New Strategies for Improving Search Rankings and Visibility

You need to stay current with search engine optimization (SEO) to attract Google traffic. An analysis of search results showed that nearly all searchers — 99.37% — clicked on results from page one. The number-one spot received 27.6% of clicks, and moving up one spot increased a site’s chances of a click by 2.8%.

Ranking higher means someone who needs a lawyer is more likely to check out your site. Since Google changes its ranking algorithm “several times a year,” you need to keep your SEO techniques current to keep getting results. Here’s what was most important in 2024 based on recent updates, so you can optimize your presence fully for 2025.

Emphasize Topic Authority

Google prioritizes expert-written content, especially in high-stakes fields such as law. Its traditional way of finding that content is by looking at “E-A-T”: expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness.

In late 2022, Google added another “E”: experience. This means that legal content written and posted by an experienced lawyer will carry even more weight. 

If you have a blog or other content on your site, ensure each post has a bylined author with legal credentials. That person can be you, another lawyer in your firm, or a guest author. 

If you don’t already have a blog, consider starting one. Content has always been an effective way of boosting SEO and targeting important keywords, but it’s even more so in the age of E-E-A-T.

Target Featured Snippets

Google has two “special” search features that put key information at the top of the search page. One is the Featured Snippet, which isn’t new but has risen to prominence in the past few years. It pulls information directly addressing a user’s question and highlights that quote above a link to the source website, usually at the top of the results page.

In 2024, a featured snippet appears on almost 20% of search engine results pages (SERPs). The best way to earn a snippet is to create a bite-sized answer to your reader’s question using a version of the targeted keyword in your answer. If you need help determining which snippets to target, look for the queries where competing firms have the snippet.

It may help to target lower-competition queries first. High-value keywords like “lawyers near me” and “personal injury attorneys” have many websites competing for the snippet. Something more niche, such as “divorce attorneys in Cleveland” or “getting custody in Tallahassee,” can be easier to win, and hit your exact targeted audience as well.

Aim for AI Overview

The other search feature to target in 2024 is the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Overview. The Overview summarizes information Google collects across multiple websites, presenting that information and the source websites at the top of the SERP. Appearing in the Overview is a major advantage for any site, as Google noted in its AI Overview release announcement:

“With AI Overviews, people are visiting a greater diversity of websites for help with more complex questions. And we see that the links included in AI Overviews get more clicks than if the page had appeared as a traditional web listing for that query.”

Google has also stated that there is “nothing special for creators to do to be considered” other than following SEO best practices. You’re already in the running if you provide helpful, high-quality content with E-E-A-T credentials. 

AI Overview appears most often for complex informational queries. Look at your keyword strategy, identify which queries fit the bill, and then craft detailed and authoritative answers. While there’s no guarantee you’ll appear in the Overview, you’ll still have a good chance just by providing content connected to you or your firm.

Create Topic Clusters

As user value becomes increasingly important to Google’s algorithms, site owners look for new ways to demonstrate that value. One strategy that has become increasingly popular is topic clustering, which helps Google see connections in your content. 

Topic clustering organizes your content by subject. Each topic has one core “pillar” page that provides a detailed overview, breaking down each aspect of the topic. The pillar page links out to sub-pages where readers can learn more.

As an attorney, you might have a pillar page for each practice area or sub-area. A family law attorney might create one pillar for divorce preparation, one for seeking custody, and one for adoption. Each pillar page would link out to shorter and more focused content pieces.

Topic clusters offer several benefits in today’s SEO landscape. They keep visitors on your site longer by making it easy to learn more. They also allow you to go more in-depth on a topic, and that depth increases perceived reader value. As you’ve learned, Google loves to see detail, especially in complex searches.

Attract Voice Searchers With FAQs

A 2022 study showed that 62% of adult Americans use voice assistants, with 57% using them daily. That number grows every year, and it’s changing the way people talk to Google.

Search Engine Land recently explained that voice searchers are more likely to use complex sentences and conversational phrases. AI has made it easier for Google to interpret and respond to those requests, which means sites need to respond accordingly and provide detailed, nuanced responses.

One popular option is to add an FAQ page to your site and include FAQ sections in your content. FAQs let you smoothly integrate complex natural-language search terms, like “Can I sue the company I work for if I get hurt?” or “How can I prove a car accident wasn’t my fault?”.

Place FAQs across your website on pages where they make sense. You might have a dedicated FAQ page for general questions about the type of law you practice. Examples range from “How much does a criminal defense lawyer cost?” to “Do I need a lawyer if….”

FAQs also work well on practice pages and blog posts. Adding them to your blog is a great way to target longer conversational keywords and traditional key phrases in the same piece.

Boost Your Online Presence WIth Martindale-Avvo

In an ever-growing (and changing) competitive SEO landscape, you need every advantage you can get. Bolstering your website with valuable, authoritative content is essential, but off-page elements still matter. 

Martindale-Avvo’s digital marketing solutions can boost your overall online presence, generate more website leads, and strengthen your reputation. We can set up a strategy that supports your SEO goals and helps you grow your practice. Get in touch today to learn more.