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Online Marketing for Lawyers

By March 28, 2019 June 13th, 2019 No Comments
online marketing for lawyers

Ways To Create Great Content

Great content to potential clients is much like nectar to honey bees. Great content can attract, and retain, social media followers and website users, and can convert those users into actual clients—not to mention boost SEO across your networks.

However, the Internet today is inundated with similar-looking content—many URL’s and social profile names are almost identical. Unique content is getting harder to produce, as more web developers are grasping the importance of online marketing for lawyers, and generating stacks of content for the masses.

So, how do you produce great content that stands apart from the rest? How do you create content that will be found and followed?

Answer: Provide content that accommodates your audience’s needs.

If your content answers questions and solves problems, you’re going to earn trust with your audience, and brand your firm as the go-to resource above your competitors.

Here are 3 quick and easy ways to create content that accommodates your user’s needs, and gives them a reason to return to your website, blog, and social media pages.

1. Social Networks

Social networks are great places to discover valuable content ideas. On Twitter and Facebook, use #hashtags to find trending topics your target audience is posting to and tweeting about—law related or not. Then, build content around those topics. This can put you at the forefront of creating perfectly-tailored content for your audience.

Also, be sure to check out discussion board sites such as Reddit and Digg for more trending content ideas.

TIP: Check out your competitor’s social pages, as well. Discover their most popular posts or threads, and use these as a basis to create content on your pages. You can also turn these topics into longer blog posts and articles.

2. User Comments on Social Networks

Pay attention to the comments left by your target audience. For example, if a trending topic is related to DUI defense, but there are a lot of comments being made on DUI sobriety tests within that topic, create content on DUI sobriety tests.

TIP: Don’t pass up an opportunity to create great content because only a handful of users are talking about it. By posting content that is unique and rather isolated, you may create a topic that goes viral.

3. Google’s Keyword Planner

Google’s Keyword Planner is a great resource for generating targeted content. You can see how individual keywords are performing, and test keyword lists by grouping keywords together—such as long-tail keywords.

Long-tail keywords are valuable in discovering what your target audience is looking for, as you may stumble upon a string of related keywords in which an entire content strategy can be developed.

4. Educate, don’t sell

Using content in law firm marketing can work beautifully to draw prospects … if it educates.

Fortunately for you, most lawyers instead begin their websites with their qualifications, their free consultation, their caring approach, their accessibility, and a host of other attributes that (a) are the same on hundreds of lawyer sites and (2) speak to consumers ready to call.

But most site visitors need more information and persuading before they are ready to contact you.

The best way to provide that information while simultaneously demonstrating that you are the right lawyer for the job is to provide large quantities of educational content in a variety of formats. In the words of Kimmel & Silverman’s (LemonLaw.com) marketing director:

“The largest challenge that we have is educating consumers about their rights. A lot of people know about the term lemon law and what it is but they don’t know how the law works or what you need to do to implement your rights. Many people think that they need to go to the dealership. That’s incorrect. The claims are against the manufacturer. Many people feel that they need to go through the state attorney general’s office. That’s also incorrect.

“The most popular feature on our site is our blog. The blog was established a few years ago and we’ve used the blog to educate and create dialogue between drivers both nationally and even internationally about specific manufacturer defects and specific manufacturer problems that are out there. Jeep water leak, Audi oil consumption problems, Ford think systems defects, General Motor “stabilitrack” problems. These are the types of things we know many consumers are dealing with. And what we’ve seen is that these consumers have used our blog as a dialogue. They share their stories see if we can help, and see if other consumers out there have feedback for them.”

Notice the variety of information provided: How the actions proceed. What problems exist. What other consumers in the same situation have to say.

Another option is to go big and pack a lot of information into one product. North Carolina divorce lawyer Jim Hart offers an ebook at no charge on his websites DivorceGuide.com and NCDivorceGuide.com:

“I have a free divorce guide that is about 50 pages. It’s an A to Z guide to what you need to know about divorce in North Carolina. I use Google pay-per-click to drive traffic to that website and that free download. I’m very targeted in how I do that. I get a lot of people who will call and set an appointment with me after downloading that report.”

