Instagram for Lawyers: SEO Tactics for Increased Reach

In its nascency, Instagram may not have been worth a lawyers’ time, as the platform’s audience skewed very young. However, just like Facebook’s audience has grown to be much more diverse in age, so has Instagram’s. Furthermore, did you know that Instagram has reached one billion active monthly users? According to a report by HubSpot, Instagram is the fastest growing social media platform. When it comes to Instagram for lawyers, there are important SEO profile techniques lawyers can implement to enhance their profile visibility, stay engaged with former clients and catch the attention of new clients. Reach more of your law firm’s target audience on Instagram with the following hacks.

Optimize your law firm’s Instagram profile.

You want to make sure your profile is set up to offer the best possible user experience – otherwise, the amount of traffic you drive there doesn’t really matter. To begin with, ensure that your profile is public. Then choose a searchable and memorable @username, choose a vivid and on-brand image, and include a trackable link in your bio. Also, it’s worth setting up an Instagram Business account. 

Include your primary keyword in your display name and @Username.

Think of the Instagram platform as its own search engine. That means individuals will query what they’re looking for using the search functionality. Plug in a few different terms yourself to see what top results come up. It makes sense that people will search for “lawyer” or “law firm”, so those would be terms you should consider including in your display name. 

Use secondary keywords in your bio.

Just like with general SEO practices, there will be other keywords that surround your law firm that aren’t quite “primary”. For example, if “lawyer” is your primary keyword, secondary keywords might be “copyright”, “litigation”, or “medical malpractice”. These are the terms that you should include in your law firm’s Instagram bio.

Form a hashtag strategy.

Typically, users aren’t going to find you by seeking out your law firm directly. They’ll most likely discover your firm through a hashtag on a specific post. Therefore, each and every Instagram post should treat hashtags like keywords. Include a variety of post-specific hashtags, such as your company name, as well as hashtags that relate to the unique image you’re posting. Don’t overlook the importance of hashtags – put real thought into them for every single post.

Use alt text.

This feature was created to help those who are visually impaired to better enjoy their Instagram experience – but it helps with SEO too. If you skip completing this step yourself, Instagram will do it for you. Naturally, it’s better to do it yourself so that you know the text matches what’s in the photo. 

Track and analyze your SEO efforts on Instagram.

Instagram does offer some tracking features, but we don’t believe they’re robust enough for serious online marketers. Check out third-party tools like Hootsuite to measure the effectiveness of your SEO efforts and make changes accordingly. It is key to have hard data behind the decisions you make on posts and campaigns if you want to be effective.

Don’t use black hat SEO techniques.

It’s tempting to try to take some shortcuts, but Instagram is getting more and more sophisticated and can spot these tactics. If you do things like steal content, buy followers, or keyword stuff, Instagram is likely to catch on and penalize your account. If you’re unfamiliar with black hat SEO, read our blog post: 5 Black Hat SEO Tactics That Will Hurt Your Law Firm’s Website.

Takeaway

Lawyers should implement these SEO tactics to increase reach on Instagram, and create a positive user experience at the same time. That said, it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach. Do you need any help crafting a more refined social media strategy that gives your law firm a competitive edge and reaches more prospects? Contact us today to discover how we can help you achieve greater success through your social media marketing efforts.