When it comes to SEO for estate and probate lawyers, it all starts with your content. You need to create pages and articles that not only showcase your legal expertise but also strategically target the keywords your potential clients are searching for.
From what I’ve seen, the law firms that rank well in estate and probate-related searches have comprehensive, in-depth content that directly addresses people’s legal issues and questions. They don’t just stuff keywords into thin pages. They cover topics thoroughly and authoritatively.
So here’s my step-by-step process for optimizing content for estate and probate lawyers’ websites:
Identify your priority practice areas
Before you start writing any content, you need to get clear on your focus areas. What estate and probate services do you want to be known for?
- Make a list of your core estate and probate services (will creation, trust administration, probate litigation, etc.)
- Consider any particular niches or specialties you want to highlight
Map out your key pages
With your priority practice areas defined, it’s time to plan out the specific pages you’ll need on your website. This is the foundation of your site structure and content strategy.
- You’ll need a dedicated, optimized page for each main practice area
- Plan out supporting pages or subpages as needed to cover topics in more depth
- Don’t forget an FAQ page for common client questions
Do your keyword research
Now it’s time to put yourself in your potential clients’ shoes. What search terms would someone dealing with an estate planning or probate issue likely use to find an attorney? This is where keyword research comes in.
- Put yourself in a potential client’s shoes – what would they search for?
- Use tools like Ahrefs or Semrush to find relevant keywords
- Look for terms with decent search volume but lower competition
- Don’t overlook long-tail keywords (e.g., “contested will attorney in [city]”)
Optimize your page titles and meta tags
With your target keywords identified, you can start optimizing your pages, beginning with the title tags and meta descriptions. These are like your first impression in search results.
- Include your primary keyword in each page’s title tag and meta description
- Keep titles under 60 characters and meta descriptions under 160
- Write compelling titles and meta descriptions to entice clicks from search results
- Use tools to analyze your title and meta description optimization
Craft your content
Now we get to the heart of it – actually writing your web page content. This is your chance to inform, engage, and build trust with potential clients. So make it count.
- Again, think about your content from a potential client’s perspective
- Aim to create the most thorough, helpful resource on that topic
- Use clear headings and subheadings to organize information
- Incorporate bullet points and numbered lists to break up text
- Bold or italicize key points for emphasis and scannability
- Include relevant legal FAQs directly on the page
- Naturally weave in your primary and secondary keywords
- But always prioritize readability and value for your human audience
- Aim for a minimum of 500-1000 words per page (more for practice area pages and guides)
Add calls to action (CTAs)
You never want a website visitor to dead-end on a page, not knowing what to do next. That’s where calls-to-action come into play. They guide potential clients to take the next steps with your firm.
- Include a clear next step for the reader on each page
- Common options: contact form, phone number, “request a consultation” button, etc.
- Put CTAs in prominent locations like the top right and bottom of pages
Optimize your images
While text makes up the bulk of your page content, don’t overlook the opportunity to optimize your on-page images as well. A few simple tweaks to your images can give your SEO an extra boost.
- Include at least one relevant image per page (headshot, office photo, etc.)
- Compress images to reduce page load time
- Add keyword-rich alt text and file names to images
Interlink your related pages
One often overlooked aspect of content optimization is internal linking – hyperlinking between the related pages on your own website. This is important for both search engines and human visitors.
- Add keyword-optimized internal links to and from related website pages
- This helps search engines understand your site structure and spread “link equity”
- It also keeps visitors engaging with your site longer
Publish and promote
With your shiny new content created, it’s time to push it live on your website. But don’t stop there – you’ll also want to spread the word to start attracting visitors and links.
- Before publishing, double check for any spelling, grammar, or formatting errors
- Preview to make sure the content displays correctly on different devices
- Include social media share buttons to encourage visitors to spread the word
- Share your new content on your own social channels
- Consider promoting key content pieces to your email list as well
Track your rankings and traffic
SEO is an ongoing process, not a “set it and forget it” tactic. By continually monitoring your results, you can identify what’s working and where to focus your future efforts for maximum impact.
- Use tools like Google Analytics and Search Console to monitor your results
- Keep an eye on your keyword rankings with a tool like Semrush
- Note which pages and topics drive the most organic traffic over time
- Use this data to inform future content priorities and optimizations
Final Thoughts
This may seem like a lot of steps, but trust me, it’s worth putting in the time to get your content right. I’ve seen law firms increase their organic traffic by 40% or more within 6-12 months by implementing a focused content strategy like this.
The key is to commit to the process for the long haul. Keep your content up-to-date, and continue adding new, optimized pages and blog posts to cover more relevant subtopics over time. The law firms I’ve worked with who consistently create truly valuable content tend to see the greatest SEO success.
