It’s Almost Time – Building Your 2022 Marketing Plan

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2022 is almost upon us. And no, we don’t know where the time has gone either. To ensure they spend their marketing dollars wisely and get the best results possible, many of our clients are beginning to plan their digital marketing strategies for 2022. If you haven’t started on yours, that’s ok – we’re here to help.

Review Your 2021 Legal Marketing Budget

One of the things we tell clients is that the best way to begin planning for the coming year is to review the current year’s budget. Specifically, take a look at your 2021 marketing strategy and budget. Examine what you spent money on and analyze your results. Did SEO yield the highest return? Or was it PPC? Once you have this information, you might want to shift some of your marketing dollars from one category to another for the coming year.

But don’t forget to take into consideration various market forces. Specifically, the past year and a half have been anything but “normal” for most people and businesses. And the digital landscape is constantly shifting as well. What worked well last year (or didn’t work) might not provide the same results in the coming year. Once you have some initial thoughts about your budget, discuss your allocations with your digital marketing partner.

Set Marketing Goals and Strategies for 2022

Set measurable goals and objectives for the coming year that are attainable based on your past achievements, time, and resources. Setting these goals and benchmarks will help you plan for the short and long-term success of your law firm.

Once you’ve established some goals, it’s a good idea to align them with your overall business goals and marketing budget. Next, create a timeline that includes some checkpoints throughout the year to gauge your progress.

Choose Your Legal Marketing Priorities Wisely

While the digital landscape continues to shift, some digital marketing items should continue to be a priority. And others are growing trends that you don’t want to ignore at the risk of being outmaneuvered by more savvy competitors. If you’re making your list for the coming year, here are several items you may wish to include in your legal marketing strategy:

  1. Diversify Your Content Marketing Strategy

The first thing your law firm should think about is its content marketing strategy. You’re going to have a difficult time reaching your target audience if you don’t continually publish high-quality content.

Your law firm should have a dedicated blog that it uses to educate current and potential clients about various aspects of overcoming legal challenges. Beyond text posts, you’ll also want to diversify your content with other types of content like video.

When you post video content on your legal website, this gives visitors another way to get to know your brand and consume content. It’s also another way to rank your website in the search engines.

  1. Optimize for Voice Search

People have become more accustomed to speaking into their digital devices to purchase items and get answers. If your law firm’s website isn’t optimized for voice search, you may miss out on this valuable segment of potential clients.

Interestingly, voice search is a bit different than a text search. Instead of entering “personal injury attorney in Montgomery,” a voice searcher will ask, “who is a good personal injury lawyer in Montgomery?” You can optimize for this type of search with more conversational content that includes some of these phrases.

  1. Invest in Paid Ads

Contrary to popular belief, paid ads are still incredibly effective in digital marketing – when done correctly. There are more tools than ever that help optimize keywords and ads to achieve the best possible results.

As a law firm, you don’t have to bid on the most expensive keywords to drive conversions. We all know that legal keywords can be costly for ads. Instead, you can choose long-tail keywords that are more likely to bring in prospects that are ready to sign on as clients, boosting your conversion rates.

  1. Prioritize Local Search

Law firms are local by nature. If you are seeking a divorce, need to create a will, or have been injured in an accident, you want a local attorney to represent your interests. That said, your law firm’s digital marketing strategy should become more local-oriented.

The first way to “localize” your search engine marketing efforts is to focus on your website’s content. Include the geographical areas you serve on your home page and your practice area pages. Make sure you mention these cities, towns, and neighborhoods in your blog posts. It’s also a good idea to create landing pages that are specific to each geographic area, such as “Car Accident Lawyer in Huntsville.”

The second way to prioritize local search is to optimize your Google My Business profile. This will help you get a coveted spot in the Google Maps result, which is an additional organic ranking in the search engines.

Focus on Investment Mentality vs. Spend Mentality

As an attorney, you understand that the words we use matter. They shape how people feel and think. This is a significant part of marketing and branding for law firms. Legal marketers are doing their clients a disservice when they position the purpose of marketing as a cost center instead of an investment.

If you replace the word “spend” with “invest,” it legitimizes the vital role that marketing plays in the short- and long-term growth of your law firm. Thoughtful shifts such as this can help law firm stakeholders realize the value of marketing as it relates to achieving business goals.

Get a Jump on Your Law Firm’s Digital Marketing Plan

It’s impossible to go through a global pandemic without things changing. But digital marketers have proven time and again that it’s not only possible to survive drastic changes but thrive. As a law firm, you must continue to adapt and find ways to meet the changing demands of your target audience.

If you are looking for ways to stand out in 2022 as the law firm of choice in your area, it’s essential to have the right online presence to support your campaigns. Too Darn Loud Legal Marketing specializes in helping law firms with a comprehensive digital marketing strategy that gets results. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation to discuss your marketing plan for the coming year. Our law firm marketing consultants can be reached at (800) 649-1764.

What to Look for in the Right Law Firm Marketing Partner

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Make Sure You Choose The Right Marketing Partner

As a law firm, keeping your digital marketing strategy on track can be challenging. Understandably, most of your efforts are devoted to serving the needs of your clients. But you won’t have a law firm for very long if you aren’t generating new business and engaging new clients.

