has helped attorneys throughout the U.S. obtain high search engine rankings that last.

November 21, 2011

If Content is King, then SEO is Queen: How to Rule the Internet Kingdom

Where would content on a website be without search engine optimization (SEO)?

Probably lost in cyberspace.

What role would SEO play if it wasn’t associated with relevant, informative content?

Most likely a nonexistent one.

What I’m hinting at here is the balanced relationship between content and SEO for desired search engine results, online success, and lead generation.

With so many Internet marketing strategies out there, it can be confusing as to which tactic is the most effective and worthwhile when it comes to a business’ goals and marketing budget; a thought on pretty much every company’s mind as 2011 quickly comes to a close.

SEO Paves the Way for Online Success
According to a recent SearchEngineLand article, SEO is the anchor of lead generation, which is the process of having visitors to your website inquire about your services or provide you with their information through a contact form. After surveying over 500 U.S. online marketers in August and September in its 2011 State of Digital Marketing Report, California-based online marketing agency Webmarketing123 concluded that SEO is the top way in which business-to-company (B2C) marketers and business-to-business (B2B) marketers obtain leads. These results also demonstrate that SEO outruns pay-per-click (PPC) and social media marketing for lead generation.

Interestingly, more online marketers surveyed stated that they anticipate raising their social media marketing budgets in 2012 over SEO and PPC. The main reason behind this seems to be that 68 percent of those surveyed generated leads either from Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn, and 55 percent closed deals from social media deals. However, overall, both B2B and B2C marketers stand in agreement that SEO has the biggest influence over lead generation with 57 percent of B2B marketers and 41 percent of B2C marketers stating that SEO is their main source of lead generation.

Here are some additional statistics from the study:

  • 46% of B2B marketers surveyed report their most important objective as generating leads.

  • 53% of B2B and B2C marketers surveyed consider SEO to have the largest influence on generating leads, followed by 28% for PPC, and 19% for social media.

  • 75% of B2C marketers surveyed report participating the most on Facebook, followed by 8% on Twitter, and 6% on LinkedIn.

B2B marketers surveyed are active more equally on all three leading social networks: 34% Facebook, 26% Twitter, and 25% LinkedIn.

Keeping Your Balance
With these numbers in mind, don’t jump ship right away on other Internet marketing tactics you may currently be using. With Internet marketing, it’s all about keeping a balance. What helps your online presence from teetering is effective, well thought-out SEO.

For assistance with your Internet marketing endeavors, contact Legal Internet marketing firm SLS Consulting for a free growth assessment. We have dedicated over 11 years to custom website design, content development, social media marketing, lead generation, and other strategic tools for law firms and attorneys throughout the U.S. Call (323) 254-1510 today.

October 26, 2011

This Halloween, Give Your Sweet Tooth for Success Search Engine Results that Last

We all have cravings. Whether they are for candy during the Halloween season or success as 2011 closely comes to an end, how can you discipline yourself not to binge?

Search engine optimization (SEO) is a term that gets thrown around a lot, but it’s important to know what it really means because it’s your key to establishing a strong online presence and achieving desirable search rankings. SEO comes in many flavors and can be viewed as a full course meal with many stages that require extensive planning and preparation. However, you don’t want to bite off more than you can chew. Simply, depending on where you’re starting from – an existing website or no website at all, what terms you want to rank for, etc. – it will take time to see and use the results.

An effective Internet marketing plan integrates keyword research as well as a balanced use of relevant links on websites, blogs, social media platforms, and much, much more. The brilliant and challenging thing about SEO is that how it is crafted can be different for everyone as the Internet continues to change. A universal factor, however, is that rushed and messy SEO will leave a bitter taste in your mouth. Tons of SEO and Internet marketing companies out there will tell you that they can easily create hundreds of websites for your business without telling you that this will be pointless if you don’t establish a foundation first. “Black-cat,” I mean, “black-hat” SEO tactics are tempting, but these are likely to be shut-down by Google and other search engines.

