Building Authority And Search Engine Optimization For Higher Rankings

In the pursuit to deliver a better Internet experience, Google, Yahoo!, and the other major search engines diligently build better algorithms for ranking websites.While link popularity (the number of incoming links that point to your website) is still a valid search engine optimization tactic, it is far less vital to good rankings than trust and authority.In other words, if your website is considered authoritative, Google and Yahoo!will place it on the first page of organic listings for the competitive keywords you pursue.

The concept of trust and authority for search engine optimization is still hard to understand for many people.This article describes how a website becomes considered authoritative and explains the steps a website owner can take to build the authority of their website to enjoy higher organic rankings.

How A Website Becomes Authoritative

The best way to understand how websites become authoritative through search engine optimization is to consider research papers.

For example, if a particular research paper is cited by other research papers, it becomes credible.As more people cite the research paper, especially authorities in the same field as that of the paper, it becomes trusted and authoritative.Just like if Stephen Hawking cited a paper someone else wrote on black holes, others would consider the paper authoritative because Stephen Hawking is considered an expert in the field of black holes.

Authority through search engine optimization works in the same way.For example, when operating a website that publishes articles about golf, attracting links from Golf Digest or The Professional Golfers Association would increase the authority of your website within the field of golf.Basically, the more authority you have, the more likelihood you will place high in the organic listings of Google and Yahoo!

Building An Authoritative Website

Building an authoritative website through search engine optimization is difficult.

This is why many website owners turn to an SEO company.First, you must carve out a successful keyword inventory that targets and forms the foundation of your search engine optimization efforts.This requires extensive research, competitive analysis, identifying existing authorities in your field, and knowing how well those authorities control the keywords you want to target.

Second, you must build a satisfactory number of critical incoming links to your website.Ideally, these search engine optimization links should come from websites that are authoritative within your field.It isn't usually easy (picture trying to get Stephen Hawking to cite your research paper), but with time and effort, it can be accomplished.By slowly working to attract incoming links from trusted and relevant content websites, mildly relevant education websites (or .edu domains), and social media websites, you will grow the authority of your website.As your authority grows, as will your rankings in Google and Yahoo!for your targeted keywords.

Receiving Qualified Traffic

One of the main advantages to having an authoritative website is that the time, effort, and money invested in search engine optimization will begin to bring in qualified traffic over time.

As your website ranks higher, it gains exposure and respect, which attract more incoming links.The more this happens, the more authority you gain, the more exposure to qualified traffic you receive.

Building the authority of your website is a good search engine optimization strategy.Considering partnering with an experienced Chicago SEO company, or a search engine optimization company anywhere, to deliver the best results.

About the Author

Aaron Wittersheim writes informative articles for Whoast, a Chicago SEO company.

They help their clients boost their ROI through cutting-edge, ethical search engine optimization.Chicago serves as their headquarters, but they help clients nationwide.

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5 Law Firm Marketing Strategies to Retain Clients

Okay, youve landed a couple of good clients through your law firm marketing program. But landing them is only the first part of your task. Now the real work begins as you find a ways to keep those clients you have worked so hard to get. Business has been picking up since you revised your marketing strategy and things are looking up for steady growth in your practice.

Along with new clients comes the inherent need for more time to spend on their cases. Now the problem is not enough new clients but work flow and time management to handle them all. With such a limited schedule, how do you keep them happy so they dont run off and hire your competition

It is a situation that many attorneys find themselves in and the stress and frustration is overwhelming at times. The best thing to do is stop, take a deep breath and know that there is a simple solution to manage this situation.

The following five strategies are designed to help you maintain a good working relationship with your new client. You managed to land them, now get to work keeping them

1. Begin work on the case immediately. As soon as the client signs on, spend time that day or the next working on the case. This is not only to protect your clients best legal interests, but also to show them their need for immediate legal help. It also shows them that you genuinely care about them.

2. Send the client some form of written communication within 48 hours of taking the case. It isnt enough to start working immediately on their case. You must show that you are working and making progress by e-mailing them a copy of everything you do. Consider time stamping your e-mails so that your client sees you have begun working on their case almost as soon as you landed it.

It is also wise to send a tangible copy of all of your communications with your client. Often, it is easier for people to pay for services they can actually visualize. When they can see some physical evidence of your work, it seems worth more to them.

Follow-up letters after phone calls or in-person meetings are another great way to clarify and avoid misunderstandings. They also serve to protect you from malpractice accusations because you have everything documented and dated.

3. Send out a brief survey directed at new clients. Within one week of landing the new client, send out a one-page survey. This can be a great way to collect data on vital questions for use in future law firm marketing strategies; this is also a good time to ask them for their birthdays and anniversaries so you can send a card, which is a great
marketing strategy.

Why did they select your firm
Who else were they interviewing
What do they like best/worst about working with you
How can you improve
How fast was your response time to their initial request
How did they find you
Do they know of anyone else who could use your services
Additional contact information, etc

4. Send out a client satisfaction survey after you have completed the case. This is another great way to maintain good communication with clients. It also shows them that you really care about their opinions and feelings. They will see that their cases and how it all turns out are important to you.

5. Send the client a hand written thank you card. Nothing says you care like a greeting card. Send out the card the same day they select you as their attorney. It doesnt have to be anything fancy, but you should do it because no one else does.

While this seems like just a catchy line from a greeting card commercial, it really is useful. If you have taken the time to not only find a card, but to personally sign it, you will once again be showing your client that you really do care about them on a personal level.

Clients must feel like you are there to serve in their best interests because you want to be there. Lawyers have the negative reputation of only being in it for the prestige and the money. While these are two important factors from your business view, they are of little concern to your client. You must show you care through your law firm marketing efforts and your communication with your clients. If you dont care about them, they wont care about you.


About the Author

Stephen Fairley is CEO of The Rainmaker Institute is the nations largest law firm marketing company that specializes in helping small law firms generate more and better referrals and create a 7 figure law practice. Over 6,000 attorneys have benefited from our proven Rainmaker Marketing System. Attorneys: claim your FREE legal marketing CD 7 Keys to a 7 Figure Law Practice at

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