Fear of litigation. That was the reason why for so long, law firms were prohibited or at least discouraged from advertising. The courts apparently worried that law firm marketing would vastly increase the number of cases filed and strain the judicial system.
The tables turned when jurisprudence decided that forbidding lawyers from advertising was a denial of their First Amendment rights. Ironically, the prohibition was against the law. Honesty and ethics, of course, still apply. But there’s no reason firms shouldn’t market what makes them unique.
Today, lawyers are developing and executing comprehensive marketing strategies to make sure potential clients know about them. No longer are Yellow Pages ads and byway billboards their only media. Everything is in play. And the firms that take advantage of the vast opportunities of digital marketing will reap the rewards. Here’s how they are navigating the course.
Table of Contents
They’re Upping Their Website Game
A website is the centerpiece of any law firm’s marketing strategy. It’s like a digital shingle, but if it only contains a law firm’s name, phone number, and address, it’s useless. The masses are looking for a wealth of information, and firms need to make it all accessible to them.
The best digital marketing for law firms encompasses a range of tools that begin and end with a stellar website. Site architecture, the quality and relevancy of content, and the speed and accuracy of response to users are all crucial. These are the factors that capture the attention of search engines and boost page rankings. And what attracts that attention should draw every firm’s attention as well.
Websites have to keep pace with ever-changing search engine algorithms. What got them noticed before won’t necessarily work with new sets of rules that gauge the relevancy of web pages. Moreover, a search engine like Google has moved past the mere relevancy of content. It has added user intent to its algorithm, making the formula even more complex.
It’s a highly competitive market for law firms. Whether one can come through the fray and emerge on page one is challenging. Those constantly vigilant and responsive to search engine demands have dynamic websites. And that’s precisely the energy needed to get to the top.
They’re Embracing Social Media
It’s the “social” aspect of social media that can prevent law firms from incorporating its use in their marketing strategies. But to avoid it would be a major misstep. Social media platforms are where people are today. It’s where they often turn to find and learn about law firms when they need one.
The numbers tell the story. Nearly 64% of the world’s population are social media users with recent annual growth of more than 280 million. That’s adding nearly nine new users every second. If that’s where people are, that’s where law firms need to be as well.
The challenge with effective use of social media is its inherent need for constant attention. That’s what makes it simultaneously difficult and advantageous. Social media provides a unique opportunity to engage with users, answer questions, and invite good ratings for the firm. Law firms need to post frequently and respond to users quickly or else they won’t return.
Social media certainly isn’t a static marketing tool, which is what makes it time-intensive. Growing numbers of potential clients use these platforms when they’re searching for a lawyer or looking at firm ratings. And that makes social media time well spent.
They’re Creating Savvy Content
Writing is part and parcel of the legal profession. Pleadings, opening and closing arguments, correspondence, and settlement demands are stocks in trade. However, digital content has to deliver a different type of impact, which makes it an entirely different written product.
Great content tosses out the high-dollar legal terminology learned in law school. Instead, it opts for readability among the masses. Where that big vocabulary needs to be used, it’s followed by a definition comprehensible by the average 6th grader. Impressing someone isn’t the goal here. Readers need to be able to understand the information presented to them.
Content should also engage the reader by appealing to their emotions. It should be consistent, honest, and helpful to the person who’s searching for information. Moreover, content shouldn’t all be in writing. The use of video, images, and graphics not only attracts users but also makes information easier to understand and remember.
Content — be it web page copy, blogs, white papers, videos, or other media — should target user wants and needs. If it does an admirable job doing that, it will also garner the approval of search engines. It will raise a law firm’s standing among its peers. It will separate a law firm from all the other digital noise too.
Ride the Wave
The digital marketing wave is here, whether a law firm is ready for it or not. In surfing, riding the wave is a recognition that surfers can’t stop the physics of the swell. They just have to use it to their advantage.
The digital wave is no different. Law firms that figure out how to put digital media physics to work best will beat their competitors. It’s high time firms get their websites, social media, and content in top form. Surf’s up.