Legal marketers are also faced with the stark reality that Google changes its algorithm with alarming regularity. So what can rocket you to the top of the search results one day may not work the next or at least be less effective.

All of this means that you need help. But where is a busy law firm supposed to start? Here are some of the things to consider and look for so you get the right law firm marketing partner that will meet your needs.

  1. Define Your Goals and Priorities First

Before deciding whether one or another legal marketing firm is the best match for you, it’s a good idea to spend some time assessing your goals and priorities. After all, how can you expect someone to meet your expectations when you’re not sure what those are?

This is a valuable exercise for any law firm. Start at the beginning and ask yourself some key questions:

  • Who is your target market?
  • How many leads would you like to target in the next month, quarter, or year?
  • How many new clients would you like to sign up during these periods?
  • Do you have the support on hand to handle additional leads?
  • How would you like your brand to be perceived?
  • What areas do you see as needing the most attention? Website? Content?
  • What are your firm’s revenue goals?

Once you have this information in hand, you’ll be better prepared to have a conversation with a legal marketing agency about your expectations.

  1. Look for an Agency With Legal Marketing Experience

It’s a common misconception that all marketing is basically the same. It’s not. When marketing legal services, it’s particularly important to build credibility and trust with your audience while emphasizing things like experience, results, compassion, and accessibility.

The digital marketing agency you partner with should be able to understand your firm’s differentiators and ensure that those characteristics come through in every aspect of your campaigns. Likewise, law firm websites need to be simple to navigate, fast-loading, mobile-friendly, and include plenty of calls to action so that visitors know how to reach your firm.

When you interview potential agencies, ask questions pertinent to their experience:

  • What are some best practices you follow for law firm websites?
  • What keywords do you typically target for your law firm clients?
  • How can you help our firm rank better in local search results?
  • Do you represent any other firms in my area?
  • Can you show me proof of results with other clients?
  1. Thoroughly Examine the Services Offered

When one of your potential clients is looking for a law firm or lawyer, they want to know about service areas. Specifically, can your law firm help them get a divorce, fight a DUI, or apply for disability benefits? The same scrutiny should hold true when you are looking for a legal marketing agency.

Does the agency provide the services you want and need the most? If you require a new or refreshed website, is this something they do? Do they specialize in SEO (they should)? What about video marketing, paid ads, or social media marketing?

Find out about the scope of their services so that you don’t run into any surprises. For example, if a marketing firm only puts together a strategy and then expects you to execute the action items, this may not be something you’re prepared to take on.

  1. Ask About Work Processes and Reporting

Before you team up with a digital marketing agency, you need to make sure that they will be the right partner to execute your legal marketing strategy. No one wants to be just another number. First, make sure they have the capacity to handle your firm’s work and will be able to give you the personalized service you deserve.

Provided the agency can deliver what you need, will they do so in a way that works with your day-to-day operations? In other words, will you work well together, or will your approach create conflict? Here are a few questions to ask:

  • How will your agency track the performance of our campaigns?
  • How will we be kept in the loop on legal marketing campaigns and results?
  • Will we have a dedicated account manager or deal with a team?
  1. Ensure They Understand Legal Advertising Rules

Many of the things that your legal marketing partner will do, such as legal content writing, fall under the category of “advertising” for your law firm. This makes these actions subject to the Rules of Professional Conduct.

When you place your trust in a legal marketing agency, it’s critical that they have your best interests in mind and act to protect those interests. For example, many state bar associations prohibit language that refers to an attorney as an “expert” or that guarantees a particular case result.

  1. Check the Fee Structure and Legal Contract

As an attorney, you know how to read and interpret contracts, so make sure you are paying attention to anything that has to do with marketing your brand. Before you commit to working with a legal marketing agency, ask some pertinent questions:

  • Is there a minimum contract length for services?
  • How can we end the partnership if we aren’t satisfied with the results?
  • How are fees assessed, and are they consistent or variable?
  • What Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) do you use to gauge success?
  • Can we adjust services as needed?

No one enjoys being caught off guard by unclear terms or language, so avoid leaving any questions left unasked.

Want to learn more about what Too Darn Loud Legal Marketing can do as your law firm marketing partner? Check out our case studies that illustrate how we create custom, functional websites for clients designed to produce results.

Contact us today online, or by calling (800) 649-1764, to schedule a free consultation, and we’ll begin with a no-risk professional evaluation of your current website and marketing strategy.

Five Tips for Marketing Your Family Law Firm Online

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When people are facing family law issues such as divorce, hiring an attorney can be a time-sensitive and difficult process. Potential clients already have emotions running high with the prospect of facing the end of a marriage or a potential child custody battle. How you market your family law firm and instill trust can be particularly challenging as you work to acquire new clients.

While some people find attorneys through personal referrals, most will turn to online sources at some point in their search. According to Google, 96 percent of people use a search engine when seeking legal advice.

