Rank Higher. Get More Cases. Defend More Clients.
When someone is facing criminal charges, or their loved one is facing criminal charges, there’s no time to casually browse Google for criminal defense attorneys. Users will often urgently Google phrases such as:
- “Criminal defense lawyer near me”
- “DUI attorney in [city]”
- “Help with felony charges”
- “How to beat a drug possession charge”
They’re not only looking for immediate answers, they’re looking for a lawyer they can trust to fight for them every step of the way.
If your criminal defense law firm is not ranking on the first page of Google, you’re losing out on many opportunities to help those who need your legal services and grow your law firm’s annual business revenue.
At DASH-SEO, we’ve helped many criminal defense law firms with their website’s SEO through the following methods:
- Rank at the top of search results for high-intent criminal law searches
- Attract clients who need legal help—urgently
- Increase calls, consultations, and retained cases
- Build a strong digital presence and local authority
- Grow sustainably—without relying solely on ads or referrals
Whether you’re a solo criminal defense attorney or managing a full-service criminal defense law firm, DASH-SEO is here to help you transform your website into a reliable, 24/7, round-the-clock lead-generation machine.
Why Criminal Defense Lawyers Need SEO Now More Than Ever
People in Crisis Turn to Google First
If someone has just been arrested, or knows someone who has been arrested, they don’t simply phone a friend, they urgently search for lawyers in their area who may be able to help them out of a bad situation. These are some of the most common searches potential clients will make when searching for the legal services your criminal defense firm may offer:
- “Arrested, what do I do?”
- “Best criminal lawyer in [city]”
- “Felony defense attorney near me”
- “How much does a DUI lawyer cost?”
If your site shows up with clear messaging, a confident tone, and trustworthy answers, you’re much more likely to earn their call before they even think about contacting another criminal defense law firm.
Criminal Defense Is Urgent, High-Stakes, & Competitive
Your potential clients are frightened, overwhelmed, and desperate for someone to help them in their time of need and represent them to the finish line with an ideally successful outcome. Our SEO efforts are able to place your firm in front of your ideal potential clients at the exact moment they’re ready to take action and reach out to a criminal defense attorney.
We know criminal defense is a hyper-competitive area of law firm marketing, but if you’re not optimized for search engines, you’re likely going to be invisible to those who need your services today. We’re the experts in helping criminal defense law firms just like yours rank higher, receive more leads, and turn those leads into new clients who you can help.
SEO Is More Cost-Effective Than Paid Ads
Criminal defense law PPC campaigns may end up costing well over $50-$150/click, and when the ad spend stops, the leads stop as well.
When you choose SEO over PPC, you’re choosing to build sustainable, long-term search visibility of your website which delivers high-value results month after month for many years to come, even if you choose to stop using SEO services.
Benefits of Choosing SEO over PPC for Criminal Defense Attorneys
| Benefit | SEO | PPC |
|---|---|---|
| Cost per Case | SEO reduces acquisition cost by 40‑60% | Clicks for “criminal lawyer” $20‑$70+ |
| Immediate Trust | Organic rankings perceived as authoritative | Ads viewed skeptically |
| Long‑Term ROI | Content on charges & penalties drives steady calls | No leads once ads pause |
| CTR | Organic CTR higher for urgent searches | Ad blindness |
| Ethics Compliance | One review for pages | Ads need repeated review |
| Lead Quality | Informational pages pre‑qualify defendants | Ads bring many low‑budget inquiries |
| Competitive Barrier | Top rankings for local offenses hard to beat | Competitors outbid ads instantly |
DASH-SEO’s Criminal Defense SEO Services
At DASH-SEO, we always utilize whitehat, performance-driven SEO strategies, specifically customized for your criminal defense law firm’s unique niches served. From the moment a potential client searches for a legal service such as “DUI lawyer near me” to the moment they click “Contact” on your website, we have you covered.
Here’s what we’re able to offer your criminal defense practice:
In-Depth Keyword Research for Criminal Law Searches
We identify the exact keywords your ideal clients are typing into Google—and structure your SEO strategy around them. We’re able to identify the exact keywords and keyphrases your potential clients are searching for when they search on Google. Our team of SEO experts will structure your SEO strategy around specific keywords and key phrases so you’re showing up in search results for the keywords and keyphrases which matter most.
Examples of common search terms we optimize for our criminal defense law firm clients:
- “Criminal defense attorney in [city]”
- “Help with misdemeanor charge”
- “Drug possession lawyer near me”
- “DUI first offense what happens”
- “Expungement attorney [state]”
- “Domestic violence defense lawyer”
We’re also able to target long-tail and localized keywords, allowing your clients who are actively searching in your area for your criminal defense legal services to find you when they need you most.
Local SEO That Gets You in Front of Nearby Clients
Criminal defense is hyper-local. People who are searching for your criminal defense services will want a lawyer in the county where the alleged crime was committed, and someone who knows the local court system.
Our team of SEO experts will optimize your website’s local visibility with:
- Google Business Profile (GBP) management
- “Near me” keyword integration
- Local landing pages for each jurisdiction or office
- NAP (Name, Address, Phone) consistency across directories
- Local backlinks and citations
Technical SEO to Build a Rock-Solid Foundation
A slow-loading, unresponsive website will likely turn away potential clients, and it will also hurt your organic rankings on search engines over time. Our team of SEO experts will ensure your website is:
- Mobile-friendly and fast
- Secure (HTTPS)
- Easy to navigate on phones and tablets
- Structured with schema markup for legal services
- Indexed properly in Google Search Console
Technical SEO is the true foundation of your organic rankings on search engines such as Google. Without taking care of all technical SEO aspects, you run the risk of taking one step forward, two steps backwards every month. Allow us to help you optimize your website to its highest potential with our technical SEO expertise.
