Online Legal Marketing: A Waste of Money or the Secret to Success?
Legal professionals spend a great deal of their time hiring stellar talent, finding new clients, and expanding their practices. Many assume (correctly) that turning to online legal marketing is an excellent tactic to accomplish these goals. Unfortunately, an increasing number of them are going about it the wrong way.
Not every campaign is guaranteed to succeed, and this is especially true with digital efforts. Many first-time approaches to legal marketing focus on the wrong strategy, meaning that even the most well-structured campaigns are doomed from the start.
The biggest false assumption that many attorneys make is that digital ads are meant to be a money pit. Efforts like Google Display Ads and Search Ads all hinge on careful calibration, not blind spending. Countless firms have dumped tons of money into the well of “online marketing” – SEO, PPC, and social media posts – and found themselves at a loss about where it all went, or where it even worked. It doesn’t help that the legal field represents one of the costliest industries in which to market. With this in mind, it’s easy to understand the frustration many attorneys feel when trying to promote their firms online. We’ve put together some of our top tips for cutting through the noise and getting those new retainers.
“Outwit, Outplay, Outlast.” – Survivor, but Also Webconsuls
Here’s our first piece of advice: it’s not enough to outbid your competitors; to achieve a positive return on investment, you need to outplay them. This means researching which keywords you would like to rank for, educating yourself on which keywords to exclude, and tailoring your ads to your specific industry niche. The more unique your firm appears, the better results you’ll have.
Make a Plan
Many attorneys may actually be losing their leads before they’ve even converted. Be sure that there is a plan in place for your complete sales funnel. After someone contacts your firm, how quickly will they receive a response? What happens if they call after business hours? How long will they have to wait before their consultation? What is your plan for tracking these individuals throughout the sales process? How often will you follow up with them? All of these questions should be answered to ensure that you eventually retain the people who clicked your ad (otherwise, what was the point?).
Remember, Online Leads are Different
Those who saw your ad online were probably searching for an attorney in your specific area of practice. While typical referrals may be more understanding if you take a while to get back to them, your legal marketing leads will not. They don’t have a specific loyalty to you in the way that a personal referral would; as such, they’re more likely to call up one of your competitors if you take your time getting back to them. Be sure that you’ve created a plan to speak with and retain these clients in a timely fashion for the best chance of success.
Look for New Platforms and Opportunities
The world of digital advertising is constantly shifting and staying on the cutting edge can make a huge difference in your strategy. For example, in a previous post, we discussed the release of Google’s Local Services Ads for immigration lawyers and estate lawyers in certain cities. These hyper-local ads rank above PPC ads and organic search results, meaning that those who run them will receive top billing for those searching for representation. This is just one example; trust us, it pays to keep up with emerging platforms and trends.
Content is King. Be a Thought Leader.
It may seem silly, but study after study has proven that your legal blog can be one of the biggest drivers in your ranking online. Frequently updated pages and blogs with information about your areas of practice can make all the difference in your legal marketing efforts. In addition to keeping your site fresh, this is an excellent opportunity to show off your expertise and build some cred on LinkedIn. If you’re unsure of how to get started, check out some articles from the American Bar Association or reach out to a digital marketing firm like Webconsuls.
Measure Your Results
If you’re worried about all the money going into your marketing efforts, the first step should be analyzing your return on investment. Because retainer amounts can be so high, this should hopefully work out positively. If it doesn’t, get granular and figure out which specific areas aren’t working (and why). Are you spending tons of money on Google Ads, but not getting enough clicks? That could be because of the ad creative, but it could also be due to where you’re placing those ads. Run a few A/B tests to figure out what the culprit is, then nix or edit that part of your strategy.
Your Partners in Legal Marketing
If you’re struggling to get your legal marketing on track, Webconsuls is here to help. Our managing partners are just a phone call away. Dial (949) 701-4714 to speak with them about your firm’s strategy today.
Webconsuls is a full-service digital marketing agency specializing in SEO, website building, and PPC in the legal field.
