law firm's websiteBuilding a solid link profile is a necessity in growing your law firm’s reputation online. A high-functioning link profile not only shows that you are an authority in the field, but you are up-to-date on relevant trends that are happening in the law community. Having a positive online presence means your firm is in the best possible position for long term success.

What is a Link Profile and Why You Need it

A link profile is a collection of the links that are directed back to your site. If anyone ever referenced and linked your site in a blog or website over a time period, those results are what build your link profile.

However, large search engines like Google tend to put websites higher on the list with high authority scores (an authority score measures 1-100). Your authority score is based in large part by the links that are attributed towards your website. Not surprisingly, this means if there are bad links that link back to your website, your authority score will plummet.

Here’s how to start building your link profile:

Start with a Clean Slate

In order to build a great backlink profile, you first need to know who is already talking about you. If you have a low authority score, it may be due to broken or unsafe links. You can do a backlink audit, or install a browser extension to pinpoint these websites. Finding this information will let you update or delete some of links that are holding your authority score back.

Another tool is Google Analytics. This will show you where traffic is coming from via Google directly, and list the popular pages that refer back to your site.

Get the Right People Writing about You

After you identify which websites aren’t working, it’s now time to find some that better reflect your brand. Reaching out far and wide to high authority websites in your area and beyond is how to build credibility.

  1. Locally:If you’re looking to build your client base, it’s time to start thinking locally. Find local reputable blogs that showcase different firms or relevant legal information, and ask them to include your law firm’s website as a source of authoritative information. If they require a complete article written for their blog, hire a writer that can accurately represent your firm’s brand, without sounding too pitchy.
  2. Nationally:If you’re looking to go outside your local area, there are many steps you can take to have a national presence. For instance, beyond blog writing, you can be part of national lists and directories of law firms around the U.S. and the world.

law firm's website

Want a more comprehensive list of nationally recognized sources? Consider downloading this link building kit.

Do you specialize in a specific area of law? You don’t have to stop with legal related blogs. For example, if your firm is involved in environmental law there are many nonprofit organizations that would also be relevant to work with.

Make Sure You’re Writing about Yourself Too

As much as it’s important for others to discuss your law firm’s website, your website needs to be in constant motion to be considered relevant and to bump up the authority score.

Here are a few question to consider: Does your website have a blog that you post in regularly? Does it have all of the relevant marketing materials and promotional tips to let it stand out? What kind of content are you presenting to potential clients when they visit your website for information?

Marketing your own law firm’s website accurately incorporates the right kind of imagery and target keywords but also is a tool to showcase the professionalism and knowledge your firm has in your area of practice.

Building a link profile is a process that needs to be evaluated fairly regularly. However, with the right mindset and toolkit under your belt, you’ll be able to create an authority score that will win you both a higher spot on search engine pages and amazing new clients.

This guest post was provided by SEMRush, an all-in-one digital marketing suite with tools that specializes in SEO, PPC, and Keyword Research.

Search Engine Marketing (SEM) and Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising Services for Lawyers, Law Firms and Legal Vendors

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