Search Engine Optimization for Immigration Lawyers: How To Get Started

Search engine optimization is a powerful tool for immigration attorneys wanting to attract new clients. In a recent study, the vast majority of law firms rated SEO as their most effective type of marketing. Along with local search, SEO delivers almost 70% of site traffic. This guide to search engine optimization for immigration lawyers can help law firms of any size get started.

Why Law Firms Need Search Engine Optimization for Immigration Lawyers

Expert search optimization can help immigration lawyers in several key ways by:

• Providing access to a huge market of potential clients
• Helping them stand out from other law firms
• Directing traffic to the website
• Contributing to a great reputation online
• Attracting high-value leads who are serious about obtaining legal assistance

SEO directly affects which websites appear on the first page of search engine results. Securing a top spot takes time, but it’s one of the wisest investments.

How To Get Started With SEO for Immigration Lawyers

Many immigration lawyers help a range of people, from hopeful newlyweds to families facing legal problems. To adapt to so many different circumstances, law firms need a multichannel approach to SEO. Effective search engine optimization for immigration lawyers includes seven essentials.

1. Strategy for Search Engine Optimization for Immigration Lawyers

It’s easier to reach SEO objectives with a clear roadmap. During this first step, our managed services team schedules strategy sessions. These meetings revolve around SEO goals and solutions, such as:

• Analyzing existing website content
• Asking about problems, challenges and obstacles
• Measuring website metrics (traffic, conversions, etc.)
• Setting achievable short-term and long-term objectives
• Recommending SEO actions

Website audits produce tangible benefits. They show what the user experience is like, which pages get the most and least traffic, and why.

2. Keyword Research 

Keywords are the heart and soul of SEO for immigration lawyers. The tricky part is selecting the right keywords to target. Research tools such as Moz Keyword Explorer and Google Keyword Planner can help. They show:

• The search volume for different keywords
• The level of competition for each term
• Related options for search terms
• Keywords that competitors are using
• Average impressions and clicks

For example, “immigration lawyer” averages over 45,000 monthly searches, providing many opportunities but significant competition. Longer keywords such as “How much does an immigration attorney cost?” get fewer searches, but also represent greater interest in contacting the law firm.

3. Website Optimization and SEO Maintenance

Armed with data and goals, marketing teams are ready to implement SEO. What can law firms aim for at this stage?

• Improving the site’s layout: Each area of immigration law should have its own page, and the website should be easy to navigate.
• Including target keywords: Home pages, blog articles and other content should revolve around high-value keywords.
• Optimizing metadata: Every web page should have SEO page titles, headings and meta descriptions.
• Creating landing pages: Websites for immigration attorneys need a variety of landing pages to encourage visitors to take the next step.

SEO maintenance is an ongoing process. Teams generally perform in-depth audits annually and track metrics every month.

4. Blog Articles

The various aspects of search engine optimization for immigration lawyers support each other. Engaging content enhances the results of smart keywords and attractive web pages.

Blog articles add to SEO efforts by:

• Highlighting keywords naturally
• Covering search topics in depth
• Answering questions potential clients care about
• Providing more information about legal services
• Convincing visitors to take action

People in need of legal assistance often have many questions and don’t know who to trust. Helpful blog articles (and videos) make an unforgettable impression, which explains why businesses that use content marketing get 500% more conversions than those that don’t.

5. Link Building

Attracting links from other respected sources can help immigration-related content grab the attention of search engines. Backlinks are proof of relevance, industry authority and value.

When search engines see trustworthy content, they rank the articles higher. In turn, legal websites receive a huge increase in traffic volume.

Immigration lawyers don’t have time to play the backlink game. That’s why our managed SEO plans include white-hat link-building services.

6. Content Updates

Laws are constantly changing. Site content needs to stay up to date to get the best results from SEO for immigration lawyers. To refresh content, law firms need to:

• Read through articles and ensure the information is still accurate
• Check all links to make sure they still work
• Find newer statistics (if possible)
• Add a few portions of new information
• Rewrite with a fresh perspective

Updating blog articles is a cost-effective way to drive website traffic for a long time. Content can save law firms around 60% compared to traditional marketing, and may deliver three times as many leads.

7. Social Media

Social media contributes to search ranking success by delivering content to a larger audience. Potential customers may visit a law firm’s Facebook page, read a short post, click on a linked blog article and end up on the company’s website.

Legal directories are another important social media resource. FindLaw, Nolo, Avvo and similar platforms can help immigration attorneys connect with new clients.

Positive reviews on social media can be the deciding factor when someone is weighing options. Almost 90% of young adults trust online reviews as much as family members.

How Can Immigration Law Firms Choose the Right SEO Goals?

It’s common to have unique needs when it comes to search engine optimization for immigration attorneys. To choose the right combination of SEO strategies, focus on several factors:

• Legal focus: Individuals with immigration needs versus business clients looking for visa assistance
• Primary audience(s): Circumstances, needs and problems of the firm’s main clients
• Location of clients: Local, national or international services
• Main avenues of contact: Social media, content marketing, Google My Business profile, paid ads or SEO-related website visits

Local SEO uses location-based keywords (e.g., “immigration lawyers in Miami”) to rank higher for regional searches. For international audiences, law firms may need to customize web content for other cultures and languages.

What Are the Benefits of BKA’s Search Engine Optimization for Immigration Lawyers?

At BKA Content, we’re SEO experts with over a decade of experience in legal marketing fields. Our high-quality SEO and content marketing services can save law firms significant time and money while delivering exceptional results. See all the benefits of search engine optimization for immigration lawyers right away.