Getting your law firm to rank higher on Google isn’t just about having a good-looking website or writing blog posts—it’s about building authority, and one of the best ways to do that is through link building.
But for many lawyers, this part of SEO can feel confusing or even shady. That’s why I wrote this guide—to make link building simple, ethical, and effective for legal professionals.
In this article, I’ll explain how link building works, why it matters so much for law firm websites, and the tactics that actually get results in 2025.
You’ll learn how to earn backlinks from trusted sites, how to avoid bad practices that could hurt your rankings, and how to track your progress over time.
Whether you’re a solo attorney or part of a growing firm, this guide will help you build a stronger online presence—step by step.
What is Link Building for Lawyers?
Link building for lawyers is the process of getting other websites to link back to your law firm’s website. Consider it like collecting “digital recommendations” from across the internet.
Every earned backlink represents trust from one website to another, giving search engines a heads up that your site’s content is valuable and worth showing to people searching for legal help.
Search engines like Google don’t just count these links—they analyze them carefully. They look at where the links come from (is it a respected legal resource or a random blog?), the words used in the link (called anchor text), and how relevant the linking site is to law and legal services.
Search engines are likely to view your law firm as more authoritative and trustworthy when credible third-party websites link to it. This helps you rank higher in search results, increasing your visibility and searchability for prospective clients looking for legal services online.
In essence, the more quality links directing to your site, the more likely you are to outrank competing law firms.
11 Proven Law Firm Link Building Tactics
1. Legal Directories Backlinks
Get listed on trusted legal directories like Avvo, Justia, and FindLaw. These sites have high domain authority and are specifically relevant to your industry.
Ensure your profiles have accurate contact information, practice areas, and a link to your website.
2. Guest Posting for Lawyers on Legal Blogs
Write informative articles for respected legal blogs and news sites. Share your expertise on topics you specialize in while earning a backlink in your author bio.
Focus on quality over quantity—one post on a respected legal site is worth more than a bunch from unknown blogs.
3. Journalist Outreach & Expert Roundups
Join Qwoted or Help A B2B Writer to get in touch with media publishers and journalists looking for legal professionals. Getting cited in news articles frequently results in a beneficial backlink.
Additionally, you can take part in expert roundups, where a number of attorneys exchange perspectives on a certain legal issue.
4. Creating Legal Guides and Resources
Develop comprehensive guides on legal topics that people frequently search for. These might include “What to Do After a Car Accident” or “Complete Guide to Starting a Small Business.” Host these on your site and promote them to relevant organizations that might link to them as resources.
5. Hosting Webinars or Podcasts
Launch a podcast or host webinars discussing legal topics relevant to your practice areas.
When you feature guests, they’ll often share and link to their appearance. Transcribe these conversations for your blog to create additional link-worthy content for attorneys and the general public, which also naturally attracts links.
6. Leveraging Local Chambers of Commerce
Join your local chamber of commerce and other business associations. These organizations typically list their members on their websites with backlinks. This strategy builds both local authority and quality links from trusted community sources.
7. Sponsoring Scholarships or Events
Create a scholarship program for students interested in law or sponsor community events.
Schools and event websites often link back to your firm when promoting these opportunities. This builds goodwill while earning valuable .edu links that search engines highly value.
8. Building Citations (NAP Consistency)
Ensure your law firm’s Name, Address, and Phone number or NAP, in short, are accurate and consistent across all online listings. Submit your information to local business directories, Google Business Profile, and legal-specific directories.
While some citations may be no-follow links, they still boost your local SEO significantly.
9. Creating Shareable Infographics
Design informative infographics explaining complex legal concepts in simple terms. Topics like “Timeline of a Personal Injury Case” or “Understanding Child Custody Laws” work well.
When other sites use your infographics, they should credit you with a link back.
10. Internal Linking Strategies
Don’t overlook links within your own website. Connect related content pages to help visitors navigate and distribute “link equity” throughout your site.
For example, link your blog post about divorce proceedings to your dedicated divorce services page.
11. Reclaiming Unlinked Mentions
Use tools to find where your law firm is mentioned online without a link yet directing back to your website.
Politely reach out to these publishers and ask them to add a link. Since they’re already familiar with your firm, many will be happy to update their content with a proper link.
Why Link Building is Critical for Law Firms
The legal industry is one of the most competitive fields online. Hundreds of law firms in major cities compete for the same search terms, such as “personal injury lawyer” or “divorce attorney.”
Link building can distinguish between appearing on page one or page ten of search results. Potential clients will find your firm more easily when your site rises in search rankings.
Beyond rankings, quality backlinks build authority and trust in your firm. When potential clients see your firm mentioned on respected legal websites, bar associations, and news outlets, they’re more likely to trust your expertise.
Links also drive direct referral traffic. Someone reading an article where you’re quoted as an expert might click through to learn more about your services. These visitors are often highly qualified leads since they’ve already shown interest in your legal knowledge.
Key Metrics Lawyers Should Understand
Domain Rating (DR) and Authority Score
These metrics (from tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush) estimate your website’s overall authority based on its backlink profile. The higher the scoring (on a scale of 0 to 100) it indicates the more powerful the site appears to be.
Most law firms should aim for a DR of at least 30, with top firms exceeding 50.
Referring Domains vs. Backlinks
Referring domains are unique websites linking to you, while backlinks count total links (including multiple links from the same site).
Ten links from ten different quality websites are generally more valuable than twenty links from just two websites.
