Contribution below from Catherine Metcalf regarding secrets of a great content marketing strategy for your law firm. You can also read my colleague Dave Kerr’s expert insights on content marketing for law firms (from Moore Legal Technology).
Content marketing is one of the smartest and most effective ways to attract more business to your law firm. Rather than directly advertising the firm itself, content marketing provides potential clients with useful information, while also subtly alerting them to your services and establishing your qualifications.
This is an especially significant opportunity for lawyers, since most firms still don’t have a content marketing strategy in place. Many are rushing to play catch-up. Don’t be one of the last firms to adopt this marketing technique.
The content your firm shares can take the form of blog posts, informational videos, podcasts, and more. No matter what medium you choose, it’s important to share evergreen content. This refers to content that remains valuable for a very long time after you first create it.
Understanding Evergreen Content
Maybe your law firm specializes in personal injury lawsuits. An evergreen blog post might be something like “How to Find the Right Personal Injury Attorney for Your Case” or “Important Tips to Keep in Mind During a Personal Injury Case.” The insights you share with readers in these blogs will generally remain applicable years after you first post them.
On the other hand, a blog entry promoting an upcoming community event isn’t evergreen. Once the event is over, the blog post doesn’t offer readers any information they can apply or act on.
Developing Your Content Marketing Strategy
The first step to developing a strategy is simple: ask yourself what types of clients you wish to attract, and what kinds of subject matter they would find interesting or relevant.
Try to be somewhat specific during this phase. The topic of “personal injury” is a little too broad. Potential clients usually find your content via an internet search. If you’re just posting general information about personal injury cases all the time, it may be difficult to show up high in Google search results.
Instead, you might want to focus on personal injury cases in a certain region, or personal injury cases involving a specific type of injury.
Use this step to think about unique services you want to promote. Does your firm take on clients who don’t speak English? Share content related to their needs.
Plan Your Ideas
Once you’ve chosen the subject matter you’ll regularly cover, decide how you’ll format your content. Be realistic during this phase. If you don’t have access to quality audio/video equipment, or if you simply don’t have the time to make and post a video on a regular basis, you’re better off with a blog or podcast. Be honest about the resources available to you.
This is also the time to start generating ideas for blog posts, podcast episodes, etc. That’s one of the main benefits of sticking to evergreen content. You don’t need to constantly generate new, timely ideas. Instead, you can create a long list of topics to cover from the start, and simply work your way down the list.
Tips for Exposure
There are many steps you can take to ensure your content reaches as many people as possible. For example, you may want to consider hiring a freelance writer who is skilled in keyword optimization to draft your blog entries. A writer who is familiar with SEO best practices can incorporate keywords and other essential elements to boost your Google ranking.
It’s also important to share your content across all social media channels. The wider you cast your net, the more business you’ll bring in. If you have colleagues at similar but not necessarily competing firms, you might even want to submit a guest post or interview to their websites.
According to a recent survey, most people find attorneys via the internet these days. Your firm needs an evergreen content marketing strategy to reach more clients. By keeping these tips in mind, you’ll be much more likely to develop a strategy that works.
