Does the Internet Work For Getting New Cases For Law Firms?
If you ask different groups if the Internet works for obtaining law firm cases, you will get different answers.
Bear in mind that the Internet is different than TV and some of the other advertising mediums. For instance, you can run TV ads, follow your results over the next few months and see how many phone calls the ads generate. Results from the Internet, on the other hand, take more time. But, if properly done, your investment in Internet advertising will pay dividends for many years to come. Unlike a one-time ad in print or on TV, your investment in your Web presence will continuously develop and produce results. Your marketing will grow, your rankings will improve and become broader, your website(s) will become more compelling and you will gain clients.
Mistakes Law Firms Sometimes Make
Too many law firms spend massive amounts on TV ads and invest small amounts in their Internet presence while still expecting equal results. This is a mistake. Would you build a home without a good architect or an adequate budget? Of course not. It would be intimidating and virtually impossible. Similarly, building a comprehensive Web presence is complex and requires investment. When developed improperly or with the wrong guidance and investment, your Web presence will be as successful as buying a small Yellow Pages’ ad 30 pages back in the directory 10 years ago (when the Yellow Pages actually did work).
I recently wrote an article, “Will Law Firms That Do Not Embrace The Internet Be Left Behind?”, which compares store-front mentality companies to Web mentality companies. Former storefront giant Blockbuster recently filed for bankruptcy protection while innovative, Internet-minded Netflix has seen its stock triple over the past three years and grow to more than $165 per share. The stock of Walmart, the most successful retailer in the world, has remained relatively flat over the past five years, while Web-minded Amazon’s stock has doubled over the past two years and is currently selling for $170 per share. Walmart is now also scrambling to develop a Web presence. Consumers continue to move rapidly to the Internet. Lawyers who do not embrace the Internet, will, indeed, be left behind.
As I mentioned, if you ask different groups if the Internet works for getting clients, you will get different answers. They include the following:
Law Firms That Are Using The Web Properly And Are Established
If you ask some of our clients, such as Raleigh personal injury lawyers, Hardison & Associates (lawyernc.com); Chicago injury lawyers, Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C; Washington injury firm Brett & Coats, Richmond injury lawyers, Marks & Harrison and several others, they will tell you that their return on investment (ROI) has been excellent. These firms may not have received a satisfactory return on their investments nine months into the first year, but they are now getting cases directly from their Web presence. We have numerous law firm client testimonials that speak to our clients’ excellent experiences with their websites.
TV Advertising Companies
If you ask companies or law firms that sell television advertising, you will hear that the Internet does not work. They will have many reasons why. Most ignore the Web’s many advantages, including the fact, unlike TV and other ads that expire, the Web is available when the client has the need — and it is available 24 hours per day. I am not saying that all TV marketing companies are like this, but when I hear some of the arguments, it occurs to me that it would be like asking a fox whether moving to more fortified henhouses would increase the amount of profit that could be generated. Most of the TV marketers realize that the Internet is the medium of the future and are scrambling to develop a Web marketing arm. They are typically finding, however, that the Web is far different than the medium with which they are comfortable and knowledgeable. Additionally, when they add the complexities of the Internet to their development and marketing of TV, print, direct mail and other marketing methods for multiple markets such as lawyers, dentists, doctors, etc., they become the proverbial jack of all trades, master of none.
Note that I did not address Yellow Pages resellers. It is commonly known Yellow Pages advertising rarely works unless your market group is rural and/or elderly. If you do consider Yellow Page advertising, you need to find a knowledgeable consultant to help guide you.
Law Firms That Have Only Been On The Internet For a Short Period Of Time
As I mentioned above, the Internet takes time. Search engines must find your website and your associated marketing efforts and catalog them along with other law firms in your area. When a prospective client does a search, the search engine algorithms compare a variety of data, including how closely your content matches the query, how active your site is in terms of updates and visitors, how many relevant outside and related websites link to your website (including social media) and other factors in order to determine where to list you in the organic rankings. Firms that have been investing and working on their website for a few years are going to have a distinct advantage over firms that have just started to develop their Web presence. The longer a properly developed website and associated social media are in place, the more phrases for which it will rank and the more cases it will generate.
Law Firms That Have Dabbled In The Internet or Chosen The Wrong Web Marketing Consultant
As I mentioned above, if you do not invest or develop your law firm Web marketing campaign properly, you will not achieve results. I am aware of two law firms that invest more than $2 million per year in their Internet Web presence. While an investment that large is not needed, a firm that invests a few thousand dollars per year cannot expect comparable results. Similarly, if a firm does not develop their Web presence properly, it will not achieve results. As a comparison, which fisherman is going to catch more and different types of fish – the fisherman who uses one line and one type of bait or a fisherman who uses numerous fishing poles and several different types of bait? A Web presence in 2010 and 2011 that includes at least one comprehensive website; a strong social media presence; a blog and press releases will reach more prospective clients.
It is important to choose a qualified Web marketing / SEO consultant. An unqualified consultant can cost you a tremendous amount of time and money. We have written numerous articles that deal with proper development of a law firm Web presence.
Follow-up
The Web offers many additional advantages, including the ability to reduce your referral costs, target the type of cases you desire, personalize your lawyers though videos and Flash, make changes inexpensively and quickly and add a practice area or emphasize or deemphasize an area. When I give presentations, I sometimes ask audience members how many of them can be on the Internet within 60 seconds no matter where they are or what they are doing. A growing number of them raise their hands as they realize that they increasingly access the Internet by using their cell phones.
Be sure to track your marketing results. Compare the ROI from your Web, legal directory listings, Yellow Pages and TV advertising. Only then will you be able to compare your return on investment from each medium, including the Internet.
We hope this is helpful. To learn how we can help you improve your Web presence, please feel free to contact us at marketing@consultwebs.com or call us at 800-872-6590.
