Law firms have to walk a fine line between promoting themselves online and not overreaching in regard to advertising. They must adhere to ethics and guidelines. However, in doing so, law firms shouldn’t avoid Internet marketing altogether, and when done the right way, it can be a very powerful tool to attract clients. For example, some firms believe they don’t have to have an online presence at all. That’s a huge mistake. By not having a well-maintained and up-to-date website, they are missing out on securing potential clients and basically giving them up to their competitors who do have a strong online presence.
A big mistake that some law firms make is advertising the wrong things on their websites. For instance, if you’re a lawyer, you may think it’s straightforward and helpful to a potential client to advertise your hourly or billable rates. But it probably will damage your financial success in the end. Why? If you charge the same rate for every client, that doesn’t take into account the length and complexity of a case. Some cases may be resolved quickly and easily, while others may take a long time and are quite complex in nature. It’s best not to advertise any billable rates on your site or online. Meet with the potential client first and receive a sense of time and complexity, and then you can start talking about rates. Remember, your online presence draws potential clients to the consultation.
Also in regard to finances, do you do pro bono work? If so, that’s great! It shows a sense of giving back to the community and highlights what is important to your firm, besides money. Therefore, on your website or social media pages, you want to discuss your pro bono work and maybe talk a little about why it’s important to the firm overall. As Forbes.com correctly mentions: “If your firm has no time or inclination to get SEO and keyword strategy right, then outsource it. But get it done.” Basically, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is critical for your website. You must have the right keywords and content to be visible in searches. If you let SEO lag, then you are losing potential clients on a daily basis.
At Qlegal, we are happy to discuss how to increase your law firm’s online presence and Internet marketing, and the best part is, we’ll do it for you. We’ve had years of expertise in SEO, social media, content creation, and management of websites, especially in regard to top search results in Google. If you’d like to improve your or your law firm’s visibility, please contact us at 617-816-2969 or use our contact form.
This blog was inspired by an article from Forbes