Backlinks are links that direct potential clients to your website from another website. Also known as one-way or inbound links, they help promote your web pages simply because they are hyperlinked to your pages from another source. However, using quality backlinks is crucial. Every law firm should evaluate whether or not to invest in a backlinking strategy.

Backlinking often requires working with an outside agency or freelancer in order to carry out the ongoing and detail-oriented work. If you hire someone to help with backlinking, make sure they have a track record in this area and in working with legal clients. You’ll be trusting this person to choose quality backlink locations and then pursue them on your behalf, so excellent communication and organizational skills are key.

Why Backlinks Matter

Backlinks impact SEO and SERP (search engine results page) rankings. Google and other search engine algorithms collect information and rank pages, using spiders and bots to crawl your site looking for content and backlinks. Search engines monitor the volume and relevance of all the pages linking to your website affecting your page rank. As such, the better your backlinks, the better your SERP.

Think of your backlinks as a reference. You want high-quality positive references, not low-quality negative ones, impacting Google's perception of your site. It's the former that will help you rank higher with search engines. Backlinks from small, poorly rated sites can hurt your rankings, while high-authority backlinks will help.

Domain Authority

Domain Authority (DA) is a metric introduced by Moz that forecasts how likely a domain is to appear in the SERPs compared to its competitor sites. Google doesn't use DA as a ranking factor to decide how to rank websites. It's not a metric that will increase your SEO ranking in the SERP. However, DA is still an excellent indicator that will help you evaluate your website's performance in relation to your competitors.

Getting Quality Backlinks

If you want your website, pages, and blogs to rank high, it's imperative to have a plan regarding your backlinks. However, you don't need any technical skills to acquire backlinks; rather, it's more about relationship building and networking. The best way to obtain organic backlinks is with quality content since another site will only ever link to you if given a convincing reason to.

Here are some easy ways you can improve your chances of acquiring quality backlinks:

• Compose articles, case studies, press releases, blog posts, and other shareable content

• Use infographics, as backlinks can be from images too

• Frequently add new blogs

• Set up a Google My Business profile

• Remain active on social media and always link back to pertinent content on your website

• Claim free directory listings in quality search directories and directory sites

• Make it simple for your audience to share your content with social share tools and links

If you want to dig a little deeper to get quality backlinks, consider these more advanced methods:

• Guest blogging or posting on websites that post frequently and have high rankings

• Pitch to "best x in y" listicles that list the best businesses in a specific area or industry and can earn your law firm more exposure and backlinks

• Give podcast interviews to active podcasters

• Attend to unlinked mentions—if another site has already credited you as a source or mentioned you online or in a post, go the extra step and ask that they link to your site or blog

Backlinking doesn't have to take much time or attention. Still, it is something to invest in as it does impact your online visibility and ability to reach future clients.