Unlike some search engine optimization techniques, this one is not up for interpretation. Some lawyers, acting under the advice of misinformed “SEO Specialists,” have long lists of keywords in their website’s footer that are in the same font color as their background, thus making it invisible. Such a practice will negatively effect your legal marketing goals.

The problem is so irritating to Google that they not only mention it but built a whole section on hidden links and hidden text in their webmaster guidelines center.

Google is pretty direct in the language they use to explain the consequence of hiding keyphrases:

“If your site is perceived to contain hidden text and links that are deceptive in intent, your site may be removed from the Google index, and will not appear in search results pages.”

To check your website for hidden text, go to your web browsers top menu and click on “Edit” then “Select All.” This will highlight your entire web page and display any hidden text that your webmaster or “SEO Specialist” may have inserted.

If you find invisible words on the page, you should first demand that your webmaster remove them immediately. A termination of your agreement with them should probably come shortly thereafter as this negligible action will hinder your ability to be ranked highly in Google, and possibly hinder your ability to be ranked at all.

We recently reviewed a lawyer website that had over 100 hidden words in the footer. The attorney informed us that he had paid someone to develop the website in February of this year (2010); thus, acting as a reminder that unethical search engine optimization practices are still lurking.

To learn more about legal marketing, law firm marketing, and attorney websites visit SEOLawFirm.com or call 1.800.728.5306.

Other Resources: Find a Lawyer | Law Firm Social Network

Actually, that time never existed. The web has always been dynamic and quick to change, but in recent years it has been placed on turbo and is changing second by second. What does this mean for your law firm marketing efforts? You should be blogging.

Put a Blog on Your Attorney Website

It has been our experience that secondary websites just for your legal blog are not as effective as placing a blog directly on your law firm’s website. By having a blog on your site in a “/blog/” directory, you can keep your number of pages growing, build links to your blog via social bookmarks, and syndicate your blog feed into Google Blog Search, the ABAJournal’s Blawg Directory, and many others.

This syndicates your blog’s content, brings readers into your website and with the proper design, can convert visitors to new cases. It all starts with an active blog existing directly within your website, filled with relevant practice area content that is valuable and optimized.

To learn more about legal marketing, law firm marketing, and attorney websites visit SEOLawFirm.com or call 1.800.728.5306.

Other Resources: Find a Lawyer | Law Firm Social Network