Effective keyword research is the foundation of any successful SEO strategy for law firms.
By identifying the right search terms that potential clients use when looking for legal services, you can optimize your website to attract more qualified leads and increase your client intake.
This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process of conducting keyword research specifically for law firms, helping you understand how to identify high-converting keywords that will drive real cases to your practice.
Tools for Legal Keyword Research
The first thing you will need are the tools to be able to do the keyword research.
There are a number of both free and paid tools available. Each platform offers unique benefits, but several stand out for law firm SEO research:
SEMrush is arguably the most powerful tool for legal keyword research, offering comprehensive data about search volume, keyword difficulty, backlink data and competitor intelligence.
Its Keyword Magic Tool can generate thousands of keyword ideas from a single seed term, allowing you to discover valuable long-tail keywords for your practice areas.
SEMrush also excels at revealing which keywords your competitors rank for, giving you strategic insights into market gaps you can exploit.
Personally, this is the keyword research tool I use, which is why I recommend it.
Google Keyword Planner is a free option that provides basic search volume data and keyword suggestions. It’s not as comprehensive as paid tools, so don’t expect too much data, but it does provide search volume estimates and some related keyword suggestions. For law firms on a budget, this tool can be a good starting point.
Other valuable tools include Ahrefs, which is an alternative to Semrush with similar features, and Moz, which provides helpful metrics like Page Authority that can guide your content strategy.
Several other free and freemium tools can supplement your keyword research efforts without significant investment. Ubersuggest offers a generous free tier that provides keyword ideas, content suggestions, and basic competitor analysis specifically valuable for legal content. The free version allows a limited number of daily searches, which is often sufficient for smaller firms or those just beginning their SEO journey.
AnswerThePublic is another excellent free resource for identifying question-based keywords that potential clients are asking about legal topics. This tool visualizes search queries in an intuitive “question wheel” format, organizing them by question words (who, what, when, where, why, how). For law firms, these question-based keywords often represent ideal blog content opportunities.
Understanding Search Intent for Legal Keywords
Before diving into keyword tools, it’s crucial to understand the different types of search intent behind legal keywords. When potential clients search online, their queries generally fall into two main categories: commercial intent and informational intent. Commercial intent keywords indicate that the searcher is looking to hire a lawyer soon, while informational keywords suggest they’re seeking legal information but may not be ready to retain counsel.
Commercial intent keywords typically include terms like “hire,” “best,” “near me,” “attorney,” or “lawyer” combined with practice area terms. For example, “personal injury lawyer Los Angeles” or “hire divorce attorney.” These high-value keywords directly correlate with potential clients who are ready to take action and are the most valuable for your law firm’s SEO strategy. These searchers have already determined they need legal representation and are actively looking to contact a firm.
Informational keywords, on the other hand, include terms like “how to,” “what is,” “can I,” or questions related to legal processes. Examples include “how to file for divorce in California” or “what compensation can I get for a car accident.” While these searchers aren’t immediately looking to hire, they represent potential clients at the beginning of their legal journey who may convert later with proper nurturing.
Keyword Difficulty (KD) Scores and Search Volume
Two critical metrics to evaluate when selecting keywords are Keyword Difficulty (KD) scores and search volume.
These two typically correlate – higher search volume tends to attract more competition, though this isn’t always the case.
KD Score
The KD score, typically on a scale of 0-100, indicates how challenging it will be to rank on the first page of search results for a specific keyword. This score is based on various factors, including the authority of websites currently ranking for the term, the number of backlinks those pages have, and overall competition levels.
For law firms, it’s important to recognize that legal keywords generally have higher difficulty scores than average. Terms like “personal injury lawyer” or “divorce attorney” in major metropolitan areas often have KD scores of 50-70, reflecting the intense competition in the legal industry.
New law firm websites should initially target keywords with KD scores below 35 to have a realistic chance of ranking, gradually working up to more competitive terms as their site authority increases.
Search Volume
Search volume indicates the number of monthly searches for a specific keyword. While high-volume keywords might seem attractive, they’re often extremely competitive.
For instance, “lawyer near me” might have 30,000+ monthly searches but a KD score of 85+, making it nearly impossible for new sites to rank.
Instead, look for keywords with moderate search volume (100-1,000 monthly searches) and lower KD scores, which represent more realistic ranking opportunities with still-meaningful traffic potential.
The most effective approach is balancing these metrics with business value.
A keyword with only 200 monthly searches but high conversion potential for valuable cases (like “commercial real estate attorney”) is often worth more than a general term with 5,000 searches but low conversion value.
