How to Help Your Website Stand Out in a Crowded Sea

Erika RitzerPrincipal,

Greenfield Belser LTD.eritzer@gbltd.com

FIRST OFF: Who Are We?

Founder & CEO, ThunderActive

Max Thomas

max@thunderactive.com

Shawn MassieDirector of Search,

ThunderActiveshawn@thunderactive.com

What does an ideal bachelor(ette) look like?

User interface and visual appeal keeps users longer and gets the coveted second click.

Be wary of too much content… or too little.

Give substantive information and track who sees it.

WHEN SEO GOES RIGHT FOR LAW FIRMS

STRAIGHT FROM GOOGLE

• Today there are more than 200 unique signals in Google’s algorithm

• Signals include things like “terms on website, freshness of content and PageRank”

• In 2013, 665 updates were made to the Google Algorithm

SO WHAT SHOULD YOU FOCUS ON?

SO WHAT SHOULD YOU FOCUS ON?

WHY ARE RELEVANT TERMS IMPORTANT?

The Google homepage doesn’t show results until you type!

GETTING STARTED

• Find out what your target audience is searching for

• Get a feel for the intent behind popular search queries

• Map out a plan of attack

BRANDED VS. NON-BRANDED

• Branded searches include your firm’s name, attorney names or variations of either

○ The intent here is to learn more, contact or revisit a familiar brand

• Your firm’s website should rank #1 organically for branded searches

○ Not local directories like Avvo

○ Not LinkedIn

○ Not press releases

○ Not Google+ pages, however this is a great #2 or addition to #1

BRANDED VS. NON-BRANDED

BRANDED VS. NON-BRANDED

• Non-branded searches exclude any firm or attorney name keywords

○ Intent is to explore options, learn more information or find something specific

• This is your chance to make a first impression

• These are usually the primary keyword targets firms want to rank for

BRANDED VS. NON-BRANDED

Understand the intent of the query that you want to rank for and tailor content around that

BRANDED VS. NON-BRANDED

Understand the intent of the query that you want to rank for and tailor content around that

GOOGLE WEBMASTER TOOLS1. Look at queries your site currently gets impressions for

a. Sort by impressions to see what easy opportunitiesb. Sort by clicks to see what you can improve upon

2. Look at what pages currently rank for each query3. View what Google sees as the most common keywords associated with

your site

SEMrush• Evaluate your competitor’s organic keywords

○ Sort by traffic % to see their top keywords• See what keywords you have in common with competitors• Pick out keywords they are paying for

GOOGLE ANALYTICS

• Not provided will be a large percentage

○ Look at remaining keywords

• View which landing pages have most traffic in search

GOOGLE KEYWORD PLANNER

• Enter in the non-branded keywords you think your site is most relevant for

○ Disregard popularity at this stage

○ Include long-tail keywords

○ Include variations

• Look for search volume, competitiveness and estimated CPC

GOOGLE TRENDS

• Put your top 5 keywords in each group into Trends to see which are on the rise

○ Take best ones as primary keyword targets○ Use the rest for secondary pages or content

ON-SITE KEYWORD OPTIMIZATION

• Goal: Map out which pages will rank for all keyword targets

• Title tags and meta descriptions

• H1s and all headers

• Content on page includes your keywords naturally

• Images are tagged properly

• Internally linking to pages with proper anchor text

• Primary pages are linked from primary navigation with right text

LOCAL KEYWORDS

• Tie in hyperlocal content to office or contact pages

○ Ex. “downtown san diego criminal defense lawyer”

○ These searches trigger Google My Business pages and firms on desktop

• Google already assumes local intent with all mobile searches

○ Ex. “criminal defense lawyer” shows me San Diego attorneys

SPEAKING OF BLOG TOPICS...

LONG-TAIL KEYWORDS

• Long-tail keywords are too long to be commonly searched

○ Don’t waste primary page real estate with these terms

• If it’s something you want to be featured, make it a landing page

• Utilize them for blog content as a post topic

WHAT PAGES CURRENTLY RANK?

• Use GWT to see which pages currently rank best for keywords

• Do a site: search to see what Google thinks is the most relevant page

ATTORNEY NAMES

• Directories will compete for name searches○ Have a strong bio page on the website to outrank directories

• Link social profiles to bio page to strengthen them• What if your name IS the firm name?

