If you have just passed the state bar and are hanging out your shingle as a solo attorney, then it is important you know how to successfully market your legal services online. Since online legal marketing is not likely in your educational background, trying to decide how to effectively advertise your new law firm without a large outlay of cash is likely keeping you up at night. The good news is you can easily put your law firm on the online marketing map and bring in new customers in very little time, by following each of these tips:
Tip: Don't Substitute Social Media for a Website
Many new lawyers choose to skip setting up a website and instead choose to rely on social media to connect with potential customers. While you can save some time and money by going this route, you will lose business because new clients will check you out online before booking a consultation appointment. If you do not have a reserved web space and a professional web presence, then potential clients will skip over your law firm and look for one that appears more established.
To show web searchers in your area that your business is the one to help them, you must have a website. The website must be optimized for mobile search engines. This is vital because many people use their cell phones to search for an attorney.
Tip: Create Profiles on Major Law Firm Directory Sites
Just as your law firm needs a website, it also needs listings in all of the major law firm directory sites. The easiest way to do so is to search for a lawyer online in your area using Google. Check to see what directories come up on the first two pages of your search results. Go to each of these directories and register your business. The listings may or may not help you get business, but they will absolutely add to your professional image because when others search from your area, you will show up in all of the directories Google thinks are applicable.
Tip: Skip Paying for Advertising and Use Social Media Instead
Since your law firm is small in size and advertising dollars are likely in short supply, you should skip paying for online advertising. While it is easy to set up a Google Adwords account and purchase web traffic, using social media is a much more effective way of reaching locals in need of legal services. Set up a Facebook and Twitter account for your law firm and then use it to interact with other people in your community. As you interact, they are learning your brand and will know who to contact in the future if they need legal services.
After working hard to develop a great business, I realized that there were a few problems with my marketing plan. For starters, I didn't know how to get the word out about my company online, so I hired an online marketing group. It was really interesting to see what they had in mind for marketing, and within a few weeks I started to see a lot more traffic. This blog is here to inspire other people to get the word out about their companies online, so that you can enjoy a healthier bottom line. Check out these posts for great information.