In the fiercely competitive landscape of digital marketing, establishing a distinct online presence is more crucial than ever for law firms. When done right, content marketing for law firms is a powerful tool that can elevate your practice from obscurity to online omnipresence.

Unfortunately, many law firms fail to prioritize content as a critical part of their overall marketing efforts, missing a vital opportunity to rank on Google, establish themselves as the authority in their practice areas, and attract prospective clients.

The digital marketing experts at Law Firm Marketing Pros recognize the importance of leveraging content to build brand awareness, engage your target audience, support your overall marketing efforts, and give you a competitive advantage.

However, as legal marketing professionals know, producing content involves much more than just typing words into a content management dashboard and clicking the publish button. Leveraging content to attract visitors, generate qualified leads, and retain clients requires the right strategy that incorporates relevant keywords, follows Google’s E-E-A-T formula, and drives more traffic to your law firm’s website.

This blog, from a digital marketing expert, delves into the transformative power of strategic content development, defines valuable content, and explains why your digital strategies must include relevant, valuable content optimized for search engine optimization (SEO).

In a business climate where appearing on the first page of Google can make or break your ability to practice law and make money, we’ll reveal key strategies and insights for local search engine optimization. Want to rank on page one of Google and appear in search engine results page (SERP) features? Wondering why your marketing efforts must include content? We’ll share proven content development strategies and crucial statistics pertaining to law firm content that will help you expand your digital footprint, attract potential clients seeking a lawyer in your practice area(s), and outpace your competition.

Successful Law Firm Marketing Demands High-Quality, Optimized Content

If you’re still not convinced that content must be part of your SEO efforts and incorporated into your marketing budget, consider the following statistics:

Blogging law firms experience 434% more indexed pages.
Law firms that update and add more content to their law firm website attract 400% more traffic than those with inactive blogs.
Law firms that blog regularly receive 97% more links to their website.
61% of decision-makers are willing to pay a premium to work with a law firm or attorney who positions themselves as a thought leader through content.
81% of law firms consider content marketing their top marketing investment.
80% of law firms use content marketing to attract and retain clients.
52% of law firms have blogs.
70% of law firms use long-form content to address complex legal topics and provide comprehensive solutions to their audience’s legal queries.
Long-form content receives 68% more social shares and engagement compared to shorter content formats for law firms.
Law firms that publish long-form content regularly see a 30% increase in website traffic and engagement.

How to Write a Blog Post That Attracts Paying Clients

When it comes to reaching your ideal clients online, a regularly published blog post plays a vital role. However, before you stop practicing law and start typing on your keyboard, you should first consider your content strategy. For example, a divorce attorney could write a 1,000-word piece about their exceptional service and the law pertaining to child support in their state, but if they want to attract more clients, they need to conduct keyword research first. Otherwise, it’s like erecting a billboard in a forest — it may look great, but no one is going to see it. If your ideal clients cannot find your blog (or any other type of content) on your law firm website, it’s wasted effort.

Speaking of attorney websites, we invite you to read our recent blog, Why Law Firm Website Redesigns Go Bad, to understand the crucial elements of a law firm website that converts web traffic to new clients, and how your entire website supports the performance of your blogs in driving high Google rankings and significant growth for your law firm.

Keywords and Search Volume

For each practice area you want to expand and promote online, you must create optimized web pages and blogs that appear high on search engine results pages and answer the questions of your target audience. But what is content optimization as it relates to law firm SEO?

If you want your blogs to rank on search engines, you must engage in research to discover the keywords people in your geographic area type into their search bar when seeking the services offered by your law firm. For example, someone who has just been injured in a car accident might be searching for a “car accident lawyer” online. If you’re a personal injury attorney with a goal of retaining more car accident cases, “car accident lawyer” would be one of the keywords to include in your blog.

I say one of the keywords because each blog must include a focus keyword and cluster keywords to perform well online and attract paying clients.

Focus Keyword – a focus keyword is the main search term prospective clients or even past clients who need additional services might use when looking for legal help. A focus keyword tells Google exactly what the blog is about and matches it with relevant search queries. The focus keyword must appear in your blog’s title, meta description, and first paragraph for optimization purposes.
Cluster Keywords – cluster keywords are related terms that support the focus keyword. Cluster keywords broaden the blog’s visibility by capturing different variations of a search query, such as “estate planning attorney” or “estate planning process.” Sprinkled throughout your blog, these terms reinforce your blog’s authority on the topic, making it rank for a wider range of searches.

How do you determine a focus keyword and cluster keywords for each of your blogs? We recommend law firm SEO tools like Semrush and Surfer SEO. Caution: when adding keywords, you want to be subtle and avoid “keyword stuffing.” That’s where Google’s E-E-A-T formula comes in.

Your Law Firm Content and Google’s E-E-A-T Formula

E-E-A-T stands for:

Experience – this demonstrates that the content on your law firm website is produced by people with direct, firsthand experience with the subject matter. Referring back to the car accident example, it could be a personal injury attorney with a decade of experience pursuing compensation for car accident victims.
Expertise – you must demonstrate through detailed and accurate content that you are a subject matter expert on the topic. However, in most cases you cannot refer to yourself as an expert, but more on that later.
Authoritativeness – by consistently producing high-quality, relevant content, you build brand awareness and authority, enhancing your reputation among your online community and your profession.
Trustworthiness – you must provide transparency about who is writing your content, include a call to action with your phone number, email, and online contact form, maintain a reputation of integrity, and abide by ethical content practices. Client testimonials can help support your trustworthiness in the eyes of potential clients.

