Content Writing for Law Firms: The Ultimate Guide

It’s become increasingly important for law firms to invest in a multi-channel digital marketing strategy. Effective content plays a significant role in said strategy.

Good content can help law firms connect with prospects and existing clients. On the one hand, SEO-optimized content can rank highly and attract endless leads. On the other, content is an effective way of driving leads through your marketing funnel.

So, if you want…

  • To bring in more leads and, ultimately, more clients
  • To more easily convert all leads into clients
  • To establish yourself as a thought leader in your practice area

…than this guide is for you.

In this article, we’ll review the importance of content writing (and content marketing as a whole), give you tips to get started, and much more.



What is legal content writing?

Legal content writing involves creating informative and highly targeted content for law firms and legal service providers. It’s often about simplifying complex legal concepts for readers while using search engine optimization (SEO) tactics to increase a firm’s rankings.

The types of content written include blogs, case studies, FAQs, and practice area pages, aiming to communicate legal knowledge effectively to potential clients.

Ultimately, legal content writing is an effective law firm marketing strategy for any firm looking to attract new leads, establish itself as an authority, and get its name out there.


Why is content marketing important for law firms?

Content marketing for law firms is non-negotiable.

Here are just a few of the potential benefits:

  • Establishing authority: Content marketing is a great way for law firms to showcase their expertise and authority. By sharing industry insights, opinions, and informative articles on your practice area, you can become a leading voice in your field.
  • Building trust: Consistent, valuable content helps to build a stronger relationship with clients that drives client loyalty and long-term engagement. Consider writing blog posts that address questions and concerns you get asked a lot.
  • Boosting SEO: Search engines favor sites with high-quality, relevant content. This leads to higher rankings, increased visibility, and more potential clients.
  • Targeting and personalization: Content marketing gives you the opportunity to craft a tailored message that’s designed to address your audience’s needs.

A lot of content marketing involves writing. So it pays to hire a legal blog writer with a background in writing for law firms or, if you have the bandwidth, write the content yourself.


Understanding the basics of law firm content writing

At first, content writing for law firms might feel challenging, but like anything, it gets easier in time.

Essentially, your goal is to create informative, compelling, and accessible content that informs, engages, and converts your readers — typically people seeking legal advice or services.

Understanding your buyer persona and shaping your content around that is important. Remember that people seeking legal advice didn’t go to law school, so your content should be simple and avoid legal jargon.

The better you can explain legal terms and scenarios in plain language, the better. Take a look at how Trey Porter of Trey Porter Law writes for his website.

trey porter blog
(Image Source)

Different types of content have different requirements. For example, your attorney bio page and blog posts have different goals and should be created with that in mind.

As long as you showcase your expertise and write in a way that speaks to both Google and your audience, you’re golden.


How does content writing differ for law firms?

The basics of content writing — like clarity, readability, and SEO optimization — apply to all industries, but there are some differences when we look at law firm content writing.

Legal content writing requires a subject matter expert to be at the helm. The ability to understand legal concepts and break them down into simple, plain language is key.

Another important difference is the gravity of the subject matter. Depending on your practice area, you may be covering sometimes life-altering issues.

Two things to keep in mind:

  • Your tone must be professional while maintaining a sense of empathy and compassion — people going through legal issues want to feel understood.
  • Accuracy is key. Readers could be looking up serious issues that they need answers for now.

Lastly, there are some rules and regulations surrounding legal content. For example, certain attorney advertising rules could affect what you can and cannot publish.

This adds another layer of complexity to legal content writing, which most industries don’t deal with.


What is SEO and why it matters for your law firm’s content

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a digital marketing strategy designed to improve a website’s visibility on search engines like Google.

SEO plays a crucial role in attracting organic (free) traffic to your law firm’s website, improving your law firm’s online discoverability, and ultimately driving more clients to you.

For law firms, a sound SEO strategy is one of the best marketing strategies for several reasons.

  • If your site appears at the top of SERPs for relevant search queries, potential clients are more likely to visit your site.
  • By producing quality, SEO-optimized content that answers searchers’ questions, you show your expertise and build trust with potential clients.
  • SEO can be highly targeted, helping you reach prospects actively searching for your services. These prospects convert at a much higher rate.
  • You own your SEO content, unlike marketing channels like PPC, where you have to have a consistent budget.

The role of keywords in law firm content

Keywords are pivotal in your law firm’s content (and overall SEO strategy).

They’re the words or phrases that users type into search engines to find what they’re looking for.

Integrating these keywords into your content improves the chances of your website appearing in search results for those terms.

The key is identifying relevant, targeted keywords that your audience is typing into Google.

We’ve written an entire guide on keyword research for lawyers, but to get you started, here are a few tips.

  • The legal industry is one of the most competitive (link), so generic head terms won’t get any results. Instead, focus on location-specific long-tail keywords like “family law attorney in Seattle.”
  • Keyword usage should be natural. Don’t overuse keywords because you think it’s the right thing to do. In some cases, it could do more harm than good.

5 steps to start creating high-quality legal content

A lot goes into creating content. And depending on who you ask for advice, you may get some wildly different feedback.

With that said, there are a few steps that most content marketers agree are essential.

Let’s dive in.


Understanding your audience

Every solid content marketing strategy begins with knowing your audience.

