We Checked 9 US Law Firm Websites for Local SEO Basics
GreatInflux Team
·2 min read
Table of contents
Short answer: We checked the homepages of 9 independent US law firms on 1 November 2026. All 9 had a meta description, a tap-to-call link, a canonical tag and visible reviews. Seven used legal or local business schema, but only 3 used FAQ structured data, and 2 had a missing or duplicate main heading. Two firms did not mention a free consultation on the homepage at all.
How we ran the audit
We opened each firm's homepage in a normal browser and read the page's own code: title tag, meta description, headings, structured data, phone link, canonical tag, image alt text, and visible review and consultation content. We looked at homepages only, on one day. Three other firm sites could not be read in a normal browser session (two showed bot-protection pages and one had an expired domain), so they are excluded. Firms are not named because the point is the pattern, not the people. This is a small sample and not a ranking study.
Results at a glance
| Check | Firms passing (of 9) |
|---|---|
| Meta description present | 9 |
| Tap-to-call phone link | 9 |
| Canonical tag | 9 |
| Reviews or testimonials visible | 9 |
| Attorney, LegalService or LocalBusiness schema | 7 |
| Free consultation mentioned on the homepage | 7 |
| Exactly one H1 heading | 7 |
| At least half of images have alt text | 8 |
| Title tag 60 characters or fewer | 6 |
| FAQ structured data | 3 |
What stood out
- FAQ markup is rare, but not absent. Three of nine firms used it. That is far more than the dental practices we audited, where none did, yet two thirds of firms still skip it.
- Titles run long. Three titles were over 60 characters, the longest at 84, so the end can be cut off in results.
- Heading structure slips. One firm had two H1s and another had none, which blurs what the page is about.
- Two homepages never say "free consultation". For people comparing several firms, that is a quick reason to call the next one.
- Two firms had no legal schema. Without it, Google has to infer the firm name, address, phone and practice areas.
A 30-minute fix list for any law firm homepage
- Write the title as "Practice area lawyer in City | Firm name" under about 60 characters.
- Use exactly one H1 that states the practice area and city.
- Add Attorney or LegalService schema with name, address, phone, hours and practice areas.
- Add a short FAQ with real client questions and mark it up with FAQ schema.
- State your consultation terms clearly near the top, without overpromising results.
- Describe every real photo with plain alt text.
- Make the phone number tap-to-call and answer or return calls fast.
Caveats
Nine firms is a small sample, drawn from public directories in several US states. The audit reads page code. It does not measure rankings, speed, or the quality of legal advice. Legal advertising rules vary by state, so check your bar's rules before changing claims on your site.
Related reading: Google Ads for lawyers, law firm Google Business Profile setup, law firm intake and law firm PPC mistakes.
Frequently asked questions
What did the law firm website audit check?
Title tags, meta descriptions, headings, structured data, phone links, canonical tags, image alt text, and visible review and consultation content on 9 homepages.
How many law firms used FAQ schema?
Three of the nine firms checked used FAQ structured data.
How long should a law firm homepage title be?
Aim for about 60 characters or fewer so it is less likely to be cut off in search results.
Do law firms need Attorney or LegalService schema?
It helps search engines read your name, address, phone and practice areas, and 7 of 9 firms in this audit already used it.
Is this a ranking study?
No. It only reads page code on one day and does not measure rankings or legal quality.