If you narrowly define the niche your lawyer marketing targets like attorneys we profiled in Lesson 1 have done, you too can create a website that is the go-to resource for people with problems in the specialty you serve. Those people will then think of you first when they are ready to hire a lawyer.

If you need help generating content, we can help with either:

Do you have questions on how to create the best content for your law firm? We’ve got answers! Contact one of our legal marketing specialists today for more information.

5 Ways To Make Your Content Sticky

When it comes to legal marketing, there are many forms of content, and many ways of promoting it: SEO text via articles, blogs, and social media networks, videos, infographics, even podcasts and webinars.

Having the means to expose your content and promote your firm is not the issue. Creating content that is memorable, or “sticks” in the reader’s mind is an issue, and the key to successful content marketing.

Here are 5 quick and easy ways to make your attorney marketing content sticky, and memorable to those who view it.

1. Keep It Simple

Even legal lingo dealing with complex matters can be conveyed into simple terms. Remember, potential clients are not likely lawyers or law students, so content containing too much onus probandi talk will not only confuse them, it will probably bore them, and they won’t likely return to your site/social media pages.

2. Keep It Interesting

Again, legal topics for the layperson don’t have to be boring—no matter the practice area. Keep your content informative, but interesting. Make sure you drive home key points that need to be made, but that they are done in a way that doesn’t make the viewer feel they’re in a classroom.

3. Keep It Credible

Make sure that your content stays credible, and believable. For example, if you’re posting an article or video on DUI checkpoint tips, make sure these tips are truly helpful for someone getting pulled over by the police. Making outlandish defense claims, or giving advice that isn’t practical will tarnish your credibility, and both your content and your firm won’t be taken seriously.

4. Keep It Personable

Viewers will remember content that speaks to them on a personal level. Attorneys are not always perceived as being the most personable of professionals. Content that uses personal stories to relay information, and hosting a website and social media pages that talk more about life events than legal ones is a great way to keep viewers interested in you, and your services.

5. Keep It Sharable

There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to legal cases, but you can keep your content generalized to the point that it covers a range of legal issues; e.g. what to do the moment you’re arrested, the steps you need to take to initiate bankruptcy proceedings, etc. Make sure your content contains so much helpful information that it brings value to a number of readers, and can be shared on a massive scale.

For more tips on making your content sticky, and how to promote your firm to the masses, contact us. We’ve got your legal marketing needs covered.

Obtaining Organic Ranking For Your Legal Content

This is the fifth installment of our Content Marketing blog series. To view the beginning of the series, go here.

As legal websites increase in number and size, obtaining a good Google ranking for your content has become more difficult.

Unless you work in a non-competitive niche or region, your content will need to be optimized to maximize its Google page position.

Lesson 5: Optimize your content

Unless you have an in house-marketing team with lawyer SEO expertise, the technical and evolving nature of optimization work will require outsourcing to specialists. So we won’t try to explain the process but instead will provide an example of success:

Scott Grabel and Associates (GrabelLaw.com) are a Michigan-based criminal defense team who practice in the areas of sex charges, DUI, driver’s license restoration, drug charges, theft and property crimes, assault and violent crimes, juvenile crimes, post-conviction services, police mistakes, prosecutor mistakes and jail alternatives. Two years ago, Grabel realized that his practice wasn’t ranking at all in organic Google search results.

Grabel hired a team of freelance contractors who help him maintain his website, create new content for his blogs and micro-sites, as well as run law firm SEO and social media for his practice. His team is “constantly updating and adding new information” to his main website and micro-sites. The results?

  • Average time on site increased from a few seconds to 5-1/2 minutes
  • Bounce rate declined to 32%
  • Monthly visitors increased to 12,000
  • Ranks on first page for competitive key phrases

We can provide, post, and optimize pre-created or custom content. We also have a team of in-house optimization specialists who can improve your site’s ranking.

5 Reasons Why Your Content Isn’t Going Viral

It’s the million dollar marketing question: how do you not only produce content that attracts and retains viewers, but it’s so good that it reaches a viral scale?

Content that reaches a viral level typically has two key components working for it:

  1. It incorporates different forms of media; e.g. text, videos, photos, infographics, even podcasts.
  2. It connects with viewers on an emotional and personal level.

