How Google’s organic search features can help you generate enquiries for your firm’s website

I previously wrote about key strategic principles for legal marketers to help attract quality traffic to your firm’s legal site. Today, I’ll be doing a deep dive into Google’s organic search features which can assist you with future enquiry & traffic generation.

By the way - I’ll be giving a talk about this and more at our FREE legal workshop - read more about our workshop and register for tickets here!

What types of search features are there?

Often referred to as the SEO or natural search channel, organic search is a major player in traffic and enquiry generation for any legal firm. Due to its complex, fast-changing nature, it’s important for any legal marketer to stay up-to-date with main players like Google and the continuous changes rolled out to the UK’s Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). Whilst three years ago many of us went after keyword rankings on page one, much of the space above the fold is now taken up by four PPC ads. Over the last few years, Google’s been working hard on refining its search features and optimising the way it presents information to the user across all devices in a cohesive, relevant way. For us marketers, this means that we now need to go after search features such as:

• Rich results or rich cards
• Customised site features
• Knowledge graph cards

Let’s talk rich snippets

You may ask yourself what rich snippets are and what makes them so important for search. To put it in the words of industry-leading digital publication Search Engine Journal, “we all turn to Google for answers. In response to our queries, Google will often display the required information directly in search results, along with other helpful websites, videos, movie or event information, reviews or specific dates.”

Rich snippets answer questions in a very visual, highly engaging way. No matter which device you use. Types of rich snippets include AMP articles, local businesses, and reviews.

(Example for star rating/reviews)

All of which you can test for your firm - providing your content is marked up with structured data. In fact, they take up prime paid search real estate without costing you anything and they can also increase your click-through rate (CTR) by more than 30%.

What about customised site features?

By using structured data markup you can influence how the search results for your legal site are displayed in Google. Breadcrumbs offer the user a way to navigate your site’s hierarchy easier. Google can actually display this information in the SERPs. Moreover, the sitelinks search box helps users find specific content on your website from within the SERPs and landing on the most relevant page matches with their search queries.

Lastly, you can markup your site name, which is the preferred name for your website in Google’s results pages. This includes semantic alternative search terms users may type or speak to find your site, e.g. “ABC Legal Liverpool” or “ABC Liverpool”.

Set up your Knowledge Graph cards

Google defines Knowledge Graph cards as follows: “A Knowledge Graph card appears for an entity when there is enough data and expressed search interest in a particular entity to benefit Search users. In addition to summary information and relevant photos for a person or official entity, Knowledge Graph cards can also contain contact info, website details, logo, and social profile links.”

(Example for a Knowledge Graph card)

This Knowledge Graph card by Slater and Gordon Lawyers features their web address, links to their social media profiles, information about the company provided by Wikipedia as well as their company logo. Structured data markup onsite helps Google classify and categorise this information.

Appearing within the Knowledge Graph does not only help increase your brand visibility but it also enables new, potential clients to find out information quickly and easily about your firm, its offices, and its services, which may ultimately lead to a more informed, better quality enquiry generation.

I’ll be speaking at our free legal workshop on Thursday 23^rd March in Liverpool. I’ll talk to you about strategies on how to attract and convert traffic to your firm’s site. Don’t miss out – register for your free tickets today!