○ Ex. The Law Offices of David P Strauss○ Leave the home page as the target page for your name

DIRECTORY LISTINGS

• Branded searches may return Avvo, Martindale and other directories

○ This is fine as long as all listings are current and accurate

○ If they’re not, claim and edit them to have a consistent NAP

• If attorney listings on directories rank for brand name searches then:

○ Remove all mentions of firm

○ Google thinks attorney names might be businesses at same address

BAD PRESS

• Branded searches may show bad PR related to past cases

• Branded searches may show bad reviews from disgruntled clients

• In any case, you’ll want to:

○ Push down the negative listings to Page 2

○ Create pages on your site that address the issue and rank instead

○ Set up Google Alerts to respond quickly to negative feedback

○ Create profiles on different social networks to outrank negative listings

GOOGLE+ LOCAL: Private Practice Page

GOOGLE+ LOCAL: Large Firm Page

GOOGLE+ LOCAL: Introducing...

Merge Of Google Places & Google+

GOOGLE+ LOCAL: Why It Matters

Google+ = Local & Mobile

Image source: http://www.seo-alien.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/google-local-mobile-ready.jpg

GOOGLE+ LOCAL: Attracts Prospects

Non-Branded Local Search Results

GOOGLE+ LOCAL: Attracts Prospects

Reviews & Ratings Drive Leads

GOOGLE+ LOCAL: Attracts Prospects

GOOGLE+ LOCAL: Is Branding (Firm)

GOOGLE+ LOCAL: Is Branding (Private Practice)

GOOGLE+ LOCAL: How Does It Work?

GOOGLE: Wants Order

GOOGLE+ LOCAL: Wants Data Consistency

Make these consistent across all sources

• Name = Attorney / Firm Business Name

• Address = Physical Business Location

• Phone = Local Phone Number

GOOGLE+ LOCAL: Wants Data Consistency

GOOGLE+ LOCAL: Shortlist

Local Search – Focus on data & brand consistency

Social Profiles• FourSquare/Swarm• Facebook Location• Yelp• Twitter• Linkedin

Other• Your Website!

Local Data Sources• Google MapMaker• Google+ Bulk Upload• Google+ Local Page Optimization• Bing Bulk Upload• Yahoo• Acxiom• Localeze• InfoGroup• Avvo.com (lawyer)• Martindale.com (lawyer)• Lawyers.com (lawyer)

SCHEMA MARKUP: What Is It?

1) schema.org is a collaboration by Google, Microsoft and Yahoo! to improve the web by creating a structured markup schema supported by major search engines.

2) On-page markup helps search engines understand the information on webpages and provide richer results.

3) Sends direct signal to Google+ for Knowledge Graph and local search results.

4) Opportunity to maximize website for NAP consistency.

SCHEMA LOCAL MARKUP: What Is It?1) http://schema.org/Attorney

SCHEMA MARKUP: What Does It Look Like?

SCHEMA MARKUP: What Does It Look Like?

GOOGLE+: Creates G+ Pages Automatically

Top Issues1.Attorney name ranks for firm

name2.Google+ Page shows office

in SF but it’s in PA3.415 phone number is

disconnected

GOOGLE+: What Might Skadden Arps Do?Discover what’s causing the G+ listing (remember: Google is a data aggregator)

#1 Search for Google+ Page name in quotes

Discovery:

• Only 4 listings

• Personal Google+ profile page

• 2 directory listings

Conclusion:

• Google+ most likely created profile page from directory listings

Next Step:

• Check phone number

GOOGLE+: What Might Skadden Arps Do?

#2 Search for phone number in quotesDiscovery:• Look! Google+ profile

page for new attorney name

• Multiple directories for attorney names using firm’s phone number

Conclusion:• Firm phone was most

likely used by individual attorney for their directory listings

Next Step:• Check out address

results

GOOGLE+: What Might Skadden Arps Do?

#3 Search for address in quotesDiscovery:• Multiple directory listings

for firm name at addressConclusion:• There’s definitely a

Skadden Arps location but phone number is dead

Next Step:• Determine if firm still has

office• Determine if Jose Allen

still works at firm

GOOGLE+: What Might Skadden Arps Do?

#4 Search for “skadden arps san francisco”

Discovery:

• Firm closed SF office in 2010

• Website shows office in Palo Alto (not SF)

Conclusion:

• It’s an old listing that needs to be updated

GOOGLE+: What Might Skadden Arps Do?

