Ask anyone who works in the legal industry what the main problem is.
Being slow to change.
This slowness to change is costing the legal industry so much more than money. It’s no secret that the legal industry is – outdated – to say the least.
In a day and age where 96% of people use a search engine for legal advice, it would be stupid not to have a strong online presence. Yet, that’s the issue with the legal industry as a whole.
If a law firm does have a website, it may not have seen any recent updates in a while. And let’s not get started on the outdated information found on courthouses’ websites.
What The Legal Industry Needs
The legal industry needs a digital revamp. And I’m not just talking about the addition of a website.
Legal professionals should jump into the 21st century and take advantage of digital marketing. Contrary to popular belief, digital marketing is not just for influencers and entrepreneurs.
It is an online marketing strategy that is used to promote products and services. And it’s not just a skillset that can help lawyers.
Outside of lawyers, the legal industry includes:
- Court reporters
- Legal secretaries
- Judges
- Notaries
- Language interpreters
- Prosecutors
- Paralegals
- Legal analysts.
Each one of these professions has something to offer the general public. There are thousands of people that need legal services. Unfortunately, those people aren’t familiar with the legal process or who to contact for these legal services.
That’s where digital marketing comes in. It can serve as a bridge between the legal professionals and the people who need them.
Here are 5 benefits that digital marketing can bring to the legal industry.
A Greater Network of Knowledge
Even though legal advice can be found online, there are still so many people who are confused about the legal process.
Some people are introduced to the legal process through a civil dispute, a criminal offense, or an unfortunate event. Because they’re new to the legal process, they may rely on the expertise of an attorney.
This is a great opportunity for legal professionals to create digital products that can inform their clients of the process. Lawyers, for example, can create eBooks for their clients that can explain things like:
- How to file a claim
- The difference between a plaintiff and a defendant
- The difference between a misdemeanor and felony
- Why someone would have to file a claim against another party
- What legal rights a person has following an accident.
Outside of eBooks, lawyers can publish blog posts on their website that can explain their practice in more detail. This content can help legal professionals become an expert in the eyes of their audience.
This expertise can also produce the next benefit: establishing trust.
An Increase in Trust
Digital content can be used to help establish trust between a service provider and their clients. Clients are more likely to trust professionals who are open to sharing their knowledge and testimonies.
An example of this would be a notary providing client testimonials on their website. This type of content can give potential clients a glimpse into what they can expect when working with the notary.
It’s also another way to practice transparency with an audience. Every business with an online presence has a review page where past and current clients can leave their testimonials. If a legal professional’s website is missing this information, it could be a red flag.
Along with an increase in trust, digital marketing can also produce the next benefit: a clearer direction to clients.
A Faster Path To Clients
Digital marketing consists of more than just social media posts. It includes blogs, videos, podcasts, case studies, and emails.
In addition to the variety, the best thing about digital marketing is that it can establish a clear pathway to a person’s target audience.
Instead of throwing ideas to the wall and finding out what sticks, legal professionals can follow the metrics of their digital content and discover what content their audience responds to positively.
These metrics take the guesswork out of marketing. Now, legal professionals can post the content that their audience enjoys and attract them to their platforms.
Even better, digital marketing can also be used to help legal professionals expand their clients while maintaining their current clients.
Increased Visibility
A majority of legal services are usually provided to the people within that particular region. But what if a legal dispute happened in a state with someone who isn’t a resident?
How will that person come in contact with an attorney’s services?
This situation is specifically why digital marketing is key. There are certain skillsets that can introduce the top lawyers to out-of-state residents. In those situations, residents are looking for the most credible lawyers in the state.
Lawyers can take advantage of digital practices like SEO and content marketing to make sure their website is on the first search results page.
Increased Productivity
Last but certainly not least, using digital marketing can increase a legal professional’s productivity.
Because the legal process is complicated at times, people have many questions. While legal professionals should take the time to answer those questions, that’s the problem.
It takes up too much time.
Instead of answering the same questions over and over again, these questions can be addressed through a FAQ page or a digital brochure.
This gives the legal professional more time to focus on more important tasks.
In addition to asking questions, digital marketing can be used to help legal professionals promote their services. This is another important task that can be time-consuming.
Scheduling social media posts and working with legal bloggers can free up additional time for legal professionals.
Final Thoughts
How can digital marketing transform the legal industry?
- By providing a wealth of information to new clients
- By establishing legal professionals as the top experts in their practice of law.
- By making it easier for clients to locate certain services
- By increasing the trust between legal professionals and clients
- By increasing productivity.
Sounds like digital marketing is a great tool for the legal industry to use.
If you want to know more about digital marketing for lawyers, check out my other blog posts 5 Authentic Ways That Content Writers Can Boost A Lawyer’s Online Presence – Valeria Publications and Lawyers, Here’s 4 Things You Can Do To Spice Up Your Website – Valeria Publications.
Share your comments about digital marketing in the comments section below.