Why Marketing Your Family Law Firm is Different

Marketing for divorce attorneys is markedly different than marketing for criminal defense, personal injury, or other legal practice areas. Some of the unique things you will need to consider include:

  • You need to hook people at the top of the sales funnel through informational searches. If you can build trust with potential clients by delivering valuable information, you won’t necessarily need to rank #1 for “divorce lawyer” to get the results you need. But people who get their questions answered somewhere else are unlikely to come to you for help.
  • Your Google My Business (GMB) listing plays a vital role in how people research you. Privacy is essential for many divorce and family law clients. Most want a law firm that isn’t conspicuous but still convenient. They will use GMB to research your reputation as well as to see where you are located in their area before deciding whether or not to visit.
  • Your marketing must highlight your firm’s culture and personality. Divorce and family law matters are highly emotional. Your marketing message should give potential clients a sense of how your firm handles these cases. Are you compassionate? Aggressive? People are much more likely to choose a family lawyer based on an emotional connection.
  • Online reviews can be challenging for family law firms. Because divorce and family law cases can be contentious, few people walk away completely satisfied with their outcome. You are bound to have some unhappy clients and even get some terrible reviews from people you never represented. You will want to create a workable strategy to build your online review base and address any negative reviews quickly and appropriately.

Five Tips for Marketing Your Family Law Firm Online

The bottom line is that your family law firm needs a comprehensive strategy to increase its online visibility and reach those potential clients. Here are five ways you can market your family law services to the people who need them:

  1. Family Law Firm Website Design

As a family law firm, your website should do more than describe your attorney’s backgrounds and give an overview of your practice areas. It needs to instill trust, tell potential clients what sets you apart from the competition, and even deliver some valuable information.

Every law firm wants its website to look nice, but the real purpose of your online presence is to generate business. That said, your firm’s website should be designed with conversions in mind. Specifically, it needs to be fast-loading, mobile-friendly, and simple to navigate. There should also be a clear path on every page to contact your law firm for a free consultation.

  1. Local SEO for Divorce & Family Lawyers

With family law, every practice requires a focused and targeted local SEO strategy. For example, most people that hire a family law attorney want someone that is local to them. Keywords like “divorce attorney” might be important, but they are more relevant when combined with a city, county, state, or some other geographical identifier like “divorce attorney Boston” or “divorce lawyer Orlando.”

You can maximize your local SEO efforts by including many of these local identifiers in your website content. You will also want to create and optimize your directory listings, especially your Google My Business (GMB) profile, so that you show up in Google Maps searches.

  1. Family Law Firm Content Marketing

People going through different types of family legal crises are desperate for credible information. Your law firm can establish itself as an authority in its practice area as well as show off its personality through a robust content marketing campaign.

Start with engaging Area of Practice pages that describe your services. But make sure you take things a step further. Schedule regular blog content that focuses on particular topics that will be of interest to potential clients and pull in traffic with long-tail keywords. Some examples include dealing with military divorce, high-asset divorce, international adoptions, and same-sex custody issues.

  1. Video Marketing for Family Law Firms

As a family lawyer, you can build a strong and lasting connection with your clients. In this area of practice, more than any other, your and your firm’s personality need to shine through in its marketing efforts.

You can accomplish some of this through content marketing, but video marketing is one of the best ways to showcase your firm’s culture and personality. Videos on your website, blog, and social channels can help potential clients get a feel for who you are, how you approach cases, and the way you will treat them as a client.

A robust video library also gives potential clients another means to educate themselves about their situation. This can save you time as clients walk into your office with some basic knowledge.

  1. Social Media for Family Lawyers

Your potential family law clients are hungry for information. Social media is one of the channels you can use to deliver guidance, but you will want to approach it the right way. The client journey can be much longer with family law clients, who will weigh their options before contacting a law firm for help.

Your social media profiles should give potential clients the guidance they need to make wise decisions and contact you when they are ready. Even after a matter is resolved, clients might continue to follow you on social media to maintain a connection and get information on things that could impact them in the future. This also keeps your firm’s name top of mind for potential referrals.

Want to Sign More Family Law Clients Each Month?

As this information illustrates, there are several ways to market your family law firm online. But success won’t happen overnight, and effective digital marketing requires a cohesive plan and strategy.

At Too Darn Loud Legal Marketing, our team has a proven formula for helping family law firms boost their visibility and generate more clients. We do not take a cookie-cutter approach to legal marketing but rather tailor our strategies to your firm’s particular needs and goals. If you would like to learn more about how our experienced digital marketers can help elevate your law firm’s online presence, contact us today to schedule a free consultation.

Creating The Perfect Legal Marketing Team

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If you started your own law firm because you wanted to be your own boss, you were likely attracted to the flexibility and freedom that it can offer. Sure, you may be able to choose your practice areas and hours to some extent, but what about the business aspects of running a law practice?

Few attorneys went to work in this industry with a mind towards sales and marketing, for example. But it is going to be tough to practice law and grow your business if you don’t have any clients. Here is why your law firm should make marketing a priority and how it can create the most impactful legal marketing team.

Why You Need to Market Your Legal Services

The dream that clients will flock to your doorstep once you hang out your shingle may be an attractive incentive for many lawyer entrepreneurs. But the reality is often something much different. In fact, the competition in the legal space is fierce, and consumers have more choices than ever. In 2021, there were over 1.3 million licensed attorneys in the U.S. alone.

