SEO for solicitors: a UK law firm planning guide.

If you are new to the process, start with our explanation of SEO for lawyers. Then use this guide to turn the firm’s priorities into a delivery brief.

Write down the work the firm wants, the geography it serves and any capacity limits. “More organic traffic” is not specific enough to decide which pages to build. A firm expanding employer advisory work needs a different plan from one seeking residential conveyancing quotes.

Agree what makes an enquiry suitable and how that classification will be recorded. The intake team’s definition should inform the website and reporting rather than being added after a campaign starts.

The size and type of the firm shape the brief before the practice area does. A small firm or sole practitioner should complete its profile and five core pages before commissioning anything. A barristers’ chambers plans around practice groups and member profiles rather than departments, and a commercial property team writes for business readers who research for weeks before calling.

Consider a small firm that wants more employer advisory enquiries and has limited time to approve content. This is an illustrative planning exercise. Start with its existing employment page, check which searches reach it and separate employer services from employee representation where the firm offers both.

Our Scarsdale Solicitors case study shows a delivered website, service content and search work for a criminal defence firm. Its dated reporting screenshots explain the measures available; use the project to examine the work as well as the numbers.

Create a list of current URLs, their purpose, the service they support and the evidence available about their performance. Include pages receiving enquiries, links or relevant search impressions where data is available.

The SEO readiness review sets out the search data, page inventory and intake observations to collect before prioritising changes.

For overlapping pages, examine the actual content and search intent. Keep distinct guides and service pages when each has a useful role. Combine pages only when the result better serves the reader, with a specific migration plan for any changed URLs.

A prospective client needs to understand the work accepted, relevant experience, how the service begins and what information or fees apply. Use approved firm facts and evidence beside the claims they support.

A practical outline is: who the service is for, what the firm does, relevant people or evidence, scope and process, material questions, and the next action. The exact order should fit the service rather than repeating one template mechanically.

Legal content requires an appropriate source and approval process. Do not invent a solicitor’s credentials, a case result or a professional review simply to make the page look authoritative.

A technical review should explain the observed problem and the expected fix. A generic list of warnings is less useful than a checked issue affecting an important service page.

• Can important pages be reached through ordinary navigation and contextual links?
• Do successful pages return the correct status and have sensible canonical URLs?
• Are indexing controls and sitemap entries consistent with what should be public?
• Does the page show its main content without relying on a client-side search interface?
• Do mobile navigation, forms and contact actions work?
• Are images sized appropriately, with readable text and stable layouts?

Eligible Google Business Profiles and accurate office information support local discovery. Publish real locations and honest service coverage, rather than inventing branches to reach more searches.

For AI search, separate observed mentions from source improvements. Google’s guidance for its AI features points back to Search foundations. A question-and-answer format can help a reader, but no fixed paragraph length or schema guarantees a citation.

Compare consistent periods and definitions. Separate branded searches from non-branded service discovery, and website interactions from qualified enquiries. A seasonal change or a new paid campaign can affect the numbers, so avoid attributing every increase to the last SEO edit.

Keep a record of what changed, when it changed and which measure could plausibly respond. If visibility improves but suitable enquiries do not, review the landing page and intake journey before simply commissioning more articles.

Use the cost guide and timeline guide to assess a proposed programme. Our SEO service and audit service explain the corresponding delivery options.

• Use the SEO priority worksheet (CSV)
• Compare local and national SEO