If you run a law firm, your success is contingent on your reputation.

Great reputation? A steady stream of clients.

Not-so-great reputation? Crickets chirping.

Amping up your reputation, trustworthiness, credibility, and authoritativeness is your golden ticket to dominating Google SERPs and earning more clients. And how can you do that in 2023? By putting more high-DA backlinks into your SEO satchel.

Link building is almost like an elixir for lawyers; it puts their business in the limelight. When some of the biggest names in your industry hand you shiny new backlinks, your online presence will neaten up.

In this blog, we’ll help you get into Google’s good books and wow prospective clients. If you’re new to link building for lawyers, keep reading for a closer look at the top strategies for both novice and experienced attorneys.

Let’s fire up the link building cannon!

Link Building for Law Firms: A Quick Refresher

What is link building (also known as back-linking), and why is it important for your business? Our 3-minute video succinctly breaks everything down:

The goal isn’t just to build backlinks. Instead, strive to build high-DA backlinks that help you generate high-quality traffic.

When a high-DA platform like Bloomberg Law offers you a backlink, you’ll attract qualified leads that actually end up becoming clients.

The more high-DA backlinks you generate, the shinier and sturdier your online visibility.

The Top Link Building Strategies for Lawyers

1. Guest Posting

Guest posting is and always will be the best way for lawyers to build high-DA backlinks. We’re not a big fan of using superlatives, so if we’re flattering a link building technique, no holds barred, it must be good.

A guest post is an article that’s written for and posted on another website. That sounds… pretty odd, right?

Why on earth would you write an article for someone else when you could post it on your own website? This is akin to working tirelessly on another lawyer’s case. Pretty pointless, right?

Well…. not exactly.

Think of Google as rugged terrain. While some websites have an exceptional DA score, others lag behind.

If your website has a low DA score, say, 25, your blog will not do well. It’ll float around the lowest SERPs and generate very little traffic. This is because Google doesn’t deem your website credible, trustworthy, and authoritative enough yet.

On the other hand, if you write an article for a high-DA website with an 80+ score, the content will perform exceptionally well.

Why? Because the website enjoys high rankings and spectacular traffic, to begin with. When your work goes on their website, you’ll ride their coattails.

Writing a guest post is your golden opportunity to demonstrate industry expertise. Write masterful content, bring new ideas to the table, and seal the deal with a shiny backlink.

Here are some websites that accept guest posts from lawyers:

Keep their domain authority score in mind. The higher the DA, the better your rankings and traffic.

Your guest post should also be engaging, not boring and dull. Instead of handing this task over to your in-house writing team, recruit legal content writers who specialize in both content writing and law.

At Search Berg, we have a team of dedicated content writers with legal expertise and experience on board. They write masterful content with accurate insight and relevant statistics.

The right guest post on the right platform will fetch dozens of new clients for you. Play your cards wisely and get ready to reap the benefits of link building for lawyers. As one of the most effective link building services, guest posting will help you become one of the leading names in your local industry.

Recommended Read: Why Your Guest Blogging Strategy Is Failing

2. Turn to Your Competitors

Whether you recently started your law firm or you’ve been practicing for years but haven’t “made it big” yet, it’s time to branch outwards.

Yes, looking inwards is important. As you identify your SEO shortcomings and undo them, you’ll make great progress. However, looking at your top competitors is also extremely important.

There’s a reason why they consistently make it to the top search results on the first Google SERP. Identifying the secret sauce is critical, and a trusty competitor analysis will help you do just that.

This is a white-hat link building technique, i.e., it’s completely legal and, in fact, recommended by SEO experts.

When you duplicate competitor backlinks, you get rid of the trial-and-error nature of link building. You already know what works for your competitors; you don’t have to do all the legwork, see if the risk is worth it, and proceed accordingly.

The action plan works well, and it’s all laid out right in front of you.

At Search Berg, we use cutting-edge backlink analysis software. It fetches comprehensive results, including complete backlink profiles for your top competitors.

We’ll help you understand which platforms are providing backlinks, what their DA score is, how many backlinks they have offered so far, and so on.

These results will help you connect with the right platforms and increase your link building prowess like a seasoned pro.

Make sure you hire backlink building services that include a competitor analysis. Inquire about the package beforehand to ensure that you benefit from a comprehensive, robust, and complete link building plan.