How do people decide which attorney or law firm to hire when they have a legal issue? Most turn to online resources for help. According to Google, 96% of people that need legal advice turn to a search engine. FindLaw reports that 74% of prospects that begin an online search for legal services end up contacting a law office about those services, and 87% of those people hire an attorney.

Most consumers don’t have a specific law firm or attorney in mind when they begin their search. In other words, their searches are more generic or unbranded. They might consist of phrases like “divorce attorney near me” or “beat a DUI in Alabama.”

Potential clients are looking for answers to questions about their situation and assurances that your firm has the knowledge and experience to address their issues. Getting found online by potential clients during this initial search process is vital to your law firm’s success.

If your digital marketing efforts can place your firm’s name, website, and content in front of these clients at the right time, it can transform your business. This is where your legal marketing dream team comes into play.

What Makes a Winning Legal Marketing Team?

The business of law is largely built on reputation and relationships. Your digital marketing efforts should be focused on establishing a strong online reputation for your law firm as well as building lasting relationships with potential, current, and past clients. To effectively market your law firm, you need access to resources. These consist of time, money, and the right people.

According to a 2019 ABA survey, just 47% of law firms surveyed have any type of marketing budget. If you have time constraints, you may need to funnel more financial resources into your marketing efforts. If you are short on cash, your law firm might invest more of its in-house time in its marketing efforts.

Some of the things that make up a winning legal marketing team include:

Legal Industry Knowledge and Experience

The team that creates and advances your law firm’s digital marketing strategies must have legal industry experience. They do not have to be attorneys, but they must understand your audience’s pain points, the attorney-client relationship, the common sales process, and possible objections.

In the legal industry, you are not selling a product, but instead, your experience, reputation, and the peace of mind your services offer. Being able to create a mix of effectively telling your firm’s story, addressing client’s concerns, and staying within the guidelines outlined by the ABA and your State Bar are vital considerations for your digital marketing team.

Mastery of Digital Channels

Worldwide, businesses now spend more than half of their marketing dollars on digital channels. The argument could be made that they should allocate even more considering the amount of time consumers now spend using digital devices to connect with brands.

But digital marketing is complicated. Your legal marketing team needs to have expertise in a variety of different disciplines:

  • Conversion Funnels– You can guide your law firm’s potential clients through the optimized conversion funnel your marketing team creates.
  • Website Development – Your law firm’s website is the main online gateway to your clients. You need a web development and design expert that will ensure your website is fast, mobile-friendly, attractive, easy to navigate, optimized, and useful.
  • SEO– Search engine optimization (SEO) is vital to get your law firm to rank higher in Google’s organic search results, and you need local SEO to show up in map search results.
  • Paid Marketing– With pay-per-click (PPC), display ads, and social media ads, your firm can create laser-targeted scalable campaigns to reach certain audiences.
  • Email Marketing– Creating and using an email list to deliver useful information to current and potential clients is a valuable way to market your business.
  • Content Marketing– Your legal marketing team should understand how to use blog posts, videos, and other online content to build relationships and deliver value to your potential clients.
  • Social Media– Over one million new users join social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram daily. More than half of these users turn to social platforms to research everything from pizza parlors to DUI attorneys.

These are just the core disciplines, but digital marketing is constantly changing. If your legal marketing team isn’t experienced with these channels, it will not be able to effectively market your law firm.

Access to Real Marketing Data

Most law firms have limited resources devoted to marketing. You need to make sure your marketing spend is as efficient as possible. And you can do this by leveraging data.

Real-world data is one of the secrets to success in marketing. An experienced team will carefully examine and test what is working on your website as well as use their industry-based knowledge to guide your firm’s growth.

Creating Your Legal Marketing Dream Team

Not too long ago, a single person could handle the bulk of your law firm’s marketing efforts. But that has changed with the complexity of online marketing. A jack-of-all-trades is tough to find these days. To run a formidable in-house marketing team, your firm will need to fill some critical roles such as Marketing Manager, Social Media Manager, Web Developer, SEO and Analytics Expert, Content Writer, and Paid Ads Specialist – just to name a few.

Staffing in-house can be time-consuming, and any turnover in these areas can bring your marketing efforts to an unwelcome halt. Many law firms opt to outsource some or all marketing activities to digital marketing agencies. To remain competitive, the best of these agencies work with a variety of clients. This gives them exposure to new technologies and innovative tactics that can bring an outsider’s perspective to a situation and identify opportunities to drive results.

Filling the Gaps in Your Legal Marketing Dream Team

Not every law firm has the resources or capabilities to put together this ideal dream team. If you would rather focus on serving the needs of your clients than digital marketing, there are talented agencies available that can help fill the gaps with the marketing talent you need.

At Too Darn Loud Legal Marketing, our team of talented and dedicated internet marketing professionals has over 40 years of combined experience helping businesses like yours stand out from their competitors through a comprehensive online marketing strategy. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.

