In over 13 years of legal content marketing, there's one rule that is the most important; it doesn't matter what you think about your law firm content, it matters what your target clients think of it.
Great legal website content drives billable hours, engages your audience, builds trust, and converts website visitors into clients, you’ll need to forget what you think about it and focus on what your target audience wants to engage with.
If you can create law firm website content that is authentic, demonstrates your expertise and builds trust, then you’ll be able to generate traffic and enquiries for your law firm for months and years to come.
Here’s how to create great content for your legal practice.
Law firm web content rules
Strategy
Where does website content fit into your overall law firm marketing strategy, especially in enhancing your law firm's website?
Your end goal is to generate leads and when thinking about the time and resources needed to create website content, it’s important to think about the role that it will play in your overall marketing strategy.
For example, you may create response content for your website whereby you answer common questions that people are asking in Google that are specific to your services.
Creating content for the sake of it is a good starting point, but you need to answer the "why". For example if you know that over 10,000 people each month need information on "no-fault divorce" - then you might create content on that subject!
Website content goals
Better to create any content than no content at all?
Possibly… probably… There’s definitely value in experimenting and creating content and then seeing what works and what doesn’t. However most law firms don’t have the resource or time let alone money to invest in producing content at scale that isn’t going to hit the mark.
If your only objective is to create content for the sake of it then by all means go ahead.
However we recommend having goal in mind for your law firm’s website content. Conducting keyword research to ensure that the content you produce is not only relevant but also competitive and tailored to the interests and needs of your potential clients, specific to your services.
Content marketing for law firms is but one channel that makes up part of your wider marketing strategy.
Website content should serve three main purposes:
To attract potential clients via search engines, social media channels and email
To engage visitors through your expertise and quality of content
To persuade visitors that they should take the next step and enquire when they need legal services
Audience
Who are you creating content for?
It’s not for you, your staff, partners, or anyone else, other than the people you are trying to engage as paying clients, specifically targeting prospective clients.
Understand what it is that your audience are looking for and how you can give them value. When it comes to websites, you also need to understand their behaviours, the devices they use and the demographics they belong to in order to make assumptions about how you can best position your content.
For example, if you are a conveyancing solicitor looking to engage first time buyers, then you might find that your audience are using mobile devices more than most, to make decisions about which law firm to use.
Your content therefore needs to be concise and persuasive by telling them as soon as possible how you can help and why they should choose you.
It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach. It depends on the entry point to your website, but if somebody has landed on your whiplash compensation page then it’s very clear what they are looking for.
Your page therefore needs to be geared towards telling them how you can help them to achieve being awarded whiplash compensation.
Before creating content, it’s a good idea to do a small bit of audience profiling where you can determine the needs of your ideal client.
These are often referred to as “user-stories”, and go a bit like this:
As a [persona], I [want to], [so that]
These personas will differ wildly depending on the legal services you are providing, but here are a few examples:
“As Paula, I want to quickly understand how divorce works, so that I can protect myself and my kids financially for the future.”
Creating user stories like this can brrath real value into your content strategy while improving your law firm's credibility and help you create multi-faceted content strategies around each area - from the catchall “10 essential things to know about divorce” to the more specific “Protecting your financial assets during a divorce”.
The great news is that you can use your experience to draw out the individual issues that your target clients are looking to overcome.
Next you can tackle how to solve their problems.
Be authentic
It may sound like an obvious point to make, but if you can be authentic, then people are more likely to have an affinity with you.
If potential clients are reading your content and it sounds exactly the same as every other website that they visited, the chances of them enquiring with you are reduced.
However, if your content has a strand of your own values, beliefs and honesty running through it, then it can set you apart and make people believe in it.
For example, imagine a lawyer who uses slang words or writes in more of a casual way on their website.
Maybe instead of using the word for “forthwith” they say “immediately”.
It can be as simple as using colloquialisms or dialect that people understand.
You aren't trying to impress your reader's with legalese, you are trying to connect with them.
Experience
In the legal industry, the ongoing narrative in all of your content should be your experience.
Don’t just tell people about the law and explain what it is, when you can demonstrate how you would help people like them to overcome similar legal problems.
You might be able to use your own experiences to comment on a new story or a change to a law that may affect people.
Using your experience in your content is a great way of building up trust and ensuring that people decide to choose you ahead of a law firm who haven’t demonstrated their experience.
Trust
Do people trust your law firm straight away? Being authentic and demonstrating your law firm's experience as suggested above are good ways to help you build trust.
Another great way are case studies and reviews.
While it can be tricky to get and show reviews from certain clients in sensitive legal services, if you are able to tell stories from clients who you’ve helped, it can really help other people to make a decision on whether to make an enquiry with your law firm.
Website experience
There’s little point in creating great content for your website, if your website experience is poor.
Earlier in 2021, Google moved to mobile first indexing. That means that when ranking your content in search engine results they take into consideration the mobile experience of your website.
How accessible it is to the user on mobile devices as well as other issues such as load times and speed can make a big difference to what Google thinks of your website.
It can also make a big difference to whether users stay on your site or not.
So design for mobile first.
Think about:
- how easy it is for mobile users to contact you?
- how easy it is for them to click on links (design for fat fingers!)?
- how well laid out information is - what on-page sign posts do you use?
- how easy are your forms to use on mobile?
- how do you support text with images and video?
- how are your users engaging with your content - e.g. is it at home on the sofa or while walking in the park?
Optimizing the web pages of your law firm's website for mobile users is crucial for both improving user experience and attracting new clients.
