How To Get Backlinks (The Right Way) For Lawyers
- Kirsten Hall
How To Get Backlinks for Your Website; Are You Being Strategic or Passive?
Backlinks. Every legal SEO expert talks about how to get backlinks, every algorithm loves them, and yet, for most law firms, they’re as elusive as a peaceful divorce. If you want a long-lasting relationship with Google’s first page, it’s time to get strategic—prenuptial-style strategic.
If you’re a family law attorney trying to boost your online presence, here’s the truth: earning backlinks is no longer about sending 100 outreach emails a day or hoping someone links to your “Who Gets the House in a Divorce?” blog post. That era is over. And if you’re still following outdated strategies, you’re putting in 10x the effort for 1/10 the return.
SEM Director David Davis comments, “Back in my first job out of college, I would send 100-150 emails per week and would average 10-20 earned backlinks a month. You could easily go on someone’s website and find the emails for ‘Webmasters’ in the footer, and reach out directly. That doesn’t exist anymore, no one is listing their emails on their website out in the open, and emailing someone on cold outreach could get you marked for spam… enough spam reports and you could permanently be in anyone’s email spam box.”
So what actually works today? Let’s break down real strategies that move the needle—especially for family law firms.
1. Stop Playing It Safe—Start Writing What Actually Matters
Want backlinks from MSN, AOL, or the Independent? We earned those for one of our immigration law clients by predicting political chaos before it happened.
In October 2024, we published “How Will DACA Change if Trump Wins the Election?”—a full week before the media began covering the topic in detail. It has since been changed to “How Will DACA Change Now That Donald Trump Has Been Elected?”
The results?
- Leads were up 45% YOY for November (and 225% on Nov. 6)
- Traffic jumped from 800 visitors a day to over 31,000 in a single day (Over 4,000% increase)
- Multiple earned backlinks from domain authority 90+ news sites on Inauguration day
- Zero paid placements. All earned.
This wasn’t luck. It was strategy. For family law, this same tactic could look like:
- “How Will Child Custody Laws Change if [State] Passes New Family Legislation?”
- “What the New Alimony Reform Bill Could Mean for Divorcing Couples”
- “Why January is the Busiest Month for Divorce Attorneys (And What That Says About Us)”
Takeaway: Don’t just answer questions—anticipate them. Speak directly to concerns your clients haven’t fully voiced yet, especially around major legal or cultural shifts.
2. Become a Source for Reporters (Without Getting Marked as Spam)
If you’re still cold-emailing site owners or using HARO, you’re likely wasting time. Most inboxes are now guarded by filters or go ignored.
That said, platforms like Help a B2B Writer and Qwoted are still effective—when your pitch is clear, expert, and timely.
If a journalist is writing about celebrity custody battles or no-fault divorce legislation changes under project 2025, and you’ve got the real-world expertise and insight to bolster their content marketing, that’s a story they want.
You could even start building prevalence with your local news station. Ever thought about simply popping in to introduce yourself, or acting in “spy-mode” by organically engaging with their social content to slowly build your credibility? Community methods work.
3. Build “Skyscraper” Content That Ranks Above the Rest
The skyscraper method is simple: Find what’s ranking well in your space, make something far better, and let people know it exists.
For example, if a blog titled “How to File for Divorce in Texas” is ranking, and it’s a 1,200-word article with a basic checklist, that’s your starting point.
Now imagine your version:
- 3,000+ words of original, practical advice
- A downloadable divorce prep checklist
- Embedded video from your lead attorney
- Interactive timelines or calculators
Once published, reach out to the sites linking to the original and explain—politely—why your resource is a better option.
4. Create Content People Naturally Want to Link To
Not all content needs outreach. Some businesses earn links simply by providing content that is useful and hard to replicate.
If you’re a family attorney, consider developing:
- A Cost Estimate Calculator; Alimony, Child Support, Divorce, Property, etc.
- An unfenced “Guide to Emergency Custody Orders”
- Infographics on Child Support Trends or State-by-State Custody Laws
Journalists and bloggers often reference data or visual tools they don’t have time to build themselves. Give them that shortcut—and you’ll be the one they cite.
5. Lean Into Emotion. Build Trust and Authority.
The DACA content we created didn’t just rank—it resonated. It acknowledged fear, clarified action steps, and came from a credible, compassionate legal voice.
Family law content has the same potential.
Write articles like:
- “How to Talk to Your Kids About Divorce, According to Therapists and Attorneys”
- “What to Do If Your Spouse Empties the Bank Account Before Filing”
- “Emergency Custody Orders: What They Are and When You Should File One”
This kind of content builds trust, which increases not only conversions—but also linkability. People link to what moves them or solves a real problem.
6. Brand Your Legal Knowledge
If you create a unique approach to something, give it a name.
Turn routine services into frameworks. For example:
- The 3C Method for negotiating parenting time
- The Split Smart Framework for high-asset divorce
- The Family First System for minimizing litigation
Then write a blog post or case study about it. When others reference or discuss the method, they’ll link back to you—because you’re the original source.
7. Resource Pages Still Work—If You’re Worth Linking To
Universities, libraries, non-profits—they still have resource pages. But you have to earn your place.
If you’ve created downloadable guides for:
- Divorce for Military Families
- Child Custody Across State Lines
- Emergency Protective Orders Explained
…those are perfect candidates.
Use Google search operators like:
- “child custody” inurl:resources
- “family law” intitle:links
Then send a short, respectful email explaining why your resource adds value to their page. Don’t oversell it. Let the quality of your content do the heavy lifting.
Need A Legal SEO Strategy That Works Smarter?
Getting backlinks in 2025 isn’t about volume—it’s about value.
You won’t earn links just by existing. You earn them by:
- Saying what no one else is saying yet
- Creating tools and guides that others don’t have
- Offering emotional clarity during complicated moments
- Showing up as an expert when the moment matters most
The difference between a good backlink and a great one isn’t budget—it’s bravery.
Contact us at US Legal Marketing Group for a wide variety of law firm marketing services.
