#018 – Hot Legal Marketing Trends
Digital marketing never stops, and if you want your law firm to continue to stay competitive, start looking at these hot digital marketing trends! They can give you the edge your law firm needs!
SHOW NOTES
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TRANSCRIPT
THE LEGAL MARKETING LOUNGE
Welcome back to The Legal Marketing Lounge. And I’m really excited about today, because we are going to be talking about hot legal marketing trends. And these are the trends that can make or break your law firm online. It can definitely set you apart from the competition, if you make the decision to pursue some of these marketing trends. Before we get into all of it, I would like to ask you to subscribe to the podcast. And if you’re listening on iTunes, I would love it if you would leave me a quick review. That helps with the algorithm. That’s what this is all about, the online marketing and that’s part of it.
Introduction to Legal Marketing Trends
Let’s talk now about legal marketing trends that are happening. There is a roller coaster ride going on in 2020. It was the biggest roller coaster that we have ever seen. And 2021 is proving to be not much different. And digital marketing never stops with Coronavirus or no Coronavirus. And there are certain trends that have evolved. And if you want your law firm to compete, either in 2021 or beyond, you should start looking at some of the digital marketing trends to incorporate them as part of a strategy to promote your law firm online. My goal with Law Quill and with Legal Marketing Lounge is to truly help small and solo law firms promote themselves organically throughout social media and gain a larger digital footprint, a better online presence so that frankly, they can get more clients. That’s the point of all of this.
Legal Digital Marketing Trends
So let’s talk legal digital marketing trends. Legal digital marketing for small law firms uses online technology to advertise and promote legal surfaces. So this is focusing on computers, mobile devices, digital platforms, and more. There are four main ways for law firms to find a way to communicate with potential clients online. They all have their pros and cons, but they include SEO, PPC, Social Media, and Attorney Directories. There are different legal marketing trends in each one that are hot right now and I will expound the various ways you can maximize in the top four trends.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. That is how Google is taking all of the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle of you as a law firm on Google My Business; your reviews, your website, your social media, and figuring out where they should serve you up on their search engine platform. You want to be on that first page. SEO is a great investment of both time and money. It is effective, and it is long lasting, unlike other methods of advertising or promotion. SEO doesn’t get used up or go away once it has been applied.
SEO is a very effective marketing strategy that does demand time and effort. But it gets you great results, solid results, consistent, and long lasting results. But SEO has been around a while.
SEO in Spanish
What are the cutting edge SEO trends that are happening right now for legal marketing? The number one is SEO in Spanish. Numbers report that Hispanics make up 17% of the population in the United States and the group is growing rapidly. If you allow your digital marketing strategy to reflect this trend, it can absolutely help you in your overall legal marketing strategy. You should seriously consider creating original content with SEO in Spanish for your law firm’s website. Let me repeat that; original content with SEO in Spanish. Do not simply translate existing English into Spanish, because translated phrases are not exactly the same in Spanish, and they might be awkward or inconsistent after a translation. If you’re looking at key wording for SEO, key wording is the phrases that people put into Google in order to try to find answers to their questions, that key wording may look very different in Spanish than it does in English. So you want to look at transcreation for SEO versus translation, because it’s going to adapt the message from the content that you have on your website, either on the main pages or on your articles, into the Spanish language, while preserving the original intent, style and context. And key wording can also be done in Spanish. So if this resonates with you, absolutely. This is a very hot legal marketing trend, which is having SEO in Spanish.
Video Marketing
Also, another legal marketing trend for SEO is video marketing. Google really rewards video marketing. It can capture the interest and attention in a way that normal text can’t. It allows your law firm to have current and appealing content you can share in a variety of online venues and social media platforms. You can optimize your videos for search engines and track the metrics to see how your video is performing. As a piece of your marketing plan, I will tell you, video marketing is so hot that at Law Quill, we have now incorporated video as part of our service packages. There are a lot of lawyers that are hesitant or reticent to get in front of a camera, but video marketing doesn’t just include having you in front of the camera. If you want to check out how we take blog posts and create videos from those, you can go to our website at lawquill.com/videos and check out some samples of how we take blog posts and include video marketing for our clients.
Podcasting
Another SEO hot trend is podcasting, which is what I’m doing right now. I am practicing what I preach. Your law firm could have a podcast. And it can be a highly effective tool to attract potential clients and establish authority, like I’m doing right now. When you transcribe your podcast, you can employ SEO into that transcript, and also boost your search engines rankings in the process, because you are putting an entire transcript, which is just a really long blog post on your website, as well as your podcast. And when guests appear on your podcast, they can provide a link to your podcast on their website, which creates this positive ongoing web of support for your digital marketing strategy. I think it’s probably safe to say that I’m a fan of podcasting.
