People don’t browse lawyers for fun. They search when stakes are high. That’s why the firms dominating page one obsess over clarity, authority, and locality.

What’s Unique About Legal SEO

  • YMYL at the highest bar. Show real experience, citations, and compliance.
  • Practice‑led intent. “Divorce lawyer Sandton”, “PI attorney Miami”. Each practice deserves its own page.
  • Proof over polish. Case studies, outcomes where permitted, testimonials, and credentials.

Information Architecture

  • Practice Area Hubs: Family, PI, Employment, Commercial, Conveyancing.
  • One Page per Sub‑practice: Uncontested divorce, child maintenance, redundancy claims, etc.—with jurisdiction specifics.
  • Attorney Bios: Qualifications, courts admitted to, notable matters (generic if necessary), publications.
  • Locations: Separate pages per office with embedded map, parking, and localised copy.
  • Resources: Plain‑English explainers and checklists.

E‑E‑A‑T in Practice

  • Cite statutes/regulators; link to official sources.
  • Publish authored articles with lawyer bylines and profile pages.
  • Add review and media logos; include bar/LSNP membership numbers.

Local SEO Must‑Dos

  • GBP category Law Firm (plus practice categories).
  • Add Services matching practice pages.
  • Post FAQs (“How long does an uncontested divorce take in [Province]?”).
  • Reviews that mention the practice area boost relevance.

Link Acquisition

  • Cornerstone Links: Legal directories with editorial standards, business press, chambers of commerce, university alumni journals.
  • Digital PR: Comment on timely legal changes; offer expert quotes.
  • Thought Leadership: Publish landmark guides (e.g., “PI Claim Timelines in Gauteng – 2025 Edition”) that earn links.

Conversion UX

  • Clear eligibility checkers, cost transparency, and scheduling.
  • Prominent phone number and consultation CTAs.
  • Live chat or callback within 5 minutes during business hours.

30‑Day Action Plan

  1. Build/refresh top 6 practice pages with jurisdiction specifics.
  2. Optimise GBP and gather 15 reviews referencing the relevant practice.
  3. Publish one “landmark guide” + outreach to local media.
  4. Secure 2–3 Cornerstone Links and 10 citations.
  5. Implement call tracking and form attribution.