I think we can all agree on the fact that solicitors and law firms have a slight reputation for being a little outdated in terms of the way they work. As a marketing agency who specialises in writing for the legal sector, we can definitely say that more often than not, they need a little helping hand in order to get up to scratch with the digital marketing world. I’m going to be discussing how a marketing strategy may actually be able to work wonders for a law firm, and actually entice a whole other range of potential clients.
So, let’s get to it…
It’s All a Bit Different in 2019…
There was once a time where marketing for law firms was pretty straight forward. Apart from referrals, most lawyers’ marketing strategies involved the odd print ads, billboards and television adverts that were always that cringe-worthy set-up of: “Were you unfairly injured, and want compensation?” You know the sort.
To say it’s changed a bit is an understatement. Your target audience is now spending at least eight hours a day online, and when they need to get in contact with a solicitor, they’re more than likely going to head to Google to find contact details before anything.
In this day and age, most of us prefer to get questions answered and learn about a company and its services from online articles rather than adverts, and this is often done on a mobile phone, which is certainly something to bear in mind.
So, what can law firms do?
Reap in the Reviews
I think it’s fair to say as a blanket statement, that in the legal industry, reviews are pretty essential. A couple of years back, Moz conducted a study which demonstrated that almost 70% of consumers are influenced by online reviews. This is extra important in the legal industry, where your reputation is often hanging by a thread. When a potential prospect begins searching for a lawyer, they are almost definitely, in an hour of need.
Perhaps an individuals’ spouse has just given them divorce papers, or they were arrested for driving under the influence, the reviews read about a legal firm helps erase any fears that they may have in acquiring a consultation.
The more reviews a law firm has from past clients they’ve helped, the easier it is for potential clients to believe they’re able to get help with their own problems. One of the problems with getting clients to leave reviews is that they don’t actually know how to. By giving them a link to your business’s Google profile for them to write something there, should help solve the issue.
Optimising the Website Will Work Wonders
In this digital age. A website has got to be more than just a ‘homepage’, an ‘about’ page and a ‘contact us’ page. This is the tool that converts visitors into customers. When designing the layout of a law firm’s website, the first thing to think about is what your target audience is looking for in a law firm. In other words, what would make you pick your website as a legal resource over another?
Regardless of anything else, your website should have clear branding and messaging, be fast-loading and include easy navigation on every device used to view your site.
If the website isn’t responsive to different browsers and devices, it could definitely impact how much traffic you receive. A huge amount of people use mobiles to search for law firms, and if the website doesn’t clearly state who they are, and how they can help, they’re going to go elsewhere.
Content, Content and More Content
A lawyers sole purpose is to provide advice to a client, so a law firm’s website should abide by the same rules. No, we’re not being biased just because we’re a content digital marketing company, but using both blogging and content on the core pages of a law firms’ website will do nothing but benefit the company. Someone asking: “What happens if I’m removed from my Mother’s will?” in a search engine may land on your website if you create content for it.
The aim here is, you want the website to serve as a helpful resource while making you appear as the subject expert, a digital marketing agency is going to be able to help you achieve this, as laid out in your digital marketing strategy. They’ll be sure that you’re including a disclaimer that the information on the website is not considered legal advice for liability purposes.
The Blogs
A blog created by marketing experts for a law firm can provide outstanding value to potential clients, as well as offering the opportunity to sing the praises of the staff within the firm. By creating this helpful and relevant content which offer practical advice will capture the right people who are looking for information on these exact topics.
A digital marketing agency will be able to find out from a law firm the questions which are most frequently asked because if they’re asking the solicitors questions, they’re more than likely going to ask Google the same thing. An agency is also likely to aim for a couple of blogs per month, to begin with, as you start to see targeted traffic, increased phone calls and leads, then see if the client would be willing to increase their budget to ramp up the blog posts per month.
Exceeding The Social Media Reputation
A law firm isn’t complete without having some social media, as these are able to help build a brands reputation, reach out to clients and indefinitely establish their position in the market. In this day and age, many customers believe that a brands response gives them a more positive view of the brand, which is why social media for law firms is a pretty effective tactic for growing an audience and reaching out for clients.
‘Social selling’ means using interactions and sharing on social media to promote law firms services. Not only does this help build relationships with potential customers, but it increases conversations online.
The Answer: Yes
A law firms website is one of their biggest assets as it brings in new leads, showcases their capabilities, and gives them an opportunity to build credibility. Finding out what a law firm’s online presence needs to gain with the search engines can be difficult but rewarding. As we’ve spoken about in another blog, solicitors have a bit of a reputation for being old fashioned, so they need to understand the power of digital marketing.
Partaking in digital marketing is only going to do justice for them and their company, it’s just a case of persuading the persuaders.
Challenge accepted.
