Personal Injury Law Firm Marketing Strategies

Digital Marketing

By the numbers, there are more than 1.3 million lawyers in the United States, many of whom practice personal injury. With so many firms vying for attention, how can personal injury lawyers stand out? Many attorneys in major metropolitan areas spend thousands of dollars on marketing efforts every month, but still don’t experience an influx of leads. So, what gives? In this blog, we explore essential marketing tactics that PI lawyers in every state should consider when putting together their marketing plans. Read on to learn about our go-to strategies for personal injury law firms trying to up the ante when it comes to SEO, branding, and marketing.

Unique law firm branding

Before establishing any type of marketing strategy, it’s essential to consider your personal injury law firm’s overall brand identity. How does it differentiate from that of your competitors? In general, PI attorneys all work with similar types of cases — car accidents, slip-and-fall injuries, and medical malpractice are all too unfortunately common. That means they need to elevate themselves through other avenues like law firm branding. But identifying your brand can be difficult, to say the least. That’s why we recommend going through a branding exercise to discover your firm’s unique personality and develop robust marketing methods to help that individuality shine.

A comprehensive branding exercise includes both visual and conceptual elements, which collectively form the identity that’ll set your firm apart. On the visual front, a distinctive logo, carefully chosen colors, and specific fonts contribute to the immediate recognition of your brand. These visual components serve as the face of the law firm, creating a memorable image in the minds of potential clients. 

On the conceptual side, it’s important to establish your mission statement, company values, and unique value proposition. These branding elements not only tell potential customers what makes your firm different from the rest but also serve as a great resource for your internal team for hiring and decision-making purposes. 

By taking the time and investing in branding upfront, you’ll ensure your website and other marketing efforts are consistent across channels moving forward. We recommend engaging with a legal marketing agency that will guide your firm through the branding process and develop a comprehensive brand guide. 

Personal injury law firm websites

The best personal injury lawyer websites make a great first impression. That’s why it’s essential to ditch the template and DIY website builders for a custom law firm website. The sky is the limit when it comes to custom websites, but here are a few ways to make your website stand out:

• Professional photography of your team, including headshots, group photos, and even photos of your team working with clients at the office. 
• Custom videos, starting with an about the firm video, to tell your story and introduce yourself to potential clients 
• Legally accurate keyword-rich content that conveys why people should hire you over others lawyers in your area
• Data-driven features such as a local car accident hotspot map or data-driven infographic

These custom, thoughtful features can go a long way in showcasing your law firm’s expertise in innovative ways. When developing your new website, don’t forget to pay special attention to mobile responsiveness. After all, more than one-third of law firm website traffic comes from mobile

Just as important as how your website looks is how it works — that’s why backend functionality is also key. If you’ve got slow-loading text or a wonky-looking CTA button, you’re unlikely to impress. Focusing on page speed and improving backend functionality is paramount to enhancing the user experience, which can also impact bounce rates. How your website technically performs also affects search engine optimization or SEO. When Google “crawls” your site, it takes into consideration how well it runs and the experience your end-users have in addition to the text, images, and videos on the page. That’s why you need to ensure your site is built for mobile, user-friendly, and includes meta tags for SEO. 

The best way to make sure your website checks off all of these boxes – and more – is to work with a legal marketing agency that designs and develops award-winning personal injury websites. 

SEO for personal injury lawyers

This probably isn’t the first time someone has recommended that you invest in law firm SEO. What really is SEO and how can firms do it well? 