#4 Search for “Allen Jose R” on Skadden.com

Discovery:• Still works at firm• Bio page is a pdf

Conclusion:• PDF’s get indexed by

Google but not always fully crawlablez

GOOGLE+: Skadden Arps - Next Steps

1. Setup Skadden Arps Google My Business account

2. Claim Google+ Listings & Verify

GOOGLE+: Skadden Arps - Next Steps

3. Claim The Listing 4. Correct Name, Address & Phone

5. Manually update directories / listings from SERPs

6. Submit corrected information listing to all data sources

GOOGLE+: Jose Allen - Next Steps

1. Claim personal Google Plus page

2. Search for “Jose Allen” + attorney listings

3. Manually update directories/listings

4. Submit corrected info listing to all data sources

iOS: What About “Apple Maps”?

Claim These For Apple Maps

• Yelp

• Localeze

• Acxiom

• InfoUSA

• Factual

MOBILE: Mobile Usage Continues to Grow

Image source: https://www.yahoo.com/tech/by-the-numbers-iphone-vs-android-97842025474.html

MOBILE: How To Tell Your Site’s Mobile Usage

MOBILE: How To Tell Your Site’s Mobile Usage

MOBILE: Make Your Site Mobile Friendly

Responsive Design

Mobile m.website.com

• Your website MUST be mobile friendly

• 57% of users won’t recommend companies with poor mobile sites (SEJ 2014)

MOBILE: Faster Is Better

• 47% of consumers expect a web page to load in 2 seconds or less. • 40% of people abandon a website that takes more than 3 seconds to load.»• A 1 second delay in page response can result in a 7% reduction in conversions.

Image source: https://blog.kissmetrics.com/loading-time/?wide=1

MOBILE: Page Speed - What To Do

MOBILE: Page Speed - What To Do

MOBILE: Cater Content to Users

• Smartphone users in particular are often looking for something local and have high purchase intent

• According to Google, 69 percent of mobile users expect businesses to be within 5 miles of their location

• 55 percent of mobile users want to purchase within the hour

• Experiment with mobile-only content by time of day: Audiences consumer content differently by time of day they access

• Images and video keep mobile users engaged, avoid text-heavy content

Google+: Why It Matters

Google+: Impacts SERPs

Google+: Impacts SERPs

Google+: Control Your Personal Online Brand

Personal G+ page shows in SERPs results, just like Linkedin, etc.

You Want To Pump Your Google+ Page Higher?

Image source: http://dailym.ai/1vsOueE

GET BUSY!

1. Blog - Post your own blog content2. +1 and Comment - On other posts & updates3. Participate - In Groups and communities4. Encourage - Others to +1 and share your posts

GOOGLE+ PAGE: A Great Example

GOOGLE+ PAGE: Setup Tips

• Individual attorneys in a firm should use their personal gmail account, not their firm email

• List firm as place of work

GOOGLE+ GUIDE FOR ATTORNEYS: Learn More

Download the Google+ Guide for Attorneys: http://bit.ly/GooglePlusGuideAttorneys

SITE AUDITS

• Described as an agent of innovation

• Hails from the west coast but likes to spend time in DC

• Really in to intellectual property law

• Spends free time prosecuting patents

• Hangs with cutting edge start-ups and established Fortune 500 companies

• 275 people in her social circle

CONTESTANT #1: Knobbe Martens

• World traveller: California, Chicago, New York, Washington, D.C. Beijing, Brussels, London, Seoul and Shanghai

• Full service kinda gal liking everything from antitrust to white collar defense

• 640 people in her social circle

CONTESTANT #2: Sheppard Mullen

• Resides in Denver, Colorado but has a place in Steamboat Springs

• Our smallest contestant with just 41 people in her social circle

• Another full service kinda gal into including corporate law, litigation, real estate, and wealth and succession planning.

• Received the Chairs’ Choice Award for Outstanding Efforts in Economic Development from the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation in 2012

CONTESTANT #3: Fairfield & Woods

CONTESTANT #1: Knobbe Martens

CONTESTANT #2: Sheppard Mullen

CONTESTANT #3: Fairfield & Woods

CONTESTANT #1: Knobbe Martens

CONTESTANT #2: Sheppard Mullen

CONTESTANT #3: Fairfield & Woods

CONTESTANT #1: Knobbe Martens

Branded Search – 54%

Primary Keyword Focus

Primary Keyword Focus

Consider Patent vs IP Focus

Consider Patent vs IP Focus

CONTESTANT #2: Sheppard Mullen

A to Z Instead of Priority

“Government Contracts”

CONTESTANT #3: Fairfield & Woods

Nonbranded Queries

Nonbranded Queries

CONTESTANT #1: Knobbe Martens

Patents Needs A Home

CONTESTANT #2: Sheppard Mullen

Robert Is #1?

