Evolving SEO Landscape: Why Quality Content and E-A-T Principles are the New Gold Standard for Law Firms

Traditionally, SEO professionals perceive links as a crucial metric in assessing a site’s relevance and its ranking potential but that is no longer the case.

Search engines, including Google, have shifted their focus towards the quality and relevance of a website’s content and reputation, rather than simply the quantity of its backlinks or meaningless content.

What does this mean for law firms investing in their digital strategy and search engine optimization (SEO)?

Better content.

Google has made it crystal clear that to secure favorable ranking, we must provide content infused with experience, expertise, authority, and trust – collectively known as E-E-A-T.

Google has prioritized these four pillars when scrutinizing a website page’s content and its potential impact on rankings to give their searchers meaningful results.

Many firms experienced significant drops in monthly search traffic due to the core algorithm changes in the first half of 2023 which downplay old pages on a site, and are instead prioritizing well-written, knowledgeable, dependable content that is accurate and trustworthy.

Firms and lawyers investing in ongoing search engine optimization understand that a collective effort is necessary to get results. This includes working with a team internally, and externally, to drive worthwhile inquiries and ultimately convert to desirable cases for a law firm.

So, why does blogging matter?

• Business Growth: For law firms, blogging is a key tool in digital marketing strategy. It can help drive traffic to a website, improve Search Engine Optimization, create opportunities for sharing on social media, and strengthen relationships with customers. Well-crafted blogs demonstrate a business’s competence and thought leadership in the legal field, increasing credibility and fostering trust with the audience.
• Professional Development: Blogging can help lawyers in various practice areas to establish expertise, share knowledge, and increase exposure. It can lead to referrals, speaking engagements, and other professional opportunities that come from staying top-of-mind with connections.
• Networking and Community Building: Blogging helps to build communities and networks of individuals with similar interests. It allows for conversation, collaboration, and social interaction, promoting a sense of community and connectedness.
• Education and Information Sharing: Blogging helps to educate and share information on a wide range of topics, turning it into a platform for teaching, learning, and stimulating conversation. It can also serve to inform the public about important issues.

How long should blogs be?

The length of a blog post can vary greatly depending on the topic, the purpose of the post, the audience, and the platform. However, here are a few general guidelines:

• Short Posts (300-600 words): These are good for delivering concise information, expressing a singular point of view, or providing updates. These posts can be easy to read and share, but they might not offer the depth needed for complex subjects or SEO.
• Medium-Length Posts (600-1200 words): These posts offer more room for analysis, explanation, and depth while still being relatively quick to read. They strike a balance between providing substantial content and maintaining reader interest.
• Long Posts (1200-2000+ words): Long-form content can provide in-depth information or comprehensive guides on a subject. This type of post can be very beneficial for SEO, as it provides more opportunities for keyword placement and backlinking. It’s also more likely to be shared and referenced by others, but it requires a significant time investment from readers.

There’s no definitive answer to the perfect length of a blog post because it largely depends on the specific context. However, research by SEO specialists like SEMrush and Backlinko suggests that long-form content tends to perform better in terms of SEO, with the ideal length often cited around 2000 words.

Regardless of length, ensure your blog post is high-quality, engaging, and valuable to your readers. Content quality should always take precedence over content quantity.

It’s also important to break up longer posts with headings, subheadings, images, bullet points, and infographics to make them more readable and engaging.

Ready to elevate your law firm’s digital presence?  Our team helps lawyers and law firm create meaningful, educational content that affects the day-to-day decision making of the reader.  Contact us to help with your content development today.