You’re a criminal defense and DUI lawyer. Your clients are going through one of the worst experiences of their lives. They’re confused, scared, and their future hangs in the balance.
They need your guidance – but in a sea of attorneys all making the same promises, how do they find you?
It all comes down to one key strategy: Google.
Think about it. When someone gets arrested, what’s the first thing they do (after posting bail, of course)?
They grab their phone and search for a way out of this nightmare. They’re not scouring billboards or listening for radio ads – they’re desperately typing “criminal defense lawyer near me” into Google, praying for a lifeline.
There are tens of thousands of people searching Google for your criminal defense services every month…
If you’re not on that first page of results, you might as well not exist. But if you can claim those top spots? You become their beacon of hope in the darkness.
And that’s where SEO comes in.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. “I’ve tried SEO before. It was a waste of money.” Or perhaps you worked with a company that promised the world but left you stuck.
Slow results, big bills, and a small number of leads that hardly made it worth it — sound about right?
Here’s the thing, though: SEO isn’t the issue. Out-of-date, misguided SEO strategies are.
The rules have changed, and if you’re not keeping up, you’re falling behind.
But what if we told you there’s a better way to do it?
A modern, multi-part SEO approach that doesn’t just put you on the map, but puts you at the very top?
How We Can Help Your Criminal Defense Law Firm
When it comes to generating leads for criminal defense lawyers, no tactic packs a bigger punch than SEO.
Nothing is more potent than holding the top spot on Google when potential clients are actively seeking your services.
While Local Service Ads and Google Ads may sit at the very top of the search results, today’s savvy users often recognize these as paid placements. Many will intentionally skip the ads and navigate to the organic results, which they view as more trustworthy, impartial, and earned.
- Drive more traffic and leads (that snowball over time) — Google Ads can be a major traffic driver, but DUI specific related keywords come with a hefty price tag. You need to keep shelling out cash month after month to maintain lead volume. SEO traffic, on the other hand, is essentially free. Of course, reaching Google’s summit requires investing in the right strategies. But once you’ve claimed that top spot, Google acts as a 24/7 lead generation machine at no extra cost.
- Build trust and authority in your market — Users generally perceive Google’s organic results as more credible and authentic, since they can’t be bought. Your Google Business Profile bolsters your firm’s legitimacy by showcasing reviews, photos, and operating hours. Potential clients can call or message you directly from the search results without even visiting your site.
- Achieve a positive ROI on your total investment — SEO for criminal defense attorneys is ultra-competitive, but it’s more cost-effective than pay-per-click (PPC) advertising in the long run. Deep-pocketed firms can inflate the cost of ads. With SEO, you don’t need to outspend bigger players — you just need to outsmart them. We frequently see top-ranking pages with thin content, zero backlinks, and no recent updates. That’s your chance to leapfrog the competition.
Inside Our Blended SEO Framework
Our “blended” search strategy is engineered to maximize your visibility and rankings in your local market.
Most agencies flop because they hyper-focus on a couple of elements within the search results. We leave no stone unturned in ensuring your criminal defense law firm rakes in high-quality leads:
Technical SEO & On-Site Optimizations
Google prioritizes sites that are user-friendly and easy to grasp — meaning your technical SEO needs to be on point. Here are some of the key areas we’ll audit and optimize:
- Page Load Speed: Blazing-fast load times are critical for UX and can influence rankings. Compressing images, leveraging browser caching, and trimming code can accelerate your site.
- Mobile-Friendliness: A mobile-responsive site is non-negotiable in our smartphone-driven world. Google now uses mobile-first indexing, so your mobile site is what matters most.
- Structured Code: Clean, logical HTML and CSS help search engines efficiently crawl and understand your site. Utilizing proper heading tags (H1, H2, etc.) and semantic HTML can also improve your site’s accessibility.
- Schema Markup: Also known as structured data, schema markup is code that provides search engines with more context about your content. It can enhance your listings with reviews, FAQs, and more.
- Broken Links & Redirects: Too many broken links signal a neglected site. Appropriate use of 301 redirects passes link equity to new URLs.
- Page Titles & Meta Descriptions: Unique, keyword-optimized titles and meta descriptions are crucial, as they appear in the search results and shape click-through rates.
Local SEO
Snagging a spot in the local maps pack requires some additional optimizations:
- Google Business Profile (GBP) Optimization: Claim and optimize your GBP listing with accurate NAP (name, address, phone number) info, categories, description, hours, and photos.
- Local Business Schema: Structured data markup helps search engines understand your business’s local relevance, like your physical location and contact details.
- Online Reviews & Ratings: Encourage clients to leave reviews on your GBP and other relevant sites. Respond to all reviews, positive and negative.
- Local Link Building: Earning links from local businesses, directories, and events fortifies your local authority in Google’s eyes.
- Localized Content: Craft content tailored to your local market, like blog posts about local criminal defense laws or news. Establish your firm as a fixture in the community.
The Google “Maps Pack” drives over 50% of phone calls for our clients. If you rank here, you will print money!
Content Creation & Optimization
Every campaign begins with our proprietary Website Quality Audit. This deep-dive reveals your website’s content strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities through an SEO lens.
Equipped with these insights, our team gets to work:
- Keyword Research: We maintain an extensive database of criminal defense lawyer keywords. We just need to know what types of cases you want and where you practice.
- On-Page Optimization: We take stock of all existing pages and then update the meta tags, headings, copy, and schema markup of the most important ones.
- Content Gap Analysis: After optimizing your current pages, we identify any missing content needed to dominate the search results and create it from scratch. This includes practice area pages, blog posts, and more.
Link Acquisition
Links are the backbone of SEO. Each link to your site acts as a “vote” of trust and authority, which heavily influences rankings.
For local SEO, we focus on earning high-quality, relevant links from local businesses and organizations. This tells Google that you’re a prominent player in your local market.
The most potent local links come from well-regarded local businesses, relevant directories, news sites, and industry associations like your local bar association.
Here’s the bottom line: you won’t rank for high-value keywords without links. That said, some links can do more harm than good.
Our link building philosophy is quality over quantity. We pursue the most authoritative, move-the-needle links.
Local Service Ads (LSAs)
Unlike traditional PPC ads, you only pay for LSAs when they generate a lead (a call or text message).
These ads are showcased at the very top of the search results. If you pass Google’s screening and earn the “Google Guarantee” badge, it’s a huge credibility booster for prospective clients.
To thrive with LSAs, you need a steady stream of glowing reviews, rapid response times, and up-to-date business info.
As part of our SEO services, we help clients get verified and set up their LSA accounts completely free of charge.
Local Service Ads will have you on top of Google searches overnight.
Are We a Match For Your Criminal Defense Law Firm?
Our SEO services are truly unmatched, and we’re particular about the clients we choose to work with. We often find ourselves turning down more potential clients than we take on.
To ensure we can deliver jaw-dropping results, we cap our new client intake at a handful per month.
We’re an ideal fit if you:
✔️ Are the founder, managing partner, or key decision-maker at a criminal defense law firm
✔️ Generate a minimum of $1M in annual revenue
✔️ Are prepared to allocate at least $6,000/month to SEO
✔️ Have a dedicated intake team or 24/7 call answering service
✔️ Possess a growth-oriented mindset and aspire to scale your firm
✔️ Are fervently committed to securing the best possible outcomes for your clients
If you check those boxes, let’s explore how we can turbocharge your lead generation with SEO.
→ Book your free consultation here
