6 Amazing Digital Marketing Strategies Law Firms Should Consider
We’ve all seen those corny ads for law firms on city buses, daytime TV shows, park benches, you name it. Those ads may have a time and a place if they fit with your brand. In 2020, though, you’re missing out if you don’t take advantage of the digital ecosystem, too.
The problem is that you’re a lawyer, not a marketer. How do you know where to start?
Fortunately, plenty of folks have faced this issue before you and have discovered the top types of online marketing for law firms.
1. Writing Blogs
How many times have you Googled a question about something in the past day? Probably several times, and so have your future clients.
People are always searching for advice and information, so writing blogs with your legal expertise is the best way to reach them.
The key is to focus on informing your audience, not selling to them. This article from Burman Law is perfect—it answers a key question many of their clients have, rather than spending 1000 words patting themselves on the back.
People will find your blogs because they’re searching for that topic or question. When they do find your content, they get to know you as a reliable legal expert. The next time they need a lawyer, who better to call than the one who has already proven themselves to be knowledgeable and helpful?
On top of this, blogging is one of the best things you can do for your search engine optimization or SEO. Your site will be full of relevant content about popular keywords, so you’ll land at the top of search results.
2. Getting onto Online Directories
Your own site shouldn’t be the only way clients can find you online. There are plenty of directories out there dedicated to helping people find lawyers. Are you on them?
There are two categories of directories you want: legal directories and local directories.
Search for as many of these directories as you can find. If you find any sites that don’t list you, submit your profile to the site.
When you find directories that already list you, check out your profile. You want it to be complete and robust. It should have a photo if the directory has this option.
Beyond the photo, make sure all your information is up-to-date. Be sure to include a list of your legal specialties so you show up in the right searches.
3. Going Social
Social media marketing isn’t just for brands selling eyeshadow palettes. It’s a critical strategy for law firms as well.
As with your blogs, your social media posts need to focus on informing the public rather than selling yourself. People are tired of blatant advertising and may react negatively.
Post all of your blogs, videos, and other content on your social media pages. Focus on trending legal topics and give your expert opinion about high-profile questions.
Don’t forget to interact, too. Comment on other posts with your legal expertise. For instance, local news outlets’ posts tend to be popular, and your expert opinion will be welcome.
4. Giving Your Site an Audit
Having a website is rule #1 for digital marketing, but is yours up to snuff? When was the last time you gave it a checkup? Do you know what to look for?
Start by checking how well your site is optimized for search engines. An SEO checklist of the essentials is an easy place to begin.
Your site also needs to perform in certain ways to get strong results. It needs to be mobile-friendly, and ideally, it should be responsive. This makes it easier for mobile users, and Google penalizes sites that aren’t mobile-friendly in their SEO rankings.
Don’t forget to check your site’s loading time. Users have little patience for sites that load slowly, so it will lose traffic for you.
Finally, aesthetics play a part too. Your site’s design needs to display your brand while having an updated look. If your site looks outdated, users will assume that your legal knowledge is outdated, too.
5. Video Marketing
Videos are engaging, easy for anyone to explore, and well-optimized for SEO. If you aren’t using all that to your advantage, you should be.
Start producing videos on a regular basis, at least weekly. They don’t need to be expensive, just quick videos of you giving your expert take on a trending legal topic.
Post your videos on YouTube first and foremost. From there, you can share them on social media, embed them on certain pages of your site, and more.
Be sure to mix up the formats of your videos, though. Some can be straightforward “talking head” videos of you, but add some interview videos, demonstrations, live videos, and so on.
6. Paying for Clicks
Many businesses expect that they can get to the top of search engine results pages with organic SEO alone. While that isn’t impossible, it can be far more difficult to catch your competition than you expect.
To put your results into hyperdrive, try pay-per-click ads or PPC ads. These are the ads that show up at the top of Google’s results pages, looking like organic results.
With these ads, you set a specific budget and you choose which types of users to target based on location and the keywords they’re searching for.
Keep in mind that successful PPC ads aren’t just about pumping in as much money as you can. It takes strategy to determine the best keywords to target, how to further customize your audience, and how to compel users to click through.
Getting Serious About Online Marketing for Law Firms
Some law firms make the mistake of assuming that if they do good work, recommendations will bring in all the clients they could want. That isn’t a safe gamble to bet your business on anymore.
In this digital age, many people don’t bother to ask anyone for recommendations before they hit the internet and search for themselves. That’s why it’s so critical for you to have an online presence.
These strategies for online marketing for law firms will help you jumpstart that process. For more tips about content marketing and other ways to spread your message online, check out more articles on our blog.
