The information technology revolution has made it easier for law firms to promote themselves and connect with potential clients. But as technology evolves and as more legal practices get into the digital marketing game, the playing field has become more competitive than ever. If you’re wondering how to market a law firm effectively, it’s important to adapt to the latest strategies. Tactics that worked just a few years ago may be falling flat today.
Nowadays, your law firm’s website does much more than replace a yellow pages listing—it gives the prospective client an opportunity to vet you and the quality of your services. The most important element of a law firm’s marketing strategy is almost always its website. Keep the following in mind to ensure that your website is working for you:
When you take action to increase the likelihood that your website will appear near the top of a Google, Yahoo, or Bing search, you are conducting search engine optimization (SEO). Just like the physical world, the Internet is teeming with lawyers. You need to ensure that internet users will find your website before the competition’s by doing the following:
Content refers to all of the written content on your website, and its importance cannot be overstated. Good content not only helps your SEO, it also determines whether you effectively engage with visitors to your website. Your content will need to inform website visitors and persuade them to retain your services. Here’s a checklist for successful law firm web content:
Just like persuading a jury at trial, telling a compelling story is one of the most effective ways to attract people to your law practice. If you’re wondering how to market a law firm successfully, storytelling can set you apart. Don’t just tell—show—your potential clients how your services will help them overcome their problems. The following are effective storytelling tools that can breathe life into your marketing materials.:
Social media refers to a host of online platforms on which people interact, share information, and create communities. Just like any other business, law firms can attract new clients by actively engaging on relevant social networks. If you’re too busy to post on Facebook or Twitter, you might even consider hiring a social media and online community manager.* Here’s how to boost your legal practice through social media:
*Disclaimer: The value of social media lies in the ‘social’ aspect of these platforms. While outsourcing your social media may give the illusion that you’re well-connected, the true value of these platforms can only be harnessed by genuinely engaging with your audience.
Direct mail is one of the oldest and best-known marketing strategies for law firms, yet it’s also one of the hardest to implement. If you’re exploring how to market a law firm effectively, direct mail remains a powerful tool. Thanks to new technologies, direct mail campaigns can target potential clients with greater speed and accuracy than ever before. Set your direct mail campaign on the path to success by keeping the following principles in mind.:
Your digital marketing efforts are designed to get potential clients to contact you. If you’re a solo practitioner or a small firm, you probably don’t have staff dedicated to handling new client intake. However, if you are unable to talk potential clients when they call, it’s likely they’ll just hang up and call another lawyer. You can keep your leads from slipping away by doing the following:
Pay-per-click advertising, also known as PPC, helps to get your law firm’s name to the top of search engine results pages. When someone enters a query into a search engine that is relevant to your law practice, your advertisement will appear alongside the search results list. PPC can grow your client base while your organic search rankings—generated from your website—are still developing. Here’s how to get the most out of PPC:
Online advertising is an ever-evolving field that is not easily mastered by the casual user. If you’re serious about getting the most out of pay-per-click advertising and digital marketing for your legal practice, you should consider hiring a professional. Postali is a full-service law firm marketing agency with a proven track record of success. To learn more about how to promote your law firm, send a message to hello@postali.com and be sure to follow us on Twitter at @Postali.
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