What Google’s August 2024 Update Means for Your Law Firm

Google continuously revises its algorithm with “core updates” to improve the quality and relevance of search results. These core updates can significantly affect website rankings, including those in the legal industry. Staying informed about these updates helps legal websites align with Google’s current ranking criteria.

What’s in the August 2024 Core Update?

The August 2024 Core Update started rolling out on August 15th, 2024 after taking into account all the feedback Google has received since the September 2023 Helpful Content Update.  This update focuses on promoting content that provides genuine value to users. Legal websites that provide accurate, client-focused content may benefit, while those that emphasize outdated SEO tactics at the expense of valuable legal insights might experience lower rankings.

Stronger Focus on Helpful Content

The central theme of the August 2024 core update is Google’s ongoing effort to prioritize helpful, people-first content over content engineered merely for SEO performance. For law firms, this means doubling down on creating material that addresses real client concerns, offers legal insights, and answers common questions rather than content that is keyword-stuffed or algorithmically optimized without substance.

Diverse Sources and Niche Content

Google’s update also addresses the importance of showcasing content from a diverse range of sources, particularly from smaller or niche publishers. This opens a door for opportunity, especially for smaller law firms or those that specialize in niche areas of law. The update aims to give smaller, independent voices a chance to compete with larger publications by emphasizing unique, original content that serves a specific audience.

User Experience and Relevance

The final key aspect of the update revolves around enhancing user experience and ensuring content relevance. Google is simultaneously promoting the quality of content and how it is delivered. For law firms, this means ensuring that your website is user-friendly, loads quickly, and provides relevant, easy-to-digest information. A good user experience translates to higher engagement, which Google now takes more seriously when ranking pages.

Adapting to the Update

Law firms and their marketing teams should begin optimizing for the core update by evaluating the quality of the content on their websites. A thorough content audit will help identify any areas where information may be outdated, incomplete, or lacking in substance.

In line with this, law firms should shift their SEO strategies to focus on creating resources that serve the needs of users first – not the search engine. Firms should aim to create blog posts, articles, and resources that offer clear answers to common legal questions and in-depth explanations of complex legal concepts. This user-first approach can still include search engine optimization but in a way that enhances the experience and value for site visitors.

Law firms can also demonstrate their expertise through case studies, legal research, and in-depth articles that reflect their deep understanding of legal matters. This will help build the site’s authority and align with Google’s updated ranking criteria.

In a nutshell, TSEG recommends law firms take the following into consideration:

• Prioritize Client Needs: Your content should aim to educate and support potential clients with their legal needs. Instead of focusing on content made for search algorithms, tailor your blogs, FAQs, and articles to provide answers to legal questions that clients are searching for.
• Offer Practical Advice: The more specific and useful your website’s content is, the better it will perform. Articles that present your legal expertise in step-by-step guidance or address real-world legal concerns are more likely to rank well under the new guidelines.
• Developing Niche Content: If your firm specializes in a particular area of law (e.g., immigration, elder law, or mass torts), or in a particular State, create focused content that demonstrates your expertise in that niche.
• Leveraging Unique Insights: As Google seeks out diverse perspectives, smaller firms can share their unique insights and experiences, which may resonate better with certain segments of searchers. This is an incredible opportunity to make use of any past results your firm has achieved that makes you stand out from the competition.
  

Preparing for Ranking Changes

As with any major Google update, some law firms may experience fluctuations in their search rankings. For those who see a decline, it’s important to avoid knee-jerk reactions. Google advises that a negative impact may not indicate any faults with the site’s content or strategy. Instead, it suggests revisiting their guidance on creating helpful, people-first content, and ensuring that material remains focused on client needs rather than SEO trickery.

Improving site navigation, ensuring fast loading times, and refining content over time will help law firms adapt to these ranking changes. Continuous optimization, rather than a one-time effort, will be crucial to maintaining strong search performance.

Clients Stand Confidently with TSEG

At TSEG, we pride ourselves on staying ahead of the game when it comes to updates in the legal industry.  With years of experience optimizing law firm websites for maximum visibility, we’re uniquely positioned to help you adapt to the latest algorithm changes and ensure your online presence remains strong. Don’t wait for your rankings to drop—contact TSEG today.