SEO for Bankruptcy Law Firms: Everything You Need to Know in Simple Terms 

As a bankruptcy lawyer, you can’t sit idly and expect prospects to come and find you if you don’t have a solid search engine optimization strategy.

People facing bankruptcy aren’t poring through telephone books anymore – in fact, 64% of people looking for legal advice consult Google first.^[1]

Other bankruptcy law firms in your area likely already use SEO techniques to scale the heights of search engine results pages. The further up a company appears in Google’s listings, the more likely people click to learn more.

However, it’s a complex process that often takes months to come into force – thankfully, you don’t have to tackle SEO alone. 

We’re here to show you how to get started and what to do if you need support.

If you’d like to skip straight to our top bankruptcy lawyer SEO tips, click here.

What Is SEO for Bankruptcy Lawyers?

SEO for bankruptcy lawyers is a series of digital strategies that help get your firm’s website seen in search engine results pages, also known as SERPs. It’s an important part of your broader bankruptcy attorney marketing efforts.

SEO techniques help websites rank higher on SERPs by appealing to search engine algorithms. When you rank highly, you’re among the first bankruptcy law firms people see when they search.

Ranking well is largely about ensuring your website is relevant and easy to use, and assuring search engines know you’re an authority in your field.

Google’s search engine ranking algorithms typically revolve around user experience. That means it prioritizes websites that:

• Use relevant phrases people search for
• Provide genuinely informative content
• Load quickly
• Are easy to read and navigate
• Link to and from authority sites
• Support visitors reading on mobile devices

prioritizes websites that

Use relevant phrases
people search for

Provide genuinely
informative content

Load quickly

Are easy to read
and navigate

Link to and from
authority sites

Support visitors reading on
mobile devices

SEO covers many different factors on and off your website – from registering in external directories to ensuring your web pages all link to each other correctly.

It also goes beyond just ranking highly in search results. Strong SEO strategies ensure your visitors stay on your website and feel compelled to reach out to learn more.

Why does bankruptcy lawyer SEO matter?

Bankruptcy lawyer SEO makes you visible in relevant search results to people who need your help with their finances.

Being more visible drives more clicks and more client conversions. You’re ten times more likely to get clicked in spot one than in spot ten. Break into the top three, and you get more than half of all clicks on a single results page.^[2]

In bankruptcy law, you must show your potential clients you’re reputable, trustworthy, and knowledgeable. 

A finance lawyer with strong visibility on Google has passed the search engine’s algorithm checks – and given that almost two-thirds of US citizens trust Google implicitly, that’s a strong recommendation.^[3]

In a competitive industry like bankruptcy law, catching a searcher’s attention is crucial. With ranking factors like informative content, efficient loading, and clear linking, you can keep people invested in your site and encourage them to reach out to you.

There are many different ways to market your firm, but remember that 68% of all website visits, and therefore online client journeys, start at a search engine.

Provided you have an experienced SEO marketing agency specializing in bankruptcy law behind you, you keep visitors flowing into your site and converting to paying clients.

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The Pivotal Elements of Search Engine Optimization for Bankruptcy Attorneys

There are a few key elements that all successful search engine optimization campaigns need to include. 

Let’s explore them in detail from the perspective of bankruptcy law firms.

Search engine optimization for bankruptcy lawyers: A summary

SEO audit

An SEO audit looks into your website’s current optimization health. An expert typically examines your site behind the scenes to check its performance compared to Google and user expectations.

Audit reports tell you what you need to do to improve your rankings, drive more traffic to your website, and boost client conversions.

An SEO auditor might find that:

• Your website isn’t loading as quickly as your competitors’
• Your content contains duplicates
• You’re not using the best keywords
• There are inappropriate keywords stuffed into pages
• It’s difficult to use your website via mobile
• You’re missing technical features like title tags and meta descriptions
• Your website’s poorly structured and hard to navigate
• You’re receiving few backlinks from authority sites
• There’s not enough content on your site compared to your competition

These factors all harm your visibility in specific searches. Experts from an SEO agency use audit results to create roadmaps to fix and optimize your website.

