THATBlog

Fighting for the interest and attention of consumers is, if not a losing battle, then at least a fierce (costly) one. Inbound marketing is different: you are shifting the dynamic and drawing customers to you. When it comes to your law firm marketing strategy, it can be a much more effective avenue to explore. What do you need to know?

First, What Is Inbound Marketing?

Let’s look at what inbound marketing is not. It is not pushing for leads and customers with hard sales tactics (e.g., cold calling). It is pulling them in with an engaging online presence. High-quality content plays a starring role. Your goal is to answer people’s questions, build trust and credibility, and begin to nurture a relationship.

For example, if your firm specializes in personal injury law, you might provide content explaining what to do after you are involved in a car accident or key questions to ask about insurance claims. Individuals in this position find your content, get the preliminary information they need, and feel more confident about taking the next steps in engaging your firm to represent them.

Inbound Marketing: Law Firms Benefit from This Client-Centric Approach

When people are navigating complex issues - accidents, Social Security Disability claims, defective product/equipment situations, wrongful death, etc. - they need information. As importantly, they need targeted content that explains complicated legal concepts in an easily digestible way. They want to feel that someone can guide them through not only the process but this very difficult time in their lives. They need a trusted, credible authority in the law. Keep this in mind when marketing law firms.

You are providing knowledge, experience, and expertise. And you can deliver these with a strong inbound law firm marketing strategy.

But wait: does that mean you throw all those billable hours out the window? In the past, sharing knowledge was forbidden unless the clock was running. The internet has changed this: people can Google any legal topic and access information. Rather than essentially hoarding this, leverage it. Providing easy-to-understand content does not negate the need for an attorney: law will always be complex!

What inbound marketing does, though, is start those relationships. People see that you’re helpful, that you’re authoritative, that you are willing to help them. They’ll feel far more confident in contacting your firm for a consultation as you’ve already established a connection.

How Does Inbound Marketing for Law Firms Work?

Start generating organic traffic and converting more leads into clients when marketing law firms using an inbound approach.

1. Develop High Quality, Relevant Content

If you do not host a blog through your website, do so now. First, it will help with SEO: high quality content ranks higher in the search engine results pages. If you already have blog posts, categorize them according to your practice areas (e.g. maritime law, car accidents, disability rights, etc.) . If you do not have a blog, draft a list of potential posts that answer key questions potential clients have.

Next, populate your blog with posts/articles at least once a week. Consistency is key, again for SEO purposes, but it also solidifies the trust that leads have in your firm. Be sure you optimize them for SEO (e.g., use targeted keywords related to your practice areas and challenges leads face, such as “what to do if you’re in a motorcycle accident”).

It should go without saying that all of your content should be checked and double-checked for accuracy. There is a lot of bad legal advice out there; you need to be seen as the trusted expert that you are.

2. Go Beyond the Blog

Once you’ve established a bank of relevant, original content, share it. Build up a community on Twitter and LinkedIn to achieve increased visibility and engagement. You can link back to your website’s blog and publish content on sites like Medium and LinkedIn.

3. Work on Conversions

When you attract traffic to your website, work on relationship-building techniques. For example, insert calls-to-action into your blog posts (e.g., Schedule a Free Consultation Now or Download Our eBook) and on the sidebars. Here’s an example:

As you can see there is relevant content on the main part of the page and then a form for a free case evaluation that collects key information. Keep these forms short and simple to increase conversions.

4. Nurture Leads

A critical aspect of inbound marketing is turning leads into clients. It is optimal to use a CRM (customer relationship management) system to track leads and follow up. Contact all leads as soon as possible when they fill out forms for immediate action (e.g. case evaluation, consultation).

People are looking for the information you have to offer; they should be able to find it on your online presence. If they do, they are far more likely to complete desired calls to action and convert to clients. If you need help developing an effective inbound law firm marketing strategy, don’t hesitate to contact THAT Agency.