Posted on May 18, 2006 by Larry Bodine

Search Engine Tips to Attract Visitors

The June issue of Law Office Management & Administration Report (LOMAR) has got some search engine optimization tips:

  • Change all your singular keywords to the plural form and it may significantly increase hits to your site.
  • Hotlink optimized keywords in email correspondence, press releases and other blurbs. The idea is to direct the reader back to selected areas of your law firm site.
  • Buy Google AdWords.  I was skeptical of this tip, because I've never paid for traffic, but LOMAR says it works.

Amy_campbellLOMAR also lifted more tips from Amy Campbell's web site. In her article, "Top Ten Ways To Improve Your Web Site's Search Engine Ranking" she lists:

1. Use keyword-savvy "page titles," and strategic and proper metatagging on all pages.

2. Allow search-engine robots easy access throughout your site via text links, alt-tagged navigation icons, or a site map.

3. Register your URL with major search engines, directories and specialty sites, as well as select paid directories (such as Yahoo!).

4. Use strategic home page content (keywords in context in HTML text).

5. Use hyperlinks to further weight in-text keywords.

6. Encourage in-bound links from other relevant sites to your pages.

7. Add an integrated web log to your web site.

8. Add/update content frequently. (Write dammit!)

9. Avoid Flash-based opening home-page screens, improper metatag code, as well as any schemes meant to "trick" search engines.

10. Get a search-engine optimization audit for your web site.

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Legal Marketing Blog - May 20, 2006 3:37 PM
Search engine optimization is an important legal marketing tool, particularly if you want to increase the visibility of your web site, and the title of an article in Law Office Management and Administration entitled Law Firm Marketing Now Depend...
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Curt Clason - May 22, 2006 2:55 PM

I've done search engine optimization for different firms and although the above advice is all good and basic the most important thing in my experience is to not unintentionally harm your sites chance of being well ranked.

First I recommend designing the site for the users and your purposes, not for the search engines. A popular and content rich site will do a lot of the SEO for you.

Avoid putting up any roadblocks to site navigation, such as having the navigation only in Flash or JavaScript which will restrict access by the "spiders" (programs used by the search engines to explore your site).

Avoid having the content portions of the site behind secure URLS (IE HTTPS:) most search engine spiders will skip these URLS.

Avoid any search marketing firms that give unrealistic claims or promise to control your search engine ranking. If it sounds too good...

-Curt

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