How to Analyze Competitor Backlinks to Find Opportunities for Your Law Firm?

Struggling to rank your law firm website on Google? The secret often lies in your competitors’ backlink profiles.

Competitor backlink analysis is the process of studying who links to other law firms in your practice area, city, or niche. These links show you where your competitors are getting trust, authority, and visibility online. By looking at their backlinks, you can find new places where your law firm can also earn links like legal directories, news websites, local organizations, or niche blogs.

This guide will walk you step-by-step through analyzing competitor backlinks for your law firm, so you can build stronger authority, improve your rankings, and attract more clients online.

Step 1: Identify Your Real SEO Competitors

Before you analyze backlinks, you must know who your true SEO competitors are. These are not always the same law firms you compete with offline. In digital marketing, your real competitors are the websites that rank on Google for the keywords your law firm wants to rank for. 

Using professional law firm link building services can also help you identify these competitors more efficiently and ensure your backlink strategy is accurate and actionable.

Once you identify the right competitors, every backlink you study will be more accurate and more useful.

1. Keyword-based Competitors

Keyword-based competitors are the law firms that show up on Google when people search your target keywords.
For example:

• “car accident lawyer in Dallas”
• “best divorce attorney near me”
• “criminal defense lawyer in Chicago”

The law firms ranking on page 1 for these searches are your true competitors.
They tell you:

• which websites Google trusts
• what kind of content works
• what backlink profile is needed to compete

This step helps you avoid guessing.
You only focus on people who are already winning the rankings you want.

How to find keyword competitors:

• Search your main legal keywords manually
• Use tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, or Moz to see top-ranking domains
• Note which law firms keep showing up again and again

These are the sites whose backlinks you should study first.

2. Similarity-based Competitors (Ahrefs Organic Competitors)

Similarity-based competitors are websites that rank for many of the same keywords you do. Even if they are not in your city, they may still compete with you for:

• informational legal topics
• legal terms
• FAQ-type content
• national comparison keywords

Ahrefs has a feature called “Organic Competitors.”
This compares your keywords with other ranking sites and shows which domains overlap with you the most.

This is helpful because:

• It reveals competitors you may have never heard of
• It shows SEO patterns you can learn from
• It gives you a wider sample of backlink ideas
• It highlights content gaps you might be missing

For example, if you are a personal injury lawyer, you might find competitors ranking for terms like:

• “how long does a car accident claim take?”
• “what to do after a slip and fall?”

These competitors’ backlinks can help you understand how they built trust for these topics.

3. Filtering Out Irrelevant Sites (Directories, News Sites)

Not every site in your competitor list is a “real” competitor.
Some results will appear because they rank for large volumes of legal terms, such as:

• Legal directories (Avvo, Justia, FindLaw)
• Review sites
• Court websites
• News sites
• Wikipedia or educational sites

These are not your direct competitors.
You shouldn’t use them as primary comparison targets because:

• Their backlink profiles are huge and not realistic to match
• They rank due to domain authority, not local SEO
• They don’t compete for your local “money keywords”
• They won’t give you practical, achievable link opportunities

Instead, filter them out and focus on:

• real law firm websites
• attorney blogs
• legal service companies
• niche firms in your practice area
• local competitors in your city or nearby areas

This makes your backlink analysis practical and actionable.

You should keep directories and news sites separate because they are link opportunities, not competitor sites.

If the website is not a law firm trying to win clients, remove it from your competitor list.

Step 2: Gather Backlink Data Using Tools

Once you know who your real SEO competitors are, the next step is to collect their backlink data.

This step gives you a clear picture of the backlink landscape in your legal niche. Backlink tools help you see exactly:

• who is linking to your competitors
• which links are strong
• which links you can also try to earn
• what type of content attracts the most backlinks

Recommended Tools

You don’t need every tool, but using at least one of these will help you gather accurate data:

1. Ahrefs

Best for deep backlink analysis.
You can see: total backlinks, referring domains, link strength (DR), anchor texts, new vs. lost links, competitor comparison.

2. Semrush

Great for finding gaps between your site and competitors.
Useful features: Backlink Gap, Authority Score, Toxic links, Categories of referring domains.

3. Moz

Simple backlink metrics: Domain Authority (DA), Spam Score, Linking domains.