So where do you start? Best to take things one step at a time. Think this won’t be fast enough? If you are consistent and stay aware of the competition, then ethical SEO practices will pay off. To know where you want to go and how you’re going to get there when it comes to lasting search engine results, it’s important to look back at where you’ve been, but focus mostly on the present moment and what efforts need to be made NOW.

At SLS Consulting, for over 11 years our Legal Internet marketing team has been helping attorneys and law firms obtain successful search engine results that last. Applying effective SEO to custom website design, content management, social networking site development, and more, we are dedicated to helping our clients grow their business online. For a free growth assessment, call (323) 254-1510 today.

July 27, 2011

Top 10 Myths about Link Directories that Every Attorney Should Know: Part 2

In the world of legal Internet marketing, law firms and attorneys are constantly seeking ways to improve their rankings and achieve a solid online authority to surpass their competition and stay on top. Link building for law firms often comes up as a way to do this. However, it is not the only way and it can be harmful to think of it in this regard. In Part 1 of our blog series, we discussed the first 5 myths about link building. Here, we wrap it up with the remaining top myths, 6-10, about building links:

Myth #6: It’s easy to see all the links that count towards rankings– A website can claim to have thousands of incoming links, but these links could be ones that Google has discounted. The links you see through various online tools are not always explicitly “Google approved” links. While you can check to see if a link displays itself in Google, you may only see some of the links that count. Although having an idea of the big picture can be beneficial in understanding your rankings and what next steps to take, you may not know what really counts towards your search engine results.

Myth #7: If you can’t see your links, they aren’t there - Just because you don’t see a directory link, it doesn’t mean it doesn’t really count towards your ranking. This could mean that Google chooses not to display the link or links it to the public. Disreputable marketing companies may use this as a tactic to scare someone into buying their services.

Myth #8: All link directories are bad - “Paid links” often get a bad reputation, and you can understand why with all the scams out there, but this can be an effective option – if you chose wisely. If a directory listing is relevant, it could be viable to pursue. It is actually possible to pay for quality links on legal directories or good directories with legal sections.

Myth #9: I don’t need to see what my competitors are doing - You should always be checking what your competitors are doing, but this doesn’t mean you need to follow their lead! Link directories can help you check out who your competition obtains links from so you can most efficiently spend your time and money getting quality links that will actually make a positive difference.

Myth #10: Link directories are the only way to get incoming links – Link directories are one way to get incoming links. Link directories can help, but only if they are from credible platforms and if the links are relevant to your area of practice. Incoming links are also achieved when other credible sources link back to your website, blog, or social networking sites, because they feel the material is informative and helpful.

Even though these myths are common, there are many others out there. If you still have any questions about link building or how to achieve high rankings for your website, contact the legal Internet marketing team at SLS Consulting for a free growth assessment. Call 1-323-254-1510 today.

July 26, 2011

Top 10 Myths about Link Building that Every Attorney Should Know: Part 1

What you see isn’t always what you get when it comes to links. We know you hear and read a lot about the importance of incoming links and how to get them. In our 2-part blog series, we will cover the top 10 myths about link building that every attorney should know. Here are the first 5 to get you started:

Myth #1: Link building is fast and cheap – This is the big red flag that says, “SCAM.” If a company promises you fast and cheap services to build links, run! Effective link building is not fast, cheap or easy. It doesn’t have to be costly, but it takes time and can be challenging.

Myth #2: Building links is easy - Link building isn’t rocket science, but to do it right, it takes planning and strategy. A lot of steps go into building quality links that will actually make a difference in your rankings. You can do more harm than good to your website and online reputation if you make mistakes in link building. Not all paid links are evil, but you need to know the rules.

Myth #3: All links are good - There are several factors that apply in the categorization and identification of “good” and “bad” links. You want to be very particular about your links if you decide to go through a directory. Building irrelevant links is a waste of time and effort.

