The rate at which people use LinkedIn to search for a service provider is accelerating, so it’s the right time to make sure that you come up at the top of internal LinkedIn search results. And while it’s still critical to optimize your web presence to be highly visible in Google, being visible on LinkedIn should also be part of your overall lawyer marketing strategy.
Fortunately, it’s easy and fast to shoot to (or near) the top of “organic” search results in LinkedIn. Why? Because not enough LinkedIn users are thinking this way, so the window to leapfrog other lawyers who want to be found for the same work as you is still pretty wide open.
But before I show you how, compare these results for the term “Miami Immigration Attorney” in LinkedIn (top screenshot), and Google (bottom screenshot).
1115 results in LinkedIn vs. 1.4 million results in Google! It’s vastly more difficult to be on the first page of Google. Now, it’s true that LinkedIn is still more likely to be searched by professionals than by average consumers (though this is changing too), but don’t you want other lawyers and professionals finding you when they have a need or question?
So here’s the simple technique that most attorneys are not executing as part of their lawyer marketing plan: Select and use 1-3 target keyword phrases in all five of these specific profile locations:
- Professional headline
- Summary
- Experience – present and past
- Additional Info – Interests
- Skills and Expertise
The key to using your target phrases in the narrative sections (2-5, above) is to weave the phrases in conversationally once or twice per paragraph. Don’t be a “stuffer” (i.e., load up the text with your phrase in choppy prose just to get them in there).
It’s amazing how quickly you’ll start showing up for your target phrases using this technique.
Of course, selecting your few target phrases is critical – and it’s easier the tighter your practice is, or the more specifically you can identify an industry or issue for which you want to attract work**. And if you have a city, state, or regionally-based practice, remember to put those words in too.
The whole process should take less than 30 minutes once you’ve selected your phrases. Here’s a good two-minute YouTube video on how to edit your profile in case you need a refresher.
** If you’d like to learn more about developing or deepening a niche practice, you can watch an on-demand replay of our ALI-CLE program Growing Your Practice by Creating Your Niche.