Titles and URLs Should Be Optimized

CONTESTANT #3: Fairfield & Woods

Title Tags Are Long

Clear Layout of Practice Priorities

CONTESTANT #1: Knobbe Martens

Nice Branded Results (But Not In Your Control)

CONTESTANT #2: Sheppard Mullen

Sitelinks Need Love Too

CONTESTANT #3: Fairfield & Woods

Unintended Keywords

Good Looking Branded SERP

CONTESTANT #1: Knobbe Martens

BRANDED SEARCH: No Geo Term

BRANDED SEARCH: San Diego

BRANDED SEARCH: Irvine

BRANDED SEARCH: Los Angeles

BRANDED SEARCH: San Francisco

GOOGLE WEBMASTER TOOLS: Sitelinks

BRANDED SEARCH: Palo Alto

BRANDED SEARCH: Seattle

BRANDED SEARCH: Washington DC

WEBSITE: Local Navigation Good

WEBSITE: Separate Page Per Location

LOCAL SCHEMA: Not Present

GOOGLE+ PAGE: Robust

GOOGLE+ PAGE: Lots Of Photos (Current)

GOOGLE+ PAGE: No Videos

GOOGLE+ PAGE: Lots Of Posts (Current)

GOOGLE+ PAGE: Filled Out In Full – Irvine Loc

GOOGLE+ LOCAL PAGE: Seattle – No Photos

GOOGLE+ LOCAL PAGE: Seattle – No Photos

GOOGLE+ LOCAL PAGE: Riverside – Wrong Number

GOOGLE MAPS: San Diego Search

GOOGLE MAPS MOBILE: San Diego Search

CONTESTANT #2: Sheppard Mullen

APPLE MAPS: Branded Query – No Location

APPLE MAPS - GOOGLE: Old Location

Same Phone,

Different Address

APPLE MAPS - GOOGLE: Correct Location (Website)

Same Phone

BRANDED SEARCH: Beijing - International

Different Phone, Different Address

BRANDED SEARCH: London - International

Different Phone, Different Address

GOOGLE+ PROFILE PAGE: Multiple & Non Verified

GOOGLE+ PROFILE PAGE: Not Built Out

CONTESTANT #3: Fairfield & Woods

BRANDED SEARCH: Looks Good - Photos

GOOGLE MAPS: Location & Phone Correct

GOOGLE+ LOCAL PAGE: Logo But No Cover

GOOGLE+ LOCAL PAGE: About

GOOGLE+ LOCAL PAGE: No Posts

GOOGLE+ LOCAL PAGE: Photos

GOOGLE+ LOCAL PAGE: No Videos

GOOGLE SEARCH: Non Branded Query

GOOGLE LOCAL SEARCH: Phone Inconsistencies

GOOGLE LOCAL SEARCH: Schema

GOOGLE PLUS: Multiple Pages

GOOGLE & APPLE MAPS: Different Info

CONTESTANT #1: Knobbe Martens

MOBILE SITE: Not Mobile Friendly

PAGESPEED: Mobile

CONTESTANT #2: Sheppard Mullen

MOBILE SITE: Responsive Design

MOBILE SITE: Location Phone / Directions

MOBILE SITE: Consider Mobile Friendly Blog Content

PAGE SPEED: Mobile

CONTESTANT #3: Fairfield & Woods

MOBILE SITE: Not Responsive

PAGE SPEED: Mobile

CONTESTANT #1: Knobbe Martens

CONTESTANT #2: Sheppard Mullen

CONTESTANT #3: Fairfield & Woods

PRIZE: 1ST PLACE

PRIZE: 2ND PLACE

PRIZE: 3RD PLACE

Q & ADownload this Presentation:

http://bit.ly/LMADatingGame

Download the Google+ Guide for Attorneys:

http://bit.ly/GooglePlusGuideAttorneys

Email: eritzer@gbltd.com

max@thunderactive.comshawn@thunderactive.com