Good for quick checks.

4. Google Search Console (GSC)

Shows you your own backlinks directly from Google.
Not useful for competitor data, but great for confirming: which links Google already counts, internal link structure, top linking sites.

Tip:

• Use at least Ahrefs or Semrush for competitors.
• Use GSC for your own backlink health.

How to Use Link Intersect or Backlink Gap Features?

These are the most powerful features for finding backlink opportunities.

1. Link Intersect (Ahrefs)

This tool shows all the websites that link to your competitors but not to you.

Example: Competitor A, B, and C all have backlinks from “LocalLegalNews.com.”

You don’t.

This means:

• the website is open to linking to law firms
• the topic is relevant to your legal niche
• you have a high chance of earning a link there too

This feature reveals the strongest and easiest backlink opportunities because the source already links to people like you.

2. Backlink Gap (Semrush)

Same idea as Link Intersect.

It finds:

• shared backlinks between competitors
• strong domains that ignore your site
• new link prospects based on overlap

Think of it like seeing the “link patterns” in your industry.
These patterns show you where Google sees authority.

Why it matters: You stop guessing. You only go after backlinks that are proven to work for real law firms.

How to Export and Filter Backlink Data?

Once you pull the data, export it into a spreadsheet. This makes everything easier to sort and analyze.

1. Export Data

In Ahrefs or Semrush:

• Go to Backlinks or Referring Domains
• Select your competitor
• Click Export (usually CSV or Excel)

Do this for each competitor.

2. Filter the Data

Focus on:

2.1 Referring Domains (not individual links)

Domains tell you the real authority source. One domain linking 10 times is less valuable than 10 different domains.

2.2 Remove low-quality links

Law firms should keep a clean backlink profile because of E-E-A-T and trust signals. 
Filter out:

• spammy domains
• foreign language websites
• irrelevant countries
• adult or gambling sites
• hacked or strange subdomains

3. Highlight high-value opportunities

Keep domains that are: 

• legal-related
• local to your city/state
• news or media outlets
• community organizations
• local businesses
• niche blogs
• universities
• chambers of commerce

4. Group by type

This gives you a ready-to-action list of backlink targets. 

Create columns like:

• Legal directories
• Local links
• Guest post opportunities
• Sponsorships
• Niche citations
• PR/news placements

Step 3: Analyze Competitor Backlinks for Quality

Once you collect backlink data, the next step is to check which links actually matter.
Not all backlinks are equal. Some links help you rank. Others do nothing.
Law firms need high-quality, trusted, and relevant links because legal SEO depends heavily on authority and trust.

This step helps you see what kinds of links actually push your competitors to the top of Google.

1. Evaluating Domain Authority, Relevance, and Traffic

Goal: Find backlinks that have authority + legal relevance + real traffic.

A backlink is only strong when three things are true:

1.1 Domain Authority

This shows how powerful a website is. Higher scores usually mean stronger links.
Tools use different names:

• Ahrefs → DR
• Semrush → AS (Authority Score)
• Moz → DA

1.2 Relevance

For law firms, relevance matters more than raw authority.
A link from a small legal blog can be more valuable than a big random site.

Good relevance examples:

• legal blogs
• state bar associations
• personal injury niche blogs
• local city websites
• attorney review sites

1.3 Traffic

If the domain gets real traffic, Google trusts it more.
High-traffic sites bring:

• more visibility
• more referral visitors
• stronger ranking signals

2. Anchor Text Patterns Competitors Use

Anchor text is the clickable text used in a backlink.
Competitors’ anchor text tells you:

• how people link to them
• which keywords they’re winning
• what looks “natural” in your niche

Common anchor texts in legal SEO:

• brand name (“Smith Law Firm”)
• lawyer’s name (“John Doe Attorney”)
• service keyword (“car accident lawyer”)
• URL anchors (“smithlaw.com”)
• partial match anchors (“injury attorney in Dallas”)

Patterns to look for:

• Do top competitors have many keyword-rich anchors?
• Do they rely mostly on branded anchors?
• Are news sites linking with “according to…” mentions?

3. Identifying Top Referring Domains

Top referring domains are the websites that give your competitors their strongest authority.

