Local SEO for lawyers isn’t magic. It’s a stack of trust signals that Google can verify. If you get the fundamentals right, you’ll rank in Maps and in the local organic results — consistently.
1) Know what you’re trying to win: Maps vs organic
There are two battles: the “Map Pack” (Google Business Profile) and the classic organic results. You need both, but the levers aren’t the same.
2) Google Business Profile: the 80/20
Fill it like a product page: services, description, categories, business hours, photos, and regular updates. Then keep the NAP (name/address/phone) consistent everywhere.
3) Local pages that actually rank
Create focused pages that match intent: Practice area + city (e.g., “Family lawyer Brussels”). Each page should explain who it’s for, how you work, and what the next step is.
4) Citations and local authority
Directories, chambers, associations, legal portals — not for traffic, for verification. A clean set of citations (even 20–40) often beats random “SEO hacks”.
5) Reviews: build a system
Reviews are a ranking signal and a conversion lever. The play: ask right after a good outcome, keep it simple, and respond to every review professionally.
6) On-site signals: schema, internal links, speed
Use structured data (LegalService / LocalBusiness), link your blog posts to your service pages, and keep the site fast. These are “easy” wins that compound.
7) A 30-day plan
- Week 1: GBP cleanup + NAP consistency.
- Week 2: Create 2 local service pages.
- Week 3: Citations + 5–10 reviews process.
- Week 4: Publish 2 blog posts that link back to those pages.