Put the work in to create thorough client personas. Odds are you’ll have a few.

law firm client persona

You likely already have an idea of who your ideal client is. And if you don’t, it’s as easy as going through your past clients and looking for similarities.

Here are just a few questions your client persona should answer:

  • What’s their common age range?
  • What marketing channels do they respond to?
  • What do they do online?
  • What’s their socioeconomic background?

By answering these questions, you can tailor your content to meet their needs and interests.


Researching and selecting relevant legal topics (and keywords)

The type of content you create does depend on your goals. For example, if your main goal is to attract more organic traffic, you’ll want to research keywords and find topics relevant to your client persona.

If you want to establish yourself as a thought leader and build credibility, writing opinion pieces and sharing insights on what’s happening in the world (while staying relevant) is a good strategy.

As long as you keep your client persona in mind, the content you create will resonate and perform well.

Consider using tools like Semrush for keyword research and Google Trends to see what’s trending in your practice area and city.


Developing a content calendar

All good law firm marketing campaigns begin with organization and careful planning.

When we’re thinking of content, nothing is more important than a solid content calendar. It’s a tool to plan and organize your content creation months in advance.

Knowing what content is due and when, its purpose, and where you’re going to publish it can all help you stay consistent — an important part of content creation for SEO.

And depending on what you include in your calendar, it could provide a strategic view of your content, allowing you to identify content gaps, duplicate content, and opportunities for growth.


Creating engaging and informative content

Now we get into the actual content creation.

It’s not enough to write a dry blog post full of legal jargon or to have ChatGPT or other AI tools pump out a blog post.

Your content needs to be engaging and informative. It should answer your client persona’s questions and address their needs. And if your goal is to rank, it needs to be comprehensive and answer something your competitors are missing.

The goal is to break down legal concepts in an easy-to-understand way, incorporating real-life examples. Being relatable can help potential clients feel more comfortable reaching out to you.


Incorporating SEO strategies

If ranking highly on Google is your goal, you can’t leave SEO as an afterthought. It should be a core part of your content creation process.

From conducting keyword research to optimizing your title tags and meta descriptions, these SEO strategies will help your content reach more people.

A lot more goes into SEO than just keywords. Head on over to our SEO for Lawyers guide to learn more.


Measuring the success of your law firm content strategy

Understanding how well your content strategy is performing is crucial. You can measure key metrics and adjust your strategy based on the data you gather.


Key metrics to track

To evaluate your content’s effectiveness, you need to track the following metrics:

  • Traffic: The number of users visiting your site showcases the reach of your content. Higher traffic suggests more effective content.
  • Bounce rate: This refers to the percentage of visitors who leave your site after viewing only one page. A high bounce rate could suggest your content isn’t engaging enough.
  • Time on page: This measures how long users stay on a particular page. The longer they stay, the more likely they’re finding the content valuable.
  • Conversions: These are actions you want visitors to take, such as filling out a contact form or subscribing to a newsletter. The higher your conversion rate, the more effective your content is in driving action.

Adjusting your strategy based on data

You could have a ton of metrics, but they don’t work for you unless you make them.

For example, if you have a high bounce rate on a certain blog, you might want to rework the piece to make sure it’s addressing search intent and really answering the question at hand.

If your conversion rate is low, you might need more call-to-actions or need other touchpoints, like a piece of gated content, to get people engaged with your law firm.

Monitoring these metrics regularly allows you to tweak your strategy and enhance your content’s impact.

A successful content strategy is fluid, evolving based on your audience’s behavior and preferences. This data-driven approach will help your law firm advance in the digital landscape.


Frequently Asked Questions


Why is content marketing crucial for law firms?

Content marketing helps law firms attract potential clients by providing valuable information, establishing trust, and building brand awareness. It’s an effective way to showcase your expertise, answer common legal questions, and increase your online visibility.


How does content writing for law firms differ from other industries?

Law firm content writing often involves explaining complex legal concepts in a simple, easy-to-understand manner. Legal blogs need to be accurate, informative, and follow legal ethical standards. Readers look for reliable, professional legal advice, making credibility essential.


What role do keywords play in law firm content?

Keywords are vital for SEO as they help your law firm’s content rank higher on search engine results. Using the right keywords can drive more organic traffic to your site by getting more eyeballs on your web pages.


What are some steps to create high-quality legal content?

Steps include understanding your audience, selecting relevant legal topics, developing a content calendar, creating engaging and informative content, and incorporating SEO strategies.


What are the benefits of outsourcing content creation to a marketing agency?

Outsourcing content creation can offer law firms benefits like expertise in content marketing and SEO, time and resource efficiency, consistent quality content, innovative ideas, and precise data analysis for improving your strategy.


How a marketing agency can elevate your law firm’s content strategy

Most lawyers don’t have the bandwidth to invest the necessary amount of time into content creation.

Content writing for law firms requires a consistent effort to generate results. And we find that most lawyers are already swamped with casework and other non-billable tasks.

Working with a marketing agency can take some stress off your plate while delivering a positive ROI. And if it’s a law firm-specific agency, you can bet they have the pulse on the content strategies that work and how to execute them.

JurisPage specializes in working with law firms like yours, helping improve their visibility across all marketing channels. That includes creating high-quality content to bring in tons of traffic. Reach out today for a free consultation.