Your strategy should prioritize keywords that align with your firm’s specific practice areas and target the types of cases you want to attract.
Short-Tail vs. Long-Tail Legal Keywords
Understanding the difference between short-tail and long-tail keywords is crucial for developing an effective legal SEO strategy.
Short Tail Keywords
Short-tail keywords are brief, typically 1-3 word phrases like “divorce lawyer,” “personal injury attorney,” or “criminal defense.” These keywords have high search volume—often thousands of monthly searches—but also present significant challenges for law firms trying to rank for them.
The difficulty scores for short-tail legal keywords are exceptionally high, particularly in competitive markets.
For example, “personal injury lawyer Chicago” might have a KD score of 70-80, requiring substantial domain authority, backlinks, and content investment to rank well.
Additionally, the conversion rates for these broader terms are typically lower, as many searchers are still in the early research phase and may be looking for general information rather than immediate legal representation.
Despite these challenges, short-tail keywords should not be ignored completely. They establish the foundation of your SEO strategy and represent significant traffic potential.
For established firms with strong domain authority, ranking for these terms can generate substantial return. However, most law firms should supplement these highly competitive terms with a robust long-tail keyword strategy.
Long-Tail Keywords for Specific Legal Issues
Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific phrases that potential clients might search for when looking for legal help with particular issues.
These keywords typically have lower search volume—often between 10-200 searches monthly—but much higher conversion rates because they match precisely what the searcher needs.
For law firms, these specific phrases often represent potential clients with clear legal needs and higher intent to hire representation.
The keyword difficulty for long-tail terms is substantially lower, making them accessible even for newer law firm websites.
For instance, while “divorce lawyer” might have a KD score of 39, “uncontested divorce attorney near me” has a KD score of only 8, despite getting 1000 searches per month.
This makes long-tail keywords particularly valuable for firms looking to establish initial SEO traction or those in highly competitive markets.
Examples of effective long-tail legal keywords include “compensation for spinal injury from car accident,” “how to modify child support after job loss,” or “defending against false domestic violence accusations.”
These detailed phrases indicate the searcher has a specific legal problem and is actively seeking information or assistance, making them excellent targets for your content strategy.
Create content pages that specifically address these long-tail keywords, providing valuable information that demonstrates your expertise in handling these particular legal situations.
Over time, this approach can help you capture highly qualified traffic from potential clients dealing with the exact legal issues your firm specializes in resolving.
The Process of Conducting Effective Keyword Research for Law Firms
Now that you know what to look for and have the tools to do it, you can now begin the keyword research process.
Identifying Your Core Practice Area Keywords
Start your keyword research by listing all your practice areas and the specific services you provide within each area.
If you’re a personal injury firm, your core keywords might include “personal injury lawyer,” “car accident attorney,” “slip and fall lawyer,” and “wrongful death attorney.”
For family law, you might target “divorce lawyer,” “child custody attorney,” or “prenuptial agreement lawyer.”
Don’t stop at just the general practice area terms. Break down your services into more specific niches that describe exactly what you do.
For instance, rather than just “criminal defense attorney,” consider more specific terms like “DUI defense lawyer,” “drug possession attorney,” or “domestic violence defense.” These long-tail keywords often have less competition and can attract more qualified leads who need your specific expertise.
Remember to include location-based keywords in your research. Most legal searches have local intent since clients typically need lawyers licensed in their jurisdiction. Combine your practice area keywords with city, county, or state terms: “Chicago divorce lawyer,” “Cook County child custody attorney,” or “Illinois estate planning lawyer.” The more specific you can be with location, the better targeted your traffic will be.
Analyzing Competitor Keywords
One of the most effective keyword research strategies is to analyze what’s already working for successful law firms in your market.
Identify your top 5-10 competitors who rank on Google and study their websites to see which keywords they’re targeting. Look at their page titles, headings, and content to identify patterns in their keyword strategy.
Using tools like SEMrush, you can get even deeper insights by running a competitor analysis. This will show you which keywords are driving the most traffic to their sites, their ranking positions, and even which keywords they’re targeting with paid ads. This information can reveal valuable opportunities for your own SEO strategy, including keywords your competitors might have overlooked.
Don’t just copy your competitors’ strategies, however. The goal is to identify patterns and opportunities, then develop a unique approach that highlights your firm’s specific strengths and differentiators.
Perhaps you notice competitors focusing heavily on general practice area terms but neglecting specific case types or emerging legal issues that you can target.
Prioritizing Keywords Based on Business Goals
Not all legal keywords are created equal, and the highest search volume doesn’t always correlate with the most valuable clients.