Keyword research

Researching keywords means finding phrases and terms searchers use to find your firm online. Experts typically use tools like Ahrefs to find and measure keywords that are the most relevant and likely to point potential clients in your direction.

Once your SEO expert compiles a list of keywords, you can optimize your website’s content around them to attract searchers. You might write blog posts around specific keywords or answer questions about insolvency:

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SEO experts choose strong keywords based on a few different factors:

Volume: How many people search for a phrase. The more searchers, the more potential traffic.

Relevance: How relevant a phrase is to your service. For instance, “bankruptcy lawyers Ontario” might be more relevant than “debt collection law firm Ontario.”

Difficulty: How much competition there is from paid advertisers on a phrase. The more competitors, the harder it is to rank with organic content.

One of the most effective ways to attract people through keywords is by combining them with the names of locales you serve.

This lawyer uses a “long-tail” or highly specific keyword to head a landing page created to attract people from search engines:

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Website optimization

Optimizing a website means taking care of on-site content and technical tweaks behind the scenes.

An optimized website is one that:

• Loads quickly
• Is easy to use on all devices
• Has clear links and calls to action

Here’s an example of a bankruptcy law firm website with clearly organized links:

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SEO experts optimize websites to appeal to Google’s web crawlers, which index web content in results pages based on user experience and technical factors. However, they also optimize websites to reduce bounce rates, when visitors leave after only reading one page.

Auditors and SEO experts recommend the following optimization checks, which typically need regular maintenance:

• Boosting page load speeds
• Increasing website interactivity
• Ensuring content contains relevant keywords
• Monitoring pages for high exit rates and traffic loss
• Keeping pages responsive for desktop and mobile users
• Checking Core Web Vitals in line with Google recommendations

Content creation

Everything on your website is “content.” That covers your page copy, blog posts, videos, and podcasts. However, it also includes off-page data like your social media content and email marketing text.

Relevant, informative content helps Google’s crawlers understand your website’s value to searchers. It’s also important for attracting people who are looking for trustworthy, knowledgeable bankruptcy law firms.

Potential clients facing bankruptcy are likely to feel scared and apprehensive. They might not know what to do when losing money and assets and aren’t confident in making life-altering decisions.

Therefore, you appeal to Google and discerning searchers with content that’s not only relevant but useful. Consider a blog that acts like a knowledge base answering common insolvency questions:

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By building a mine of information, you attract people at the top of the client conversion funnel looking for answers.

Content production, however, takes your time away from actively managing clients and cases. It’s worthwhile to work with an SEO agency that provides content writers, photographers, videographers, and social media managers to keep visitors converting.

Internal and external link-building

By linking internally across pages within your site, you help readers find content that’s relevant to their interests, saving them time from having to click around and search.

This also shows Google that you have clear signposts across your website. Its crawlers understand your layout better and learn how to index your content. The more organized and user-friendly your website is, the higher it’ll rank.

Here’s an example of a strong internal link used in a blog post call to action, or CTA, where you encourage readers to contact you or make a choice. This particular example gives more value back to the visitor:

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A small amount of external links that leave your site also help you build your online authority. They show Google and your visitors that you care about their needs. You help them find other resources even if they might take people off-site.

Again, external linking helps Google’s crawlers understand your site’s purpose, relevance, and value.

Technical SEO

Technical SEO dives into aspects of your website that go unseen to most but are critical for its performance and Google’s crawling.

As with the points covered in step three, many technical checks behind the scenes revolve around ensuring your site loads efficiently and is easy to follow.

Some technical SEO factors experts check include:

• Page load times
• Code cleanliness and simplicity
• Sitemap health and if it’s submitted to Google
• Security (such as checking you’re using the secure HTTPS protocol)
• 404 errors and broken links
• Robots.txt instructions for crawlers to follow
• Meta content like title tags, image tags, and descriptions – all help crawlers understand your site better

The technical side of SEO is complex. It’s why so many successful bankruptcy lawyers contact agency experts to help manage it on their behalf.

Here’s an example of a bankruptcy law firm that has created a clear site map:

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Local SEO and Google Business Profile

Local SEO covers optimization techniques that help people find you based on where they’re searching.

