According to the American Bar Association, there are over one million licensed attorneys in the United States. With so much competition, how do you make your online presence stand out from the crowd? Fortunately, there are methods that will elevate the ranking of your firm’s website, and your social media profiles, in search results.
Among the most effective methods is Inbound Linking. An inbound link is a link that someone else has shared, directing others to your content. The more others link back to your original content, the higher it will rank in search results. So, how do you encourage others to link back to your online content? Here are five proven strategies that will help place you ahead of your competition:
1. Create a Scholarship for a Local College or High School
Not only does this strategy work, it also gives you the opportunity to make a positive impact in your community. By offering a scholarship awarded on the basis of say, an essay competition, you will have dozens of students and school administrators sharing links to your blog or firm page. It’s also important to note that you don’t need to break the bank to fund a scholarship. In most cases, $500 will be sufficient to generate a flurry of interest.
2. Post on LinkedIn’s Blogging Platform
LinkedIn’s blogging feature lets you share your expertise across the entire LinkedIn network. By taking advantage of this feature, you increase your exposure, both to potential clients and to other attorneys that might refer you business. Others will link to your blog post, and you can link back to your firm’s website or blog within the post itself.
3. Write Guest Blog Posts for Popular Websites
Guest blogging is a surefire way to drive traffic to your firm’s webpage and blog, and it can generate tons of inbound links back to your content. Guest blogging has the added bonus of establishing your expertise in a particular field. If you have an IP practice, for example, try writing an article and submitting it to a publishing or music blog. You’ll be surprised by how many websites want to publish articles written by attorneys.
4. Create and Use Infographics
You see infographics all over the internet, but you might not know them by name. An infographic is a visual presentation of data designed to hold the reader’s attention. By incorporating infographics into your posts, you greatly increase the likelihood that others will link back to your content.
Here is an excellent example of effective infographic use by the blog Above the Law.
5. Maintain a Blog
This list would be wholly incomplete without mentioning one of the most important sources for inbound links, and exposure in general. Maintaining a blog for your practice area is one of the most cost effective ways that you can increase your search rankings and connect with clients. And sites like WordPress.com make it easy to get started.
Most of our strategies for developing inbound links are immediately actionable, and you don’t need to plan them alone. If you’d like further information about Inbound Linking and other branding strategies, let's talk. Give us a call at (800) 753-6576 or email us at WeCare{@}UpwardAction.com.
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