Going to law school, passing the bar exam, and owning your own law firm may seem like the perfect recipe for success. When you top it off with a strong team of lawyers by your side, it may be tempting to believe that you’ve made it to the finish line.

Unfortunately, this is not the case. We live in the modern world of high online engagement, and seeking an audience is all about your virtual image. A digital marketing strategy can make or break your firm.

As you are a lawyer, and are not expected to be familiar with all marketing approaches, we want to guide you with a simple and quick version of the basics:

Having No Clear “Why”

What makes your law firm different? What is your competitive edge? Every successful law firm should have a clear understanding of what their law firm stands for. Do you have a specialization in defending people in the criminal justice system? Do you have a soft spot for wrongful death cases? Are you a dedicated law firm who will do anything to win a case? How far will you go?

These are all questions your audience and potential clients want you to answer. They want to see that you have a clear vision and a powerful message of “why” you do things. Once you finally discover this critical component, make sure you implement it loud and clear throughout your site, your social media platforms, and your campaigns.

Promoting your unique message will raise your credibility and give a more personal touch to your law firm. Remember, individuals seeking legal advice are not in their comfort zone, and perhaps may need more emotional support and understanding than legal advice.

Find a powerful “why” and stick to it.

Ignoring Search Engine Optimization

As it is a lawyer’s duty to be skeptical of all things, you may also become doubtful when it comes to optimizing your online presence. In today’s world, where individuals find services primarily via search engine queries, having your site on the first page of search results is crucial.

For the sake of highlighting its importance, let’s try an example: A potential client living in Aventura, FL logs on and is looking for a personal injury lawyer nearby. Relevant keywords may include: “Personal injury lawyer in Aventura, Florida” or “nearest personal injury lawyer” if their location is turned on. Although not limited to these keywords, you can get a hint as to what potential keywords would be used to search for your law firm.

In this case, although your law firm may indeed be specialized in personal injury cases, and you are even luckily located in Aventura, your services may not show up. With no SEO, your law firm’s ranking may only be visible in the last few pages of the search results. By then, the client who should have been yours has already gone to your competitor.

Having your site optimized does not only establish higher traffic rates but can surely turn this traffic into higher conversion rates.

Implementing Weak Social Media Strategies

Although “LinkedIn” may immediately come to mind when it comes to legal social media strategies, it is not the only platform on which to build an online presence. Given you are a DUI lawyer, for example, your law firm may appeal to a younger crowd. This means that your most effective platform may not be LinkedIn, but Instagram or Facebook.

If you are a personal injury lawyer specializing in slip and falls, you may want to target a different audience. Whatever the case may be, it is important to focus on two or three social mediums and to have the target in mind when pushing out content.

You should also consider the different types of content. For example, while Instagram is all about visual stimuli, Facebook or LinkedIn is more focused on writing pure content. Instagram may promote images with short messages, whereas Facebook may go more in-depth about a topic. Learn the craft of what each platform needs and use it to strengthen your game plan.

Every social media crowd will offer a certain form of engagement. Remember, hone in on platforms that will work best for your business needs and create engaging content tailored to the platform you are using.

Rejecting Online Advertising Opportunities

Spending money on advertising is a must when it comes to maximizing your law firm’s online presence. A high percentage of law firms seem to understand the significance of social media advertising but are reluctant when it comes to using their budget for such purpose. Paid media does not only ensure that your law firm is reaching your potential clients but allows you to gather data to strengthen your marketing strategy and to gain more knowledge on how you can attract even more clients.

Facebook ads, for example, give you more specific targeting options. Along the road to your law firm’s success, you can slowly start reaching a wider audience by testing the market and deciding what works best.

By using paid social media, you are sharing your law firm’s “why,” promoting its services, sending valuable messages, and endorsing your firm’s brand, all at once.

Executing Your Content  

Legal terms can get boring, especially when it comes to content writing for your law firm’s blogs and service pages. Nowadays, individuals browsing the web looking for engaging content will leave the page quite rapidly if they see something they can’t understand. When it comes to searching for legal services, clients may not expect to read exciting information, but it should also not sound too tedious or robotic.

Your clients are human beings who want to understand why they should use your services. They want to see a human behind the face of a law firm, and not a dull lawyer simply doing his job. The best way to engage your clients online is to choose the right medium.

Instead of writing another service page about how X Law Firm can help the individual with legal matters, the law firm can produce videos of lawyers speaking about their work. They can address winning a client’s case, what makes them stand out, and discuss common concerns.

By posting videos instead of written content, clients can see the “real” faces of the law firm and connect to the brand. They may also sense the genuine ambition of your lawyers, increasing the credibility and trust of your firm.

Use your videos for service pages and even blog content. Cover your law firm’s services, your unique value proposition, why your firm is trustworthy, and the likes. This will bring about higher engagement and a more successful way of attracting loyal clients.

Although this is just a fraction of legal marketing, it can certainly help you get started. Make sure that you are more open-minded when it comes to your online presence, and that you do your research. Know your target demographics and use this information to strengthen your marketing game.