Revamping Your Law Firm’s SEO: Why Your Rankings Are Failing

SEO Has Changed — and Law Firms Must Catch Up

For law firms, search visibility is no longer just about climbing Google’s rankings. Today, your clients discover legal information through AI-powered tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE).

That means your firm’s visibility now extends beyond traditional search. To stay discoverable — whether someone types “injury lawyer near me” into Google or asks an AI assistant for “the best immigration solicitor in London” — your website must be optimised for both search engines and large language models (LLMs).

Yet, despite ongoing SEO efforts, many firms remain buried in search results. The reason? Common SEO pitfalls — from outdated keyword strategies to poor technical setups — silently erode their visibility and credibility.

Let’s explore the key issues holding law firms back, and how to fix them.

1. Relying on Outdated or Overly Broad Keywords

The problem: Many law firms still base their strategy around ultra-competitive, generic terms such as “lawyer,” “attorney,” or even “personal injury law.” Because virtually every competitor is targeting those same keywords, ranking becomes nearly impossible.

The better approach: Use keyword research tools (e.g. Ahrefs, SEMrush) to discover long-tail, intent-driven phrases that match what prospective clients actually search. For example:

• “how to file a car insurance claim in Atlanta”
• “immigration lawyer for H-1B issues in Boston”
• “st louis workers compensation attorney”

These are lower volume but higher conversion — fewer firms compete directly for them, giving you more leverage.

Also: map keywords to specific pages (so you avoid “keyword cannibalisation”) and revisit these mappings quarterly — search trends shift, especially in response to new laws or news.

This approach not only boosts your Google rankings but also helps LLMs interpret your content accurately when generating AI answers.

2. Site Speed: A Silent Killer of Rankings and User Trust

Why speed matters: Google places increasing emphasis on performance metrics (e.g. Core Web Vitals). Slow pages frustrate users, raise bounce rates, and reduce dwell time — all negative signals in Google’s algorithm.

We encourage you to start looking at your site’s speed (the tools above provide a great starting point)—not only to improve your ranking in search engines, but also to improve everyone’s experience on the Internet.

Google Search Quality Team

What to do:

• Run tests via Google PageSpeed Insights, WebPageTest, or GTmetrix.
• Compress and properly size images (consider WebP or AVIF formats).
• Enable browser caching, minimise CSS/JS, defer nonessential scripts.
• Use a modern hosting stack or CDN.

Even a 1–2 second speed improvement can produce noticeable gains in engagement and ranking.

3. Mobile Optimisation Is Non-Negotiable

Google now uses mobile-first indexing, meaning the mobile version of your site is the primary version Google crawls and indexes.

A site that looks fine on desktop but has missing content, broken elements, or poor usability on mobile may suffer in rankings — even if its desktop counterpart is perfect.

Common mobile pitfalls to check:

• Inconsistent or missing content on mobile vs. desktop.
• Lazy-loading that hides critical content until user interaction (which Google may not trigger).
• Robots.txt or meta tags that block mobile pages while allowing desktop pages.
• Intrusive popups that are hard to dismiss on small screens.

An optimised mobile experience reduces bounce rates, increases dwell time, and ensures your firm’s content remains discoverable in both mobile and AI search ecosystems.

4. Weak, Outdated, or Infrequent Content

Content remains the strongest lever in your SEO arsenal — but only if it’s written for humans first and algorithms second.

Many law firms publish thin or outdated blogs that do little to build authority. The problem? LLMs and search engines prioritise fresh, context-rich, and trustworthy information.

How to fix it:

• Create topic clusters — for example, a “Family Law” hub linking to articles on child custody, divorce processes, and financial settlements.
• Write FAQs and “how-to” guides that mirror conversational queries AI models use.
• Refresh older articles annually with updated legislation, citations, and data.
• Showcase expertise by including named solicitors or contributors for added credibility (E-E-A-T).

Well-structured, authoritative content signals trust — not only to potential clients but to the AI systems summarising and referencing your site.

5. Ignoring Google’s Guidelines (and Risking Penalties)

Even unintentional rule-breaking can devastate your rankings. Practices like keyword stuffing, duplicate content, and low-quality backlinks are red flags for Google — and may also cause AI systems to down-rank or ignore your content.

Protect your site by:

• Conducting regular technical audits.
• Removing toxic backlinks using Google’s disavow tool.
• Avoiding “black-hat” SEO tactics that chase quick wins over long-term credibility.

Sustainable SEO relies on transparency, authority, and trust — values that align perfectly with how modern LLMs evaluate online sources.