Look for domains that:

• link to multiple competitors
• have high DR/DA
• publish legal or local content
• have articles mentioning attorneys
• allow outgoing links

These domains are your “must-target” opportunities because they already link to other law firms.

Examples:

• Legal blogs (AttorneyAtWork, JD Supra)
• Local news sites
• State legal associations
• Local government sites
• Niche industry blogs

Create a list of the top 20 domains linking to your competitors.
These are your highest-value backlink prospects.

4. Finding the Pages Earning the Most Links on Competitor Sites

You also need to see which pages attract the most backlinks.

Common high-link pages for law firms include:

• legal guides (“What to Do After a Car Accident”)
• statistics pages
• local resources
• legal templates or checklists
• major case results
• attorney profiles
• scholarship pages
• helpful blog posts

When you know what content gets the most links, you can:

• create better versions
• update missing topics
• build linkable assets
• pitch reporters and bloggers

This helps you create content that naturally earns links over time.

Step 4: Extract Link Opportunities for Your Law Firm

After analyzing competitor backlinks, the next step is to pull out real, repeatable link opportunities your law firm can use.

These are the patterns that show where you can also earn links.

1. Legal Directories & Bar Associations

Your competitors are likely listed on: Avvo, Justia, FindLaw, Super Lawyers, State bar directories, Local bar associations, Specialty associations (e.g., Trial Lawyer Associations).

Make a list of every directory linking to your competitors.
Then submit your law firm to the same ones.

These links improve: local trust, E-E-A-T, citation accuracy and backlink count.

This is the easiest and fastest link win.

2. Guest Posting Opportunities

Guest posts let you publish helpful articles on other sites.
Competitor backlinks reveal:

• which legal blogs accept guest posts
• which business blogs link to attorneys
• what type of topics get approved

Examples:

• “How to Stay Safe After a Car Crash”
• “Why You Need a Lawyer for a Slip and Fall Case”

If a site links to 3-5 other law firms, they are very likely to link to you too.
Reach out and offer a high-value, easy-to-read article.

3. Resource Page Opportunities

Resource pages list helpful links for readers.
Competitor analysis shows:

• which pages list local attorneys
• which pages list legal resources
• which community pages link to law firms

Examples:

• “Local Injury Support Resources”
• “Legal Help for Seniors”
• “City Victim Support Services”

4. Local News and Citations

These links build trust fast because local relevance is very strong. 

Law firms often earn links from:

• local news websites
• community blogs
• neighborhood associations
• chambers of commerce
• charity or sponsorship pages

Check where competitors got:

• press coverage
• event sponsorship links
• quotes in news articles
• mentions in crime or accident stories

5. Broken Link Opportunities

Broken link building = finding pages that once linked to your competitors but now show a 404 error.

Website owners appreciate fixes, so this method is simple and effective.

If a competitor’s article or page is dead, you can:

• recreate a better version
• tell the linking site
• offer your link as a replacement

6. Unlinked Brand Mentions

Sometimes websites mention:

• your law firm name
• your attorney name
• your brand
• your past cases

…but don’t link to you.

You can search mentions through:

• Ahrefs Mentions
• Google Alerts
• manual searching

Then email the site owner and request a link.
This usually takes only one message to get the link added.

Step 5: Prioritize and Validate Opportunities

Not every backlink is worth chasing.
Some are strong, some are weak, and some will waste your time.

This step helps you choose only the best, easiest, and highest-impact backlink opportunities.

1. Assessing DR, Relevance, and Difficulty

When looking at backlink prospects, rate each opportunity on three factors:

1.1 Domain Rating (DR) or Authority Score (AS)

Higher DR/AS = stronger authority.

• DR 60–90 → high-value link
• DR 30–59 → medium-value link
• DR 10–29 → low but still helpful if relevant

1.2 Relevance

This matters more than DR in legal SEO.

Strong relevance:

• legal blogs
• local city sites
• law-related education sites
• attorney-focused publications

Weak relevance:

• random tech blogs
• foreign-language websites
• unrelated niches

1.3 Difficulty

Ask: “How hard is it to earn this link?”

Low effort:

• legal directories
• local citations
• bar associations

Medium effort:

• guest posts
• legal blogs
• resource pages

High effort:

• news sites
• government pages
• high-authority national publications

Goal: Start with high relevance + low difficulty, then move upward.