5 Tips for Marketing Your Criminal Law Firm Online

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You might be the best criminal defense law firm in town. But, if your competitors are better at online marketing, they’re probably going to have more clients. Whether it’s helping clients with traffic tickets, DUI arrests, or more serious offenses, people facing criminal charges need an attorney they can trust, and they need one fast.

When people need quick answers, whether it’s who delivers Chinese food “near me” or what the maximum penalty is for public intoxication in Virginia, they often turn to Google first. Now more than ever, it’s vital that your law firm shows up as a valuable online resource for people in their time of need.

That said, you need strategies that will help your firm stand out against the competition. You not only want to get found first but also produce such a compelling message that your visitors won’t feel the need to continue their search a minute longer. So, what do you need to do to get your phone ringing off the hook and your calendar full? Here are five tips for marketing your criminal law firm online that are designed to produce results.

  1. Build a User-Friendly Website

Most people make immediate judgments about a business based on that company’s online presence. So website design is pretty important. One of the biggest mistakes law firms make is taking shortcuts with website design.

As a criminal defense firm, it’s essential to position yourself as someone that will fight for the best possible outcome. For this reason, many criminal defense lawyers prefer a serious online persona. However you choose to position your brand, your website should:

  • Tell people what you do (You defend people charged with crimes)
  • Reveal who you are. (You’re an experienced, knowledgeable, and skilled criminal defense lawyer.)
  • Convince them why they should choose you. (List years of experience, show testimonials, etc.)
  • Provide a way to contact you. (Phone, form, chat)

These are just some of the surface items. If you don’t address the technical stuff related to your website, your efforts will be largely wasted. Specifically, your criminal defense law firm website needs to be:

  • Fast-loading
  • Easy to navigate
  • Mobile-friendly
  • Secure
  • Attractive

  1. Create Quality Content

You might be able to get visitors to your website that have pressing legal matters, but enticing them to stay and then contact you is another hurdle that some firms struggle with. The key is to have high-quality content on your website that provides visitors with relevant, useful information that boosts your credibility as a criminal defense attorney.

There are two types of content you’ll post on your website: Practice Area pages and Supportive content (i.e., Blog posts).

Practice Area Pages

Area of Practice content are the pages on your website that detail your different practice areas. For example, a criminal defense attorney would likely have a Criminal Defense overview page and then child pages for things like DUI, Domestic Violence, Assault and Battery, Sex Crimes, Drug Crimes, etc.

Interestingly, criminal defense lawyers have more sub-practice areas than any other area of the law. This gives your firm more opportunities to rank for phrases that can drive traffic and convert prospects into clients.

The key to these pages is that they should be helpful, comprehensive, and provide more information than your direct competitors.

Supportive Content

Blog posts can help your firm establish itself as an authority on a topic, such as DUI defense. They can also bring in more traffic by answering many of the questions that people type into Google, such as, “Is a DUI a felony in Florida?” and “How long does a DUI stay on your record?”

Most people who are dealing with criminal charges are frightened. They’ll spend a lot of time looking for information and reassurance online. If your blog posts can provide answers and build trust, you are more likely to get a call.

  1. Optimize for Organic Search

Just having a website and some content won’t be enough to help you rank higher in the search engines than your competitors. Chances are, they put some work into getting those results, and you need to do the same.

What you’ll need to do is focus on proven Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategies to secure top search rankings for your criminal defense web pages. This involves:

  • Researching keywords related to your area of practice and incorporating them naturally throughout your content
  • Including location-based keywords to increase traffic for local searches
  • Strategically placing keywords within your webpages, metadata, and title tags
  • Claiming and optimizing your Google My Business page
  • Encouraging client reviews to boost your firm’s credibility

How user-friendly your website is will also impact your results. We already covered most of this in the website design section. In short, a visitor should have a positive experience and get the information they need when visiting your site.

  1. Get on Social Media

Many criminal defense firms believe it would be inappropriate to engage in social media marketing. But this isn’t the case. Your potential clients are on social media platforms, and these sites are another powerful way for your firm to establish and build a strong online reputation.

Using platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram can help your firm share useful information and create a reputation as an authority. Your social media posts don’t need to be promotional. They can ask questions to increase engagement or share snippets from recent content.

  1. Leverage Video Marketing

Video is one of the most powerful ways to reach potential clients and improve the performance of your website. If you think about it, people dealing with criminal matters may not be up to reading thousands of words of content on your site. But they will sit and watch your videos if they are engaging and informative.

With the right law firm videos, your criminal defense firm can:

  • Stand apart from the competition
  • Improve your firm’s online reputation
  • Increase conversion rates from visitors

There is a wide variety of video content you can create. You can start with your attorney and law firm profiles to give visitors an overview of why they should trust you to address their legal issues. You can also create short videos that address frequently asked questions as well as testimonial videos from prior clients.

Get Your Criminal Defense Law Firm Noticed

When it comes to marketing for criminal defense attorneys, having an engaging website and optimized Google My Business profile are excellent places to start. But there is stiff competition for legal clients, so your firm must have a robust ongoing legal strategy to get found and chosen by local clients.

