Law Firm Internet Marketing – The Great Equalizer
There’s no question—competition among law firms is fierce. According to the American Bar Association, there were 1,225,452 lawyers in the U.S. in 2010. Since 2008, there has been a 20% increase in lawyers (BLS). Although jurisdiction plays a role in how competitive an area is, the sheer number of lawyers can make standing out difficult.
Before the Internet, large scale marketing campaigns were costly and it was more difficult to offer your legal services on a national scale. Attorneys relied on television spots, radio ads and telephone directories to gain visibility in the marketplace. When times were good, many law firms could afford to advertise this way. However, when hard times came, it had a large impact on how much they could rely on traditional advertising strategies.
Today’s economic climate isn’t very inviting in terms of increasing expenditures. Even so, more and more law firms are realizing how the Internet can open new marketing opportunities at a cost that is within reach. No longer does the “biggest budget win,” but instead law firms need the smartest budget to come out on top. In short, the Internet has become the great equalizer.
In 2010, 79% of all U.S. citizens were Internet users according to the International Telecommunication Union. Smartphones make up 40% of all mobile phones in the U.S., and have increased the Internet’s reach (Nielsen). Instead of searching through the YellowPages or trying to remember that lawyer jingle from the radio, more people are reaching for their Smartphones and computers to find help.
However, simply putting your firm on social networking sites and creating a website is not going to maximize your returns. As Internet usage grows, search engines are getting smarter, offering up results based on a wider variety of factors. Instead of just having a law firm blog, it is increasingly important to keep it updated regularly. Your site is important for generating leads, and for converting visitors into clients. To most effectively use the Internet, your website should never be finished—it’s a continual process of creating content.
If you have conflicting information listed in different directories (think “st.” in one place and “street” in another), that too can cause misrepresentation in your local online presence. Continual updates to your content while streamlining your online communications can go a long way towards increasing your visibility and broadening your client base. Effective management of a law firm’s online marketing strategies is crucial to success.
Another key factor is timing. Law firms are beginning to realize the potential the Internet holds for obtaining cases, and they are responding accordingly. It’s important to not let competitors get ahead of you in their Search Engine Optimization efforts and Web design. The longer a website has been in existence, the more credible and authoritative it appears to search engine algorithms. However, strong, ongoing content development can be used by law firms just starting their Web presence to overwhelm other factors and gain a high ranking. This is especially true for law firms in small towns or suburbs. Clients looking for a lawyer are likely to search locally, and many search engines push local results to the top in the Google Places listings. For small town lawyers, this is a great advantage. By focusing on specific practice areas, attorneys in those locations can generate a strong presence and significantly increase their law firm caseloads.
One of the major advantages of marketing your firm on the Internet is the cost effectiveness of doing so. Because your site is up 24/7, potential clients can find the answers to their questions any time of the day or night. Instead of spreading marketing funds out and advertising to everyone, you can focus on specific areas utilizing quality Search Engine Optimization. Internet marketing can be tailored to fit an attorney’s goals and budgetary needs. There are different methods for advertising online, and law firms can pick and choose to create a flexible strategy that works for them and fits their budget.
There’s fierce competition out there, but the size of a firm’s budget is no longer what defines the winners. With help from the Internet, firms with small budgets can now come out on top, riding the wave of compelling and effective website design, search engine optimization, and well-written content. At Consultwebs.com, we believe that law firms will see the very best results through a tailored marketing plan. Combining attorney-specific legal experience with knowledge of successful marketing strategies, we offer services to fit budgets from small to large. Every day we help lawyers and law firms close the gap between their goals and the attainment of them. For more information on partnering with us, please contact us at marketing@Consultwebs.com or (800) 872-6590.
Dale Tincher says:
November 7, 2011 at 7:44pmAs Tanner discussed in paragraph four, well planned mobile website marketing can pay dividends. The commercial marketplace is changing rapidly. Potential law firm clients are increasingly using smartphones to find lawyers. A Nov. 4, 2011 MarketWatch article commented, “When the holiday shopping frenzy of 2011 kicks off later this month, it could be the year of the mobile shopper.”
Other comments included, “For the first time, the percentage of shoppers buying from their mobile phones is expected to rise above the double-digit threshold to 15% in November, compared to 4.5% in last year’s holiday season, and less than 1% in 2009, Squire said.
In October, 9.6% of online shoppers made purchases through their mobile devices, up from 3.4% a year earlier”
“Online sales in November are expected to rise 12% to 15% this year, IBM estimated. By comparison the National Retail Federation has forecast total holiday sales to rise just 2.8%.”
See the article at:
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/holidays-may-herald-the-year-of-the-mobile-shopper-2011-11-04?link=mw_home_kiosk
If you do not have a mobile version of your website, we will be happy to provide information – http://www.consultwebs.com/mobile-computing/