Is your law firm ready to leverage the power of YouTube Shorts, TikTok, Instagram Reels, Facebook, and other video-driven social media platforms to expand your reach and grow your business? Short-form video content for law firms has become a staple of online engagement, perfectly suited to modern audiences with busy schedules and brief attention spans.

Creating Short Form Video

Creating quick videos is an ideal way to rapidly capture the attention of your ideal clients when more traditional marketing methods aren’t producing the results they once did. To learn more about using this highly effective digital marketing method to make meaningful connections and how our experienced digital marketing experts can help, contact us today.

Short-Form Video — What is It?

Short-form videos are bite-sized video content, typically lasting up to 60 seconds. They are designed to be engaging, quick, and easily digestible. This format has become popular thanks to various social media platforms that encourage and promote it, like TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Facebook Reels, and Instagram Reels.

According to a frequently cited study by Microsoft, the average human attention span dropped from 12 seconds in 2000 to only 8 seconds in 2015, less than that of a goldfish. The short-form video form offers businesses an excellent way to capture the attention of people who are just too busy to watch long-form videos or not interested in the experience.

Why Your Law Should Embrace Short-Form Video Marketing

Imagine this: A potential client is overwhelmed by a legal issue and scrolling through their social media feed, unsure of what to do next. Then, in under a minute, a video from your law firm appears that offers exactly the information they need in a relatable and concise manner. Now you’ve captured their attention with your short-form video and have the opportunity to turn that viewer into a new client.

These impactful videos are taking over social media sites like Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram by storm, providing law firms with a golden opportunity to meet clients where they are most comfortable. Here are some of the top reasons why your law firm should make short-form video marketing one of its strategies:

• Enhances Online Visibility — Video content gives your law firm another way to rank in the search engines, making it excellent for SEO and your online visibility.
• Boosts Engagement — Not only will people watch your videos, but short video content is more likely to be shared than long videos, images, and text-focused content, which can boost your overall engagement.
• Builds Trust and Credibility — In the legal industry, trust is a critical factor, and video allows you to showcase your legal expertise and background by explaining concepts or legal strategies.
• Increases Recall — As more people encounter your firm’s name through digital marketing, you’ll begin to enjoy brand recognition. Even those who don’t require legal assistance immediately will remember your name as a resource when they eventually do.
• Educates Clients — Short videos have the power to educate clients in easily digestible snippets of content instead of asking people to sit through long legal explanations.
• Humanizes Your Firm — Creating content that aligns with your target audience’s preferences is an excellent way to make your firm more relatable. When you show up on TikTok or Instagram, people will certainly notice.
• Drives New Leads — Because short-form videos are unique for law firms, they can drive leads by speeding up the buyer’s journey from prospect to client.

Topics That Are Ideal for Short-Form Video Content

Quick video teasers that spark interest in your target audience are perfect for today’s online world, helping your law firm make critical connections. Instead of being salesy pitches for your firm, they should be informative, helpful, and engaging video snippets. Here are some effective ways you can use short-form video content to market your law firm:

• Answer FAQs — Share answers to clients’ frequently asked questions and concerns. For example, “What are the consequences of a 2nd DUI?” or “Who is at fault after a crash with a commercial truck?”
• Explain Legal Concepts — Summarize different laws and case law updates in your practice areas to showcase your legal knowledge and show you are up-to-date on current trends.
• Bust Some Myths — Use short videos to debunk some common misconceptions or myths surrounding your various practice areas and common cases.
• Introduce Practice Members — People don’t hire law firms; they hire lawyers to address their legal issues. Who will be the front person on their case matters a lot. By putting a face to a name with a short video, your firm can foster trust and ease anxiety.
• Tell Your Story — Offer a glimpse of your law firm, from explaining how you got started to sharing what goes on behind the scenes during a typical day.
• Share Testimonials — Client testimonials are an excellent way to instill credibility and confidence in your firm’s ability to solve legal issues. Short video clips depicting how your firm has impacted past clients’ lives can be one of your most powerful marketing tools.

Creating and Distributing Your Law Firm’s Short Form Videos

Short-form videos are an essential way for law firms and legal professionals to enhance their digital presence. Here are some best practices for making and getting the most out of this type of content.

How to Make an Effective Law Firm Short Video

You don’t need to spend hours creating a 30- or 60-second video. But you do need to put some thought into your process if you want to produce positive results. Here are some tips for creating captivating and effective law firm short videos:

• Create an Amazing Hook—Remember, social media attention spans are brief. You need to hook your viewers within the first few seconds, or you risk losing them. Open with a question, a statistic, or a bold statement to keep them watching.
• Avoid Hard Sales Tactics — Few consumers enjoy encounters with pushy salespeople. Your video content will be more effective if you avoid these tactics and focus on the client’s needs.
• Address Pain Points — Identify your client’s main pain points and concerns, such as financial strain or physical suffering, and address those issues one by one in your video content.
• Show Understanding and Empathy — By showing compassion and understanding, you can build rapport and trust with your audience. This reassures them that you are committed to their success.
• Highlight Your USPs — Weave your firm’s unique selling propositions (USPs) into some of your video content. Whether it’s your track record of success, your years of experience, or personalized client service, mention what makes your firm special.
• Keep it Conversational — Social media is meant to be enjoyable and, yes, social. Instead of being too formal, try to keep your tone conversational and avoid too many technical terms that might confuse or frustrate viewers.
• Understand Platform Requirements — Most social media platforms have specific technical requirements for video content. For example, you should shoot videos in vertical orientation with a specific aspect ratio, resolution, and file format.
• Include Captions — Believe it or not, many people view video content without sound (some are at work or in public). Adding captions allows those views and people with hearing impairments to access your content more easily.
• Invest in Professional Production — Low-quality video content can have your viewers hitting the “back” button quickly. Consider investing in professional videography, editing, and production to create the experience your audience deserves.

Best Practices for Distributing and Promoting Short-Form Videos For Law Firms

When used correctly, short-form video content is a powerful strategy for establishing credibility and attracting leads to your law firm. Here are some best practices for distributing and promoting your video content:

• Post Regularly — When building an audience, it’s helpful if you post frequently. Fortunately, creating short videos is much easier and less time-consuming than longer ones.
• Leverage Different Platforms — Make sure you are posting your content on different social media platforms. This includes setting up optimized profiles and posting on sites like TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
• Engage With Your Audience — After publishing a video, don’t simply abandon it. Respond to comments so you can engage with your audience, answer additional questions, and start building trust.
• Track Your Results — Digital marketing is constantly evolving. It’s important that you closely track your results so you can make adjustments to your strategy to achieve optimal outcomes.

Contact Too Darn Loud Legal Marketing to Get Started With Short Form Videos For Your Law Firm

At Too Darn Loud Legal Marketing, we understand you have a law firm to run and clients to serve. While you can produce, post, and promote video content yourself, it makes more sense to partner with an experienced professional who can ensure you get the best possible results.

Our seasoned video marketing experts will work with your law firm to create a portfolio of engaging and high-performing short-form videos that will get you found and chosen by your target audience. Our law firm video services include:

• Script preparation and media coaching before your video shoot
• Professional on-site video shoots
• Production of video content that meets each platform’s technical requirements
• Design of a video page for your website to showcase your law firm’s videos
• Transcription of each video for SEO purposes
• Posting and promotion of your videos on social media platforms

If you’re ready to take your law firm’s video marketing strategy to the next level, we’d be happy to help. Contact Too Darn Loud Legal Marketing today to learn more about how you can add video to your firm’s online marketing program.