When prioritizing keywords, consider the potential case value associated with different search terms. For instance, “trucking accident lawyer” might have lower search volume than “car accident attorney,” but trucking cases typically have much higher settlement values.
Similarly, certain practice areas may be more profitable for your firm than others. If your firm excels at handling complex medical malpractice cases that result in significant contingency fees, prioritize keywords related to this practice area even if they have lower search volume than other legal searches. The quality of the lead is often more important than the quantity of traffic.
Consider creating a tiered keyword strategy where you devote the most resources to optimizing for high-value case keywords, while still maintaining some focus for broader terms. This approach ensures you’re attracting the types of cases that align with your firm’s growth and revenue goals.
Implementing Your Keyword Strategy Effectively
Creating Practice Area Pages Around Commercial Intent Keywords
Once you’ve identified your priority keywords, it’s time to implement them through strategic content creation.
Your main practice area pages should target your most competitive, high-value keywords. Each practice area should have its own dedicated page optimized around the primary keyword for that service, such as “personal injury lawyer” or “business litigation attorney.”
You also want to make sure that you are targeting all relevant locations that you service with each practice area, so make location specific pages such as “Chicago personal injury lawyer” or “Austin business litigation attorney”. Do this for all locations that you want to service with each practice area.
These core service pages should be comprehensive, typically 1,500-2,500 words, thoroughly explaining your approach to these cases, your experience, successful outcomes, and what clients can expect when working with you.
Include relevant subheadings that incorporate secondary keywords, such as specific case types or related legal services within that practice area. The content should demonstrate both your legal expertise and your understanding of clients’ concerns.
Optimize all on-page elements for your target keywords, including the meta title, headings, URL, image alt text, and throughout the content itself.
However, always prioritize natural, helpful content over keyword stuffing, as search engines penalize over-optimized content that provides a poor user experience.
Using Informational Keywords for Blog Content Ideas
Informational keywords are goldmines for developing blog content that attracts potential clients at the early stages of their legal journey.
These keywords typically have lower competition than commercial terms while generating steady traffic from people seeking answers to legal questions. By creating high-quality content addressing these informational queries, your firm establishes authority and captures leads before they’re ready to hire.
Start by creating a master list of informational keywords related to your practice areas.
For personal injury attorneys, these might include “what to do after car accident,” “how long do I have to file injury claim,” or “average settlement for whiplash injury.” For estate planning lawyers, consider terms like “when to update your will,” “difference between will and trust,” or “how to avoid probate in [state].”
If you are using Semrush, look in the “Questions” section will often give you dozens of ideas:
Developing a Content Calendar Based on Keyword Research
Create a content calendar that prioritizes creating blog posts, articles, and resource pages around your long-tail keywords and informational queries. Plan to publish content regularly, addressing different stages of the client journey and various practice areas.
For maximum SEO impact, each piece of content should target a specific keyword cluster—a primary keyword and several related secondary keywords. This approach helps your content rank for multiple relevant searches while maintaining a focused topic.
For example, a divorce attorney might create clusters around child custody, property division, alimony, and the divorce process itself. This topical organization helps search engines understand your site’s expertise in specific areas while providing a roadmap for consistent content production.
When creating blog content, focus on providing genuinely helpful, thorough information that answers the searcher’s question completely. Aim for comprehensive coverage that demonstrates your expertise while naturally incorporating related keywords. Remember that Google rewards content that best satisfies user intent, so prioritize quality and completeness over keyword density.
Each blog post should include strategic calls to action that guide readers toward consultation or contact pages. While informational content isn’t primarily designed to convert immediately, it should include pathways for readers who are ready to take the next step. Consider adding case study examples, client testimonials, or specific information about how your firm handles these particular legal situations.
Track the performance of your content over time, noting which keywords and topics drive the most qualified traffic and lead to consultations. Use these insights to refine your content calendar, doubling down on the most effective topics and keyword categories for your specific practice.
Need Expert Help With Law Firm SEO?
Effective keyword research is just the first step in a comprehensive SEO strategy for your law firm. By identifying the right keywords based on search intent, case value, and client journey stage, you can create content that attracts qualified prospects and positions your firm as the obvious choice. Remember that SEO is a long-term investment that builds sustainable traffic and leads over time.
At Dominate Marketing, a specialized law firm SEO agency, I help law firms identify and target the most valuable keywords for their practice areas and implement on them to rank on Google and get more of the cases they want. If you’re ready to attract more of your ideal clients through strategic SEO, contact me today by filling out the form below.