Law Firm Marketing and Content: Abide by the Forbidden Words in Legal Advertising

As we explained in our 2020 blog, 7 Forbidden Words Every Lawyer and Law Firm Must Know for State Bar Compliance, when writing content about your legal services, avoid using the following words:

Specialist/Specialize – unless you are certified as a specialist by your state bar or an organization approved by your state bar or the American Bar Association, you cannot use the word “specialize” or “specialist” to describe your law firm or legal services.
Guarantee/Promise – not even the best attorneys can guarantee or promise results. Using this language sets unjustified expectations and violates a code of conduct, so avoid these words unless they refer specifically to something you can control 100% of the time. For example, if your client is not satisfied with your services, you will return their fee.
Get/Obtain – although these words appear to be harmless, they can get a lawyer into serious trouble, especially when combined with “results.” If your law firm marketing strategy for content includes wording like, “We will get results for you,” it’s another example of setting unjustified expectations. Instead, use phrases such as, “We will work hard on your behalf throughout the entire process.”
Results – when the word “Results” is used in slogans like “Experience, Dedication, Results,” this word is generally okay because it does not imply a specific outcome. However, avoid phrases like, “We work to obtain money for your injuries,” or “Our firm guarantees the results you deserve.” Do not talk about the results you will achieve for your clients. So long as it is the truth, you can write about past results or successes you have had with previous clients, e.g. “We’ve successfully represented thousands of clients,” or “We helped our client John achieve a six-figure settlement.”
Most/Best/Top – unless you want to hear from the Bar about a complaint, your marketing plan must NOT include these words. Why? It’s a comparison of your services to your competitors, which you cannot factually substantiate.
Deserve – this one is murkier because there is no specific rule that prohibits its use. However, if you use it in the following way, you will most likely run afoul of Bar regulations: “We help clients obtain the money they deserve.” From the Bar’s perspective, using the word, “deserve,” in this way is misleading because it implies a promise to do something, and that everyone deserves to recover something. When referring to a settled case, you could say, “We helped our client Mary, seek to recover the money she deserved.” In this case, it’s an example of a proven track record with a real client.
Expert – there is no ethics opinion that explicitly forbids the use of this word to describe your services but in your law firm’s best interest, we recommend avoiding it in your law firm marketing. If you refer to yourself as an “expert,” you could potentially be asked to substantiate your claim. Instead, describe your law firm as “experienced,” “professional,” “knowledgeable,” and “responsive.”

Do You Need Help Incorporating Content Into Your Law Firm Marketing? Let the Award-Winning Digital Marketing Agency Law Firm Marketing Pros Produce High-Quality, Optimized Content to Support Your Marketing Strategy

If your law firm marketing plan does not include content, you’re losing an invaluable opportunity to achieve online omnipresence and expand your client base. Does legal content optimization seem like an overwhelming task, especially when required on a regular basis?

For well over a decade, our award-winning digital marketing agency for law firms has been producing high-quality, optimized content that aligns with Google’s E-E-A-T formula and converts potential clients into new clients. Let our knowledgeable and experienced in-house team position you as an authority in your profession and support your law firm marketing with blogs, landing pages, Google ads, SEO campaigns, and social media posts, leveraging the most up-to-date tools.

When it comes to lawyer marketing and digital marketing strategies, our experts are ready to support you in achieving your goals for your law firm.

Are you ready to take your law firm marketing to the next level?

Contact Partner and Co-Founder Josh Konigsberg, author of Law Firm Digital Marketing Made Easy: The Only Book You’ll Ever Need to Become a Best-Known Attorney, to schedule a free 15-minute client accelerator call at (561) 948-5001 or complete our online form.

Though brief, this call dives deep into your strategy. Josh will then prepare a complimentary digital marketing brief packed with 25-35 pages of value that drives qualified clients directly to your practice.

This blog is not intended to be legal advice for a lawyer or law practice. No special relationship or privilege exists between you and the Blog and/or its owners, Law Firm Marketing Pros or its Affiliates (“LFMP”). LFMP IS NOT A LAW FIRM and THE AUTHOR IS NOT AN ATTORNEY. You will be representing yourself and your law practice in any legal matter you undertake or any Client you represent as a result of your use of the information provided in the Blog, including any Services offered through the Blog and content available on the Site the Blog is published on, and in all other matters relating to you and your businesses. This Blog may provide audio-video content, referenced articles, newsletters, and other content for informational purposes only. In the process of providing this information, the Blog is engaged in the publication of information regarding business and management issues that may be commonly encountered by law firms. This blog is not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. This Blog does not review any of your answers to questions for sufficiency, provide legal advice, or analyze applicable law and apply it to your specific requirements. Accordingly, if you need legal advice for a specific issue, you are advised to seek the advice of your local, state, and/or national Bar Association.

Do you still have questions about digital marketing? Contact Partner and Co-Founder Josh Konigsberg, author of Law Firm Digital Marketing Made Easy: The Only Book You’ll Ever Need to Become a Best-Known Attorney, to schedule a 15-minute discovery call at (561) 948-5001 or complete our online form. Though brief, this call dives deep into your strategy. Josh will then prepare a complimentary digital marketing brief packed with 25-35 pages of value that drives qualified clients directly to your practice.

Law Firm Marketing Pros
250 S. Central Blvd, Suite 100-A
Jupiter, FL 33458
561-948-5001
https://lawfirmmarketingpros.com/

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