At Too Darn Loud Legal Marketing, we have years of experience helping criminal defense law firms successfully market their services. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation – (800) 649-1764.

Building the Perfect Google Profile for a Law Firm

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Your law firm’s website should be a vital part of its digital marketing strategy. With the right search engine optimization (SEO), you should be able to achieve organic rankings and attract visitors looking for your services. But did you know you have another opportunity to get free traffic to your business through Google Business Profile for your law firm?

Also known as Google My Business, this listing allows your law firm to appear at the top of search results. If you aren’t taking advantage of this feature, you are probably missing out on a ton of potential traffic and business. Here is what you need to know and how you can build the perfect Google Profile for your law firm. 

What is Google My Business (now Google Business Profile)?

Google Business Profiles is a free service designed to make it easier for people to find local businesses in their area, allowing those same businesses to set up and manage their online business listings. 

When a person searches for a service, like a personal injury law firm, Google will display results on a map and provide other details about the business, such as the website link, contact information, and even reviews. 

Why Your Law Firm Needs a Google Business Profile

According to a Google My Business Insights Study by BrightLocal, the average GMB profile receives over 1,200 views monthly. Those are views your law firm wouldn’t get if it didn’t use this feature. Here are a few other reasons every law firm needs a Google Business Profile. 

  • Appear on Google Maps — Your law firm will appear on Google Maps, which shows where you are relative to a potential client’s location. 
  • Show up in the Local 3-Pack — You can also show up as one of the top three businesses on the Google Maps results if you have an optimized Google Business Profile. 
  • Increased Traffic to Your Site — Having another spot in Google’s organic search results can increase traffic to your website and produce more leads for your law firm. 
  • It’s Free Advertising — While Google offers some paid ad opportunities, Google Business Profiles are completely free. 

Steps for Building the Perfect Law Firm Google Profile 

Here are the steps you can take to set up an effective Google Business Profile for your law firm. 

Step 1: Link Your Email and Business in Google

Make sure you are logged into the Gmail account you want associated with your Google Business Profile. Then, go to the official Google Business Page and click “Manage now.”

Step 2: Enter Your Law Firm’s Name

Much of the setup is self-explanatory. You’ll want to enter your law firm’s name exactly as you want it to be seen in the search results. If it’s already listed, which isn’t uncommon, you can “claim” your business and make any necessary adjustments. 

Note: It’s never a good idea to spam your listing with keywords, like “Gulf Coast bankruptcy lawyer,” unless that is really the name of your law firm. If you use this strategy, Google may remove your listing from the search results. 

Step 3: Choose Your Primary Business Category

This is the place where you get to select your primary business category. If you are a law firm that focuses on several practice areas, the best approach is to choose the category that generates the most business for your firm. 

For example, if you provide both family law and estate planning services, you’ll want to select “family law” if that brings in the most revenue for your business. Keep in mind, you’ll be able to choose some secondary areas of business later. 

Step 4: Add Your Physical Location

Assuming your law firm has a physical location and you want to rank in the Google Maps results (recommended), you should pay careful attention to this step. Answer “Yes” when Google asks if you would like to add a location. 

Enter your law firm’s address on the next screen. Make sure it matches the address listed on your website and social media profiles exactly. 

Step 5: Do You Deliver?

This is an odd question to ask a law firm. But, it’s a generic Google business question. They are asking whether your business provides deliveries or offers home visits. Even if you do travel for visits, most law firms enter “No” at this step. You can make the offer on your website. 

Step 6: Provide Your Contact Information

While an optional step, filing out this information is a must if you want to rank well in local search and get qualified leads. When you enter your website URL, make sure it is listed correctly and consistently across all online platforms. For example, if you don’t use the www in front of your URL, don’t include it here. 

Step 7: Finish and Verify Your Google Business Profile

If your business hasn’t already been verified by Google, you’ll need to complete this process. Google will ask for a contact name at your law firm and will send you a postcard in the mail. Once your receive that, in about five business days, you can enter the verification code and then begin optimizing your profile. 

Optimizing Your Google Business Profile

Setting up your law firm’s complete and verified Google Business Profile is only the first step to achieving the goal of better local search rankings. Once your profile has been verified, you’ll want to put additional work into optimizing your profile. Some of those tasks will include:

  • Writing your law firm’s info section
  • Listing the services you offer
  • Adding secondary service categories
  • Uploading high-quality photos
  • Including your business hours
  • Adding attributes (women-owned, veteran-owned, accessibility information, etc.)
  • Monitoring and responding to reviews
  • Enabling messaging

Call Too Darn Loud Legal Marketing for a Consultation With a Law Firm Marketing Specialist

It’s going to be challenging to reach your target audience without a robust Google profile for your law firm. If you’re looking for ways to rise above the competition and become the law firm of choice in your area, we can help. 

Too Darn Loud Legal Marketing is a full-service digital marketing agency that helps law firms throughout the United States get more leads. We offer a comprehensive suite of marketing services, including Google My Business set up and optimization. 

Contact us today to schedule a free consultation. 

