7 Ways to Help Clients Find Your Law Firm on Google First

Nobody scrolls to page two of Google. Not for shoes, not for restaurants, and definitely not for lawyers. If your law firm isn’t showing up in those first results, you’re invisible to clients who want fast answers.

Unfortunately, most people don’t pick a lawyer after hours of research. They grab their phone, type a need into Google, and call the first firm that looks credible. That means your biggest competitor isn’t the other firm across town. It’s your ranking on a search engine. 

The good news? You can absolutely do something about it. 

The bad news? It takes consistent effort.

The best news? We exist.

We’ve broken down some practical steps you can take right now to help your law firm climb the rankings and get in front of the clients who are already searching for you:

1. Own Your Google Business Profile

If you only do one thing for your online visibility, make it this. A Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is free, and it’s one of the biggest factors in local search rankings. That’s the box you see with maps, directions, reviews, and firm details. If your competitors are in there and you’re not, you’ve already lost.

Fill it out completely. Hours, phone numbers, services, photos, practice areas. Be obsessive about accuracy, as a wrong phone number or outdated hours makes you look sloppy. Then, keep it updated. Add posts, share firm news, and answer questions. Google rewards activity, and so do clients.

If your profile is empty or half-done, it tells people you’re not paying attention. That’s not the first impression you want to give someone who’s about to trust you with their legal mess.

2. Make Your Website Really Usable

Your website is your digital front door. If it’s slow, clunky, or unreadable on a phone, people bounce. Google notices when people click off quickly, and it will bury you for it.

At a minimum, your site needs to:

• Load quickly. Every extra second costs you potential clients.

• Be mobile-friendly. More than half of legal searches happen on mobile.

• Be secure (HTTPS). Clients notice that little lock icon in the URL bar, and so does Google.

On top of that, your site needs to make it easy for someone to contact you. Put your phone number and a clear “Schedule a Consultation” button at the top of every page. Don’t make people dig. The moment they can’t find what they want, they hit the back button straight into your competitor’s arms.

3. Write Content for Humans, Not Algorithms

Search engines and AI are smart, but your clients aren’t robots. They’re real people with questions, stress, and no patience for walls of legal jargon.

Write the way you’d talk to someone who just called your office. Yes, use the correct terminology, but explain it. Answer the exact questions people type into Google:

• “What does a DUI lawyer cost in my state?”

• “How long does probate take in this state?”

• “What should I do after being served divorce papers?”

Every one of those searches could lead a client straight to you if your site has the answer.

Blog posts, FAQs, and guides work wonders here. The more useful content you publish, the more chances you give Google to put you in front of clients.

Don’t write to sound impressive. Write to be clear, credible, and useful. That’s what gets clicks, and clicks are what get rankings.

4. Collect Reviews Like They’re Gold

You can write the best website in the world, but a stranger’s review will always carry more weight. Reviews are one of the biggest factors clients look at before making a call. They’re also a huge ranking signal for Google.

Here’s what works:

• Ask clients directly at the close of their case.

• Make it easy by sending them a direct link.

• Follow up once (politely).

  
  

Don’t panic about the occasional negative review. What matters is how you respond. A calm, professional reply that addresses the concern shows future clients you care. No one trusts a firm with 200 perfect five-star reviews and no feedback. They do trust a firm that engages honestly.

Reviews aren’t just a feel-good metric. They directly influence your spot in the local pack (that map with top firms listed). The more authentic reviews you have, the more likely you are to appear where clients click first.

5. Build Links That Actually Matter

In SEO, links are like referrals. When another site links to yours, it tells Google, “This firm is legit.” But not all links are created equal.

Skip the sketchy offers to “buy 500 backlinks.” Those will tank your reputation faster than you can say “sanction.” Instead, focus on quality:

• Local directories and bar association listings.

• Guest articles or interviews in local media.

• Partnerships with community organizations or nonprofits.

Each of these builds credibility with both Google and potential clients. It’s not about quantity. One strong link from a respected site beats a hundred junk ones.

6. Optimize for Voice Search

More people are asking Alexa or Siri to find a lawyer than ever before. Voice searches are longer and more natural, like:

• “Who’s the best personal injury lawyer near me?”

• “Find a criminal defense attorney open now.”

That means your site needs to include conversational phrasing and FAQs. Think about how clients actually ask questions out loud. Adding those natural phrases into your content gives you a better shot at being the answer a voice assistant pulls up.

Voice search is where local intent really matters. People don’t say, “Find me a general law firm.” They say, “Find me a divorce lawyer in Spokane.” Be specific, and you’ll catch those searches.

7. Track Results Like You Mean It

You can’t fix what you don’t measure. Google Analytics and Search Console are free tools that show you how people find your site, what pages they visit, and where they drop off.

At a minimum, track:

• Website traffic.

• What search terms bring people in.

• Conversion rate (calls, form fills, consultations booked).

If your bounce rate is high, your site is frustrating people. If your consultations aren’t climbing, you need stronger calls to action. Tracking this stuff isn’t glamorous, but it’s how you figure out what’s working and what isn’t.

Think of it like case prep. You wouldn’t walk into court without knowing the facts. Don’t market your firm without knowing your numbers.

Showing up first on Google isn’t magic, and it isn’t reserved for giant firms with massive budgets. It’s about covering the basics really well and keeping at it. Claim your Google Business Profile. Keep your website clean and fast. Write useful content. Collect reviews. Build real links. Optimize for voice. Track the results.

Do these consistently, and your law firm won’t just show up on page one; it’ll be the first call clients make.

If you don’t want to juggle all of this on your own, call us. At Borrowed Pen, we specialize in turning legal marketing from complicated jargon into strategies that actually bring in cases. 

You focus on winning for your clients. 

We’ll make sure they can find you in the first place. Work with us now.