Lawyers are known for burning the candle at both ends, so to speak. So, when someone tells you that you now need to get more involved in social media and online marketing, it can be stressful.
As it is, you barely have time for a real social life and now you’re expected to have one online too. But the good news is that you don’t have to go it alone. You should absolutely take responsibility for devising a plan, but you don’t have to do all the legwork yourself. Here are four online marketing tasks that you should be able to outsource:
1. Social Media Account Setup and Maintenance
Find a reputable company that has experience with law firm marketing, talk through your objectives and iron out the details upfront. If you only want them to post about real estate law, let them know that upfront. If you want to approve all posts before they go live, work out a schedule for you to do so without holding up the process.
2. Article and Blog Post Writing
In order to establish yourself as an expert, you’ll need to prove that you know what you’re talking about. Makes sense, right? But writing insightful and engaging posts isn’t just time consuming, it’s a skill that not all lawyers possess. Fortunately, you have the resources to find a writer who will meet your needs, whether you know it or not. Sites like Elance, Odesk and Guru are online marketplaces designed to match freelancers with potential employers, like you. Post your job and interview candidates until you find the best fit for your needs.
3. Press Release Writing and Distribution
Every time you do something that’s newsworthy, you should be shouting it from the virtual rooftops. That means crafting press releases and distributing them to relevant news outlets. It’s possible that your article and blog post writer can do this for you, but it’s not guaranteed. Press release writing is an art in and of itself, and not every writer can draft a newsworthy piece. Follow the same steps outlined above to find a writer who specialises in press release writing and distribution.
4. Search Engine Optimisation
SEO is an enormous undertaking that takes time and dedication. Most lawyers simply can’t afford to spend the kind of time needed to get their sites to high-ranking positions on the major search engines. If that describes you, and it probably does, find a reputable SEO firm that will deliver the complete package. That means they’ll handle off-page stuff (like link building) and on-page stuff (like meta tags and keyword density). Check references and find out how many of their clients are ranking in the top 10 for their chosen keywords.
This all can seem overwhelming, but there are some amazing resources out there to help you navigate through each task. The challenge is finding the right fit for your organisation. Of course, budget will factor into your decision, but it shouldn’t be the driving force. If you end up with the wrong partner in any of these four categories, you could end up doing more harm than good. Instead, make sound, logic-based decisions and you’ll be fine.
Head over to the legal marketing blog Marketing On Trial for more articles relating to modernising your practice and bringing in more leads. Add +Edward Granger to your Google+ Circles.