Five Most Important Elements in Your 2021 Law Firm Marketing Plan

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Build Your 2021 Law Firm Marketing Plan Today

If you are hoping to see a return to marketing as normal in 2021, that’s not looking likely. But businesses have proven to be incredibly resilient during this prolonged period of strangeness, and the hope is that the coming year will be no different.

We have already witnessed a fundamental change in how law firms approach marketing. The idea of being available and helpful to potential clients has become even more vital over the past year as people struggle to cope with financial and other changes.

But what about moving forward? Here are some ways you can continue to adapt, and some of the most important elements you’ll want to include in your 2021 law firm marketing plan.

Do You Need a Marketing Plan?

In short, yes, you do. Approaching digital marketing without a plan is a terrible idea. As a law firm owner, it is vital that you have a way to connect with potential clients at various stages in their marketing journey.

A typical marketing funnel consists of several stages – awareness, engagement, conversion, advocacy. Since few law firms add a client with the first contact, your digital marketing strategy should include elements that will engage consumers throughout their journey. This is tough to accomplish without a plan.

Five Most Important Elements in Your 2021 Law Firm Marketing Plan

Most law firms were happy to say farewell to 2020, but what’s on the table for the coming year? Here are five strategies that you should include in your 2021 digital marketing plan:

  1. Prioritize Search Engine Optimization

Search engine optimization (SEO) continues to be a moving target, and this won’t change in 2021. But there are few trends in SEO that can help your business in the coming year:

  • User Experience (UX) – Google now factors “UX signals” into its rankings, so it is essential that you consider things like page load speed, navigation, and content quality.
  • Semantic Search – This refers to “how” people search for information online. It’s changing, and Google wants your content to match the user’s intent.
  • Zero-Click Search Results – At least some of your content should be optimized to capture Google’s featured snippets, video carousels, and knowledge graphs that can help build brand awareness.
  • Google My Business – Every local business should have a claimed and fully-optimized GMB profile to target audiences in local markets.
  1. Focus on Video Marketing

2020 has changed the way consumers use video, and brands approach it as a digital marketing channel. According to Deloitte, 80% of U.S. consumers now subscribe to a video streaming service, and 78% watch videos online at least weekly.

Watching videos on mobile devices has become particularly popular, and viewers report retaining up to 95% of a message when it’s consumed via video.

If your law firm hasn’t focused on video marketing in the past, 2021 should be your year. If you have, keep posting video content and innovating to build brand awareness, instill trust, and drive conversions.

The good news is you have a ton of options when it comes to video content. For example, you can use demonstration videos to showcase services or products. You can post brand videos to share your company’s vision or mission. And you can create educational or frequently asked question (FAQ) videos to help customers better understand concepts or the benefits that you provide.

  1. Use Google Local Service Ads (LSAs)

Google might have international reach, but if you’re a local service business, you probably want to make a bigger impression on an audience within driving distance. Searchers want a personal injury attorney, a family law attorney “near me,” or an estate planning lawyer to draft a will.

This is why optimizing for local search through Google My Business profiles is vital. But Google also launched a new service last year that can give your business an even bigger advantage over its competitors – Local Service Ads (LSAs).

With LSAs, your listing will show up as a trusted professional in the area, nestled just above the traditional paid search ads. An LSA will show your business name, your GMB star-rating and number of reviews, your business phone #, hours, and a green check mark with the words “Google Guaranteed.”

LSAs are available for a growing list of service industries and ad regions. If your firm is eligible, this is something you should integrate into your 2021 marketing plan.

  1. Leverage Social Media

Since COVID-19 started, people have been spending more time on social media, and brands have been dedicating more of their budgets to engaging those audiences. According to Marketing Charts, social media budgets rose to 24% of total marketing budgets in 2020, up from 13% the prior year.

This shift in consumer behavior gives your business a twofold opportunity. First, you can use social media to build brand awareness and expand your customer base. Second, you can leverage social channels to re-engage with long-time customers and increase your retention rates.

Social media marketing involves a commitment of time and resources. You’ll want to create a content plan, post on social channels regularly, monitor and respond to customers, and build trust. If you’ve put off social media or not made the most of it in past years, now’s the time to change that.

  1. Post Informed Content

Personalization has been a hot topic in digital marketing circles over the past several years. When it comes to the client experience, this can refer to meeting your client where they are in their journey to find an attorney, such as in the awareness stage vs. the advocacy stage.

Going even a step further than personalization, consumers are now placing a high value on informed content. What does this mean? Depending on your industry, it can mean several things.

In the age of COVID, political unrest, and situations that just change “fast,” consumers place trust in brands that keep them informed. It can be as simple as a timely post or video about a new law taking effect that is relevant to your target audience.

If your brand offers different types of services, consumers are placing more value on things that would once seem intrusive. Many people “like” it when a brand anticipates what they might need, sometimes before they know it themselves. You can send out these suggestions in the form of targeted ads or emails.

Ready to Take Your Digital Marketing Strategy to the Next Level?

There is little doubt that the past year has rattled a few cages, but consumers and businesses alike have learned to pivot with impressive speed. According to McKinsey & Company, 77% of Americans have tried out new brands, places to shop, and shopping methods over the past year. Consumers are no longer passively returning to the same brands, which could provide your business with opportunities in the coming year.