6. Poor Internal Linking and Site Structure

Many firms treat their site like a brochure — flat pages with minimal cross-links. But smart internal linking performs two key roles:

1. Guides users to relevant content and service pages (improving UX and engagement).
2. Signals page hierarchy and topical relevance to Google, distributing “link equity” more effectively.

Best practices:

• Use descriptive anchor text (e.g. “see our workers comp law services” rather than “click here”).
• Link blog posts to pillar pages (and vice versa).
• Use a logical keyword-based URL structure (e.g. /practice-area/personal-injury/slip-fall) that mirrors your site hierarchy.

7. Underserving Local SEO

Legal practice is inherently local, yet many firms treat SEO as a national game.

Local SEO missteps:

• Inconsistent Name–Address–Phone (NAP) details across listings.
• Lack of location-specific landing pages.
• No local backlinks or citations.

Quick fixes:

• Keep NAP details consistent across Google Business Profile, directories, and your website.
• Create location pages tailored to your key practice areas.
• Earn mentions from local media or community events.

Local SEO ensures your firm appears in “near me” searches — a crucial step for both Google Maps and AI systems trained on local business data.

8. Neglecting Your Google Business Profile

A complete, active Google Business Profile (GBP) is non-negotiable for local visibility. It helps you appear in the “local pack” and gives prospective clients quick access to essentials: reviews, maps, photos, hours, posts.

Optimisation checklist:

• Verify your profile and keep details current.
• Add high-quality photos and regular posts.
• Encourage satisfied clients to leave reviews.
• Respond to all reviews (positive and negative) to demonstrate engagement.

An active GBP not only boosts your local pack presence but also increases your chances of being cited in AI summaries and voice search results.

9. Poor Backlink Quality and Lack of Authority Signals

Backlinks act as “votes” of credibility. But in the legal niche, quality beats quantity.

What many firms do wrong:

• Accept links from irrelevant or low-domain sites.
• Use irrelevant directories or link schemes.
• Let bad links rot and go unrecognised.

Better strategies:

• Guest author on law journals or niche blogs.
• Collaborate with bar associations, legal think-pieces, or local business groups.
• Earn mentions in local press or legal media.

Also, regularly audit your backlink profile and practice disavow where needed.

10. LLM Visibility Optimisation: The Next Frontier for Law Firm SEO

The legal sector is entering a new era of digital discovery. AI systems such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Google SGE are already influencing how potential clients find, summarise, and evaluate law firms.

LLM Visibility Optimisation (LVO) is about ensuring your content is:

• Structured: using schema, FAQs, and clear formatting.
• Credible: backed by expertise and verifiable information.
• Understandable: written in plain English, with consistent terminology.

By refining your content for both human and machine comprehension, you make it easier for AI systems to represent your firm accurately — and position your brand as an authoritative legal source.

To implement these fixes effectively, you can hire a WordPress SEO expert from Agile.

Putting It All Together: The SEO Rehab Framework for Law Firms

Phase	Action Items	Goal
Audit & Discovery	Full technical SEO audit, backlink review, content gap analysis	Identify all structural and content issues
Keyword & Topic Strategy	Build precise client-centric keyword map + cluster plan	Create alignment between client intent and site structure
Technical Optimisation	Speed, mobile parity, crawlability, fix errors	Eliminate ranking draggers
Content Strategy & Execution	Produce value-driven, regular, cluster-based content	Build topical authority and capture long-tail traffic
Local & GBP Optimisation	NAP consistency, location pages, Google Business Profile updates	Capture local intent and visibility
Link Building & Maintenance	Earn high-quality, relevant links; disavow bad ones	Strengthen authority sustainably
Ongoing Monitoring & Iteration	Use Search Console, Analytics, rank tracking; adapt monthly	Stay ahead of algorithm changes and competition

If you implement these steps conscientiously, your SEO will transition from patchwork to strategic. Over time, you’ll build domain authority, visibility, and — most importantly — a steady stream of client leads.

Learn more in our follow-up article, SEO for Law Firms in the AI Era.

Conclusion

SEO for law firms has evolved beyond technical checklists. It’s now about trust, clarity, and strategic visibility — across both search and AI ecosystems.

By addressing outdated keyword tactics, improving site performance, strengthening local SEO, and optimising for LLM visibility, your firm can build a sustainable presence that continues to attract and convert clients long after algorithm updates roll by.

Agile Digital Agency specialises in SEO, content, and LLM optimisation for law firms. Let’s ensure your next client finds you — wherever they’re searching.