SEO is defined as the process of employing strategies to increase your website’s online visibility or rank in search engine results. Taking one of the first few coveted spots on the Google search page doesn’t happen overnight. SEO is a long game — requiring a strong foundation and constant tweaking to ensure performance. Your law firm website should launch on day one with optimized keyword-rich content & headers, metadata, and internal backlinks. After the launch of your site, it’s important to continue to 

• Add unique content to your site in the form of new blogs and landing pages
• Earn backlinks through press and online memberships
• Repair any broken links or site components

Personal injury law firms can also benefit from engaging in Local SEO strategies, which improve visibility in local search results. For example, if you’re a Personal Injury firm in Detroit, you want your firm to show up for localized queries such as “Car Accident Lawyer Detroit.” In Local SEO, the objective is to rank positions 1-3 in Google Maps, also known as the map pack. Making your way into the map pack requires a thoughtful Local SEO strategy, beginning with optimizing your Google Business Profile by:

• Including accurate business information
• Adding your service offerings 
• Uploading current photos 
• Regularly posting updates

Other ways to improve your local SEO ranking include creating profiles for your firm on Apple Maps, Map Quest, and Chamber of Commerce profiles. Equally important are Google Reviews. It’s always a good idea to ask past clients to write a review about their experience working with you. Not only will reviews help SEO, but they’ll also supplement your Local Service Ad (LSA) strategy.

Digital advertising for personal injury cases

Digital ads help lawyers get their services directly in front of people who are actively looking for them, whether on a computer, iPhone, or tablet device. Strategies like pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, for starters, are especially popular. PPC advertising involves publishing text ads directly on Google’s results page, typically before the “organic” results. Personal injury law firms can use pay-per-click ads to generate high-quality leads, paying only when someone clicks on your ad. A downside of PPC is that not all who click on your ads take action on your site by calling or submitting a contact form. PPC ads can get expensive in competitive markets where competition is high. Additionally, they require ongoing management to optimize campaign performance; they’re not a “set it and forget it” strategy. 

Beyond PPC ads, Local Service Ads, or LSAs are pay-per-lead ads that appear at the top of Google’s search results. With LSAs, you only pay if a customer contacts you by phone or chat directly through the ad. To get started with LSAs, you’ll need to get screened by Google, which verifies you as a fully licensed and vetted business, and at least 5 Google reviews. Learn more about why every personal injury firm should consider running Local Service Ads.

Meta ads, as well as other social media ad types, are another great option for PI attorneys. Compared to PPC ads and LSAs, meta ads are less expensive while still offering the ability to build awareness for certain demographics and geographies. Social media ads are also a great re-targeting tool, helping your brand stay top-of-mind with people who’ve previously visited your website. 

Overall, employing a strategic mix of PPC, LSAs, and social media ads can help personal injury lawyers reach target audiences at various stages of their legal journey and maximize the chance of acquiring new clients.

Traditional advertising

On the flip side, traditional advertising methods such as billboard ads, radio spots, and TV commercials still deserve recognition, even if they’re not considered “cutting-edge” in today’s digital landscape. Since traditional media outlets often have a strong local presence, they’re especially effective at targeting geographic areas where potential clients may reside. In a community where people rely on traditional media channels for news and information, these methods provide an impactful means of building brand awareness for personal injury law firms.

Strategic investments in traditional advertising methods, such as newspapers, radio, and TV, can be particularly effective for firms aiming to reach audiences that may not be as digitally savvy, including older populations. Additionally, traditional advertisements are a good way to get creative. Want to advertise your car accident services? Add a billboard advertisement to your town’s most popular intersection. That said, it’s important to acknowledge their shortcomings, such as limited targeting capabilities compared to digital channels and a potentially slower response in terms of tracking campaign performance.

A good marketing strategy for personal injury firms combines a savvy mix of tactics

There are thousands of personal injury attorneys actively working in the United States, which means there are hundreds of choices in every state. For individuals seeking legal advice and representation, finding a lawyer can be a critical decision — one that means the difference between a loss and a victory. Through a well-crafted personal injury marketing strategy, lawyers can effectively communicate their areas of expertise, reassuring potential clients that they have the skills and experience necessary to handle their specific cases. 

Effective advertising not only increases brand visibility but also educates the public about their rights, the legal process, and the potential for compensation. If you’re wondering how to market your firm, consider partnering with a marketing agency that caters specifically to the legal sector. With a deep understanding of cutting-edge digital advertising and traditional methods alike, Postali could be the partner you’ve been looking for. Contact Postali to learn how we can help a personal injury law firm like you.