What Are Some Link Building Strategies for Lawyers? 10 Proven Tactics

Looking back over my years in SEO, one constant has been that link building is crucial, especially if you’re in a competitive market like legal services. “What are some link building strategies for lawyers?” It’s a question I get all the time. Links are like votes of confidence from other websites. They signal to Google that your site is authoritative and trustworthy in your field. And that translates into higher rankings, more organic traffic to your site, and ultimately, more leads and clients for your firm.

But building links in the legal world isn’t easy. You’ve got every law firm in town fighting for those top spots on Google. That’s where having a solid link building strategy comes in. It’s how you stay ahead of the competition and make sure your firm is the one that potential clients find first.

Understanding Backlink Quality vs. Quantity

Now, some folks will tell you that the number of links is what really matters. But in my experience, that’s just not true. Google cares a lot more about the quality of your links than the raw quantity. Think about it – would you rather have a link from some spammy directory no one’s ever heard of, or an endorsement from a well-respected legal association? It’s a no-brainer.

So when you’re evaluating your links and thinking about which sites you want to target, keep a few key metrics in mind:

• Domain Authority (DA): This is a score from 0-100 that predicts how well a site will rank. Higher is better.
• Organic traffic: How much real people traffic does the linking site get? More traffic equals a more valuable link.
• Relevance: Is the linking site related to the legal field? Links from relevant sites carry more weight.

The number of links you need depends a lot on how competitive your specific practice area is. A small local firm might be able to rank with just a handful of high-quality links, while a national personal injury firm is probably going to need a lot more link equity to crack the top of the SERPs.

I looked at the number of referring domains (unique sites linking to you) for sites ranking on the first page for “personal injury lawyer” in LA. The domain with the highest number of referring domains had over 130,000 domains linking to it, but the domain with the least only had 500. So there’s a pretty big range, but it gives you an idea of the scale you need to compete for those really tough keywords.

Effective Link Building Strategies for Law Firms

So now that we know why link building matters and what makes a good link, let’s talk tactics. I usually break this down into two main categories – link building you can do yourself, and more advanced strategies you’re probably better off outsourcing to an SEO agency.

DIY Link Building Strategies

These are best practices that pretty much any law firm can implement without too much heavy lifting. They include:

1. Creating and optimizing your social media profiles
2. Building out local and legal directory listings
3. Answering questions on platforms like Quora and Avvo
4. Claiming unlinked brand mentions
5. Sponsoring local organizations and events

Let’s break each of these down.

Optimizing Social Media Profiles

Your profiles on sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter are a great place to start. While social links may not pass as much direct ranking juice, they help drive referral traffic and build brand awareness. Plus, a strong social presence makes you look more credible and established.

Some tips:

• Fill out your profiles completely with keyword-rich descriptions of your firm
• Share your blog posts and other content regularly
• Engage with your followers – answer questions, join discussions, be a resource

Legal Directories

Getting listed in major legal directories like Avvo, Justia, and FindLaw is a must. These are trusted sites that get a lot of organic traffic from people searching for lawyers. Many of them let you link directly to your site.

A few pointers:

• Claim and fill out your profiles 100% – the more complete they are, the better they’ll rank
• Encourage satisfied clients to leave reviews on your directory listings
• Make sure your contact info (name, address, phone) is accurate and consistent across all your listings

Answering Questions Online

Providing helpful answers to legal questions on sites like Quora and Avvo is a great way to build links while establishing your expertise, although these links might not provide much link equity. The key is to be strategic about it.

My advice:

• Set up alerts so you’re notified of relevant questions in your practice area
• Give detailed, thoughtful answers – show them what you know!
• Include a link to a relevant blog post or resource on your site when it makes sense

Unlinked Brand Mentions

Sometimes a site will mention your firm without linking to you. Finding and reaching out to these sites to request a link is a great way to get links. Tools like Google Alerts, Mention.com, and Ahrefs can help you find these opportunities.

When requesting a link, keep a polite, no-pressure tone. I like to say something like:

“Hey [Name],

I noticed you mentioned my law firm, [Firm Name], in your article about [Topic]. Thanks for including us! I’m reaching out to ask if you’d consider adding a link to our site – I think it would be really helpful for your readers who want to learn more about the work we do.

Either way, thanks again for the shout-out, and let me know if there’s anything I can do to return the favor!”

Local Sponsorships

Getting involved with local organizations and events is a great way to score some links from .org sites, local press mentions, and maybe even a piece of a local scholarship fund. Of course, the exposure is valuable too – it gets your name out there in the community.