Myth #4: Anyone can build links – This is actually true… anyone can build links, but not everyone can build “good” links. Link building requires experience because it involves aspects of Internet marketing as well as strategies used to develop online authority and establish high search engine rankings that last.

Myth #5: I need thousands of links to achieve good rankings – Having 20,000 irrelevant links purchased for ranking purposes alone will not help your Google rankings. If your links appear to be spammy and go against Google’s policies, they won’t make any impact, meaning you have wasted your time and money. So in reality, having tons of links does not equate good rankings. It is much better to focus on the best links, even if that means having 10 instead of 1,000.

There are a lot of underhanded link building companies out there who will make empty promises to reel you in with only their profits in mind. Be wary and do your research or call SLS for find out more about our link building packages!

To learn more about link building, visit our blog again for Part 2.

May 6, 2011

Legal Search Engine Optimization's Role in Effective Law Firm and Attorney Marketing Plans

With the advancement of the Internet and online marketing capabilities, one of the most valued and protected assets a law firm has is their online reputation. Legal search engine optimization (SEO) plays a key role in helping an attorney and/or law firm rank high in search results for specific terms, also known as keywords. Legal Internet marketing campaigns would not go far without the right SEO and a solid plan.


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Law firms, just like any other business, especially those that have been around for years, might resist having a website created or launching an Internet marketing campaign. It makes sense; Internet marketing is still relatively new to some, it’s something different, and you have to learn a new game. However, to make sure you don’t miss out on how your competitors are bringing in more clients, consider some of these benefits of legal SEO:
  • Emphasizes the strengths of your law firm and areas of practice;

  • Establishes and associates desirable keywords for your target audience with your law firm;

  • Attracts local clients by focusing on specific names of cities in your area;

  • Gives you quantifiable search results and ways to track traffic and behavior of visitors;

  • Distinguishes your law firm from competitors.

You can have the best legal website, but how are people going to find it? Search engine optimization is one piece of the Internet marketing puzzle, and it’s a big piece. To find out more about how legal SEO can help grow your business online, call SLS Consulting today for a free growth assessment at 323-254-1510.

January 20, 2011

Understanding the Role of Anchor Text in Search Engine Rankings

Search engines are intended to provide Internet users with the most relevant results to the terms, also known as keywords, they enter as search options. While it is true that we may not always find what we are looking for on the first page of Google, it is also valid to say that we may need to enter different combinations of terms in order to seek the information we need. So what role does anchor text play in the ocean of search engine optimization?

Anchor text is considered to be the visible and clickable label of a link on a particular web page, blog post, social media profile, email, or other online medium. For instance, if I were to mention that SLS Consulting was ranked in Lead411’s Technology 500 List for 2010, “SLS Consulting” would be the anchor text. The site that the anchor text is linking to is the landing page, which in this case is http://www.legalinternetmarketing.com/. Rather than including that URL to its fullest extent, I have provided a more visually appealing, shorter, and relevant version by titling the link. When the linked (anchor) text is directly related to information on the landing page, this contributes to the rank or weight of the anchor text determined by search engine algorithms. As rules that concern search engines when they are ranking or weighing a website’s listing within its index, algorithms and their influences cannot be ignored.

An anchor text also provides a convenient way for a reader to click on a term of interest to learn more about that subject. The words making up the anchor text also provide a sneak preview to the material of where the link takes you if it is clicked on. However, the quantity, quality, and formulation of links that make up anchor text all play a role, in addition to other search engine optimization tactics, in rankings. Do not expect adding any link to your website or blog to be the major break you have been waiting for. It takes more than that.

While the proper use of anchor text is important, you cannot rely on anchor text alone to beat your online competitors or achieve positive search engine results. Anchor text is just a piece of the puzzle that brings your Internet marketing strategies together to form high search engine rankings and a strong online presence.