2. Spotting Link Velocity to Avoid “Dead Topics”

Link velocity = how fast a topic or page earns new links over time.
This tells you if a topic is:

• rising
• stable
• dying

If competitors stopped earning links to a topic, it may be a dead topic.

Example: If a legal guide got lots of links years ago but none recently, it may no longer attract attention.

Instead, watch for topics with:

• steady monthly links
• fresh mentions
• new guides being created
• ongoing news interest

These are “living” topics that still earn backlinks today.

3. Evaluating the Likelihood of Earning a Link

Before you outreach, ask yourself:

• Does this site link to other law firms?
• Does the site publish external content?
• Does the site have writers who quote experts?
• Is the site active (recent posts)?
• Does the site allow link placements?

If the answer is yes to most, then you have a high chance of earning a link.

Step 6: Create Content That Outperforms Competitors

To get backlinks, you must create content people actually want to link to.
This means producing better, more helpful, and more trustworthy content than your competitors.

1. Updating Outdated Competitor Content

Look at competitor pages that:

• get lots of backlinks
• are 2–5 years old
• have old statistics
• use outdated laws
• have thin explanations

You can beat them by:

• updating stats
• adding visuals
• improving explanations
• adding expert quotes
• including real legal insights
• covering missed subtopics

When your content is fresher and more complete, editors prefer linking to you.

2. Creating Linkable Assets (Studies, Guides, Research)

Linkable assets are pieces of content that naturally attract backlinks because they offer unique value.

Strong linkable assets for law firms include:

• accident statistics by state
• traffic data studies
• legal checklists
• large “how-to” guides
• injury calculators
• safety reports
• case-study research
• legal templates
• local resource lists

These types of content make reporters, blogs, and local sites want to link to you.

3. Matching Search Intent & E-E-A-T for Legal Topics

Legal topics require:

• accuracy
• trust
• expert experience
• clear explanations

To satisfy E-E-A-T, include:

• attorney byline
• credentials
• case experience
• citations to laws
• real examples
• clear disclaimers

Match search intent by asking:

• Is the searcher seeking information?
• Are they comparing lawyers?
• Do they need a step-by-step plan?

Content that satisfies both user intent and Google’s trust factors earns more backlinks.

Step 7: Outreach Strategy for Law Firms

Once your content is ready, you must reach out and earn backlinks through smart communication.

1. Email Outreach Templates

Here is a simple outreach structure that works well:

Template 1: Guest Post Pitch

Subject: Helpful article for your readers

Hi [Name],

I noticed you publish legal content and link to law firms like ours.
I’d love to write a useful article for your readers on:

• [Topic Idea 1]
• [Topic Idea 2]

We can include expert insights from our attorney.
Let me know if you’d like a draft.

Thank you,
[Your Name]

Template 2: Broken Link Replacement

Subject: Quick fix for a broken link

Hi [Name],
I found a broken link on your page: [URL].
We have a similar resource here: [Your Page].
You’re welcome to use it.

Thanks for keeping the page updated!
[Your Name]

Template 3: Unlinked Brand Mention

Hi [Name],
Thank you for mentioning our firm in your article.
Would you mind adding a quick link to our site for your readers?
It helps them find the original source.

Thanks again!
[Your Name]

2. Offering Value to Editors and Legal Publications

Editors care about:

• usefulness
• accuracy
• expert insight
• clear writing

Offer value by giving:

• legal tips
• data
• quotes from attorneys
• fresh research
• simplified explanations

The more you help them, the more links you earn.

3. Building Relationships for Recurring Links

Instead of one-off emails, build long-term relationships with:

• local reporters
• blog editors
• bar association managers
• podcast hosts
• legal journalists

You can build relationships by:

• sharing insights
• offering interviews
• sending useful data
• being quick to reply
• being helpful without asking for anything

This leads to recurring backlinks over time.

Step 8: Monitor, Iterate, and Scale

Backlink building is not a one-time task. You must keep improving your strategy based on new data.

1. Tracking New Competitor Backlinks

Check competitor backlinks monthly using:

• Ahrefs “New Backlinks”
• Semrush “Backlink Audit”
• Google Alerts

This helps you see:

• new PR hits
• new guest posts
• trending topics
• new linkable assets

Then adapt your strategy to match what’s working now.

