Posted by admin in Content Cultivation, Web Marketing on June 13th, 2012

If you’re a lawyer who is trying to compete in the virtual world, kudos to you. In this service-oriented industry, many people remain “in the dark ages,” marketing only via radio ads and postcards. While those methods may still be effective, the savviest lawyers are also beginning to make their presence known online. If this isn’t you, it should be. More and more potential clients are looking to the web to find answers to all their local needs; legal advice included.

If you have a website, you’ve probably heard a thing or two about SEO (Search Engine Optimization). You may even have hired someone to handle this for you. But, that doesn’t mean you’re off the hook. No, in today’s competitive landscape, you must be producing quality content – or you’re irrelevant.

If you want to remain relevant (and, who doesn’t?), you need to get the ball rolling now. Here are some tips for producing quality content on your site:

• Provide Value – Is there one question that clients ask more often than anything else? If so, it means that people are confused. There is a need to be filled, and you’re the man (or woman) for the job. Write out your explanation in an easy-to-follow format (lists or paragraphs with subheadings work well) and publish it on the web.
• Decide Where to Publish – You can publish content on your own website, through a blog or on a legal article directory. If you publish the article on your own site or blog, it’s up to you to direct traffic to that page. If you publish it on a popular article directory, all you have to do is provide a link back to your own site and you’ve gained credibility and a potential new audience. Neither solution is wrong or even better; it just depends on your goals.
• Promote Your Content – Regardless of where you decide to publish, you’ll want to promote your article. Find out where your clients (and potential clients) are hanging out on the web: Which social media sites. You might be nervous about this one because you know that as a lawyer, using social media does provide some unique challenges. Prosecutors and judges alike have found themselves in hot water for Tweeting or Facebooking during a trial, but that doesn’t mean you should avoid this medium. Social media is a great way for you to connect with your clients and share all the great content you’ve produced (solidifying your spot as an expert in your niche).

Lawyers often get to see firsthand how sharing on the internet can be damaging to one’s career, but it’s important to remember that as a lawyer, you have more “know how” than the average Joe, so you can easily sidestep any landmines and focus 100 percent on promoting your services.

Many lawyers still opt for traditional marketing methods, so you still have an edge. Don’t let it slip away. Don’t let yourself become irrelevant.

Tags: content, google, inbound marketing, promotion, search engine optimization, seo