Some ideas:

• Sponsor a local non-profit, sports team, or community event
• Set up a scholarship (more on this later)
• Volunteer your time or legal expertise to a cause you care about

Advanced Link Building Strategies

For the heavy-hitting link building tactics, it often makes sense to tap an SEO agency that does this stuff all day. Tactics like:

1. Creating linkable assets
2. Guest posting
3. Pursuing legal awards and association memberships
4. Scholarship link building
5. Digital PR

Creating Linkable Assets

A linkable asset is a piece of content that’s so valuable, people want to link to it naturally. Things like:

• Original research or data
• Definitive guides on complex legal topics
• Useful tools like child support or personal injury settlement calculators

The key is to create something truly link-worthy, then promote the heck out of it.

Some promotion tips:

• Reach out to sites you want a link from and give them a compelling reason to link to your asset
• Tap your network – email your colleagues, share on social, mention it in interviews, etc
• Consider paid content promotion on Facebook or native ad platforms

Guest Posting

Contributing guest posts to respected legal blogs and publications is a proven link building tactic. But you’ve got to be strategic about it. Focus on authoritative sites that are hyper-relevant to your practice area.

And don’t be spammy with your links – aim for contextual links within the body of the post where they feel natural and add value for the reader. A good agency will have a solid network of sites they can tap for guest posting opportunities.

Awards and Associations

Getting recognized by leading legal associations or winning industry awards is a major trust signal. And many of these organizations will link to you if you’re a winner or member.

Of course, you’ve got to be a bit discerning here – focus on well-known, credible organizations and stay away from those sketchy “pay-for-play” awards.

Scholarship Link Building

Some law firms are having success with scholarship link building. The idea is to create a scholarship, then reach out to colleges and universities to ask them to link to your scholarship page. Since .edu links are so coveted, this can be a really effective tactic when done well.

The key is to make your scholarship as easy as possible for schools to promote. That means:

• Offering a substantial award amount
• Creating a quality scholarship page on your site with clear info on how to apply
• Making the application process simple
• Providing schools with a templated description they can use on their site

That last point is important – anything you can do to make it a no-brainer for them to add your link, the better! An agency can handle a lot of the legwork here.

Digital PR

Doing PR outreach around your big cases, important firm news, or your attorneys’ thought leadership is a great way to earn press mentions and high-quality links. Some tips:

• Build relationships with journalists before you need them – follow them on Twitter, comment on their articles, be helpful when they’re looking for sources
• Create newsworthy content like data reports, surveys, or expert roundups
• Newsjack relevant current events or trending topics in your outreach
• Tap a PR agency or consultant to help amplify your biggest stories

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Law Firm Link Building

Of course, knowing what to do is only half the battle. You’ve also got to know what not to do. Some big link building no-nos:

• Buying spammy links: Google will penalize you for this, and it’s just not worth the risk. Always prioritize quality over quantity.
• Over-optimizing anchor text: It might be tempting to cram your target keyword into every link, but resist the urge. A natural link profile will have a mix of branded, URL, and topically relevant anchor text.
• Link hoarding: If a site is willing to link to you, fantastic! But if they won’t link back, don’t scratch that site off your list. A mention alone is still valuable.
• Neglecting broken link reclamation: It’s easy to overlook, but you’d be surprised at how many of your hard-earned links can break over time due to things like site migrations or pages being taken down. Use a tool like Ahrefs to monitor and fix broken backlinks.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to link building for lawyers, there’s no magic bullet. It takes a lot of hard work, strategic thinking, and persistence. But the payoff – in terms of higher rankings, more organic traffic, and more clients – is well worth it.

So, what are some link building strategies for lawyers? When it comes down to it, focus on the fundamentals:

• Claiming and optimizing your local and legal directory listings
• Being active and engaged on social media
• Adding your perspective to relevant online conversations
• Sponsoring local events and organizations

Once you’ve got those bases covered, consider leveling up with more advanced tactics like guest posting, unlinked mentions, scholarship link building, and digital PR. This is where partnering with an experienced SEO agency that knows the legal space can really pay dividends.

The key is to always prioritize quality over quantity, and to stay the course. The firms that win at link building are the ones that make it a consistent, ongoing part of their marketing. Because here’s the thing – your competition isn’t resting on their laurels. They’re out there hustling for those high-quality links day in and day out. And unless you want them to eat your lunch, you’ve got to do the same!