[author: Noreen Fishman]
Law firm digital marketing is a rapidly changing science. That means information becomes outdated quickly, and it can be difficult to know whats true and whats not. Even with the latest information available, there are still plenty of digital marketing myths out there. Here are some of the most common ones affecting law firms today.
One of the most common digital marketing myths is that digital marketing is only for big law firms. Realistically, though, digital marketing is a critical component to helping your practice grow and you dont need a massive, corporate-sized budget to see results. We recommend spending 7 or 8% of your firms revenue on digital marketing efforts.
Even in todays landscape, some law firms think digital marketing is extra or nice to have. In truth, internet marketing tactics have become essential. Your online reputation is one of your firms most important assets, and you can bet that the majority of your future clients are performing research online. Social media and online credibility are todays word-of-mouth. You need to prioritize digital tactics in order to meet clients where they look for answers.
If youve done a good job with your website and have a well-designed website, you may think that it will do your marketing for you. After all, people can come to your website to find information and get in touch with you.
The only problem is actually stumbling upon your website. How do prospects find your website in the first place? Strategies like search engine optimization (SEO), content creation, pay-per-click (PPC) ads, and social media will bring people to your website (where you can then impress them with your terrific design and user experience).
A lot of law firms have come to realize the power of content creation but simply pushing out content isnt enough. For one thing, you need to focus on quality over quantity. Creating content for the sake of content wont help your marketing efforts. Focus on high-quality, well-researched content that provides real information and positions your firm as a thought leader. Furthermore, you need to promote your content in various ways. This post describes some ways that you can repurpose content for social media in order to see better results.
If youd like to learn how to create quality content thatll get your firm noticed, check out this free eBook: The Law Firm Guide to Content Marketing.
Sometimes lawyers feel a false sense of security when their competition isnt active online. Just because similar firms arent making the most of digital marketing doesnt mean you shouldnt.
Digital marketing will give your firm a leg up on your competition. Not only will you have increased brand exposure, but youll also reach your target audience more effectively than your competition.
Furthermore, if your competition isnt very active online, that presents more opportunities for you. Make the effort to fill any gaps that your competition is leaving online with valuable content and promotional programs.
The internet has billions of users and you can only serve people in your geographic market so does marketing online make sense? The truth is that todays platforms offer so many ways to segment your audience and narrow down your targets. Whereas with traditional marketing which targets anyone who is exposed to it, social media, paid campaigns, and PPC can precisely target people based on things like geography, demographics, and past activities. That means you wont waste advertising dollars on people who arent likely to be interested in your firm. Youll get a higher ROI due to reaching more qualified prospects.
This is one we hear a lot, and it couldnt be further from the truth. Email marketing is still one of the most effective ways of communicating and building relationships with your database. You can take things a step further by using marketing automation and lead nurturing tactics which make emails more customized. For more email tips, read this post on ramping up open and click-through rates.
Youre probably hearing a lot about online privacy concerns and how they are affecting marketers. But the truth is, people do prefer personalization in their communications. People prefer getting valuable information thats tailored to their unique interests and challenges, and are more likely to do business with firms that they feel understand them. In fact, people expect more personalization in marketing. That being said, its important to be transparent. Make sure to have an unsubscribe option and privacy policy available.
For many years law firms and lawyers have relied on traditional advertising tactics like TV and billboards. However, these tactics are not quite the most cost effective tactics for many. If youve always worked with a small budget, you might have thought advertising was out of your budget, however, the rise of paid search and paid social media had made advertising extremely cost efficient and granular.
Over 75% of Gen X is on social media, and many boomers spend almost 2 hours daily on social media. Social media is an important tactic for firms, as not having a presence online can lower credibility as many users across generations turn to social media when researching brands they may work with.
Related: Advanced Social Media Strategies for Law Firms eBook
Your firms website is often a users first impression, so it needs to stand out. However, website design and development best practices update periodically as preferences change and newer technology progresses. Your firm should plan and budget to update your website throughout the years.
Artificial intelligence has certainly revolutionized the digital marketing industry, however, AI certainly cannot do it all if you want a robust digital presence.
AI lacks creativity and requires human supervision in order to work. While you can leverage AI to help boost efficiency by using things like automation to send emails or Grammarly to check your copys grammar, AI can only help with some of your tasks and isnt capable of completely taking over your marketing strategy.
Sure, SEO has a much slower timeline than other tactics but this doesnt mean its not worth it. SEO is absolutely vital when it comes to digital marketing, as its how you ensure your firm can be found online in search engines. After all, 90% of internet sessions start with a search engine.
Just putting out a lot of content isnt going to do the job. You must be putting out quality content, and if this means lessening how much you produce- so be it. Try putting out content thats valuable to your audience, is educational, and speaks to their pain points.
Over 60% of all web traffic comes from mobile. Having a site or email thats not optimized for mobile is like shooting yourself in the foot. If a user cant easily access your site, email, or post on a mobile device, theyll likely click off and not engage with you again online.
Digital marketing is incredibly effective for law firms who understand the correct strategies and put them to good use. If you move past these 15 myths and use the latest digital tools and tactics, you can grow your firm substantially.
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15 Digital Marketing Myths That You Shouldnt Believe - JD Supra