The Complete Law Firm SEO Checklist

    A comprehensive, actionable checklist covering every SEO optimisation your law firm's website needs to rank higher on Google, attract more clients, and outperform your competitors.

    Search engine optimisation for law firms encompasses dozens of interconnected elements, from the technical infrastructure of your website to the quality and depth of your content, your local search presence, and your off-page authority signals. Missing even a few critical elements can significantly undermine your rankings potential.

    This checklist distils our years of experience optimising law firm websites into a practical, prioritised guide. Whether you're auditing your existing site, briefing a web developer, or evaluating an agency's work, use this checklist to ensure nothing important is overlooked. Each item includes enough context to understand why it matters and how to implement it correctly.

    We've organised the checklist into six key areas that mirror our comprehensive SEO services. For deeper guidance on any specific area, follow the links to our detailed service pages and related resources.

    1Technical SEO Foundations

    • Ensure your website loads in under 2.5 seconds (LCP) — test with Google PageSpeed Insights and address any render-blocking resources, unoptimised images, or slow server response times that could be holding your Core Web Vitals scores back
    • Implement HTTPS across all pages with a valid SSL certificate — check for mixed content warnings where HTTP resources are loaded on HTTPS pages, as this undermines both security and trust signals
    • Create and submit an XML sitemap to Google Search Console — ensure it includes all indexable pages, excludes noindex pages, and updates automatically when new content is published
    • Configure robots.txt correctly — allow crawling of all important pages and resources while blocking admin areas, duplicate content, and parameter-based URLs that waste crawl budget
    • Implement proper canonical tags on every page — particularly important for law firms with similar service pages across multiple locations to prevent duplicate content issues
    • Ensure your website is fully mobile-responsive — test on multiple devices and screen sizes, check that buttons are thumb-friendly (minimum 48px tap targets), and verify forms work smoothly on mobile
    • Fix all broken internal links — use a crawling tool like Screaming Frog to identify 404 errors and redirect or fix them, as broken links waste crawl budget and harm user experience
    • Implement breadcrumb navigation with BreadcrumbList schema — this improves both user navigation and search result appearance
    • Set up Google Search Console and Google Analytics 4 — verify your property, check for crawl errors, and ensure tracking is correctly capturing all page views and conversions
    • Optimise images with descriptive alt text, proper file names, lazy loading, and WebP format — this improves page speed, accessibility, and image search visibility

    2On-Page SEO Essentials

    • Write unique, keyword-targeted title tags for every page — keep under 60 characters, front-load your primary keyword, and include your location where relevant (e.g., 'Family Law Solicitor Manchester | Expert Advice')
    • Craft compelling meta descriptions for every page — keep under 160 characters, include your primary keyword naturally, and write to earn the click with clear value propositions
    • Use one H1 heading per page containing your primary keyword — make it descriptive and compelling rather than generic
    • Structure content with logical H2 and H3 subheadings — use questions where appropriate (these can trigger featured snippets) and ensure a natural hierarchy that aids both readability and SEO
    • Include your primary keyword in the first 100 words of body content — this helps search engines quickly understand the page's topic and relevance
    • Write comprehensive, in-depth content that genuinely answers searcher questions — aim for the best answer available on the internet, not merely the longest page
    • Add internal links to related service pages, blog posts, and location pages — use descriptive anchor text that tells both users and search engines what the linked page is about
    • Include clear calls to action on every page — every visitor should know exactly how to contact your firm or request further information, regardless of which page they're on
    • Optimise URLs to be short, descriptive, and keyword-rich — avoid parameter strings, unnecessary folders, and auto-generated URL slugs
    • Add FAQ sections with FAQPage schema markup to key pages — this can generate rich results in Google and directly answers the questions potential clients are asking

