By Marc Apple ● ● 5 min read
Table of Contents
TL:DR Building a powerful online presence for family law firms helps you stand out in a crowded practice area. It involves creating a mobile-friendly website, implementing SEO techniques, staying active on social media, collecting positive client reviews, and several other strategies.
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Did you know that 33% of people initiate their search for an attorney online? This means that having a robust online presence is no longer optional – it’s absolutely essential.
When done the right wat, family lawyer marketing can lead to an influx of leads and clients. Keep reading to learn best practices to establish a presence online and gain valuable family law marketing ideas.
Have a Mobile-Friendly Website
First things first. You need a website that accurately describes your services and gives clients a compelling reason to contact your firm – without any delay.
Think of your website like a digital office.
Even when you’re fully closed, people can actively learn about your firm’s services.
It might sound patently obvious, but your website should be mobile-friendly and easily navigable. Utilize logos, colors, and fonts consistent with your brand’s guidelines. Ultimately, by having a website that genuinely reflects your professionalism, you can make a positive first impression and strongly position yourself to acquire new clients.
Get Found by the Search Engines
No matter how sleek your website is, it must actually be discoverable by the search engines (particularly Google). Search engine optimization, also called SEO optimization, is a vital component of family lawyer marketing because it allows people to find your practice by entering keywords into the search bar.
When you build your website, search engine optimization should be a priority. Some best practices to apply include:
- Target relevant keywords. The precise terms people search for when they need a family lawyer should be featured prevalently on your website.
- Use local SEO tactics. This includes claiming your Google Business Profile and submitting your information to legal directories.
- Create relevant content. Having helpful content on your site can attract new visitors and keep them on your pages longer.
Establish an Active Social Media Presence
Nearly 90% of law firms have a social media presence, so being on at least one social media platform is critical. If you’re not sure what platform to focus on, consider where your clients gravitate to for information, and start there.
It is better to publish content on one or two platforms than to sacrifice quality by being too many places at once.
Potential post ideas include:
- Sharing successful case outcomes
- Announcing a new legal development that affects your audience
- General legal tips
- Education about various aspects of the law
- Answering FAQs
Collect Client Reviews and Testimonials
A staggering 82% of people who search for an attorney online use reviews to help them find a good fit. Therefore, your family lawyer marketing strategy should include a process for collecting positive reviews from satisfied clients.
There are automated digital marketing tools you can use to request reviews, or your staff can do manual outreach to ask for feedback.
There are automated digital marketing tools you can use to request reviews, or your staff can do manual outreach to ask for feedback. Once you have those reviews, they can be leveraged in places to attract new clients, including:
- Your website (both the home page and sprinkled throughout your content)
- Social media posts
- Paid advertising
Create Helpful Content
Before a client reaches out to your firm, they need to feel confident in your skills, legal knowledge, and ability to help them with an issue. Creating content that answers people’s questions, positions you as an authority, and makes you “likable” is key to winning new business.
Further, content also serves to help with SEO, so your content creation strategy can do double duty as a client acquisition method.
One of the best ways to create content is to write blog posts that educate your audience.
The blog posts can be discovered on the search engines, and if the content resonates with a prospect, they are more likely to pick up the phone and call or fill out a form to request a consult.
Another content creation option is video. As attention spans continue to decrease and people want immediate gratification, a short video is an ideal way to provide value. Also, because video contains both visuals and audio components, you can build a relationship with a prospect faster than you could with a simple blog post.
You may want to consider creating a YouTube channel featuring your videos. Because YouTube is widely known as the “second largest search engine in the world,” publishing video content on this platform is another way to get found and establish an online presence.
Consider Paid Advertising
Tactics like SEO and social media marketing can take a while to begin “working,” but paid ads can generate leads very quickly – often in as little as 24 hours. Paid ads in the family lawyer marketing arena could include Google and YouTube ads as well as ads on Facebook and Instagram.
A particularly effective paid advertising strategy is referred to as remarketing.
This is when you target people who have visited your website or social media pages, and then run ads to them. Because these prospects are considered a warm audience, you have a higher chance of converting them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most important features to include on my website?
The key to a quality website is to drive client inquiries, so your website should facilitate this goal. As such, it’s recommended to include a clear value proposition, a compelling call to action, blog content, testimonials, and attorney bios. A live chat option can also be helpful to capture a lead while they’re browsing the site.
What role do online reviews play in attracting new clients?
Because so many people turn to reviews to help in the decision-making process, having a bank of positive reviews is critical to grow your practice. You can collect reviews on Yelp, your Google Business profile, and legal directories like Avvo.
Is social media really necessary for my family law firm?
In a single, unequivocal word – yes! Facebook, Instagram, and/or LinkedIn, connect you with potential clients, which, in turn, establishes both trust and credibility.
The Bottom Line
An effective online presence is critical to the success and viability of a family law firm. For even more winning content ideas or to discuss your family lawyer marketing strategy, please contact Forward Push Law Firm Marketing.
