Trying to compete for cases as a small or mid-size law firm can feel like David fighting Goliath. The largest law firms in any given market seem to have endless marketing budgets. You’ll see them everywhere – on TV, on billboards, and (most relevant to this article) at the top of the search results for highly competitive search terms. On the other hand, smaller firms often struggle to get noticed despite their skill and ability.
Fortunately, there is a way for solos and mid-size firms to compete: targeting long-tail keywords in their content marketing. What is a long-tail keyword phrase, you ask? They are longer keyword phrases that are much more specific to what a consumer is looking for and are much more likely to convert into clients.
Competing for Vanity Search Terms is Time-Consuming and Expensive
Vanity search terms are those terms that have a high monthly search volume – but typically a low conversion rate. In the legal field, these search terms typically follow this format: [City] + [Practice Area] + [Lawyer/Attorney]. Some specific examples of vanity search terms include:
- Denver Car Accident Lawyer
- Chicago Divorce Attorney
- Los Angeles Bankruptcy Lawyer
- Miami Truck Lawyer
Ranking for these search terms is extremely different, especially in competitive markets like major cities. The firms doing it are likely spending tens of thousands of dollars a month on marketing, including content creation, obtaining backlinks, and technical SEO. As a result, it may not be worth it for smaller firms to even try to rank for these terms.
Long-Tail Keywords are Usually High-Intent Searches
While it’s certainly nice to show up at the top of the results for terms like this, the fact is that these terms often generate low-value traffic (more on that later). The fact is that people who are searching for “car accident lawyer” are likely much further from making a hiring decision than say, a person searching for “what to look for in a car accident lawyer” or “how to find a car accident lawyer near me.”
Long-Tail Search Terms are Much Less Competitive
The good news for law firms with smaller marketing budgets is that long-tail keywords are much less competitive, meaning they are easier to rank for. While large firms may be able to dominate the top of the search results for high-volume search terms, they often overlook opportunities involving long-tail terms, giving smaller firms an opportunity to outrank larger competitors.
For example, terms like “how to find the best personal injury lawyer near me” or “what to look for when hiring a divorce attorney in Chicago” have far fewer competitors vying for that prime real estate on the first page of Google. These are the types of queries that signal a user is seriously considering hiring legal counsel and is further along in the decision-making process.
How to Target Long-Tail Keywords with Content Marketing
Now that we’ve established how focusing on long-tail keywords can help smaller law firms compete, the next step is putting that strategy into action through content marketing.
Keyword Research
The foundation of any successful long-tail keyword strategy is in-depth keyword research. Look beyond the high-volume, competitive terms and uncover the specific phrases your potential clients are searching for. Tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, and Ahrefs can help you identify relevant long-tail opportunities based on search volume, competition, and relevance.
Create Informative, Specific Content
Once you’ve identified the most promising long-tail keywords, create content that thoroughly addresses those topics. This could include:
- Law Firm Blog posts
- FAQ pages
- How-to guides
- Guest posts
The key is to provide genuinely helpful information that answers the user’s query in detail. Avoid thin, keyword-stuffed content – focus on quality over quantity.
Optimize for Search Engines
Proper on-page SEO is critical for ranking well for long-tail terms. Ensure your content features the target keyword prominently in the title, headers, URL, and throughout the body. Use related keywords and LSI terms to reinforce topical relevance. Schema markup, alt text, and other technical optimizations can also boost your visibility.
Build Authority and Links
Search engines also reward websites that demonstrate expertise, authority, and trustworthiness on a given topic. Promote your long-tail content through social media, outreach for backlinks, and guest posting opportunities. Over time, this will help your pages rank higher and reach more of your ideal clients.
Track, Test, and Iterate
Continuously monitor the performance of your long-tail content and make refinements based on the data. Which topics resonate most with your audience? Where are there opportunities to create additional content around related queries? Stay agile and responsive to keep improving your results.
Need Help with Your Law Firm Content Marketing? Call Us Today
Establishing an actionable content strategy and regularly creating well-performing law firm content requires a significant amount of time and expertise. At Lexicon Legal Content, our skilled team creates accurate, compliant, and optimized content for law firms throughout North America. To learn more about how we can help you get more clients through law firm content marketing, contact us today!
