What is Link Building in 2014 and What Does the Future Hold for Links? (PART 2)

So, now that we know what used to work in terms of link building, let’s take a look at a few more things that law firms can do to build stronger link profiles for their websites.

For starters, make sure that you have all of the basics covered. Your state bar association more than likely has a profile for you on its website, so be sure to fill out all the information fields it allots you. Often times, this includes a link to your website. Other legal associations, particularly those in which you hold positions of authority, may offer the same, so be sure not to overlook these easy, deserved, and EARNED links.

Your alma mater is another option that a lot of attorneys tend to overlook. Even if you weren’t terribly active while on campus, it would benefit you nevertheless to make sure that your alma mater has your most recent contact and business information. Yes, updating your information will almost undoubtedly assure that the alumni association reaches out to you for donations, but that’s a small inconvenience to pay for supplying them with your contact info (especially a link to your website). While your .edu may not link to your website directly, it may mention it (in plain text) somewhere in their alumni directory, which is one opportunity that you don’t want to ignore.

Local organizations also provide another often overlooked linking opportunity. Whether your firm is involved with a charity or some other professional group, it wouldn’t hurt to make sure that you supply your most recent contact information, including your URL. At the very least, you’ll be able to get your name on a fundraising page and help raise awareness for a cause. It may not directly impact your search rankings, but it will let people know what you care about. After all, if a potential client is looking to hire an attorney and sees that your law firm supports a charity he or she also supports, it can only strengthen that potential client’s resolve in hiring your firm.

In terms of helping others, link building doesn’t need to solely focus on charity. If your law firm is willing to create and offer a small scholarship of some kind, the potential benefit can be tremendous. Obtaining links from local schools that are interested in featuring your scholarship will create a valuable .edu connection that search engines are sure to reward. It doesn’t need to be a huge scholarship, but the goodwill surrounding your firm will be invaluable.

Finally, while we did say that link exchanges are not favored these days, it’s totally reasonable to exchange links with other local businesses that you work with. Even if it’s something like writing a review of their services, it will help create a local linking profile that search engines like Google and Bing will pick up on. If you’re feeling super generous and want to help them out even more, you may even consider leaving them a review on Google+ or Yelp, but that’ll be the focus of a future blog conversation.

Have your own opinions about link building? Share your thoughts with us in the comments…