Rene Perras, legal web marketing Vice President of law firm marketing firm discusses why the success and failure of legal marketers is tied to interaction in the digital experience on legal websites and social media like YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.
Many legal marketers have been hesitant to embrace social media such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter because they believe that these new media channels are strictly about creating awareness for their law firm’s brand. Some are also under the impression that their website is strictly on “online brochure” so that prospects can learn more about them in a non-threatening way. As reported by Razorfish, in their 2009 Digital Brand Experience Study, nothing could be further from the truth.
In their most recent survey they explored how consumers interact with brands online and found that not only can you build a brand online, the online experience that a consumer has can be the difference between success and failure in driving new clients to your practice. It is no longer sufficient to just convey the same message as traditional media, as “in today’s digital world, the experience is the message.” They found that 65% of consumers reported having a digital experience that strongly influenced their opinion of a brand and that 97% of those indicated that their experience determined whether they bought a product or service from that brand. Consumers are rapidly demanding more interaction and want to be talked with rather than talked at.
Further, potential clients for your law firm not only convert from visitors to prospects after interacting with your website, but give serious consideration to engaging your firm and may recommend your firm to their friends. It has always been assumed that consumers make decisions to hire a law firm partially because of the quality of the law firm’s website, where it is not as obvious as in ecommerce, banking or search. The research in this study definitively indicates that consumers expect the same level of quality from all of their web experiences as they do on those sites where the ability to complete a transaction is everything. If your website does not provide an informative and satisfying experience and you don’t engage your prospects through social media, then they will find a law firm that does. Every web experience has the power to influence their decision to contact and/or hire your firm.
For more information on websites for lawyers, developing and managing social media campaigns or for a complete marketing plan for your firm, contact Rene Perras.
About Cepac.com – Cepac Lawyer Marketing build legal professional websites for law firms. Small, Mid and large Law firms can gain visibility by using lawyer search engine optimization, public relations and blog solutions.
