As legal copywriters, we know that the way people search for legal information is changing.

Instead of going to a law firm’s website for legal expertise, people will type a question into a search engine and get an answer within seconds.

With these recent changes in search engines, is SEO still an important marketing strategy?

Yes.

SEO tactics are still necessary for high rankings. But let’s be honest.

How can a law firm’s website rank high on a results page where AI-generated results are always #1?

One way is answer engine optimization (AEO). Learn more about what AEO is and how it can benefit you as a legal copywriter.

What AEO is and What it Isn’t

Answer engine optimization is a digital marketing method where clarity and conciseness is used to help elevate content in search engine results.

The goal of AEO is to answer a user’s questions by providing direct answers. What type of content is used to achieve this?

• How to guides
• FAQ pages
• Glossary guides
• Local SEO landing pages
• Product comparison blog posts.

Even though AEO is a type of digital marketing strategy, it is not a replacement to SEO. In fact, the tactics used to create AEO content should be complementary to SEO tactics.

Using AEO and SEO strategies can help you create content that is accurate and valuable to your audience.

Why Should Legal Copywriters Use AEO?

The last thing you want to do as a legal copywriter is waste your time.

You don’t want to create content that will go unnoticed to readers. But if you don’t optimize your content using AEO, that’s what will happen.

Your potential clients are getting their questions answered through AI tools. And once their questions are answered, they don’t need to visit a law firm’s website.

AEO is a great way for legal copywriters to meet their clients in the middle. They get to save their clients time by answering their questions directly.

But AEO is not just beneficial to consumers. Here are some benefits that AEO strategies can bring to legal copywriters.

A Boost in Immediate Traffic

Providing concise answers to your clients’ common questions can lead to a boost in website traffic.

Law firms can create content that directly answer their clients’ questions and redirect traffic from AI-generated results.

How can legal copywriters do this?

• Starting with the user intent.
• Catering content to the common legal questions asked by your audience.
• Designing content that directly answers specific, high-intent queries.

Easier Accessibility

One AEO strategy that legal copywriters can use is optimizing keywords within website content.

When creating content, legal copywriters want to think about how the content can help make a law firm’s website easily accessible.

How can they do that?

• Creating content that’s centered around conversational queries and AI prompts.
• Providing answers under 100 words or less.
• Linking to more in-depth content on a particular legal topic.
• Writing in short paragraphs and using large fonts to improve readability.

Elevated Conversions

AEO strategies are another way to help you service your clients through your content.

One strategy that can help is utilizing schema markup. This is a strategy where you can interpret the website’s HTML to help search engines better understand the context and relevance of your content.

What does this look like?

• Using FAQ schema to improve chances of appearing in featured snippets of AI tools.
• Using Service schema to help search engines better understand the law firm’s legal services.
• Using How To schema to explain a legal process (filing a protective order, personal injury claim, etc.)
• Using conversational language for voice searches and AI prompts.

Understanding your audience’s user intent and what they need out of a search makes you credible. It’s another way to provide excellent customer service through your content.

The more you answer your clients’ questions, the more trust you build between yourself and your audience.

Better Brand Visibility

AEO strategies can also help increase your law firm’s online presence.

Yes, people look to AI tools for quick answers. But everything is not black and white when it comes to law.

There are some legal topics that require more in-depth information. And that’s where your law firm can shine.

You can provide just enough information in a featured snippet to grab your reader’s attention. When you redirect them to your website, they’ll be sent to content that provides a deeper perspective into their legal situation.

This helps you stand out amongst the AI tools and build trust with your audience at the same time.

Lower Advertising Costs

Last but not least, AEO strategies can save legal copywriters money on advertising.

With AEO, the name of the game is saving your clients time by answering their queries quickly.

When you’re able to provide direct answers to your clients’ questions, you attract organic traffic to your website. Instead of spending money on pay-per-click ads that are questionable, you can optimize your content using AEO.

You can also get a better return on investment with your AEO content. AEO-optimized content can be selected by traditional search engines, voice assistants, and AI tools.

Your content can reach a wider variety of people. And because your content provides clarity, your visitors will be willing to engage longer with your content, leading to lower bounce rates.

Final Thoughts

AEO is a great digital marketing strategy for legal copywriters. It helps you build organic traffic without worrying about competing with AI.

Legal copywriters can make the most of AEO by remembering these five things:

• Create content that directly answers your clients’ questions.
• Optimize your content by using relevant keywords.
• Design your content for various types of search inquiries (voice assistant, AI tools, etc.).
• Answer your clients’ common legal questions in an organized manner.
• Take advantage of schema markup.

Schedule a Consultation Today!

If you’re a law firm who needs a legal copywriter to help with AEO, let’s connect.

Click here to schedule a consultation.