Search engine optimization (SEO) is a part of the standard repertoire of digital marketing – also for law firms. Content is optimized for a top ranking on Google. Search intent – the motivation behind a search query on Google – is playing an increasingly important role in this respect.
Of course, keywords remain important. So you should still include the right keywords in your texts. However, to get to the top, you also need to consider the intention behind a search query. This determines the success of your website, your blog posts and your landing pages.
Users who start a search on Google are pursuing a goal with this query. For example, they are looking for information, want to buy something or contact someone. If you want to land at the top for this search query, your content must meet this intention and fulfill the associated desire.
Google's business model is based on providing its customers with access to the information they are looking for on a user-friendly website within hundredths of a second.
Google is getting better and better at fulfilling this value proposition. This performance is based on Google recognizing the intention behind a query so that it can then offer the appropriate information from all available content.
For example: For the search query "construction defects" there are thousands and thousands of websites that contain the relevant keywords and also fulfill the technical requirements for a good ranking (e.g. page speed).
So how does Google select the top results? This is where the search intention comes into play. Users who search for "construction defects" probably don't just want to know what falls under the term "defects" or what types of construction defects exist. Those affected are primarily interested in how they should proceed and what rights they have. The result on Google looks like this.
Even if several results come into question for the search query, Google recognizes that the users behind the query are not just looking for one definition. So the search engine offers further solutions.
Side note: We could have easily imagined meeting them here...
In order to determine the intention behind a search query, Google intensively observes the behavior of us users. Specifically: If a user clicks on a search result for a search query and then returns directly to the search results, Google concludes that the displayed result was not relevant to the search intention. The result: the page slips down.
Kehren hingegen nur wenige User einer bestimmten Anfrage wieder auf die Suchresultate zurück, schliesst Google daraus, dass die Inhalte die Absicht der User hinter der Suchanfrage bedient. Solche Webseiten haben gute Chancen in die Top-Rankings zu kommen.
The following intentions can be recognized in the example of "construction defects":
There are four categories of intentions behind search queries:
It's simple: For your most important keywords / search queries, you analyze the intentions behind the search query, identify the appropriate content formats and then write suitable content on your own website. Easy-peasy.
In the legal sector, companies often lack a structured overview or a targeted approach to the most important keywords. Blog posts, landing pages etc. are created without targeting specific keywords. As a result, the valuable time invested in marketing does not bring the ideal return.
To understand how Google evaluates the intention behind a search query, we analyze the top results of the respective search queries.
It is advisable to study the first 10 to 20 results. In most cases, the information contained in a page can already be recognized in its presentation in the search results. Conclusions about the intention can then be drawn from the recognized content formats of the top results.
Content formats such as news, reports, commentaries, interviews, infographics, quizzes, studies, instructions, training courses and guides are suitable for the search intention "Informational".
The following content formats are particularly valuable for commercial inquiries: comparisons, test reports, rankings, guides, testimonials and demos.
And the search intention "transactional" can be picked up well with the following formats: lectures, webinars, white papers, calculations, case studies, experience reports, demos, free consultations, guides, comparisons and rankings.
These lists are not exhaustive. And the work is not done with the right content format. ⬇️
First, you determine the angle from which you want to approach the topic. Back to our "construction defect": We've seen that there are different intentions in the Google results. For example, you could decide to write a guide for builders or publish an infographic explaining the most common construction defects.
You have now done your homework in preparation. Now you can get started and create your content.
Important: For all your love of content, think about your readers too. Don't forget to structure your texts well and make them reader-friendly.
We bring order and structure to your content production. Do you need help implementing these steps or training your team? Digital legal marketing is our core competence.
We look forward to hearing from you.
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