Anchor Text Types
The clickable text in a link tells search engines what your page is about.
A healthy profile includes:
- Branded anchors: “Smith & Jones Law Firm”
- Natural anchors: “click here” or “learn more”
- Partial match: “experienced divorce attorney”
- Exact match: “Boston personal injury lawyer” (use sparingly)
Do-Follow vs. No-Follow Links
Do-follow links pass ranking power to your site, while no-follow links don’t directly boost law firm SEO rankings.
However, no-follow links from high-traffic sites can still drive valuable visitors and improve brand recognition, so don’t dismiss them entirely.
Mistakes to Avoid in Legal Link Building
Mistake #1: Buying low-quality links from spammy websites.
Buying low-quality links from spammy websites can trigger Google penalties that tank your rankings. One quality link from a respected legal resource is worth more than hundreds of poor-quality links.
Mistake #2: Unnatural anchor text.
Using exact-match anchor text too frequently (like “Chicago divorce lawyer” repeatedly) looks manipulative to search engines. Maintain a natural mix of different anchor text types.
Mistake #3: Ignoring local link building.
Many law firms ignore local relevance in their link building efforts. Links from local news sites, chambers of commerce, and community organizations can be extremely valuable for lawyers serving specific geographic areas.
Mistake #4: Overlooking no-follow links.
While they may not directly boost rankings, they can drive referral traffic, increase online visibility for lawyers, and build credibility with potential clients who see your firm mentioned on respected websites.
Recommended Tools & Platforms
SEO Research Tools
- Ahrefs (Starts at $129/month): Comprehensive backlink analysis and competitor research
- SEMrush (Starts at $139.95/month): Excellent for tracking rankings and identifying link opportunities
- Moz Pro (Starts at $49/month): User-friendly interface with good local SEO features
Local SEO Tools
- BrightLocal (Starts at $29/month): Citation building and local search ranking tracking
- Whitespark (Starts at $1/month/location): Specialized in local citation finding and building
Outreach Tools
- Pitchbox (Starts at $165/month): Automates outreach campaigns for link building
- Respona ($198/month): Helps connect with journalists and content publishers
Source Platforms
- Help A B2B Writer (Free): Connect with journalists seeking expert legal commentary
- Qwoted (Free basic plan; Paid plan starts at $99/month): Answer questions from media publishers looking for expert insights
Should You DIY or Outsource Link Building?
DIY vs. Outsourcing
| Approach | Pros | Cons | Notes |
| DIY | Full control over your strategyBuild real relationshipsNo added costs | Very time-consumingSteep learning curveCan distract from core legal work | Start with quick wins like directory submissions and citations. Dedicate 3–5 hours per week. |
| Outsourcing | Saves timeAccess to experienced link buildersScalable with budget | May be costlyRisk of low-quality links if agency isn’t vetted properlyLess direct relationship with publishers | Choose a trusted provider who specializes in legal SEO. Ensure they use white-hat, ethical methods. |
What to Consider When Outsourcing
When vetting a link building agency:
- Ask for case studies specific to law firms
- Request a sample of links they’ve recently built for clients
- Check if they guarantee specific metrics like referring domains
- Beware of agencies promising speedy results or unusually low prices
Reputable SEO companies like The Blueprints are experts at legal niche link building, among many other industries. With a thorough awareness of the SEO challenges that law firms encounter in the cutthroat online market, they develop specialized link bulding strategies that enhance the firm’s profile and establish high-authority legal links.
ROI of Link Building for Law Firms
The true value of link building comes from consistent effort over time. The initial results may take 3-6 months, but the long-term impact can be substantial.
One new high-value client can easily cover a year’s worth of link building costs.
Track your progress by monitoring:
- Rankings for key legal search terms
- Organic traffic growth to your website
- Leads and contact form submissions
- Phone calls mentioning your website
A law firm investing $2,000-3,000 monthly in quality link building can expect significant ranking improvements within 6 months and considerable ROI within 12 months as higher rankings drive more client inquiries.
Final Review Checklist
| Link Building Component | Key Actions | Tools/Resources |
| Audit current backlinks | Identify strengths and opportunities | Ahrefs, SEMrush |
| Set specific link goals | Target number and quality of links | Google Analytics, Search Console |
| Claim directory listings | Complete profiles on legal directories | Avvo, Justia, FindLaw |
| Create linkable assets | Develop guides, infographics, research | Canva, Google Docs |
| Establish outreach system | Create templates and tracking system | Pitchbox, Respona |
| Monitor competitor links | Regularly check what’s working for them | Ahrefs, SEMrush |
| Schedule regular review | Monthly check of new links and progress | Calendar reminder |
Never forget that consistency always triumphs over intensity. Over time, a consistent strategy that progressively builds authority for law firm websites will function better than sporadic initiatives.
Prioritize quality over number and view link building as a continuous investment in your company’s online visibility rather than a one-time endeavor.
Wrapping Up
Link building isn’t a one-time task but an ongoing investment in your law firm’s digital authority. By implementing these 11 tactics consistently, you’ll see your website gradually climb the rankings and attract more qualified leads, one step at a time.
Remember to focus on quality over quantity—a few links from trusted legal resources will outperform dozens from irrelevant sites. Track your link buiding effort’s progress, adjust your legal SEO strategies as needed, and be patient.
The legal industry is competitive online, but with strategic link building, your firm can stand out and connect with potential clients right when they need your services most.