December 23, 2010

Making a List...Checking it Twice: Why You Can't Fool Google

Okay, so maybe drawing a comparison between Santa Claus and Google is a little bit of a stretch, but there are far too many businesses and private practitioners out there who believe that they can get away with black-hat SEO (search engine optimization) in order to increase their search engine rankings faster. And even if your website rankings were to increase due to unethical techniques, your claim to fame won’t last long. After all, Google sees you when you’re sleeping…

Using unethical Internet marketing strategies doesn’t benefit anyone. While the idea of surpassing your competitors and being on the first page of search engines could definitely be considered the best Christmas gift of all to some, the consequences of having your website removed from a search engine index, also known as “delisting,” or otherwise being penalized by Google just isn’t worth it. Also, what would your clients think if they discovered that you had reached the top by cutting corners?

Another unethical technique that some people will use on their website is cloaking. This is when a website is presented in two different forms: one version of content that the user sees, and a different version of content that the search engine sees. And how do the search engines “see”? An automated program, most often referred to as a “spider,” indexes websites on the Internet after being sent out by search engines.

A website can also be penalized for appearing as spam when one or more keyword or keyword phrases are used or repeated within meta tags or web page content that the search engines determine to be excessive. An Internet marketing consultant should be able to help you establish the proper balance and mixture of keywords and keyword phrases so your site doesn’t get penalized.

Some individuals also succumb to using link farms, which are web pages designed to only receive incoming links. This can be viewed as spam by the search engines and can even cause your site to be banned.

Now that you’re more familiar with what’s on Google’s “bad” list, make sure you get on the “good” side of the scroll.


Happy Holidays from SLS Consulting!


Susan L. Sipe

July 29, 2009

What Every Lawyer Should Know About Legal SEO

The importance and relevance of legal Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for attracting qualified clients and helping a law firm become more successful is very well known, but it’s not enough to simply know that it is effective. In order for legal professionals to really understand how legal SEO helps them, they need to know why it works and why it provides a significantly better return on investment than traditional legal marketing methods. So we’ve compiled a list of some of the things that every lawyer should know about legal SEO:

  • Legal SEO lets you compete with the big firms – Legal Search Engine Optimization levels the playing field for your firm and allows it to compete successfully with larger law firms with huge marketing budgets. Smaller, savvier, more nimble firms can use legal SEO strategies to thrive in a hyper-competitive field.

  • It is the most cost-effective form of marketing – Traditional forms of marketing are expensive and may or may not achieve the desired results. Once the proper foundation has been established for your site’s success, your legal SEO keeps working for your firm 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

  • It helps your site attract local clients – Web users are becoming more sophisticated at finding local goods and services on the Internet. Modifying legal SEO keywords and phrases with the names of local cities makes it easier for potential clients to find your site!

Continue reading "What Every Lawyer Should Know About Legal SEO" »

July 15, 2009

Online Reputation Management Tips for Legal Professionals

The old saying that “bad news travels fast,” has never seemed more relevant than it does in the Information Age. These days, a legal professional’s reputation not only can precede him or her, it can also directly influence a potential client’s decision to contact or not contact him or her. The rising popularity of Web sites that allow people to share their positive or negative experiences with products or professionals of any stripe makes it easy for people to share their opinions. Those opinions, whether based on fact or not, show up in search results and can have a profound impact on the success of a law firm or legal professional.

To that end, we’ve compiled a list of proactive reputation management tips that are inexpensive, enhance the effectiveness of other legal Internet marketing techniques, and allow legal professionals to take charge of their reputation management. These tips for lawyers include:

  • Harness the power of social marketing – Social marketing sites are becoming increasingly relevant for any lawyer’s or law firm’s Internet marketing. Consider creating profiles for yourself and/or your law firm on social networking sites that cater to legal professionals as well as the heavyweights like MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn, and others.