2. Measuring Results in Ahrefs/GSC

Track:

• new referring domains
• improved DR
• higher rankings
• more organic traffic
• increased local visibility
• pages earning the most links

Google Search Console shows:

• who links to you
• which pages get the most traffic
• which anchors get clicked

This helps you see what’s improving and what needs work.

Why Backlinks Matter in Legal SEO?

Backlinks matter because they act like digital votes of trust. When a reputable website links to your law firm, Google sees your firm as:

• more trustworthy
• more authoritative
• more knowledgeable in your legal field

In legal SEO, trust is everything. People who search for lawyers need confidence before they contact anyone. Google wants to show them safe, credible results. That’s why backlinks from respected websites like news publications, legal associations, universities, and high-quality directories carry stronger power in the legal industry.

Without strong backlinks, even the best content may struggle to rank. Good backlinks help your law firm:

• Rank higher for competitive keywords like “car accident lawyer” or “divorce attorney”
• Show up more often in local searches
• Build brand reputation in your market
• Outrank law firms with weaker authority

The Unique Nature of Law Firm Backlinks

Law firm backlinks are different from backlinks in other industries. Because legal topics fall under YMYL (Your Money or Your Life), Google expects a higher level of trust. This is where E-E-A-T comes in:

• Experience: Real-world legal expertise
• Expertise: Professional knowledge of laws and legal processes
• Authoritativeness: Recognition from trusted websites
• Trustworthiness: Verified and credible information

Backlinks help strengthen all four areas.

For law firms, the best backlinks usually come from:

• State bar associations
• Legal journals and legal explainers
• News articles quoting your attorneys
• Local government or community websites
• High-quality legal directories (Avvo, Justia, FindLaw, etc.)
• University or education websites
• Niche-specific blogs (injury, family law, employment law, etc.)

These links prove to Google that your firm is credible.
They show that real experts, organizations, and authorities acknowledge your law firm.

Because legal topics can affect someone’s life, health, or financial wellbeing, Google holds law firms to a higher standard. That’s why competitor backlink analysis is so important, it shows you exactly where your competitors already earned trust online, so you can follow the same path.

When to Consider a Legal SEO Agency?

It may be time to hire experts when:

• you don’t have time to do outreach
• you need professional content
• you want faster results
• your city is very competitive
• you need technical SEO help
• you want ongoing PR and link building

A good agency can handle:

• content creation
• link outreach
• local SEO
• technical fixes
• competitor analysis
• reporting

So you can focus on serving clients.

Conclusion: Take Control of Your Law Firm’s Backlink Strategy

Competitor backlink analysis is one of the smartest ways for law firms to grow online authority. Following a structured process from identifying real SEO competitors to creating link-worthy content and executing smart outreach ensures that your law firm builds authority faster and more effectively than guessing or starting from scratch.

Backlinks aren’t just for rankings; they are signals of trust and credibility for both Google and potential clients. By consistently monitoring, iterating, and scaling your backlink strategy, your law firm can dominate local and niche search results while strengthening its online reputation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a backlink, and why is it important for law firms?

A backlink is a link from another website to yours. For law firms, backlinks act as votes of trust. Google sees reputable backlinks as a sign that your firm is credible, authoritative, and trustworthy, which improves rankings and local visibility.

How do I find my law firm’s real SEO competitors?

Real SEO competitors are the websites that rank for the same legal keywords you target, not necessarily firms you compete with offline. You can find them using manual Google searches or tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, or Moz.

Can I get backlinks from directories like Avvo or Justia?

Yes! Legal directories are easy, high-value backlink opportunities. Make sure your law firm is listed on relevant national and local directories, and keep your profile accurate and updated.

How do I know which competitor backlinks are worth pursuing?

Focus on links that have high authority (DR/DA), strong legal relevance, and active traffic. Avoid spammy, irrelevant, or foreign sites. Start with high relevance + low difficulty links, like local directories and bar associations.

Should I hire a legal SEO agency?

Consider hiring a professional if you lack time, need ongoing link building, want faster results, or operate in a competitive city. Agencies handle content creation, outreach, technical SEO, and reporting, so you can focus on serving clients.