Quality Content
Another way that legal marketing trends are incorporating SEO is to continue producing quality content. This is never going to go away. Quality content is an essential foundation for your law firm’s website and marketing plan. And it gives a guide to legal matters that can direct consumers to contact you throughout all of your social media platforms. It shows that you are an expert and that you provide a lot of value. So if you are going to make your website a trusted resource, you need to be including relevant content that is optimized for SEO.
And the last digital marketing trend for the legal area is Voice Search Optimization. You should really consider the growing trend of voice search when producing your website content for your law firm. If your website is not already optimized for Voice Search, right now is the time to jump in. Voice Search has been trending for a while, but it is surpassing everyone’s expectations and productions. Voice assistants are here for the long term. If your website is not prepared and ready for voice search, you are going to be missing out on a large chunk of search engine volume.
To recap on maximizing SEO for your business, make sure you have your SEO in the Spanish language, incorporate video marketing, join the podcasting world, continue producing quality content and include voice search optimization. That is everything I have to say about SEO hot legal marketing trends.
Pay Per Click (PPC)
The second main way to promote yourself online is through PPC; that’s pay per click advertising. This can gather immediate client leads. It is fantastic. The drawback is that once you have gotten those clicks, your money is spent. And when you stop paying for PPC, you no longer get those leads. So this is both a benefit and a drawback. On one hand, you do get some immediate client leads but then on the other hand as soon as you stop paying, it’s over.
Pay Per Click has results that can be quick, impressive and awesome. These are paid searches that allow a law firm to bid on certain keywords, and then pay when people click on those keywords. Here are some two very sharp trends that are occurring for PPC.
Google Search Ads in Spanish
Google search ads in Spanish is the first one as mentioned before. Digital marketing to the Hispanic population is growing exponentially in the United States. It has significant potential for your law firm. You can start tapping into this resource by making one quick change immediately. Check your ad campaigns that you have going on right now and change those that are only in English and adjust them to include Spanish as well. That means that when a user changes the interface to Spanish, your ads will automatically switch over to Spanish. Brilliant, right? Totally free to do. It doesn’t cost extra if you are already running ads. So this is one quick little ninja trick you can use.
Google Display Network
The second PPC trend that is happening are Google display ads. Another key opportunity for law firm growth is the Google Display Network. It’s a powerful way to reach 90% of internet users. The Google Display Network offers ads to targeted audiences when they are otherwise occupied online, or if they are in the middle of browsing and getting ready to buy or look at different services. So what does that mean when a potential client is researching legal services and considering their options? Google display ads can gently persuade them and direct them to you, which is where you want them to go.
Social Media
The third way is through social media. That is everything from Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Clubhouse, literally, all the things that can build your brand. Educate your ideal client. Draw visitors to your website. That’s how social media works.
This past year was a really positive one for social network growth and engagement. Everyone was at home because of COVID. Even though the 2020 lockdowns were the reason, experts really don’t expect social media use to decline but instead only increase in the future. Here are some essential social media strategies to look at regarding trends in social media.
The first is Facebook. Everyone knows Facebook. You need to have a business Facebook account. This is a preferred and powerful tool for lawyers. Here are some of the trends that are happening within Facebook. Facebook ads for law firms are a proven and successful way to invest in digital marketing. It is less expensive than LinkedIn. And the cost per click of Facebook ads is less than Google ads. Facebook use is on the rise. This is a really good great opportunity for you as a law firm to dip your toe in the water and see whether or not Facebook ads would work for you. However, if you don’t want to actually spend money on Facebook, consider organic growth through posting on your business Facebook page. You can promote your law firm by creating appealing and consistent posts targeted to your ideal client. Again, to circle back on this issue for many law firms, Hispanic individuals are an ideal and untapped client base. So consider whether or not you want to also include your posts on Facebook, in Spanish as well.
The next social media giant, of course, is Instagram. Your law firm should have really good branding. If it doesn’t, you really need to consider hiring someone or spending some serious time developing your voice as a law firm in terms of branding. Instagram is an excellent place to promote your law firm and offering regular law firm updates with stories and posts to keep in touch with your followers and attract new followers. Instagram is an incredible place. A lot of lawyers have been reticent to join Instagram, but it really is a way to connect with and retarget your clients. I just had a podcast on Instagram for lawyers. So you don’t believe me? Go check out that podcast because it really is an incredible social media platform.
