Artificial Intelligence (AI) is today’s most highly debated technology. From anxieties about AI replacing human jobs to apocalyptic fears of robots “taking over the world”, AI drums up skepticism from business owners and marketers alike.

But fear not, because AI tools – like ChatGPT – have many helpful applications for businesses. In fact, ChatGPT, the latest in AI chatbot tools, can bring tons of time-saving benefits for lawyers, too!

In this guide, I’ll cover what ChatGPT is and how law firms can use it to level-up their marketing (and attract more clients).

What is ChatGPT?

ChatGPT (“GPT” stands for Generative Pre-trained Transformer) is an AI-driven chatbot launched by OpenAI in November 2022. The chatbot essentially works as a written dialogue between the user (the person asking the questions) and the AI system.

So far, marketers, business owners, and regular internet users alike have been enthralled with ChatGPT’s interactive technology. Users can ask questions and submit “prompts”, and ChatGPT will respond with answers, information, formulas, content ideas, and more.

With that, many business owners have identified valuable use cases for ChatGPT. This tool can write blog post outlines, generate content topics, write emails, and overall help businesses with their everyday operations.

ChatGPT’s Applications (and Limitations) for Lawyers

Recent adopters have been impressed by ChatGPT’s ability to write content, create templates, and draft technical documents – all of which present value to the legal field. The tool is easy to use, provides straightforward information, and can save lawyers a ton of time on what would typically be manual tasks.

However, ChatGPT is also transparent about its limitations, which may be cause for concern when it comes to its legal applications. 

For one, the tool is only as strong as the dataset that’s available to it. That means that inaccurate or limited data could lead to inaccurate results, answers, information, etc.

Also, the legal industry is based on trust, authority, and competence. Lawyers are held to a high standard when it comes to their experience and technical expertise. This means that all ChatGPT results should be closely examined, with scrutiny, before using the information in client-facing documents, marketing materials, etc. 

Another possible concern is confidentiality. We don’t yet know how ChatGPT stores its data – whether it is stored natively, stored via third parties, or shared with advertisers. With that in mind, law firms should be careful not to include confidential/identifying information in their ChatGPT prompts.

How to Use ChatGPT to Land More Law Firm Clients

The latest innovations in AI technology have helped businesses, marketers, and individuals automate menial tasks, save time on manual activities, and so much more. Law firms can benefit from tools like ChatGPT in a variety of ways, as long as they know where to start. 

Here’s how lawyers can use ChatGPT to streamline their marketing and land more law firm clients.

Generate a list of blog post ideas

Need help thinking of engaging blog post ideas for your law firm website? ChatGPT can help.

Simply enter a descriptive prompt, like “Generate a list of blog post ideas for a family law attorney” or “Create a list of 10 blog post topics related to DUI law”, and ChatGPT will provide a list of blog topics.

Many lawyers get stumped trying to think of blog post ideas, especially for characteristically “boring” practice areas. But ChatGPT can help you beat writer’s blog and come up with topics that are relevant to your audience’s interests. 

Blog posts can help drive traffic (social and organic) to your website, therefore attracting more potential clients to your firm.

Plan your law firm service pages

Similar to the use case above, ChatGPT can also help you come up with web page/service page ideas for your website. Simply ask: “What are X recommended service pages for a
lawyer?”, or similar.

Many law firms keep it simple with a home page, about page, and contact page, but this is missing opportunities to drive organic traffic to targeted service pages. For search engine optimization (SEO) purposes, it’s best to have optimized pages for each service your law firm offers.

For example, if you are a corporate lawyer, ChatGPT might recommend service pages for Contracts, Business Formation, and Trademark Registration services. It might also suggest other relevant pages, like an FAQ page or a Resources library.

Having informative, targeted pages for each of your services can help attract users who are actively searching for your services online. These pages give them a chance to learn more about your firm and decide if they want to work with you. 

Find legal studies and sources online

Need to cite reputable sources in your latest blog article or marketing material? ChatGPT can generate sources and provide the URL for each.

Adding sources from authoritative studies, government agencies, universities, and the like will add credibility to your content. Potential clients want to be able to trust the information you provide and know that you can back up your claims.

While it may seem easy to just do a Google search to find sources, ChatGPT can pull multiple references all in one go. You can also request sources for multiple topics, all within the chatbot.

Categorize SEO keywords by user intent

Successful law firm SEO requires data-driven keyword research. Keyword research involves identifying the search terms your potential clients are using to find services like yours.

ChatGPT can help you organize your keyword research and even provide the estimated organic search volume. (However, I always recommend validating these figures with a more reliable SEO tool, like SEMrush).

Search Intent refers to the categorization of terms based on what users intended to find when they searched for them – either Commercial, Transactional, or Informative content. ChatGPT can organize keywords by search intent to help you determine the type of content to create for each term (e.g. a landing page vs a service page vs a blog post).

Write advertising copy

Writing marketing copy may not be your forte. That’s okay! ChatGPT can write concise and engaging copy to use in Facebook Ads, LinkedIn Ads, organic campaigns, and more.

In order to produce great copy, though, you will need to give ChatGPT a pretty descriptive prompt. 

For example, you could ask, “Write 100+ words worth of Facebook Ad copy for an ad advertising foreclosure defense services in Oregon state. Include a call-to-action. Be friendly and funny.”

This gives the chatbot some direction in terms of tone, voice, and the services you want to promote. You can try different prompts to generate a variety of results. Just be sure to monitor your ad analytics and optimize for your target audience. This will ensure that you are reaching the right people with the right type of copy.

Write client follow-up emails

There’s a phrase in marketing that still rings true, especially for lawyers: “The money is in the follow up”.

Following up with potential clients is critical for nurturing leads into new legal cases. Without follow-up, potential clients may forget about you or think you aren’t interested in their case.

With ChatGPT, you can quickly whip up email templates to use in follow-up emails, client emails, and more. Here are just a few prompt ideas:

• “Write an email to a potential foreclosure defense client who has joined my email list. Add a call-to-action to schedule a free consultation with an attorney”

• “Generate 3 follow-up email templates to send to potential law firm clients who joined our monthly newsletter”

• “Draft a 100+ word email to send to a potential client who emailed asking what legal services we offer. We offer Divorce Law, Family Law, Adoption Law, and Estate Planning”

Respond to client reviews

Respond to positive (and negative) reviews in less time by using ChatGPT. The chatbot can quickly write responses to user reviews, letting past clients know you care.

Responding to reviews is a good way to show potential clients that your team is active online and is paying attention to what people have to say about your business. Similarly, responding to negative reviews gives you the chance to remedy issues with past clients and show potential clients that you care about the quality of your service.

Plan your social media marketing strategy

Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter are just a few of the many social media platforms your firm can use to share your content and attract new clients. But planning your social media strategy for so many platforms can be a chore. That’s where ChatGPT comes in.

You can ask ChatGPT a variety of prompts to help with social media content planning and strategy. Here are a few examples:

• “What are 5 ways I can promote my law firm blog on social media?”

• “How do I attract more Facebook followers to my law firm?”

• “Write 3 Instagram captions for an image of my family law office”

• “Write 6 funny Tweets about working as a lawyer”

Lawyers Can Benefit from ChatGPT, Too!

Even with all its limitations, ChatGPT is still a time-saving tool for many businesses. And yes, even law firms can use ChatGPT to streamline their marketing and attract new clients!

From generating blog post ideas to drafting marketing emails to planning your social strategy, ChatGPT can help your law firm achieve so much more. This AI-powered tool brings many use cases – as long as you know what to ask!