Creating great legal website content
Now you know what the pillars of great content for law firm websites are, it’s time to look at how to go about creating great content. Incorporating practice area pages into your website structure is essential, as they serve not only to inform potential clients about your services but also to guide them through the marketing funnel with clear calls to action.
What to write about?
Remember we talked about creating user stories, this is a great way of deciding what problems at both a macro and micro-level your potential clients and website visitors are going to have.
For example, they may have a family law issue, but dig deeper, they may have a specific question about child custody for Fathers or who gets the house after a divorce.
A great starting point is for you to write down all of the questions that clients ask you for any legal services that you are an expert in.
Start with a service, for example, residential conveyancing:
Your target clients are looking for a conveyancing solicitor but before that they may ask various questions to help them make a decision. These questions include things like
- do I need a solicitor to buy a house?
- what does a property solicitor do?
- how much does a conveyancing solicitor cost?
- can I move house without a solicitor?
The above questions can be sections in one big guide about property conveyancing or they could be the individual pieces of content, for example of short videos or short blogs that specifically answer the questions asked. When it comes to solicitors fees for conveyancing it could be that there are various considerations that go in to make the content.
Your content could be a mixture of long form content or shorter opinion-style content.
Potential topics for law firm website content
1. Demystifying Legal Jargon
- Explaining complex legal terms in simple language to empower readers and showcase legal expertise.
- How understanding legal jargon can benefit clients and enhance their experience with a good law firm.
2. Success Stories and Client Testimonials
- Sharing real-life examples of successful cases and client testimonials to highlight the firm's credibility.
- The impact of client testimonials on establishing trust and attracting new clients.
3. In-Depth Practice Area Insights
- Detailed breakdowns of different practice areas to educate clients and improve search engine rankings.
- Addressing common legal issues within specific practice areas to provide value to visitors.
4. SEO Strategies for Law Firms
- Importance of keyword research in creating content that resonates with legal clients and boosts visibility.
- Leveraging SEO tools like Google Analytics for data-driven decisions in website development.
5. Building Trust with Social Proof
- Utilizing social proof through client testimonials and case studies to enhance firm's credibility.
- Integrating social media links for increased engagement and expanding the firm's online presence.
6. Informative Legal Content
- Collaborating with a content marketing agency to produce informative articles addressing prevalent legal issues.
- Establishing authority in the legal sector through well-researched and relevant content creation.
Why should law firms have a website?
Having an online presence is crucial for any business, and law firms are no exception. A well-maintained website offers numerous benefits, including:
- Visibility and Accessibility: A website makes your law firm visible to potential clients at any time and from anywhere. It allows people to find and learn about your services even outside of regular business hours.
- Credibility and Professionalism: A professional and informative website helps establish credibility and conveys that you are a legitimate and established firm. People are more likely to trust and contact a law firm that has a polished online presence.
- Client Convenience: Prospective clients can easily access information about your services, read about the experiences of others with your firm, and reach out for help through contact forms or instant messaging options.
- Marketing and Outreach: Your website serves as a platform for marketing campaigns, blogging, and social media integration. Content marketing through your website can attract potential clients by addressing their legal concerns and queries.
- Client Engagement and Education: Through well-structured content, FAQs, case studies, and informative articles, you can educate your clients about legal processes, setting realistic expectations, and guiding them on what to anticipate when working with you.
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO): A website optimized for search engines can boost your visibility in search results, attracting more organic traffic. Implementing SEO strategies can help target specific keywords and topics related to your services, making it easier for potential clients to find you.
- Data and Analytics: Websites provide valuable insights into user behavior through analytics. You can monitor which pages are more popular, what information visitors seek the most, and tailor your services and content accordingly.
What is SEO for law firms?
SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, for law firms involves a set of strategies aimed at improving your website's visibility on search engines. This is vital as it helps potential clients find your services when they search for legal assistance online. Here are some key SEO tactics specific to law firms:
- Keyword Research: Identifying and targeting the right keywords is the foundation of SEO. For law firms, this means understanding what prospective clients are searching for. Keywords may include specific legal services, such as "family law attorney," "personal injury lawyer," or "immigration lawyer." Long-tail keywords, which are more specific and less competitive, can also be beneficial, such as "divorce lawyer for men" or "affordable bankruptcy attorney."
- On-Page SEO: This encompasses optimizing individual web pages to rank higher. Key elements include:
- Title Tags and Meta Descriptions: Crafting compelling and keyword-rich titles and descriptions.
- Header Tags (H1, H2, H3): Using these to structure content and include keywords.
- Content Quality: Writing informative, relevant, and engaging content that responds to clients' questions and needs.
- URL Structure: Creating clean and descriptive URLs.
- Local SEO: Many clients search for legal services within their geographical area. Ensuring your law firm's site is optimized for local searches can increase relevant traffic. Essential steps include claiming your Google My Business listing, getting reviews from clients, and ensuring your site includes your address and contact information prominently.
- Link Building: Obtaining high-quality backlinks from reputable sites can significantly improve your site's authority and ranking. These can come from legal directories, guest blogging on relevant sites, or getting mentioned in local news outlets.
- Technical SEO: This refers to the backend optimizations that help search engines crawl and index your site more effectively. Important aspects include:
- Site Speed: Ensuring your website loads quickly.
- Mobile-Friendliness: Making sure your site is fully responsive and provides a good user experience on all devices.
- HTTPS: Securing your site with an SSL certificate.
- