Law Firm SEO and Testimonials

I usually suggest that our clients consider using customer testimonials on their website. Business people across all industries agree that a word-of-mouth recommendation is the best business builder. People like doing business with companies that their friends recommend or colleagues. You trust your friends to know your tastes and preferences and to not lead you astray.

There are several ways you can take advantage of the tried and true customer testimonial by incorporating them  into your website, social media postings and even YouTube videos.

• Of course the easiest way to get testimonials are the ones which are given freely by clients via an email or hand-written card. However, it is very acceptable nowadays to solicit a testimonial from a satisfied client. 
• Consider as a part of your trial completion process building in a Customer Satisfaction Survey which includes a space for comments. These comments often form great testimonials.
• Let clients know you are comfortable with them giving you a testimonial from social media networks such as LinkedIn, or even FaceBook and Twitter. Ask that they include a link to your website.
• With the advent of the affordable Flip Video Camcorder,  or Sony Bloggie, it's easy for anyone to capture client testimonials. Client video testimonials have proven to work very well for me, and the authenticity of the message is undeniable. These videos can be uploaded to your site or YouTube. But as always, lawyers must approach this with caution and use only when appropriate.
•  Always be sure to tell clients how the testimonial will be used. I usually show clients the proposed usage of any testimonial before I publish it (especially if you've revised any misspellings or grammatical errors). Ask their permission if you'd like to use their name.

Testimonials can be as powerful as an advertising campaign and certainly should be included in your arsenal of online marketing strategies.

For further information on Law Firm SEO please visit AJIS.com or call us at 623.328.8906.

Blogging Platforms

OK, you're ready to roll with social media to help your SEO efforts. Which blogger should you use? The 2 most user friendly ones out there also happen to be FREE -- WordPress, http://www.wordpress.com and Google's Blogspot, http://www.blogger.com
After you sign up, choose a name and select a Template, you are immediately ready to start blogging.

As discussed previously, use caution and stay away from posting stale information or lengthy Statutes, they have no place at your blog. You are the expert in your chosen field and you will gain a following if you blog about timely issues in that field. Are you a bankruptcy lawyer? Offer up your comments on a recent News article about the rise in bankruptcy, foreclosures, etc. Or maybe you're in Family Law. I'm sure the economy must be having an effect on the divorce rate. If so, blog about it. The possibilities are endless.

OK, that takes care of getting you started with blogging. Monday we'll cover LinkedIn and Twitter....

These SEO Tips are a service to New Jersey Lawyers at New Jersey LawSite

Social Media -- SEO's New Best Friend

Aah, social media. Love it or hate it -- ya gotta embrace it if you want to keep your SEO alive. The search engines have always loved fresh content and incoming links. With social media you can have both!

First, make sure all of your social media accounts link back to your site from your profile, preferably using keywords as anchor links -- remember those tried and true SEO basics now. Amass as many friends or groups as possible to keep movement going.

Second, and most important, make sure you blog or tweet on a continuous basis! Just setting up a Blog or Twitter account that links to your site is not enough . Let's remember the purpose of true blogging. That being, you are an established expert in your field and the internet community wants to know what you have to say. Say something of value every day if you tweet, at least once a week if you blog. Be sure to keep it timely -- no one is interested in reading an old recycled case or Statute posted on a blog -- it just doesn't belong there. And don't forget to link back to your site while you blog/tweet. Any opportunity for an incoming link is a golden one.

Following these very simple rules will do wonders for your SEO. Need help getting set up? Just email me -- its what I do! So where should you blog? We'll talk about that tomorrow...

These SEO Tips are a service to New Jersey Lawyers at New Jersey LawSite