    3Local SEO for Law Firms

    • Claim and fully optimise your Google Business Profile — complete every field including business description, services, Q&A, photos, and ensure your NAP (Name, Address, Phone) is exactly consistent
    • Build consistent citations across major UK legal directories — The Law Society, Solicitors.guru, Chambers and Partners, Legal 500, Yell, Thomson Local, and relevant specialist directories
    • Create dedicated location pages for each area you serve — include unique, valuable content about your services in that specific area, not just templated text with the location name swapped
    • Implement LocalBusiness schema markup with your firm's address, opening hours, practice areas, and geographic service area
    • Actively gather Google reviews from satisfied clients — develop a compliant, systematic process for requesting reviews and respond professionally to every review received
    • Ensure NAP consistency across your website, Google Business Profile, social media profiles, and all directory listings — even minor inconsistencies can harm local rankings
    • Add a Google Map embed to your contact page and location pages — this reinforces your geographic relevance to search engines
    • Create content targeting '[practice area] solicitor [location]' keyword patterns for every service and location combination relevant to your firm

    4Content & Authority Building

    • Develop a content calendar targeting keywords at every stage of the client journey — informational queries, comparison searches, and transactional/action-intent keywords
    • Create comprehensive practice area pillar pages (1,500+ words) covering each specialism in depth — these become your core authority pages that support the entire topic cluster
    • Publish regular blog content answering common client questions — use 'People Also Ask' data and client FAQ logs to identify topics with genuine search demand
    • Display clear E-E-A-T signals — author bios with solicitor credentials, 'last updated' dates, data source citations, and methodology explanations on all key content
    • Build topic clusters by creating supporting content around each pillar page — interlink these pages with contextual anchor text to build topical authority
    • Update existing content quarterly — refresh statistics, check for accuracy, add new sections based on emerging questions, and update the published date
    • Create case study or testimonial pages (where SRA-compliant) — these build trust with potential clients and provide unique content that competitors cannot replicate
    • Develop downloadable resources (guides, checklists) that attract backlinks and demonstrate expertise — these also serve as lead magnets for building your email list

    5Link Building & Off-Page SEO

    • Submit your firm to authoritative legal directories — prioritise Law Society listings, specialist accreditation directories, and regional law society memberships
    • Pursue digital PR opportunities — offer expert legal commentary to journalists, respond to HARO queries, and create data-driven content that attracts natural media coverage
    • Build relationships with complementary professionals — accountants, financial advisers, estate agents, and other referral partners who can link to your resources
    • Create genuinely link-worthy content — original research, comprehensive guides, infographics, and tools that other websites naturally want to reference and link to
    • Monitor and disavow toxic backlinks — regularly audit your backlink profile and disavow any spammy or manipulative links that could trigger a manual penalty
    • Pursue guest posting opportunities on legal publications and industry blogs — contribute genuinely valuable articles, not thinly-veiled advertisements

    6Conversion & User Experience

    • Place prominent contact forms above the fold on key landing pages — keep forms short (name, email, phone, brief message) to minimise friction
    • Add trust signals throughout the site — SRA authorisation details, accreditation logos, review ratings, years of experience, and case statistics
    • Ensure your website is accessible (WCAG 2.1 AA compliant) — proper heading structure, alt text, sufficient colour contrast, keyboard navigation, and screen reader compatibility
    • Implement live chat or callback request functionality — some clients prefer immediate interaction over form submissions
    • A/B test key conversion elements — headline copy, CTA button text, form placement, and trust signal positioning to continuously improve conversion rates
    • Create clear, intuitive navigation — visitors should be able to find any practice area or location page within two clicks from the homepage

    Need Help Implementing This Checklist?

    This checklist covers a lot of ground, and implementing everything effectively requires specialist knowledge and ongoing commitment. If you'd like expert help auditing your current site against this checklist and developing a prioritised action plan, request your free SEO audit and we'll show you exactly where your firm stands and what to focus on first.

    You might also find our guides on conversion optimisation and blog strategy helpful as you work through this checklist.