Where would people look for information if they are interested in protecting a new invention or business name? They would do a Google search to find information and answers, and they would probably look for a patent attorney.
You want to make sure your law firm gets in front of clients’ eyes, and a law firm with a strong SEO strategy has a much higher chance of showing up on that first page of Google. Couple that with an optimized website, and you’re much closer to booking a new client.
That’s why search engine optimization for patent law firms is so important, even if it can be tricky. We’ll help break it all down, from how to land IP clients by effectively optimizing your SEO strategy to how to increase your visibility.
What Are the Different Types of SEO?
Digital has long been an essential part of any law firm’s marketing strategy, so if you haven’t already set up SEO for your website, this will be the perfect opportunity. There are three main components of successful SEO strategy for law firms: local SEO, technical SEO, and content SEO.
Local SEO
Local SEO is one of the most essential types for patent and copyright lawyer marketing. Optimizing your Google Business profile, a free tool for managing your business on Google Maps and search, will be essential in finding high-value, local clients. You can do this by verifying your Business with Google, using location-based keywords throughout the front and backend of your website, and encouraging clients to leave a review on Google.
Technical SEO
Technical SEO ensures your website ranks, is properly indexed, and performs well for Google search crawlers. Google searches for and ranks websites for user experience, loading times, duplicate content, and optimization. To give your content the highest chance of ranking well on Google, you should
- Fix any 404 errors,
- Make sure URL slugs are relevant,
- Write alt text for images, and
- Streamline site structure.
You might consider hiring a professional to help with technical SEO.
Content SEO
Much of search engine optimization for patent law firms depends on content-related SEO, such as blogs or videos. Content SEO has numerous benefits, including the opportunity to demonstrate your experience, create thought leadership content, and develop a library of evergreen content you can repurpose into other forms of marketing.
Content SEO can be done in many ways. However, it’s generally done as articles on a blog on a law firm’s website. This blog can focus on a variety of topics relevant to your practice area, such as:
- Trademark development and registration;
- Domestic and international trademark and copyright;
- Negotiating license agreements;
- Why a prospective client would need a patent lawyer; and
- Case studies.
Here’s an example of what that could look like in practice. Notice how the content is focused on answering a common question from people looking for an IP attorney. This is where content can help gain organic leads for IP firms.
Ranking high on Google requires your content to be original, relevant, and high-value, but with so many topics to cover, how do you know where to start? Let’s get into the next step in the process, which is keyword selection.
How to Target Relevant Keywords
To determine the demand for intellectual property lawyers, you should conduct a keyword search to see what keywords are worth targeting. Keyword ranking is important and is the number one metric that SEO professionals used to measure success.
Brainstorm Some Keywords to Test
Dig into your niche by going where your clients are. That could mean attending in-person conferences, browsing social media like LinkedIn, participating in forums, or polling your email list. To help you get started, here are some potential keywords you can search for:
- Intellectual property law,
- Copyright infringement,
- File a trademark,
- Patent infringement,
- Patent filing,
- Patent dispute,
- Patent licensing,
- Trade secret protection,
- IP attorney,
- Patent law firms, and
- International patent law.
Find out what’s relevant to your clients so that you can better integrate your law firm into their buyer journey when they do a Google search.
Choose Your Keyword Research Tool
There are many tools you can use to begin your keyword research. Some are free, like Google Trends, while others, like Ahrefs, require payment. A more advanced tool like Ahrefs will show you search engine results page (SERP) rankings, monthly search volume, and value. It can even rank how well your competitors’ keywords are doing.
Google Trends will show you the search volume of a specific keyword over different periods like 24 hours, 30 days, 5 years, or 12 years. You can even compare two keywords together.
Determine your needs before choosing a keyword research tool. After testing a few different keywords, you should better understand what content to write next. Perform keyword searches often to make sure your content stays relevant.
How to Stay Adaptive in a Changing Landscape
In just the last two years, there have been a lot of changes in the SEO space, from Google’s recent algorithm changes to AI’s impact on the market. In fact, generative AI and changes in how people use the internet are two of the biggest factors that may affect the usefulness of SEO for attorney marketing in the future.
While SEO can be an incredibly effective component of your patent attorney marketing, it’s important to diversify your marketing strategy.
Networking is necessary for patent attorney marketing, so getting creative is crucial. Think about the different places your clients may hang out, in person and digitally. Tech conventions can be a great way of meeting people who may need a patent in the future. TikTok or YouTube shorts are increasing in popularity and can help you reach people faster. Joining clubs, having hobbies, and connecting with people are always going to be the tried-and-true methods to network, so keep a robust social life to keep those clients and referrals flowing. All this is to say, keep your marketing strategy diversified, and you should receive leads from all angles.
Even though search engine optimization for patent law firms might have its challenges, it’s also one of the best ways to establish your digital presence. Don’t give up just yet, and learn as much as you can to enhance your law firm’s SEO.
Let Juris Digital Help Build Your SEO Strategy
As an intellectual property attorney, your main job is to handle the often complicated issues that arise in the IP sphere, whether it’s patenting an idea or invention or filing copyright and trademark applications for clients. Let Juris Digital handle the complicated process of creating and initiating a search engine optimization strategy. Reach out to us today, and we can assist you in creating your custom SEO strategy.