3. Jump on the Podcasting Bandwagon!

A podcast?

Why?

We grimaced at the podcasting trend, too, but it has proven itself time and again.

In 2023, a whopping 464.7 million people listen to podcasts. 22% of people listen to podcasts while driving. This isn’t a bandwagon that you can set aside; it must be leveraged!

Legal podcasts are wildly popular. Since Serial Podcast gained popularity, more and more lawyers have been launching podcasts and/or collaborating with popular podcasters.

Serial Podcast gained so much traction that it resulted in Adnan Syed’s freedom. His murder charges were dropped because of the evidence presented in the podcast and, of course, the clever dissection of loyal listeners.

What does this have to do with link building?

Stay with us, we’re getting there.

If you’re a guest on a famous podcast, they’ll offer you a backlink in the transcript or written recap of the podcast. This is where Qwoted enters the picture. As a PR platform for podcasts, Qwoted provides expert commentary to podcasters. Partner with a podcasting team that has signed up for media coverage from Qwoted.

A backlink is just the juicy cherry on top. At their very core, even without a backlink, podcasts are immensely beneficial. You’ll gain a lot of traction on Google SERPs and strengthen your firm’s brand identity.

There’s a reason why the Google search “attorney podcasts” fetches a plethora of results. Here’s a sneak peek:

Why?

People want to listen to more legal content!

Make sure you come off as friendly, approachable, and warm in the podcast. While people are looking for legal expertise, they’re also looking for empathetic, non-judgmental, and affable lawyers.

As you share expertise on the pod, offer a slice of your personality as well. This is a great way to convert curious listeners into clients.

While podcasting isn’t a professional link building service, it’s an indirect and roundabout way to build backlinks. Take your time, get comfortable with the podcasting niche, and start building your brand with insightful podcasts!

Recommended Read: How to Get Published on Yahoo News

4. Let Trusty Ol’ HARO Do the Trick!

Help a Reporter Out (HARO) is a popular platform that connects PR sources, bloggers, and journalists with experts.

It’s pretty simple. PR sources, bloggers, and journalists submit requests for expertise from professionals. HARO does this three times a day: 5:35 AM, 12:35 PM, and 5:35 PM (Eastern time).

When used cleverly, HARO can help lawyers become the go-to source for expertise on a legal topic. This is also a great opportunity to build rapport with PR sources, bloggers, and journalists. As your reputation becomes glossier with HARO, you’ll significantly increase the chances of earning a high-DA backlink.

This is a prime example of a mutually beneficial relationship. PR sources, bloggers, and journalists walk away with expertise, and you walk away with backlinks.

The goal is to ensure that your answer gets selected by the writer. If this happens, you’ll earn a backlink as a form of attribution.

In 2023, certain legal topics are ridiculously popular, including civil law, bankruptcy, DWI/DUI, divorce law, and the like. As an attorney, you shoulder the responsibility of submitting insightful, value-added, accurate, relevant, and unique responses to HARO queries.

Make sure you avoid mistakes like the plague. Even the slightest error can cost you. If you miswrite a penalty or law, your reputation will be tarnished.

Thoroughly proofread your response to avoid getting in hot water. When you submit stellar responses, you’ll become an authoritative source on HARO. This is one of the easiest ways to build shiny new backlinks!

Since thousands of qualified, experienced, and skilled lawyers actively share their responses on HARO, the competition is at an all-time high. If you want your responses to stand out, raise the quality bar.

Additionally, respond as quickly as you can. Faster responses are more likely to get quoted. Your responses should also be unique, not generic. Bring new insights to the table.

In the beginning, your success rate will be low by default. However, as you keep providing thoughtful commentary, you’ll start performing much, much better on HARO.

HARO is a great way to earn backlinks from some of the strongest domains out there. Use it wisely, and it’s all systems go.

Recommended Read: What is HARO and How to Use It for Backlinks

5. Answer Questions on Reddit and Quora

Reddit and Quora are filled with recommendations for qualified lawyers.

Here’s what we’re talking about:

Why?

Because people trust the advice shared on these platforms. Legal subreddits are incredibly well-organized and gatekept. The moderators show the exit door to anyone who breaks the rules.