A general keyword for your service might be “bankruptcy attorneys,” while a localized long-tail keyword might be “bankruptcy attorneys in North York.”

Many of your clients are likely searching for insolvency help within your catchment area. By leveraging location-based phrases, you rank higher in more search results and target people looking for nearby help.

One of the biggest assets of local SEO is Google Business Profiles (GBPs). Formerly Google My Business, GBPs appear in local search results and show searchers:

• Your full company name and contact details
• Legitimate client reviews
• Your location based on Google Maps
• Your trading or opening hours
• How long you’ve been trading for
• Who works for your firm

Consider your GBP a snapshot of your business, a preview searchers check at a glance before clicking through to your website. Around 32% of SEO experts believe GBPs to be the single most important local SEO ranking factor:^[4]

GBPs add more legitimacy to your bankruptcy law firm’s website. You can verify your profile with Google and show searchers that you genuinely support their insolvency worries.

Tracking performance and committing to continuous improvement

You’re in SEO for the long haul. It takes a while for SEO and marketing efforts to start driving new clients and positive results, but when they do, you need to nurture and maintain them.

SEO experts look out for the following changing factors when managing bankruptcy lawyers’ websites:

• Changes in bounce rates
• New keyword opportunities
• Keywords no longer driving traffic
• Pages losing traffic
• Impression numbers
• Domain authority
• Click-through rates and conversions
• Emerging industry trends and client concerns

Content strategists also research your competitors to track topics growing popular with readers. Here’s an example of a bankruptcy lawyer running regular news features to support reader knowledge and show expertise:

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7 Proven Tips for SEO for Bankruptcy Law Firms

We’ve looked at why SEO for bankruptcy attorneys is a must, so let’s explore how to practice these principles.

Best practices for bankruptcy attorney SEO: A summary

1. Build a strong collection of content about finance and bankruptcy

Google’s Helpful Content Update in 2022 changed rankings for the better. The most visible bankruptcy lawyers are those with the most informative and actionable advice.

Your website needs a robust and diverse collection of useful guides and articles. Focus first on educating your readers, answering frequently asked questions, and using subtle calls to action.

Build a strong content core around common questions, and you increase your chances of receiving backlinks from other websites, pushing your chances of visibility.

Here’s an example of a few topics you could cover to help people looking for bankruptcy lawyers:

Source

Don’t neglect video and audio content. Around 96% of online marketers regard video content as highly important in building effective strategies, with the same number stating it’s helped users understand services and products better.

Create “explainer” videos around bankruptcy concepts, embed them into your site, and build up a YouTube channel to drive additional traffic. YouTube in itself is a fantastic search engine with billions of active users. 

Alper Law, for instance, runs a specialized bankruptcy law YouTube channel to help break down complex topics and guide people to their bankruptcy services:

2. Register with bankruptcy law firm directories

Registering your law firm via online directories boosts your web traffic even further. Official directories in the US and Canada list legitimate, specialized lawyers and companies.

Directory listings help advertise your website beyond organic SEO results and create greater visibility in the broader law community.

Consider listing your firm and website in general lawyer directories first for the broadest scope. Try reputable directories like Avvo, Legal Zoom, and FindLaw.

From there, niche down into bankruptcy lawyer listings. Justia has a specific section for insolvency experts filtered by state.

Here’s how insolvency lawyers from Illinois appear listed:

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This example illustrates just one “off-page” SEO technique to help show Google your authority and assure potential clients you’re legitimate. 

3. Guest post on bankruptcy law websites and blogs

Guest posting is a great way to naturally insert links to your website through other authority blogs and platforms.

A guest post is an article focusing on an area of your business that you subtly link to your firm. This means you drive visitors from your posting site and build your audience.

Once again, building backlinks through guest posts shows Google that other authority names in your industry trust you. On average, the top link in a Google results page has 3.8 times more backlinks than the rest of the top ten.^[5]

SEO experts use tools such as Ahrefs to find guest posting opportunities for bankruptcy lawyers. Their Content Explorer tool crawls billions of web pages, allowing you to search for keywords and find relevant websites with high domain authority ratings.