  • Host informational videos on your site – Consider hosting informational videos on your legal Web site that address some of the questions your clients often ask you about. These add value to your site, engage your site’s visitors and also rank well in search results!

  • Add a legal blog to your site – Whether you write the legal blog’s posts yourself or have your legal Internet marketing company compose them for you, they benefit your site, rank well in search results, and allow you to address topical issues in the legal industry and provide valuable information to your site’s visitors and potential clients.

Continue reading "Online Reputation Management Tips for Legal Professionals" »

May 8, 2009

Search Engine Marketing Budgets Increasing

With today’s economic woes affecting seemingly all aspects of business, many law firms large and small are struggling with exactly how to spend their marketing budgets. A solid indicator of where to spend your money can come from looking at other industries, gauging the climate of search engine marketing budgets across the board to get a feel for how much of your budget should be spent online.

A report published on emarketer.com regarding a study conducted by Econsultancy and SEO firm Guava, indicated that online marketers around the globe are increasingly turning to search marketing tactics.

Fifty-five percent of respondents said they planned to raise spending on SEO, and 45% said the same of paid search. In addition, 31% of SEO and 32% of paid search users said they intended to maintain their budgets.

It seems that business marketing executives are learning what many of our clients have known for quite some time, that search engine marketing is the most reliable, efficient tool in attracting new customers. SEO offers inherent advantages over paid search options, although the benefits may take time to make themselves apparent.

“SEO improves organic listings, which Internet users prefer over paid search, and it is cost-effective,” said eMarketer senior analyst David Hallerman. “Furthermore, optimization works across all search engines, and an optimized site does not drop off the first results page even when marketer spending slows or stops—as it can with paid search.”

Although this article refers primarily to online sites that have a traditional, commerce driven product, the goal of a solid legal Internet marketing strategy is always the same, increase traffic to the site and visibility in organic searches for relevant keyword terms. All attorneys, regardless of their specific mode of practice, can benefit from a sound online marketing campaign whose focal point is a strong SEO plan.

Our firm has specialized in building these types of marketing plans for more than 10 years. Our track record of success is well documented and we remain at the forefront of search engine marketing tactics. Contact us today, we can help your firm dominate online searches and help potential clients find and contact your website first.

March 23, 2009

Ten Reasons Your Law Firm Needs Great SEO

In an Internet-saturated world (and one in which Google changes its mind all the time), the value of organic Search Engine Optimization is sometimes questioned. Many law firms elect to simply do Pay Per Click and disregard the need for organic search. Does your law firm need professional legal SEO? The answer is a resounding YES! Here are ten reasons why:

1. The Internet market is bigger than ever before. Gen Y is reaching legal age; litigation is on the rise despite a slowed economy and more people are using search to look for options when they need a lawyer.

2. It’s cost effective. Have you ever researched how much it costs to get TV spots? Radio? Yellow Pages? All of which are gone as soon as your marketing budget is. Given the return on investment and the longevity of the benefits of SEO (if done right), it is the single most cost effective marketing available today.

3. It’s targeted. The Internet give you the ability to capture the attention of people looking for your specific practice area and qualifications? It’s a no-brainer.

4. It builds over time. With well-constructed site structure and solid organic search engine optimization, your site can build in value and effectiveness over time. It’s not often that an investment in something so dynamic actually matures over time.

5. It sends the right message. Potential clients want an attorney who has put thought into their experience – including how they find you. Good SEO means you care about finding clients who are searching for you online.

6. It can be tracked. Unlike direct mail or radio spots, it’s inexpensive and very effective to track the customer behavior that leads to a search-engine click. Better tracking means better marketing.

7. It levels the playing field. Organic search isn't like older forms of advertising such as the yellow pages. Every firm has the opportunity to be on the first page of search if they have a strong website and good SEO.

8. The Internet is everywhere. Almost everyone in the U.S. has access to the Internet, either through computers, mobile phones and free public access sites. Take advantage of this growing base with a website that they can find!

