Most lawyers who are freshly introduced to the idea of Internet marketing will build their Web site with a design company and then think visitors will start flowing in automatically after the Web site’s initial launch.

No matter how professional and aesthetically appealing your website may be, in the Web environment today, visitors will never “automatically” attract and roll in. This is why law firms need good SEO and more importantly, why SEO matters if you want your business to be successful.

[source: LLP News] So what exactly is SEO you say? Surely, you must have heard talk about this recent buzz. And if you haven’t, I am here to provide the 411 on everything you need to know about good SEO.

SEO is the acronym given for “search engine optimization” and choosing to invest in good SEO will be the huge factor in improving your law firm Web site and will also save time and money on other marketing strategies. There is, however, a possibility at risking damage to your law firm’s reputation and Web site if you do not do your research in advance and end up in the hand’s of a careless SEO company. Good SEOs will provide useful services for law firm Web site owners, including but not limited to:

– content development
– keyword research
– expertise in marketing techniques
– review of your Web site’s structure and content
– advice on technical aspects of website development

In short, SEO-friendly Web sites allow online robots to analyze the codes and contents of your site. Major search engines like Google and Yahoo then look specifically for keywords, phrases, and Web coding in order to rank your Web site amongst the other competiting Web pages. Organic search results is the better resort over Pay Per Click (PCC) advertisement by increasing indexability and because of it’s history. Pay Per Click services can cost a hefty sum and may not even produce effective results.

Why should you take my word for it? If I have still yet to convince you on why your law firm needs a good SEO, I’ll dissect into all the benefits. A great search optimization company will do more than just generate leads for your website. Creating a Web site without incorporating good SEO can pretty much equate to throwing money away. The money invested in building a great website alone will not cut it AND you might even be spending more on other marketing strategies like advertising through other avenues of media.

Search Engine Marketing

So how can SEO drive your business? Well, there are several ways to improve your business and getting SEO is one of them. This opens the door to younger, more technologically advanced generations who no longer turn to the Yellow Pages to search for businesses. Internet users are rapidly growing day to day and investing in good SEO is a popular process now for law firms to compete with top contenders. Building a Web site is the first process, however, your Web site may never be seen without implementing good SEO. To truly understand how good SEO works, put yourself in the shoes of a potential client searching for a law firm. Imagine a potential client, in need of legal help immediately and unsure of where to start. By typing in a keyword that closely matches their need, they will begin on the hunt for the services that pop out right before them. As studies have shown, the top three Web site links are clicked most frequently, then the 4th and 5th by a bigger margin… but any Web site further down the list hardly stands a chance at being seen, especially if you’re ranked in the 2nd page.

In addition to SEO techniques boosting your website to a search engine’s highest rank, there are other elements to consider. For one, figuring out the right keywords and phrases and mixing it onto your Web page contents will be beneficial. However, key phrases need to be used correctly and cannot simply be using keyword “overload”. That’s why a good SEO company, as mentioned above, should provide such services like reviewing website content.

Learning why SEO is such an important factor for the success of your business is as easy as putting up a law firm Web site that is NOT SEO-friendly. Your company will then truly see you will have few visitors because you are essentially unseen. Investing your law firm in a good SEO from the beginning will save you a lot of hassle. It does take time to build a reputable name and to stay at the top. The true benefits of enhancing your Web site through good SEO techniques will soon be evident when web traffic increases and your business is booming.