Here’s an example of a guest post on a blog that points back to a bankruptcy law website:

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4. Monitor your competitors

All law firms with SEO strategies closely monitor their rivals to ensure they’re meeting prospects’ needs and that their performance is up to par.

Otherwise, developing an SEO strategy can feel like you’re working in the dark. 

Again, it’s helpful to have the support of a bankruptcy law firm SEO agency that knows how to track your vitals and compare them to others.

Some experts use tools like Semrush to analyze competing websites and help you:

1. Close keyword gaps and find new opportunities
2. Assess rivals’ backlinks
3. Compare your domain authority score against competing sites
4. Create content templates based on pages that rank highly on similar topics and keywords

Semrush lets you find competitors if you’re unsure who your main keyword rivals are:

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Checking these details is important so you can better inform your SEO strategy in the future.

5. Target local, long-tail keywords regarding bankruptcy and financial struggles

Long-tail keywords target highly specific and specialized search terms. Although you might expect less traffic for these keywords, they’re more likely to be further down the funnel, meaning searchers are more likely to convert.

Long-tail keywords work better for searchers, too, as they’re more likely to click through to sites that specifically target their needs. It’s the difference between targeting keywords like “bankruptcy legal advice” and “business insolvency advice in Lincoln.”

There are far fewer monthly searches for long-tail keywords compared to generic queries. However, a study by Ahrefs found that people searched for 95% of their US-based keywords fewer than ten times per month. These phrases make up the majority of searches.^[6]

As mentioned, targeting local keywords ensures you reach people who are specifically searching in your area. Combine this with long-tail phrases to narrow your scope even further. There’s less risk of attracting searchers who click through only to find you don’t offer a service they need.

Take a look at this landing page, which targets a local long-tail in a heading and in the text:

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6. Carefully manage testimonials and reviews

Reviews play a big part in helping convert searchers through local results and Google Business Profiles. 

As you can see, GBPs present scores for law firms out of five stars, and they’re visible at the top of search results:

Searchers also see how many reviews you have, meaning the higher the score and the more ratings you’ve counted, the more reputable and appealing you look.

Start asking existing and past clients to complete quick Google reviews for you to submit to the search engine at the end of cases. You should also consider setting up a testimonials page to help convert visitors.

Testimonials also work as stronger ending points for landing pages. Once you address a visitor’s problem and explain how you help them, you could share a few case studies to prove your worth and then finish with a clear call to action.

Here’s an example of a bankruptcy lawyer using a carousel-style testimonials section at the bottom of a landing page:

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7. Use photography to introduce your team in the best light

While even the best photos of your team might not encourage a sale or drive clicks directly, they help people stay on page and decide to call. That said, an article with an image is 94% more likely to drive a click than one without.

The reason for this is purely down to trust and familiarity. Bankruptcy is, for many people, the last resort. They want reassurance from a professional, friendly, and trustworthy face.

Google also benefits from images as part of your SEO strategy. Use a range of unique photos of your lawyers and tag them clearly so crawlers understand their purpose.

Ideally, use photos to introduce your team, add faces to clients offering testimonials, and use relevant images to explore different topics.

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You can overdo site imagery and photos, however. We go into more detail in our guide to law firm website photography.

Here’s an extra tip:

Use photos for each of the lawyers in your team through Google’s local service ads, which sit at the top of search results and complement SEO.

3 Ways To Get Started With Search Engine Optimization for Bankruptcy Lawyers

If you’re ready to start exploring search engine optimization for bankruptcy law firms, there are three routes to take:

1. Learn SEO best practices and DIY it
2. Build a team of in-house bankruptcy SEO specialists
3. Hire an agency that’s a bankruptcy law SEO expert

Here’s more information on each.

1. Learn SEO best practices and DIY it

If we’ve made SEO look easy, that’s great – and plenty of lawyers manage their website content effectively.

However, they do so at the expense of time they could spend engaging with clients and nurturing relationships. 

There’s certainly no harm in learning the ropes of SEO, but it takes years to build up the expertise needed to set up and maintain a fantastic strategy. If you’re already running a law firm, it’s unlikely you can spread yourself so thin.

