SEO Packages For Lawyers: Are They Worth It?

While social media has been getting a lot of the marketing attention lately, search engine optimization is still big. Studies show that search is still responsible for driving 300% more clients to websites than social media is. However, while social media can seem almost fun, SEO is almost universally regarded as tedious. Keep reading to find out how to find an SEO package that can get your website optimized quickly and without the hassle of doing it yourself.

SEO Packages for Solo Practitioners

Some of the most active participants in social media in the legal world are solo practitioners. Over half of solo practitioners already keep some sort of blog, and this can be very useful for developing new leads. However, while blogging may come easy, the rest of SEO can be tough when you're a solo trying to balance the needs of your existing clients with the need to find new ones.

SEO packages take the guesswork out of what you need to do. With an SEO package, you can buy all of the optimization services you need. Even if you don't keep a blog already, many SEO packages will actually include blogs and blog entries in their price.

Because budgets are so important for solo practitioners, you should ask the company you're buying an SEO package from for case studies. If the company is legitimate, they should be able to show you real results from their SEO packages, and explain to you how your results may be different.

SEO Packages for Small Law Firms

Small firms have more personnel than solo practices, but they often don't know how to get the message of their brand across. When a small firm purchases an SEO package, they may want help figuring out exactly what their brand represents and how to best convey that brand image through their newly optimized web presence.

SEO packages can also help you to find new practice niches. As part of your SEO package, some companies will use tools that can detect local niche markets where more attorneys are needed. SEO packages help you avoid buying niche finding tools on your own or having to choose which niche finding tools will work best. Once you've got a niche, the SEO package you bought can help you advertise that niche and make it your own.

Small firms also tend to have problems being heard above their competition. If this describes your firm, SEO packages may be able to make a difference. If you choose an SEO package that includes research on your competitors, you can find out which areas they're dominating and which areas you still have room to move in on.

Finding Affordable SEO Packages

Generally speaking, the more services that are offered in a particular SEO package, the more expensive they will be. This isn't always true—some companies charge substantially less for SEO packages than others, and a deluxe package from one company could cost less than the basic package at another.

So which services should you save money on, and which ones can you not live without? That depends largely on what your firm is trying to do and what your strengths are. You'll always—without exception—want to buy an SEO package that includes analysis of your results. Without this analysis, you won't actually know which SEO packages worked or not, or how to improve your results in the future.

One of the services you can probably skip out on is blogging content creation. Even if you're pressed for time, you're better off providing your own writing content than having it provided through an SEO package. Why? Because people can tell when someone who isn't a subject matter expert is keeping a blog. If your blog looks like it was included in a package you bought, and tends to have very generic content, how will you manage to differentiate yourself from your competitors? The only way you should ever buy blog entries with an SEO package in this way is if you've seen the blogs the marketing company produces for other firms and they're truly excellent.

SEO Packages With Video

If you pay extra with some SEO packages, a number of professionally produced videos will also be included. Usually, this kind of SEO package will also include putting your videos on YouTube or another video sharing website after they're done.

SEO packages with video are a great way to increase your conversion rate and produce content that is more likely to go viral. Usually, each video you shoot as part of your SEO package will be one to three minutes long, and they'll be about legal topics rather than about you personally or the qualifications of your firm.

Local SEO Packages

Today, local searches account for over 20 percent of total web traffic, and for attorneys that number is even higher. As a small firm, you need an SEO package that includes at least some local SEO services. For example, you can ask the marketing company handling your optimization efforts to help you create a Google+ Local page, or to get your firm listed in Yelp and avvo.com.

Local SEO is becoming more important than ever, so you don't want to be behind the curve on this one. Make sure your SEO package includes local optimization, or you may not see the kinds of results that you were hoping for in terms of increased new business.

Mobile SEO Packages

Potential clients who are using their mobile phones have different requirements than non-mobile users. Because clicking and scrolling can be more difficult on mobile phones, they are even more likely than desktop users to only read the first page of search results. They also need landing pages (and preferably, a full mobile version of your website) that are easy to read with smartphones.

Your SEO package, if it includes mobile, can help you optimize your website for this new and very important customer segment. Since these viewers are more likely to convert, this will be money well spent for your firm.