Digital Marketing for Lawyers
SEO for Lawyers, Social Media Marketing for Lawyers
Digital Marketing for A Legal Practice
Digital marketing is in high demand across all industries and sectors. This is why it is so important for lawyers to understand the many benefits of digital marketing and how a solid digital marketing plan can help a law firm attract new clients and obtain unimaginable results. For law firms who want to achieve huge gains from their marketing efforts, an online approach may be the solution. Digital marketing for lawyers includes a number of different online strategies that can enhance the law firm in the eyes of prospective customers and result in increased foot traffic to the law firm’s location. Here is a comprehensive analysis of the great benefits of digital marketing for law firms.
Use Digital Marketing to Get More Clients
What is Digital Marketing?
As the internet has matured so have the marketing capabilities which the online world offers. This is where digital marketing has made its mark on history. Digital marketing is a comprehensive approach to sourcing clients online, engaging them with relevant content and then converting them into paying clients. In other words, digital marketing is advertising that is done exclusively online.
Here are a few of the top digital marketing techniques that are helping law firms obtain traction today:
Web Design
Creative web design is at the core of a digital marketing plan. This is because websites are how prospective clients find law firms—they search for local lawyers in their service area and take a look at their websites. Many websites have untapped potential and they are not utilized as effectively as they could be in many instances. Simply placing a website on the internet does not mean that it is optimized to attract customers. There are many websites that sit on the internet with zero traffic. A website that is persuasive, keyword enriched and that encourages responsiveness from prospective clients will help the law firm’s website stand out from the hundreds of other websites on the internet offering similar services.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
A beautifully designed website and SEO go hand-in-hand. Search Engine Optimization is the process of optimizing a website so that it adheres to Google best practices and will therefore be more likely to rank in search results when a potential client is seeking your services. A key factor in Search Engine Optimization is the use of carefully chosen keywords, which are placed in specific locations on the site and which will help your site rank for said keywords. An SEO friendly website has those specific keywords that are used by customers when they conduct research online. Use of keywords is applicable for not only the website but the company’s blog page as well. In fact, a blog page is a great way to include fresh, relevant high ranking content that will draw visitors to the website.
Blogging
Blogging is a very powerful approach to attracting new customers through the law firm’s website. Most business owners have heard of how useful blogs are but many are unsure of the best approach to implementing effective blog writing into their marketing plans. Search engines rank websites that regularly post fresh content higher in search results. When a blog page is published, it creates an entirely new page for the website. So not only can the law firm provide valuable content and advice that is relevant to their readers, they can also boost their website ranking through blogs that have been enriched with SEO. Having quality content on a website is a must and blog posts are a great way to achieve this goal.
Social Media Marketing
Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Google+ and Pinterest are all excellent ways to market digitally. Social media has taken the internet by storm, allowing people from all over the world to connect with one another, share content and interact in new ways that were not possible with traditional channels of marketing. The use of social media as a marketing tool is a great way to obtain loyal followers for the law firm. Social media marketing works by posting content that followers find relevant. There are also opportunities offered by social media sites for paid advertising which can also be advantageous when targeted correctly. Having a social media presence is important for modern businesses like law firms because social media can drive increased traffic to websites and it can create buzz surrounding the business. In fact, many businesses have become overnight successes because of social media posts that have gone viral. A law firm should consider social media as an integral part of its marketing strategy.
Email Marketing
Email marketing is a fantastic way to keep in touch with clients. From monthly newsletters to service announcements and special events updates, email marketing makes frequent and automated communication possible. Law firms can reach out to both past and current customers with targeted emails that compel them to contact the law firm or take some other favorable action.
Benefits of Digital Marketing Strategies
Digital marketing works for lawyers. This multi-dimensional approach to marketing takes the internet and maximizes the outreach efforts of the law firm. The great thing about digital marketing is that any of these approaches can be used in tandem with the others to create a comprehensive marketing plan that garners results. Here are a few additional benefits of digital marketing for lawyers:
Lead Generation
Lead generation is one of the most important aspects of digital marketing. Digital marketing is a sales driver and it provides a great return on investment. Many customers make purchasing decisions based solely on the information they find online. This is why it is so important for law firms to have a solid online presence. Many law firms benefit from the increased interest in their business that occurs as a result of digital marketing. Digital marketing, by its very nature, is built on exposing the business to potentially millions of people through internet technologies. No matter the approach—blogging, a well-designed website, frequent social media posts or email marketing—these digital marketing channels are slated to improve awareness of the business and increase sales.
Branding
Another important benefit of digital marketing is the influence that it has on brand recognition. Digital marketing helps to build a brand. Consistently posting branded content online that prospective customers find useful can leave a great impression with them so that when they think of legal matters they automatically think of the law firm as a good resource of information. Over time, this will lead to brand loyalty as the brand will be viewed as a reputable source of content and a firm that is committed to helping its clients.
Customer Engagement
Social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are excellent forums for interacting with customers and engaging them with highly relevant content. For example, creative social media posts help to capture the attention of prospective clients online. Once customers comment on posts, the law firm can interact with them, engage them in conversation and build a relationship with them, with the anticipation of one day converting them into paying customers.
Long-term Marketing Relationships
Digital marketing is very unlike traditional marketing as this type of marketing has its foundation in establishing long-term relationships. Traditional means of advertising in the past were very impersonal and intrusive. For instance, disruptive television commercials were a turn off for many customers as many of them simply turned down the volume when a law firm’s commercial came on television. Today, digital marketing allows law firms to interact with clients on a very personal, one-on-one basis. For instance, email marketing content can be customized to the client, addressing them by name. As another example, lawyers can respond to social media comments in real-time and then engage in open dialogue with the client if they are still online.
Data & Analytics
Last but not least is the benefit of data and analytics. The internet by its very nature is rich with data. Information such as the number of clicks on a website, which pages visitors visit most often, the number of views a social media post received, and so much more can be obtained through the use of back end analytics tools. Google analytics and Webmaster Tools are two of the most popular on the market. A marketing plan can be updated and customized based on the information revealed through these analytics. For instance, a law firm may target a specific geographic location but realize through reviewing data that most of its customers come from a completely different area. This is the beauty of being able to access the online activities of prospective customers.
Final Thoughts
The benefits of a successful digital marketing campaign are undeniable. Digital marketing for lawyers can translate into increased sales, improved visibility for the law firm and real results in the form of paying clients. It is important to look at digital marketing as in investment in the law firm. This modern take on advertising to customers takes the internet and all of its capabilities to create various channels of reaching prospective customers. What’s more is that digital marketing can augment traditional marketing efforts for the most comprehensive approach. For savvy lawyers who are ready to transform their law firms, take the first step today by contacting a marketing specialist. A marketing expert can help to design a well-planned digital marketing strategy, taking the law firm’s online efforts and translating them into big wins.