There’s also a risk of getting things wrong. Unless you’re trained in SEO and have years of successful strategizing behind you, things will go awry. If you’re completely new to optimization, you could risk your current rankings and even turn visitors away.

At worst, there’s a risk of you getting penalized by Google and falling down the rankings.

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2. Build a team of in-house bankruptcy SEO specialists

Building a team of bankruptcy SEO experts means you have talented and experienced people to count on throughout the working day. They know what great SEO looks like, and you continue running your business as is.

That said, to run an in-house team, you need to pay salaries and benefits and draw up employer contracts.

When you set up a team, you have to account for the hardware and software they use, plus in-house training. You’re paying them for eight hours a day, regardless of whether or not you need them at any given moment.

Consider, too, that you need to know what true expertise in bankruptcy SEO looks like. If it’s your first time hiring for such a team, you’re looking at even more trial and error.

3. Hire an agency that’s a bankruptcy law SEO expert

Hiring an SEO agency to handle your bankruptcy law SEO is the best value option for long-term success. 

You only pay for expertise and guidance when you need it, there’s no need for training, and there are zero employer contracts.

Moreover, pricing and contracting with the best SEO agencies is transparent and broken down.

However, not all agencies are created equal. Look carefully at their credentials. Do they have any case studies and portfolio snippets that show you what they’re capable of? Do they rank well?

Look carefully at the types of clients your chosen agency supports, too. It’s wise to look for a team versed in helping bankruptcy lawyers, as they know the best techniques tailored to your specialty.

Above all, look for a company willing to work with in-house marketers (if you have them), offering on-call support and service through instant messaging.

If you work with a team offering a no-compete service, they avoid working with your rivals during a contract. You’re extra protected.

The good news is that lawyer SEO agencies like dNOVO offer all of the above, which ties us neatly into our conclusion. 

SEO for Bankruptcy Law Firm Website: A Long Game Worth Playing

SEO is all about making your website, its content, and any off-site media as user-friendly and engaging as possible. 

Google rewards you handsomely on its SERPs if you prove your expertise, authority, and trustworthiness.

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However, SEO for bankruptcy lawyers takes time, effort, and patience – you need an experienced law SEO marketing agency like dNOVO to help you keep your client base full while you focus on running your firm.

If you’re ready to transform the way people find your bankruptcy lawyers online, contact us.

In the meantime, we recommend learning other ways to boost client calls and conversions, such as call tracking.

From there, keep ahead of the latest movements in law firm technology with our guide to the best AI tools for lawyers on the market.

SEO for Bankruptcy Law Firms: FAQs

Let’s look at a few common questions about search engine optimization for bankruptcy lawyers.

Do bankruptcy lawyers need SEO?

Bankruptcy lawyers use SEO strategies to appear more visible in specific search results, assure prospective clients they’re trustworthy, and keep visitors on-site longer.

What are some common mistakes you can make when optimizing bankruptcy law SEO?

Common mistakes in SEO include failing to optimize websites for mobile devices, ignoring local SEO strategies, forgetting off-site content such as Facebook posts, and ignoring slow page load speeds.

Are keywords important in search engine optimization for bankruptcy attorneys?

Keywords are some of the most important elements of bankruptcy law firm SEO because they help Google see that content is relevant to a particular theme. This means they rank higher in the right search results. However, other SEO factors are also important – learn more above.

Sources

1. Klein, Ryan. “How Do People Find Lawyers in 2022?”. Market My Market. Retrieved December 20, 2023.

2. Dean, Brian. (May 28, 2023). “Here’s What We Learned About Organic Click Through Rate.” Backlinko. Retrieved December 20, 2023.

3. Gandhi, Mitul. (January 11, 2021). “Do Americans Trust Tech Giants?” SeoClarity. Retrieved December 20, 2023. 

4. “Local SEO Ranking Factors 2023.” (April 13, 2023). BrightLocal. Retrieved December 20, 2023.

5. Dean, Brian. (October 31, 2023). “Here’s What We Learned About SEO.” Backlinko. Retrieved December 20, 2023.

6. Soulo, Tim. (November 25, 2021). “Long-tail Keywords: What They Are and How to Get Search Traffic From Them.” Ahrefs. Retrieved December 20, 2023.