An online presence continues to be the cornerstone of successful law firm marketing. Law firms pay big dollars for expert marketing advice. But if your firm doesn’t have thousands of dollars in its marketing fund, there are still steps you can take to improve online strategies and boost firm profits.
Who is Your Target Audience
Before you start marketing, you need to know where to target your efforts. Without this information, you could spend a lot of time and money on a marketing campaign that doesn’t yield any results. The more you know about your potential client, the more likely you are to attract them and appeal to their specific needs. Consider such demographics as:
- Geographic locations
- Income
- Educational level
- Employment
- Age
- Gender
You also want to consider what types of information these individuals seek when conducting searches online. What types of sites do they commonly visit? What forums are they likely to frequent and which social network platforms are they most likely to utilize? For instance, if your practice targets elderly individuals, this population is more likely to utilize Facebook than Instagram.
Once you identify your target audience, you can implement strategies that entice them to visit your website.
Evaluate Your Website
The structure of your website can be the difference between a quick glance and a successful conversion. You only have a few seconds to engage potential clients and maintain their attention from the moment they arrive. Take a critical look at your website and ask yourself the following questions:
- Are your practice areas, lawyer bios, and contact information easy for a first-time visitor to find?
- Is substantive information available within a click or two of drop-down menus?
- Is your site attractive, with quality pictures and visuals?
- Do you have a chat widget available on each page to offer real-time assistance?
- Is text adequately spaced into readable sections?
- Do pages load quickly and do all links work properly?
- Is the site optimized for viewing on a computer or cell phone screen?
Maintaining a simple and logical website structure allows law firms to effectively engage visitors and turn them into paying client matters.
Reviews Do Matter
Word of mouth is vitally important for law firms, providing an invaluable marketing method. Potential clients want assurance that they can trust your law firm to get the results they desire – and they prefer to get this assurance from clients who have worked with your firm in the past.
This is where reviews really make a difference!
Request client testimonials and reviews at the conclusion of matters. Include these statements within the structure of your website by posting them and including links to your firm’s reviews on platforms like Google, Yelp, Nolo, and Avvo.
Keywords are the Key
Search engines like keywords. By identifying effective keywords, you can position your law firm for higher rankings in search results. When identifying keywords, think about:
- What phrases a potential client would use when looking for your legal services. For example, a layperson likely will not search for a “civil litigation attorney.” However, they may search for a “car accident attorney” or “defective product attorney.”
- Keyword strategies. It’s better to rank high in less-popular searches than low in searches for popular keywords. For instance, the competition is high for a “personal injury firm.” Even your best efforts may land your firm on the sixth, seventh, or even tenth page of search results. However, by adding more descriptive words, you could potentially rank higher. Try adding a specific location like “Charlotte personal injury firm” or a more specific practice area like “Charlotte car accident personal injury firm.”
Valuable Content
Your website visitors expect content that is helpful. That doesn’t mean offering blanket legal advice, but it does mean providing content that offers some value. Include content that demonstrates the knowledge and legal skill of your law firm. Give potential clients a reason to believe that your firm is the best option for their representation needs.
Blogging Still Works
It’s been a while since blogging took over the law firm marketing domain, but these tools are still extremely effective at providing valuable content and boosting conversions. With regular blog updates, you can keep your content relevant to changing areas of law and legal trends. They also offer a great tool for attracting organic traffic to your site.
Avoid legal language when writing your blog posts. Instead, use language that non-lawyers will easily understand. Use lists and include images to keep your posts pleasing to the eye and easy to read.
Consider videos as well. With some good lighting and your smartphone, you can create a short video that drives traffic while also providing a positive introduction to your firm. Studies show that consumers tend to place more trust in people they can actually see and hear.
A Strong Social Media Presence
It’s no secret that a strong social media presence can attract new business. Make sure that your law firm is listed on popular social business directories such as Yelp, FindLaw, and Avvo. Also, determine what platforms your potential clients frequent and craft a presence for your firm. Determine how your want to brand your practice. Maybe your brand is an affordable legal solution or a high-end corporate law firm, or even a social justice powerhouse. Use social media to establish and showcase that brand.
Post content that supports your brand and showcases your law practice. While some firms pay social media professionals to manage their accounts, an in-house social media savvy employee could be just as effective.
Pay-Per-Click (PPC)
The traditional approach to paid internet advertisement remains a viable option. Google Ads presents your firm advertisements to potential clients who are already in the research stage of the sales funnel. It allows your practice some valuable visibility to people who are close to engaging a law firm.
It’s not the cheapest option, but it can be highly effective. Remember that every click-through could potentially become a paying client, which means that PPC advertising can pay for itself.
