Driving traffic to their website, getting more phone calls and generating continuous referrals and repeat business are critical to the success of law firm internet marketing. Building trust with clients is very important for your online marketing campaign to be successful. Any law firm marketing consultant will tell you that the first step of your marketing plan should be to build a reputable brand and a website. This should be followed by strategies to educate website visitors and convert them into loyal clients. It is important that your name strikes a potential client first whenever they require the services of a lawyer.
So how does a law firm do that? There are several ways to achieving that. We discuss here, some marketing strategies for a law firm to reach new clients.
Website Optimization
Your website should be a tool for you to convert visitors into clients. While designing a website, the first thing to ascertain is what target customers look for in law firm. In other words, what would make your website a potential legal resource?
All websites should have clear branding and messaging, be fast loading as customers want to get information quickly. It should have easy navigation, irrespective of the device it is viewed on. These days, apart from desktops, people use different mobile devices to search for legal information. The website, therefore, should be responsive to adapt to different screen sizes. The content on your website should be easy to read on all devices.
Ensure your phone number is displayed prominently. Also, adding a CTA at the bottom of your service pages and blog posts will encourage visitors to your website to contact you. Position yourself as an expert by answering FAQs and sharing information on relevant topics concerning your geographical and practice area.Offer value by adding videos to keep visitors engaged. It attracts visitors to your site and they click deeper once they arrive. It also lowers the bounce rate.
Content Marketing Strategy
Apart from videos and downloadable content, you should establish a strong content marketing strategy to build a positive online reputation to benefit from SEO. To do this, build credible back links and create content that point to other pages on your website as additional resources. Another way of adding value for your audience is by contributing content to other websites. This will help drive traffic back to your own website while at the same time provide helpful information which can build trust with your prospective clients.
Leveraging Social Media
Your law firm internet marketing efforts should also include leveraging social media to garner increased customer interest.
According to a study by Attorney at Work, which surveyed 302 lawyers, nearly all (96%) of respondents said they utilized social media. While LinkedIn was at the top with 84% of respondents saying they were on the platform, it was Facebook that brought in the most business. LinkedIn was second with 27% business generation. Whether it is bringing in new business or gaining authority as a lawyer, LinkedIn and Facebook are the two most important channels where every lawyer should have a presence.
Types of content that should be shared on social media are:
Positive reviews, wins and accolades: Reviews can help a potential client decide whether or not to trust you in handling their case. Google and Facebook are considered to be top two review sources. Also share quotes from your clients on your social media newsfeed.
Share your own blog posts and other credible sources to support your commitment to law.
To illustrate your firm’s commitment to giving back to the society, share volunteer experiences that showcase your dedication to your local community.
FAQs can be a great place to start blog posts and social media posts. Answer common legal questions that relate to your practice area. You can consider going live on Facebook to answer FAQs.
Using data to refine strategies and improve results
Use analytics to measure the success of your law firm’s marketing strategy. Digital marketing analytics is very important in online marketing for law firms. It allows you to better understand the sources of traffic, the click-through rates and bounce rates. Analytics can dig even deeper to help you refine site navigation as well. Analytics also provide important data on organic and paid search campaigns. It also points out which topics, ads or site layouts bring the best results. Measuring data to understand the results can help you redefine your marketing strategies by repeating the winning approaches and doing away with the unsuccessful ones, thereby maximising the potential of your marketing budget.
Work regularly at it
Internet marketing is not a one-time campaign. It’s not that can you set it once and forget it. Things keep on changing. New players keep coming in and competition keeps increasing every day to keep you on your toes all the time. Even the best law firms can not feel safe. There is always another law firm ready to snatch your clients away from you. Continuous efforts are needed in law firm internet marketing. You have to keep on updating content and information to be relevant to the changing market situations. It not only helps you retain your existing clients but it is also vital in generating new customer interest for your law firm so that you can consolidate your position in your geographical location and practice area.