Let me tell you what I’ve learned about choosing SEO companies after working in this industry for over 14 years. The thing is, while lots of SEO companies say they can help criminal defense lawyers get more clients, picking the right one isn’t as simple as it seems.
Starting with Goals
So before you even start looking at SEO companies, you need to figure out what you actually want to achieve. Are you looking to get more DUI cases? Or maybe you want to focus on white-collar crime? The type of cases you want will affect your whole SEO strategy.
Think about:
- How many new client inquires you want each month
- Which areas you serve (this is super important for local SEO)
- The types of cases you want more of
- When you need to start seeing results
Experience Really Matters
From what I’ve seen, general marketing knowledge just isn’t enough when it comes to legal SEO. Here’s what to look for:
Let me break this down:
- Have they worked with law firms before? Ask for specific examples
- Can they show you actual ranking improvements they’ve achieved for other law firms?
- Look at what they’ve done in the legal marketing space
The SEO Strategy
Now, this is where it gets interesting. The SEO company should tell you exactly how they’re going to help you rank better. Let me tell you what to look out for:
First off, they need to talk about:
- How they’ll create content that’s both legally accurate and optimized for search
- What technical improvements they’ll make to your website
- Their approach to getting quality links (this is really important in legal SEO)
- Their local SEO strategy (because a lot criminal defense work is local)
Communication Style
Looking back at my time working with law firms, I’ve found that communication makes a huge difference. The SEO company should:
- Send you clear monthly reports that actually make sense
- Set up regular calls to discuss what’s working and what isn’t
- Give you a main point of contact (you don’t want to be passed around)
- Set realistic timelines for improvements
A Custom Approach
Here’s something important – every law firm is different. What works for a big corporate law firm won’t necessarily work for a smaller criminal defense practice. You want an SEO company that:
- Creates a strategy specifically for your firm
- Looks at what your local competitors are doing
- Adjusts their approach based on results
- Can scale up or down based on your needs
The Tools They Use
When it comes to tools, you want to make sure they’re using professional SEO software. In my experience, you need:
- Good rank tracking to see how your positions change
- Detailed analytics to understand your traffic
- Technical tools to check your website’s health
- Competitor tracking tools
Pricing and Results
Let me be straight with you – good SEO isn’t cheap, but bad SEO can cost you more in the long run. Think about:
- How they charge (monthly or project-based)
- How long they want you to commit
- What’s included and what costs extra
- How they’ll show you the return on your investment
Next Steps
If you’re ready to move forward, here’s what I suggest:
- Pick 3-4 companies to talk to
- Get detailed proposals from each
- Read the contract carefully before signing
The bottom line? Take your time choosing an SEO company. The right one will help you get in front of potential clients when they’re searching for a criminal defense lawyer. But the wrong one? Well, that could waste a lot of time and money.
