SEO basics · For law firm owners
Criminal Defense SEO 101: Guides by SBD Marketing
You don’t need a technical background to understand SEO. These lessons explain, in plain language, how criminal defense firms get found in Google and what a firm owner needs to know to make good decisions about it.
Start here: Criminal Defense SEO 101
SEO Basics for Defense Lawyers
Criminal Defense SEO 101: A Beginner’s Guide for Law Firm Owners
Our beginner’s guide explains what SEO is, how Google crawls, indexes and ranks pages, the difference between ads, the map pack and organic results, the terms you will hear, three free tools to set up first, where to focus, how long it takes and how to judge an SEO agency.
At a glance
- Who it’s for: Defense firm owners new to SEO
- Covers: How Google works, glossary, free tools, priorities, agencies
- Time to read: About 8 minutes
- Updated: October 2026
For criminal defense firms
How SBD Marketing helps defense firms with SEO
SBD Marketing works only with criminal defense law firms, and only with one firm per city. We explain what we do in plain language, the same way these lessons do.
- SEO audits that explain where you stand
A clear review of your website, Google Business Profile and listings, with a plain list of what to fix first and why. - Rankings for the charges you defend
Charge pages, local SEO and Google Business Profile work aimed at the searches people make after an arrest in your area. - Websites and AI search visibility
Defense firm websites built to load fast on a phone, with consistent firm details so AI assistants can find and name your firm.
Talk to SBD Marketing about your firm’s SEO
Run a criminal defense practice and want a straight answer about where your firm stands in search? Here’s how to reach the team.
BUSINESS
SBD Marketing
info@sbdmarketing.agency
BOOK A CALL
sbdmarketing.agency/scheduling
SERVING
Criminal defense firms, USA
WEB
sbdmarketing.agency
Five beginner SEO tasks for this week
Each of these is free and takes less than an hour. Together they give you a solid starting point.
Verify Search Console
Set up Google Search Console for your site so you can see which searches bring people to it.
Claim your Business Profile
Claim and verify your Google Business Profile, then check the category, address, hours and phone number.
Check who owns your accounts
Make sure the firm, not a vendor, owns your domain, website, Search Console and Business Profile.
List your charge pages
Write down each charge you handle and note whether your site has a dedicated page for it.
Search like a client
On your phone, search for a charge you handle plus your city. Note who appears in the map and the first results.
Lessons in this series
We’re building this series one lesson at a time.
Google Search Console for defense lawyers, step by step
Coming soon
How the map pack works for criminal defense firms
Coming soon
What to put on your first charge page
Coming soon
How we put these guides together
Each lesson draws on Google Search Central documentation, Google Business Profile guidelines, the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct and what SBD Marketing sees working with defense firms. Criminal Defense SEO 101 is researched and published by SBD Marketing.
Explore the SBD Marketing network
Criminal Defense SEO 101 is one of 28 guides published by SBD Marketing. Each one looks at a different side of marketing a criminal defense law firm.
Criminal Defense Visual Branding · Criminal Defense Firm Growth · DUI Attorney Marketing · Technical SEO for Law Firms · Legal Marketing Analytics · Law Firm Website Design · How Families Find Defense Lawyers · Attorney Image and Personal Branding · Law Firm Marketing Budgets · Local SEO Lessons from Fitness Businesses · Local SEO Lessons from Restaurants · Game Design and Law Firm UX · Healthcare Fraud Defense Content · Local SEO Lessons from Home Services · Criminal Defense SEO · Courtroom Storytelling and Legal Branding · Music Industry Branding Lessons for Law Firms · Legal SEO News · Photography for Law Firm Websites · Legal Copywriting and Storytelling · Criminal Justice Policy and Search Trends · Law Firm Conversion Science · Defense Marketing for Athlete Cases · AI and Legal Marketing Technology · Out-of-State DUI and Location Search · Video Marketing for Defense Attorneys · Environmental Crime Defense Content
