Why do law firms need digital marketing
As Judith McKay, McCarthy Tétrault’s chief client and innovation officer, wrote for Canadian Lawyer, having an online identity has never been more important. Lawyers previously built client-relationships primarily through face-to-face interactions. Then, COVID-19 normalized videoconferencing. While people are now emerging from home offices and once again venturing into in-person meetings, “many top legal decision-makers still prefer to meet outside counsel virtually,” McKay said. Clients also continue to learn about lawyers through LinkedIn and online searches, she adds.
When writing blogs, lawyers should begin by considering who their target audience is, says Poland. And rather than advertising a resume and list of accomplishments and skills, lawyers need to connect with that audience in a way that demonstrates how they can solve their problems. “You should focus your posts on the client you’re trying to attract, not make it all about ‘me, me, me,’” he says.
Blogs, and a digital marketing strategy generally, should speak to a client‘s growth potential, and the trends which present opportunities for their businesses, said McKay.
Poland also cautions against jargon and legalese and recommends lawyers articulate their thoughts so that the average person can follow along and become engaged.
Potential clients, like everyone else, are inundated daily with an ocean of information. Analytics can help lawyers develop marketing content that is reflective of client preferences. With aggregated data analytics, lawyers can gain insight on the most effective timing, format, and frequency for their content, said McKay. Advanced marketing automation platforms track client behavior as they interact with digital content, combine implied preferences with a client’s explicit preferences, and that data can inform more relevant marketing content, she said.