When searching for a personal injury lawyer online, the vast majority of your potential clients won’t google “personal injury lawyer in [city name]”—they’ll simply type “personal injury lawyer,” and Google will do the rest, adjusting search results based on that potential client’s location. If you want your law firm to show up at the top of that list, optimizing for local search isn’t optional; it’s a necessity.
In this post, we’ll break down how your law firm can “own its backyard” by dominating local search. From creating optimized location pages to earning inbound links and using smart reporting tools, each of these steps can strengthen your local presence and help potential clients find you first.
Own Your Backyard
Before you go out and try to break into other markets, it’s important to own your backyard. In other words, you should focus on becoming the dominant legal presence in your immediate geographic area.
This is because, as we mentioned above, search engines like Google are designed to prioritize local results based on a searcher’s location. Even if someone doesn’t type their city or state into the search bar, Google will assume they’re looking for nearby services and deliver results accordingly.
To establish this local authority, a good preliminary step is to make sure your firm’s information is consistent and accurate across all platforms. Start by claiming and optimizing your Google Business Profile for each office location, ensuring that addresses, phone numbers, and office hours match everywhere they’re listed.
Don’t Slack on Location Pages
Location pages are an essential part of your local SEO strategy. These dedicated pages give your firm a chance to speak directly to potential clients in specific regions by providing information relevant to their area. A well-crafted location page can highlight your local expertise and your level of engagement in your community.
Your location pages should be highly specific to both the office location and the practice areas you serve there, so include details like local landmarks, nearby courts, or community organizations. Adding Google Maps embeds, driving directions, and office photos can further personalize the experience for users and reinforce your local presence. It’s also crucial to use geo-targeted keywords that match how people typically search in that area (e.g., “car accident lawyer in Syracuse” rather than just “lawyer”).
Another key element is outbound hyperlocal links. Linking to reputable local resources—like nearby hospitals, police departments, nearby parking lots, local transit options, or rehabilitation centers—adds credibility to your page and signals to search engines that your content is relevant and connected to the community. When location pages are done strategically, they can boost your position in local search results and help you “own” each market where you have an office.
Build Up Your Inbound Links
Inbound links—or backlinks—are links from external websites that point back to your firm’s website, signaling local and geographical relevance and credibility to search engines. However, it’s important to note that links from reputable local sources, like community organizations, news outlets, or event pages, carry more weight than generic or paid links.
The best way to earn local backlinks is through strategic community involvement. Instead of relying on paid media mentions, focus on opportunities to get your firm’s name out in ways that naturally generate online coverage.
Sponsor a local sports team, for example, or support local charity initiatives, or even partner with community organizations—these activities often lead to mentions in event pages, press releases, or social media posts which create the most valuable kinds of backlinks. For example, sponsoring a 5K race might lead to your firm being listed on the event’s official website, providing a quality link to your site alongside a picture of you and your crew interacting with the community.
Offline advertising can also support link-building efforts by increasing brand recognition and driving online searches. Billboards, bus ads, and event sponsorships raise awareness and make it more likely that people will seek out your firm online—often leading to organic mentions and backlinks.
Invest in a Good Reporting Tool
A strong reporting tool can help your firm track its progress in “owning your backyard,” helping your team identify areas for improvement and compare your performance against competitors. Tools like BrightLocal and Places Scout give you a comprehensive look at your local search rankings, showing how your firm appears in search results across multiple locations.
You can regularly view these reports as you adjust your local SEO strategy. These reporting tools can reveal where you’re falling short, allowing you to make strategic adjustments rather than guessing at what’s working.
cj Advertising Helps You Dominate Your Local Market
At cj Advertising, we understand that local search optimization can be a game-changer for personal injury law firms. By owning your backyard, building strategic location pages, earning valuable inbound links, and using data-driven reporting tools, your firm can connect with more potential clients in your community. Reach out to us today; your cj Brand Strategist is ready to help.