In these days of content overload, even fantastic content can get lost in the competitive marketing landscape, and never reach the visibility it deserves. Here are 5 reasons why your law firm’s content isn’t going viral, and what you can do to give it its best shot.

1. Make an Emotional Connection


Legal matters are in no way boring, and can prompt deep emotional response—especially in the areas of family law, criminal defense, and personal injury. Make sure that your content is reaching viewers on an emotional level, and that it isn’t too technical or textbook. Relay the legal information that people need, but do so in a way that it connects with them personally.

2. Solve a Problem

Content that solves problems, or offers ways to solve problems, will always be popular. Assume the position of a problem solver, and always think five steps ahead. Provide solutions that are effective, but are also outside-the-box. This is the kind of content that inspires people, and often gets shared on a massive scale.

3. Make It Newsworthy

Content that can support or complement a newsworthy story is always a hit, because it’s relatable, and a trendy topic for discussion. If you’re a criminal defense attorney, there’s no shortage of media trials that you can reference in your content, or draw examples from. You don’t have to share your opinion of the case(s), but you can discuss the legal subject matter, and explain the judiciary processes.

Plus, mentioning famous trials or buzzing legal matters in your content will give you an attorney SEO boost.

4. Post Your Content Everywhere

No content can go viral if it’s not getting proper exposure. Make sure you’re publicizing your content on social media giants such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Google+. Also, use RSS feeds, forums, microblogging sites, and anywhere else you can share your content with the masses.

5. Keep Your Content Short

There’s a reason why the most popular blogs, videos, and other uploads are short and to the point. The attention span of the average viewer is getting smaller by the minute, as too much content is vying to be seen.

Try to keep your content short and concise. It is possible to provide valuable, informative, and quality content in a 2-paragraph blog, or a 1-2 minute video. You’ll not only save time producing it, your viewers are more likely to share your content with others when it’s a quick and engaging forward.

Tricks to Maintain a Productive Attorney Blog

If you have created an attorney blog, you know how laborious yet rewarding the process can be. A blog can be a conduit to your key audience, providing prospects with helpful information that could convince them to consult your firm and receive the legal aid they need.

However, establishing a blog forum is only the first step; the true measure of a blog’s effectiveness is its lifespan and reach. What’s the secret to maintaining a long-term blog, continuously producing engaging content for your audience, and slowly but surely growing your audience? Read on!

1.      Block out calendar time.

When your to-do list approaches novel length and there are a mountain of unread emails flashing on your computer screen, making time for your attorney blog may be the last thing on your mind. Nevertheless, pushing it down on the priority list day after day is the easiest way to let it fall off your radar and undo your hard work.

Schedule a recurring calendar appointment to remind you to sit down and write, even when you have a million things to do. Blocking out an hour or two during the week to craft a well-written article and brainstorm the next piece might be difficult at first but will become habit soon enough if you abide by your calendar reminders.

2.      Plan your topic schedule.

Planning out topics a month or even a few months ahead ensures that you’re not scrambling for a topic to cover every week. In addition, proactively nailing down a rough topic schedule provides opportunities to take advantage of timely topics and leverage upcoming events.

For instance, your DUI defense firm may know that more people are arrested for DUI during the winter holiday season than any other time throughout the year in your local community. You can take advantage of this knowledge and feature pertinent attorney blog articles throughout December and January, such as pieces focused on how to avoid driving under the influence and why those arrested for DUI should consult a qualified attorney instead of instantly admitting guilt.

3.      Leverage connections to get others involved.

You’ve probably spent a significant amount of time networking with fellow legal professionals and important figures in other industries. Get in touch and ask them contribute to your blog! Readers love guest features involving interesting experts, especially if it means that the content is fresh and a departure from the usual topics covered.

4.      Create a series.

Save yourself the hassle of brainstorming new weekly topics and instead, create a multi-part series. For example, walk readers through a typical personal injury claim by focusing on one part of the process each week. Another benefit: readers might be more willing to continue reading your attorney blog’s posts if they’ve already read the first part of the series.

5.      Consult the blog experts.

The above tips can be helpful when managing your firm’s blog, but the truth is that sometimes you need help from the experts. Don’t hesitate to reach out for assistance!

Ask us how we can help you boost your blog and maximize your online marketing efforts! 

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