Legal Content Marketing & Criminal Defense Copywriting
Content is king in SEO, especially in criminal defense law, it’s not just about ranking high for specific keywords, it’s about rapidly establishing trust and building confidence with potential clients who need your services now more than ever.
We produce optimized, professional, and persuasive content which includes:
- Practice area pages (“DUI Defense,” “Drug Crimes,” “Federal Charges”)
- Location-targeted pages (“Assault Attorney in [City]”)
- Educational blog posts and FAQs (“Should I talk to police without a lawyer?”)
- Court process explainers (“What happens after an arraignment?”)
- Success stories and case outcomes (as allowed)
- Free resources (guides, checklists, etc.)
Every piece of content we produce is designed to rank high, reassure potential clients, and convert organic traffic into new clients for your criminal defense law firm.
Ethical Link Building & Authority Growth
Google ranks trusted, authoritative sites higher. We assist in building your firm’s domain authority through:
- Backlinks from legal and criminal justice sites
- Local news coverage and citations
- Law blogs and guest posting
- Bar association listings
- High-quality legal directories
When your website has high authority, it will rank higher and appear much more credible to search engines and potential clients alike.
Conversion Optimization for Real Leads
All of the traffic in the entire world won’t help you if none of that traffic ends up converting into phone calls, form submissions, or consultation requests.
We optimize your criminal defense law firm website to maximize conversion rates with:
- Clear calls to action on every page (“Request a Free Consultation”)
- Click-to-call buttons (especially critical for mobile users)
- Simple, fast contact forms
- Trust-building elements (bar memberships, case wins, testimonials)
- Emergency messaging for 24/7 arrest support (if applicable)
Practice Areas We Help Criminal Defense Law Firms Rank For
Whether you’re focused on state-level misdemeanor cases or complex federal charges, we customize your SEO strategy to match your ideal caseload.
We help criminal defense law firms rank for the following types of criminal cases:
- DUI / DWI Defense
- Drug Crimes (Possession, Distribution, Trafficking)
- Domestic Violence
- Assault & Battery
- Theft, Robbery & Burglary
- Juvenile Defense
- Gun & Weapons Charges
- White-Collar Crimes
- Probation Violations
- Expungements & Record Sealing
- Federal Criminal Defense
- Sex Crimes
- Homicide & Violent Crimes
Why Criminal Defense Law Firms Choose DASH-SEO
We Know Criminal Law SEO
Our strategies are custom-built from the ground up for your criminal defense attorney website. We truly understand the urgency and sensitivity of criminal defense attorney marketing.
Custom Campaigns, Never Cookie-Cutter
Our SEO campaigns we produce for your criminal defense attorney website are customized for your firm’s city, competition, services, and overall goals. We don’t do cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all SEO campaigns.
Ethical, White-Hat Practices
We always follow Google’s guidelines and all bar association rules to best ensure long-term growth is had with no shortcuts or shady tactics.
Content That Builds Trust Fast
Your potential clients are scared and they’re seeking out the best help they can find for their legal situation. We produce content which is informative, calming, and persuasive to best convert them from potential clients into actual clients for your criminal defense law firm.
Lead-Focused, Not Just Rankings
We don’t just help you rank, we help you convert organic traffic into legal consultations, and then convert those legal consultations into new cases for your law firm to defend.
FAQs About SEO for Criminal Defense Attorneys
How long does it take to see results?
Most criminal defense law firms will begin to see significant ranking improvements within about 3-6 months, with significant lead growth by months 6-12. SEO should always be looked at as a long-term investment, and one you can count on for compounding returns.
“Can I outrank bigger firms in my city?”
Yes, you certainly can! With the right local SEO strategy executed by our team of in-house SEO experts, smaller firms like yours can outrank national competitors with ease, especially for high-intent, city-specific searches.
“Do I need to personally write blog posts for my law firm’s website?”
No, you don’t have to. We’re able to handle all content creation in-house on our end. You’ll be able to approve everything prior to us publishing it live on your website. Additionally, we always aim to write in your preferred voice and tone to maintain brand consistency across the board.
Will SEO really bring me new cases?
Yes! SEO is one of the highest performing ROI marketing channels for criminal defense law firms, delivering a steady stream of high-intent leads ready to speak to a criminal defense attorney on your team ASAP.
Ready to Grow Your Criminal Defense Practice?
If you’re tired of:
Relying on word-of-mouth or referrals alone
Spending thousands on ads that don’t convert
Watching less-qualified firms outrank you in search results
Then it’s time to work with our team of in-house SEO experts at DASH-SEO, your criminal defense law firm SEO partner.
Request Your Free Criminal Defense SEO Audit Today
We’ll review your current rankings, website, and competitors, and show you exactly how to increase visibility, receive more calls, and close more cases; all with the help of our custom SEO solutions for your criminal defense law firm website. We look forward to hearing from you soon and we’re excited to learn more about your firm and how we can best help you grow organically on Google.