With the growing use of online technologies, the country is seeing a decline in attorneys with general practices. This is not to say that an attorney is unable to skillfully handle various types of cases, but law firms that specialize in a particular area (or appear so on their websites) have better success in attracting new clients. Niche marketing for attorneys requires a strategic approach in order to both perform well in search engines and set you apart from the competition.
Attorney Niche Marketing
At Internet Lava, we specialize in helping attorney connect with potential clients through the use of niche marketing. Because we work strictly with attorneys and develop your entire campaign in-house, our techniques incorporate the unique needs of your firm in every aspect of the campaign. We further shape your entire online presence to engage users who are evaluating your level of expertise in a particular area.
Many attorneys have experienced first-hand the benefits of focusing on niche areas in their marketing campaigns. When combined with an effective online marketing platform, this approach results in an increased reach to ideal clients and a greater return-on-investment, among other benefits.
It is not enough to use internet marketing to further your reach. The website itself and every element connected to it, from content to social media, must be created in a way that engages the user while taking advantage of search patterns.
Online Niche Marketing Techniques
- Understanding Your Average User
- Enhancing your Online Image and Persona
- Traditional Forms of Advertising
- The Internet Lava Difference
Understanding Your Average User
If a user is searching for an attorney, why should he or she go with a general law practice if it appears that another firm focuses exclusively on their types of cases and would subsequently have more experience?
The generalized attorney may have significant experience in the user’s case, but the lead generated would be on the side of the attorney website that appears specialized on the type of situation the user is facing. The successful attorney’s website would have relevant content and design to further solidify their image as experienced and authoritative in that particular practice area.
This is much the same as a patient with an illness choosing to go with a specialized physician, rather than a general practitioner. Their expectation is that the specialist would be better equipped and experienced to handle their case. The same applies to online users.
Furthermore, these prospective clients are also using highly specialized phrases and words when they use when they search for an attorney online. They both want to educate themselves about their situation and find an attorney who appears knowledgable with their exact case. This gives you two avenues to reach these prospective clients.
Enhancing your Online Image and Persona
You only have seconds to attract and engage your user once they discover your website. A prospective client wants to be reassured that the attorney they ultimately contact is best suited for their particular situation. An attorney does not need to have decades of experience to make their experience and suitability clear to the user.
Several elements can subconsciously affect a user’s opinion of you and your law firm, such as:
- Content: Does the content on your website provide valuable information for the user? The content on your website should display your command of the specific issues that your ideal client is looking for. This is a critical tool for attracting both search engines and users. Keep in mind that generic content may repel a user from the website and cost you a potential lead.
- Design: The design of your website should reflect the tone and message that you would like an ideal client to receive. You want a user to feel special and an immediate connection with the website. Since the design is the first thing they notice, your expertise within your particular niche must also come across visually. This includes the colors selected, images used, interactivity, strong calls to action, and a clear funnel to the desired end-action: contacting your firm.
- Logo: The logo may only take up a fraction of the screen, but it is a critical element towards giving users a feel of your law firm, sometimes even before they click on your site at all. There is a clear difference in tone, for example, between a family law firm and a business law firm. You may want to appear compassionate, methodical, aggressive, or another word in a long list of adjectives depending on your focus of law.
- Social Engagement: It is one thing to have a website, and quite another to augment it with a vibrant social presence. Using Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social outlets allows you to display your knowledge in more of a casual setting. If it appears that you are commenting on issues that are relevant to a user’s problems, they can gain a healthy respect for your command of your subject matter and willingness to share your knowledge with others.
- Blogging: Attorneys online often use this medium, but unless it is done correctly a blog will seem to be just another generic marketing tool. Each blog entry should be unique and provide your commentary on a particular issue. This may include relevant legislature bills, state or federal issues, news about yourself or your law firm, or even recommended reading. This blog is beneficial in highlighting your knowledge of a niche area, increasing direct traffic, and providing relevant backlinks.
- Online Persona: Your overall online image should show users that you have both the experience and knowledge of their particular necessary to provide the best representation for their case. This message must be relayed professionally and consistently in any quality online legal or business directory. Keep in mind that a user can potentially research you. A successful online marketing campaign will control how a user sees you, no matter where they find you online.
At Internet Lava, we understand just how critical the aforementioned elements are in a lawyer’s niche marketing campaign. We pay attention to even the smallest of details that can be beneficial in both attracting and maintaining the engagement of a user. More importantly, we place heavy emphasis on the quality of the leads generated. Our overall strategy for niche marketing allows us to target exactly the type of cases and clients you want for your firm.
Traditional Forms of Advertising
Billboards, print directory ads, television commercials, and radio spots have not quite gone the way of the dinosaur. However, traditional forms of advertising are typically confined to law firms with six-figure monthly advertising budgets. These law firms can afford to take a chance on this type targeting, since the advertising can also serve to provide long-term brand recognition.
Online marketing, however, allows small and mid-sized law firms to compete for the attention of users who primarily rely on search engines to find goods and services rather than traditional mediums.
With traditional advertising, you have to reach out half-blind to a target demographic and hope they need an attorney. A strong online marketing strategy allows you to connect with potential clients who are looking for a law firm like yours. Internet marketing for attorneys essentially changes the rules of the game. Because this type of advertising taps into a pool of active prospects in your immediate area, it helps pinpoint your marketing focus with an unsurpassed accuracy.
When you are working towards growing your law firm in the online era, it is essential to have more than just a website. You need a marketing strategy that works on several levels to attract new clients, enhance your firm’s image, and dominate search engines.
At Internet Lava, we understand the needs of attorneys in attracting ideal clients in particular industries. We also understand the patterns and mindset of search engine users. This allows us to create high-performance websites that search engines value as well as an effective platform that engages prospective clients to call or e-mail your law firm. The end goal of our campaigns is not simply to generate leads – our strategies help you attract specific types of prospective clients.
Call 1-800-292-Lava (5282) to learn more about the elements of an attorney niche marketing campaign that can benefit your legal practice. We also offer a free assessment of your current campaign, exploring both the strengths and weaknesses. If you do not currently have an online footprint, we can work with you to develop an effective online marketing campaign that can help you achieve the short and long-term goals you have set.
Contact Internet Lava today and see why many growing law firms in the U.S. have placed their trust in our abilities to help them be seen by the right users in Google, Bing, and Yahoo.
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