New for 2017: voice search and mobile optimization checklist for attorneys

New for 2017: voice search and mobile optimization checklist for attorneys

Voice search is no longer a novelty. Increasingly, people are using personal assistants like Siri and Google Assistant to ask questions and perform basic searches. In May of 2016, approximately 20 percent of all searches performed on Google's mobile app and Android devices were done by voice. The popularity of products like Amazon Echo and Google Home will only increase consumers' comfort with voice search. Research by ComScore suggests that 50 percent of searches will be voice-based by 2020.

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Google's Labor Day Weekend Update is a Big Win for Keyword Stuffers

Google’s Labor Day Weekend Update is a Big Win for Keyword Stuffers

While the number of algorithm changes so far in 2016 has been lower than average, several no-name updates have stormed through Google's search results, disrupting top-page standard bearers.

In May, Google started issuing outbound link penalties and devaluing media sites. This caused a big shakeup as the ripple affect dethroned many highly-ranked page one listings and introduced some new websites to the top.

On Friday, September 2nd, Search Engine Roundtable reported that search engine marketers and tracking...

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Study provides insight into what Google is looking for in a quality page

Study provides insight into what Google is looking for in a quality page

A recently published study performed by Backlinko provides insight into the correlation between several page factors and their effects on search engine results. Backlinko looked at a comprehensive sample of 1 million Google search results to determine its findings. The study confirmed some closely held search marketing beliefs while also producing unexpected results. Here is a summary of key findings, along with tips for how attorneys can use them.

Links are still important

Despite Google's apparent...

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Ten things search engines are looking for in a law firm webpage

Ten things search engines are looking for in a law firm webpage

Looking forward into 2016, one prediction is certain: Google will continue to update its algorithm, sometimes to the pleasure and sometimes to the dismay of website owners. And, when major shifts occur, as always, search marketing strategies will have to adapt.

Today, however, your firm is competing for elusive, difficult to obtain and extremely valuable placement in the first page of search results. According to an Advanced Web Ranking study, the average click through rate for page one...

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Google's RankBrain brings machine learning to search results

Google’s RankBrain brings machine learning to search results

Last week Google revealed it has been using RankBrain, a machine learning process, to help return results for a large number of search queries. Google began a slow, quiet rollout of the update in early 2015, and RankBrain has been completely live and in use for searches globally for the past several months.

With the addition of RankBrain to its algorithm, Google is attempting to better predict what information people are searching for by using past queries to learn...

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7 Ways to reduce web page bounce rates

7 Ways to reduce web page bounce rates

A high bounce rate may be an indication that a web page is not functioning optimally. Bounce rates can be discouraging, and they can be deceptive. While there are multiple reasons a visitor could bounce — not all of them bad — it is generally a good idea to work toward lowering bounce rates.

What is bounce rate?

Bounce rate is usually described as the percentage of single-page sessions. Specifically, the number of times, as a percentage of...

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How firms with multiple locations can improve local rankings

How firms with multiple locations can improve local rankings

Law firms with multiple locations may find it more difficult to rank well in local search results than those with only a single location. Size, which can be advantageous when building authority, does not necessarily translate into better local visibility. Each office has unique business data associated with it, and citations corresponding to each location can easily proliferate to unhealthy levels without consistent oversight.

Law firms of all sizes benefit from good local search visibility. Most legal issues are handled...

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Law firm business development: 10 essential questions to ask a marketing agency

Law firm business development: 10 essential questions to ask a marketing agency

Marketing is a reality for lawyers. It has become a necessary part of business development, which is important for maintaining and growing a solid client base and being prepared for challenges like recession or client loss. Finding a good marketing company can be arduous. The choice is considerable. Many professionals have been let down by a company they have hired, and most know a colleague who has been disappointed by a relationship gone sour or promises not kept.

Your...

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The month in mobile: 5 developments that will impact search marketing

The month in mobile: 5 developments that will impact search marketing

Google's recent algorithm update may have produced mixed results, but it did push mobile usability into the spotlight, forcing many businesses to face long-standing mobile compatibility issues.

Some analysts saw Google's update as a power play in which the search giant used its size and influence to force changes it wants to see in the industry. Writing for CNET, Richard Nieva said, "Google has used its power as the most-visited website in the world to force other sites...

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How to use geotargeting to get your message to the right people

How to use geotargeting to get your message to the right people

Nationwide marketing campaigns are neither attainable nor necessary for most firms. The cost is high, and the ads will reach relatively few people who can actually take advantage of the firm's services. Instead, only people in specific areas and jurisdictions need to be exposed to marketing messages. With geotargeting, it is possible to reach very precise groups of people based on location.

Geotargeting is the practice of using information about an individual's location to deliver relevant content,...

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