Acquiring new clients for your law firms is a significant challenge. While courtroom success may lead to referrals, a robust and comprehensive law firm marketing strategy is essential to genuinely scaling your practice.
It’s a common struggle for many personal injury lawyers. According to the American Bar Association, only 58% of law firms, regardless of size, actively engage in marketing activities.
Fact: 58% of law firms engage in marketing efforts
If you’re wondering how to attract clients for your law firms, this blog will walk you through legal marketing approach, including:
- Digital Marketing
- Traditional Marketing
Digital Marketing
Embracing a robust digital marketing strategy can be a game-changer for attracting new clients to your firm. Attorneys are increasingly realizing the potential of digital platforms for business development, with law firms now dedicating a significant 65% of their marketing budgets to online channels.
More and more attorneys are recognizing the potential of digital platforms for business development. Law firms now allocate 65% of their marketing budgets to online channels.
Fact: 65% of law firms dedicate most of their marketing spend to digital channels
If you focus on something other than digital marketing, you’ll likely lose potential clients to competitors. Below are strategies for getting started with digital marketing.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
SEO involves implementing strategies that help your law firm’s website rank higher for relevant terms users search for on platforms like Google, Bing, and Yahoo.
Most people turn to search engines for information, services, and products, including legal services. The National Law Review reports that 96% of individuals seek legal services through online searches.
Building a striking SEO strategy to acquire clients for your law firms is essential to increasing brand visibility and attracting new clients. Here’s how to do it.
Keyword Research
Search engines provide users with relevant results based on specific terms (keywords) they search for. Finding keywords your target audience is actively searching for is known as keyword research.
Keywords can based on user intent in legal SEO:
- Informational: Users look for information about your legal services, like “What to do after a car accident?”
- Commercial: Users actively seek legal representation, such as “hire a personal injury lawyer.”
Make sure the keywords you choose align with these categories. You can use various tools, both legal-specific and general, to discover effective keywords, including:
- Google Trends
- Google Keyword Planner
- SEMrush
- Ahrefs (Keywords Explorer and Top Pages)
To maximize your chances of ranking, use an SEO research tool to check that the keywords have a solid monthly search volume.
Content Development
Once you’ve identified your keywords, it’s time to take control of your online presence by creating content for your law firm’s website that caters to informational and commercial search intent. This content, which typically falls into two types, can effectively educate potential clients on legal issues while establishing you as an authority in your field.
Content for your site typically falls into two types:
- Practice Area Pages: These are designed to sell your legal services and should target keywords with commercial intent. Create separate pages for each practice area to optimize for SEO.
- Blog Posts: These offer informational content, educating potential clients on legal issues while establishing you as an authority in your field. They also help acquire backlinks. Your blog topics should have informational keywords.
On-Page SEO
Search engines evaluate your website’s structure, technical aspects, and quality content. Optimizing your site through on-page SEO best practices will improve your rankings.
Here’s a quick guide to on-page SEO:
- Use internal and external linking to strengthen credibility.
- Optimize for a flat URL structure (e.g., “site.com/car-accident-lawyers”).
- Optimize title tags with target keywords and keep them under 60 characters.
- Ensure your website loads quickly by testing it on Google PageSpeed Insights.
- Make sure your site is mobile-friendly.
Run a technical site audit using a reliable SEO tool to determine your website is optimized.
Local SEO
Local SEO helps your firm rank higher for location-based search terms like “personal injury lawyer near me.” Critical tactics for local SEO include:
- Creating and optimizing your Google My Business (GMB) listing.
- Encouraging and responding to reviews on GMB, Yelp, and other platforms.
- Distributing your business information to aggregators like Neustar Localeze and Acxiom.
- Combatting local spam to maintain your search ranking position.
Also Read: How to Optimize Your Google Business Profile for Local Business
Link Building
Link building is a highly recommended approach. Links from external website sources pointing to your site are crucial for Google rankings. Building a solid backlink profile signals credibility and can improve your website’s rankings.
Some tips for link building include:
- Listing your law firm on legal directories.
- Writing guest posts for reputable sites with links to your website.
- Offering scholarships to law schools and asking them to list them on their websites.
- Creating shareable content like infographics and videos that help generate backlinks.
Paid Search
Paid search allows you to display ads on search engines, typically on a pay-per-click (PPC) basis, meaning you only pay when someone clicks on your online sponsor ad. Google Ads is known for running online advertisements for paid searches.
Fact: 58% of traffic seeking legal services originates from paid search
Here’s a quick guide to starting paid search advertising:
- Use tools like Google Ads Keyword Planner to find high-performing keywords.
- Ensure your ads direct users to landing pages that load quickly, are mobile-friendly, and match the keywords.
- Set up remarketing lists to target visitors who have previously visited your site.
Measure your results to ensure your campaign delivers a return on investment.
Social Media Marketing
Although lawyers initially hesitated to use social media, many now recognize its potential for client acquisition.
Fact: 70% of law firms now use social media for marketing
Here’s how to leverage the most common social platforms:
- LinkedIn: Build a professional profile, connect with colleagues, and share insightful content.
- Facebook: Create a page for your firm and join relevant groups to share legal expertise.
- Twitter: Engage with trending topics using hashtags and interact with relevant accounts.
To expand your reach further, you can also establish an online presence on other platforms, such as Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, Quora, and Reddit.
Traditional Strategies for Lawyers to Attract New Clients
Many lawyers acquire new clients through referrals, reviews, and networking. Building this reputation takes time, so persistence is vital.
Leverage Reviews and Referrals: Referrals are a significant source of new clients, with up to 60% seeking personal recommendations when hiring a lawyer. Enhance your referral network, provide exceptional legal services, and maintain contact with past clients.
Boost Your Reputation with Public Appearances: To showcase your expertise, participate in public speaking engagements. Schools often discuss topics or community issues, providing valuable networking opportunities with educators. Hosting seminars also enhances your local reputation. Consistently delivering quality service and actively engaging with your community will naturally lead to more referrals and positive reviews over time.
Expand Your Reach Through Networking: Go beyond traditional networking events to connect with your target audience. For instance, a motorcycle accident lawyer might attend industry conferences, learn to ride, or volunteer for youth sports coaching. Engaging in hands-on community activities helps build genuine relationships and strengthens your reputation. Clients are likelier to choose lawyers genuinely interested in their community and lives.
Conclusion:
Law firms should use a mix of traditional and digital strategies to attract new clients. Focus on building a strong referral network, maintaining a solid reputation through reviews and public appearances, and engaging in community activities. Simultaneously, invest in digital marketing techniques like SEO, paid search, and social media to expand your reach. Combining these approaches will enhance your firm’s visibility and client base, driving long-term success.
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