/lawyermarketing101.com/Kevin Quinlan/ 07/19/2010
Just as the practice of law is in a constant state of change with new laws being enacted and updated trial presentation technology evolving, lawyer marketing is equally fluid. Failure to adapt and adopt these new marketing strategies and advances can result in the same degree of consequences as failing to keep abreast of the law.
The evolution of new types of media from Yellow Pages to radio to TV and now the Internet have shaken up marketing for law firms and inspired legal marketers to respond with new marketing strategies and tools to address the appropriate media mix for each law firm’s budget and category.
Here are three weapons that law firm marketers should adopt in their marketing arsenal:
Search engine optimization for lawyers (SEO)
SEO for attorneys is one of the most valuable and cost-effective tools a law firm can use for lead generation and acquisition of new clients. Search behavior studies have shown that most consumers rarely look beyond the top ten results in a search and nearly never get past the third page, even in the least competitive categories where results are harder to come by. It is absolutely critical that your law firm website appears on page one of the search results for your geographic area of influence for the benefit of your law firm and to make the search simpler for your potential clients.
Social Media
Over the years, attorneys have placed a heavy reliance on referrals to grow their business. These referrals often came from other attorneys that focus on different areas of practice or needed a trial attorney to take a case to court. In addition, prior clients that have had successful outcomes have also been a valuable source of new business. These referrals were the ‘old’ word-of-mouth and were difficult to quantify and keep track of. Social media like Facebook and Twitter have become the word-of-mouth for a new generation of potential clients. The communication between legal marketers and those in need has become a dialogue rather than a monologue. Research shows that although consumers do trust advertising, they trust the recommendation that much more.
Web Videos
Web videos for lawyers are not meant to be competition for the vast influx of video on network TV sites, YouTube or Hulu, but really take web marketing to the next level by giving your law firm an edge that can help prevent “lawyer shopping”. With the personalization of the lawyers that make up your firm and the ability to preemptively answer the questions your potential clients might need answered prior to contacting a firm, you warm up their cold call to your firm.
If your firm is considering an attorney web marketing program that includes the three tools listed above, working with a lawyer marketing shop that specializes in SEO for attorneys, social media and high value video productions can ensure that your firm has the best chance to achieve high page one rankings and grow your practice.
For more information on SEO for attorneys, or law firm social media, contact Kevin Quinlan.
Press Release Contact Information:
Kevin Quinlan
Lawyer Marketing 101
208 East 51st Street
Suite 309
New York NY 10022
212-759-1126