Let’s understand how this works. Answering questions on Reddit and Quora will not result in a new backlink in your link building nest. That’s not how this works.

All the backlinks are “nofollow”, i.e., they get ignored by search engines. Since nofollow links don’t pass PageRank, they won’t do much for your SERP rankings.

Here’s a quick summary of the difference between dofollow links and nofollow links:

So how exactly will this benefit you?

When you provide insightful answers, your audience will take notice of your practice. Additionally, the top dogs in your industry will also become aware of your presence.

Yes, both Reddit and Quora are actively used by some of the biggest names in the legal industry. As you build trustworthiness through Reddit and Quora, you’ll increase your chances of earning dofollow backlinks.

We also recommend promoting your law firm on these platforms by creating new posts yourself. Try something along the lines of:

As you open the door to a free-flowing conversation, you’ll be able to provide a lot of valuable insight.

Make sure you don’t overdo it. While putting up an AMA-style post is acceptable, sharing a self-congratulatory post that runs along the lines of “I’m the best ABClawyer in XYZ. Hire me!” isn’t the best approach. It’ll put a bitter taste in the community’s mouth, and it’ll go against the rules.

Before you start posting on Reddit and Quora, understand the guidelines and review previous posts to get a better idea of the style and line of commentary. As always, avoid providing run-of-the-mill insight. If you can’t bring unique, valuable, and expert opinions to the table, you’d rather not say anything.

When you use Reddit and Quora correctly, you’re in for a power-packed boost in online visibility and credibility. If you’re not sure how to begin, consult reputation management experts who specialize in brand building with Reddit and Quora.

Recommended Read: 10 Types of Backlinks and How to Create Them

6. Make a Beeline for Directories

If you have a low DA score, you can’t aim for a link building partnership with high-DA platforms right off the bat.

Why would a 90+ DA website provide a backlink to a 20 DA website?

If you’re starting off slow, knock out the low-hanging fruit first. This is where directories come in handy. They’re free and, most importantly, they help put your name out there.

Turn to websites like Avvo, FindLaw, Justia, HG, and Yelp for help. You can also explore paid legal directories like Nolo, Lawyers, and Super Lawyers.

However, not every paid legal directory is worth exploring. Take your time, do your research, and hire link building services for guidance.

Let’s take a look at how this works. FindLaw helps people find lawyers near them for a wide range of legal issues.

Web users can specify their search based on their city, ZIP code, and country. You can also explore different areas of expertise, including accidents and injuries, criminal law, DUI/DWI law, and the like.

Let’s say you provide family law services in Cincinnati. If your listing is complete, updated, accurate, and comprehensive, it’ll appear whenever a person looks for family lawyers in Cincinnati. This is an excellent way to put the word out.

“Alright, great, but where’s the backlink?”

Right here.

The big “Visit Website” button is your backlink. If you take a closer look at this screenshot, you’ll also notice that the top three listings have “Ad” written next to them. These are paid listings. If you want your listings to appear among the top results, try your hand at directory advertising.

At Search Berg, we provide a list of relevant legal directories to clients as part of our backlink building services. You don’t have to manually find, review, shortlist, and finalize directories; our cutting-edge software will take care of it for you.

Make sure you build high-quality directory listings. One-size-fits-all techniques won’t work here. Write a unique, value-added, and insightful business description that doesn’t leave any further questions on the table. Comprehensiveness is your golden ticket to getting your listing indexed by Google.

Additionally, ensure NAP (name, address, phone number) consistency. When your NAP is consistent across your website, Google Business Profile, and directory listings, Google will deem your business credible, trustworthy, reputable, and authoritative. The outcome? You’ll make it to the Google Local 3-Pack.

The Verdict Is In…

The jig is up; we’ve been found guilty of launching power-packed link building plans for lawyers!

If you want to give your law firm a generous boost on Google SERPs, earn more traffic, and turn casual visitors into clients, turn to link building now.

At Search Berg, we’ll take the reins for you! Our SEO team specializes in link building for lawyers. We use actionable strategies to help your firm stand out and achieve staggering growth.

Explore our professional link building services to get started. In addition to link building, we also provide a wide range of additional SEO services for lawyers.

It’s time to give your firm the boost it deserves.

We’re ready when you are!