As your firm seeks to boost awareness, create value, and drive results using these marketing methods, find out how we can help. Too Darn Loud Legal Marketing specializes in results-driven digital marketing solutions. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation. We can be reached at (800) 649-1764.

The Importance of Using Video in Your Web Marketing in 2021

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Video, Video, Video…OK, Have We Said It Enough!

Whether you are an established law firm or new firm, you probably know that video marketing is a big deal. But it has never been more prominent than it is today. More people are staying home to stay safe, and most outside entertainment options have been postponed or canceled.

YouTube engagement is at an all-time high, with up to 30% more views of video content and Instagram reports a 70% jump in live streaming. The demand for video content has soared, as has its importance to digital marketing.

People will always have legal issues to resolve, so they are going to need your services. If you want to connect with them in 2021 and beyond, it is vital that video marketing becomes one of your priorities.

Why Include Law Firm Video in Your Digital Marketing Strategy?

There are many reasons why your law firm should include video in its digital marketing strategy. First, some data:

Beyond the numbers, here are the reasons why video should be an essential part of your firm’s digital marketing strategy:

Videos Attract Attention

Infographics, photos, and informative posts still have their place. But a video can capture a visitor’s attention in a matter of seconds and hold it if you have a strong message.

Google Loves Video Content

Research clearly shows that video content increases the amount of time a website visitor stays on your site and when you can keep people on your website longer, your search engine rankings will benefit. Google will notice that people are spending more time on your site and reward you for having engaging content.

Law Firm Video Builds Trust

Consumers have grown understandably suspicious of businesses and marketing in general. When you “show” them who you are through video content, it can help instill trust and create a lasting connection.

Legal Consumers Want Video Content

People have become accustomed to seeing video content online and expect it on both websites and in their search engine results.

Video Explains Things Better

Sometimes, difficult concepts are easier to explain through videos. You can use a whiteboard or tell stories in your video that give your audience a better understanding of the subject.

Video Boosts Conversions

Since most consumers claim that video helps them make purchasing decisions, you can leverage this to attract new clients with targeted content.

Video Encourages Sharing

Social media networks, email, and even text apps are equipped to allow users to share videos seamlessly.

How Law Firms Can Use Video in Web Marketing

Video can be a powerful way to market your law firm and its services. Now that video is one of the most popular mediums online, how can your firm harness it to create awareness and produce results? Here are just a few ideas:

  1. Introduce Your Firm

Use video on your “About Us” page or homepage to tell people about your firm, your practice areas, and introduce the attorneys that will help solve their legal issues.

  1. Post Explainer Videos

Written content is still vital, but you can supplement this and broaden your reach by also posting some videos. Explain different legal issues and the ways your firm addresses them.

  1. Testimonial Videos

Before hiring an attorney, most potential clients want some validation that they are making the right choice. You can provide this on your website with testimonial videos from prior clients that let them know what they can expect when they hire your firm.

  1. Case Studies

Your firm can use videos to show potential clients that you have successfully handled cases like theirs in the past. This can instill confidence in your firm’s ability to achieve a positive outcome.

  1. Live Streaming

Having “live” on-camera dialogue with others has become more commonplace over the past year. Law firms can leverage this by live-streaming topic-specific webinars and Q&A sessions to connect with current and potential clients.

Four Video Marketing Trends to Watch in 2021

There is no doubt that video is powerful. If 2020 taught us anything, it is that you don’t necessarily need to meet face-to-face to get things done. Everything from classrooms to work to court cases are being handled through platforms like Zoom and social media channels.

When you market your business, using images helps boost engagement, but video can be even more memorable and effective when done right. Here are a few video marketing trends to watch for the coming year:

Google Search Emphasis on Video

Have you noticed that Google now includes a row of videos in many organic search results? This presents a golden opportunity for law firms to create videos that answer the questions that people are asking. If you can grab one of these spots, it can bring additional traffic to your page and clients to your firm.

The Rise of the Webinars

Online (or “web”) seminars, also called webinars, are another way to market your law firm with video content. You can use webinars to establish yourself as a trusted expert (for example, in estate planning) or to give the public useful information, such as how to file for bankruptcy or get a divorce during a pandemic.

More Omnichannel Video Content

Have you ever mentioned a Facebook video to someone, only to hear that they already saw it on Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn? This has become incredibly common because consumers often have a multi-channel diet that consists of many networks. So, when you post a video, it makes sense to do it across several digital channels.

Increase in Video Live Streaming

Posting live video streams is not new, but it has become much more popular as a video marketing strategy. In the past year, people have become used to attending live streamed yoga sessions, music performances, and cooking demonstrations.

This level of comfort with live video has opened new ground for marketers. You can use this medium to post “breaking industry news” or have regular chat or Q&A sessions via your website or social media profile.

Contact Too Darn Loud Legal Marketing Today To Discuss Law Firm Videos

At Too Darn Loud Legal Marketing, we specialize in helping our clients make the most of every opportunity, to create awareness and drive results. Contact us today, and let’s start a conversation about how our team can make video marketing one of your most effective channels in the coming year.