LinkedIn & Twitter
There is LinkedIn. That platform doesn’t have a lot of new marketing trends, except for the fact that it’s tried and true. This is a place where you can meet connections within the legal community in order to get referrals. The same thing with Twitter. There’s not a lot of hot legal marketing trends there.
TikTok
Let’s talk TikTok. Everyone thought it was just a flash in the pan. It was probably going to go away, but this social media platform is increasing exponentially every day and lawyers are taking notice. There are many lawyers already on TikTok. If you don’t know what TikTok is, it is a social media platform on your phone. It is an app. And there are short videos that you can post about a minute long. A lot of lawyers are using TikTok and finding great success with it because frankly, not a lot of lawyers are on TikTok. It’s an untapped market. It is definitely a hot legal marketing trend for those who are adventurous enough to use it.
Clubhouse
The last social media marketing trend I need to talk about in social media is Clubhouse. If you have not heard about the Clubhouse social media platform, let me tell you how awesome this platform is. It is honestly amazing. Clubhouse is for Apple users only at this point. It is an iPhone app. And you have to be invited to it by someone who is already on Clubhouse. It’s been around about a year and it’s incredible. It is real life conversations that are happening in Clubhouse rooms. So it’s kind of like a podcast, but more like a radio show, where people can jump up on what is called a Stage and ask questions or offer value or offer advice. They have Clubhouse rooms about everything. And I can tell you that the lawyers that are involved in Clubhouse are seeing incredible amounts of success. When they create a room on clubhouse, the people that are coming to that room are genuinely enthusiastically interested in what they have to say. I have been involved in many conversations on Clubhouse in the last few months. And it really is a very exciting new platform. They are planning on opening it up to Android users soon.
If you want to know a little bit more about Clubhouse, I do have a blog post on that as well on my website. If you’d like to follow me, I’m Annette Choti, on Clubhouse. I actually have my own Clubhouse Club, which is called Legal Marketing Lounge, just like my podcast. If you have not had the opportunity to check out Clubhouse, I highly recommend that because that is a hot legal marketing trend.
Attorney Directories
The last one is attorney directories These are places online that allow attorneys to promote their law firm and their services We want to talk about each one of these, specifically, in a little bit and with more details.
Online legal directories such as Legal Zoom find law justice. These are all vital fast growing marketing opportunities for lawyers and law firms. In order to capitalize on these directories for successful digital marketing, your law firm’s listing must be optimized. All of these attorney directories continue to be incredibly important within your entire legal marketing strategy. You can learn more about using attorney directories just by visiting their sites, but for most of them it is a preferred strategy to just fill out a complete profile, rather than just including bare bones information. There are optional upgrades in all of these different platforms and listings. Having your law firm in all of these directories is really an effective game plan. It’s a tried and true strategy. It is not going away. I believe it’s so foundational that I am including it in a hot legal marketing trend. It’s just not going away.
Content
I would like to say at the very end, that last but not least, in order to increase your law firm’s online visibility and digital footprint, the best legal marketing trend that has existed for years and will continue to exist, is content. Content is key. As they say, less people are commuting to work and viewing billboards. More people are searching for relevant legal information, help, assistance, advice online and legal digital marketing can transform your law firm, if you get this piece of your marketing strategy right. Trends are going to consistently change. What you’re allowed to post on Facebook or Instagram, or how much ads cost is going to consistently change. The one thing that will not change is content. The fact that you have consistent content on your law firm’s website in order to promote throughout social media, your email list, create a podcast on it, create small videos on it, whatever you want to do with this content. You can also consider taking the content you already have and translating it also into Spanish, for the Hispanic population. You can then fully employ social media, optimize ads, use directories, increase your SEO, all of the things in order to create a very vibrant legal digital marketing plan for the year ahead and for the decade ahead. I don’t see content not being a foundational part of legal marketing trends and strategy. That’s why I’m including it at the very end, as a hot legal marketing trend. I think it’s hot and will always stay hot.
Conclusion
I definitely think that as you move forward with your legal marketing trends, you need to consider what actually is foundational, and that works. As always Law Quill would welcome the opportunity to visit with you about how we could help you increase your law firm’s visibility online and gain more clients with content and all of these different hot legal marketing trends. You can always contact us at lawquill.com or me personally at annette@lawquill.com. In the meantime, I hope that you enjoyed this quick little show about hot legal marketing trends. Subscribe to the Legal Marketing Lounge podcast, so that you can always know when a new episode drops. If you’re so inclined, I would love it if you would leave me a little review, if you are listening on iTunes.
As always, thank you so much for your support. I love getting to know all of you and helping your law firms gain more visibility online and a greater digital footprint. Until next time, thank you for joining me in the Legal Marketing Lounge