9. Search drives traffic. As much as you might like tons of direct traffic, it’s an unrealistic expectation in today’s search-driven world. Adapt with the times and acknowledge search’s role in your marketing campaign.

10. It works. Bottom line... SEO works if its done right. Organic search brings in more leads than any paid online advertising. Above all, it doesn't disappear as soon as you reach your daily, weekly or monthly budget.

If you are still skeptical about whether your firm can benefit from a strong marketing campaign that includes Search Engine Optimization ... read some of my client testimonials!

March 17, 2009

A Few Web Site Do’s and Don'ts

DO’S:

Build your site around a theme that's neither too broad, nor too narrow.
Be sure this theme meshes with the mission statement of your law practice. If, for instance, you’re a personal injury lawyer who specializes in serious injury and wrongful death suits, focus your content writing and SEO efforts on that niche of personal injury. This sounds intuitive. But you’d be surprised by how many legal websites fail to settle on a consistent, optimized theme.

Update your site regularly
Your web site is an organic, fluid object. Optimizing today doesn't mean that it will rank well next week. Search engine algorithms change frequently and your SEO must keep current. Search engines reward sites that are updated regularly.

Keep your site simple and easy to navigate
Structure your site in an intuitive way, so that visitors aren't bombarded with pop-up windows, banner ads, and other frustrating pathways. Use the KISS methodology, keeping in mind what your user may be looking for when they get there.

Get specific
Include details about you, your firm, location, fees, hours, statistics, and testimonials from prior clients.

Check your State Bar Rules on Advertising
This is the step that many law firms forget. Your State Bar DOES have rules on advertising and what you can and can't put on your web site. Make sure you aren't violating those rules when designing your site.


DON'Ts

Publish sensitive materials on your web site.
You might be handling the most exciting high-profile case ever. But if you violate a confidentiality agreement – even by “innocently” publishing material on the Web, you can face penalties, including disbarment.

Outsourcing all web duties to third parties
Internet consultants can design and build your web site, as well as market and optimize it. But be involved and know what your website says and check to make sure the images your web designer uses on your site are paid for and legal to use.

Copy content from another site
This is another area where many lawyers get in trouble. There are copyright rules with web site content. If you see information on another legal web site that you think is good, use it as a guideline but don't copy and paste into your site to cut corners.

For more information and guidelines for building and or marketing a professional legal web site, visit us at www.slsconsulting.com.

February 4, 2009

Newsflash: Google Likes Quality, Not Quantity

I field thousands of questions a week about how to game the Google system for fast law firm marketing results. While you can achieve great things with the granddaddy of Web search, SEO isn’t a quick fix – it’s an investment in your Web presence and your business. One of the most overlooked factors is the quality, not quantity issue.

What do I mean when I say quality, not quantity?

It’s simple: listing a ton of search terms meaninglessly strung together will do nothing for your search engine rankings! Why not? Because Google PageRank and searchability depend on the perceived value of your website. If you have a website that’s long on search terms and short on actual information, beprepared to be left in the dust by other web sites that are doing it right.

The Google Success blog touched on just this issue last November (http://www.google-success.com/what-is-quality-content-for-search-engines.htm). Here are a few tips to remember when you consider SEO for your legal website:

- Content is King. It’s been said before, and it stands repeating. Go for readable, informative content and you’ll increase your chances of search-engine visibility.

- You get what you pay for. If you are content to post poor-quality writing on your site, get ready to content yourself with poor-quality results in the search engines.

- Remember the end user. There’s a reason Google places informative, useful content higher than mere words: it’s more useful for end users who will find your site valuable! It’s to everyone’s benefit to tailor your Web presence to the end user, be they personal injury victims looking for representation or past clients who are capable of referring new business.

What are your favorite examples of sites that have sacrificed real content to the SEO gods? I’d love to hear from you in the comments section.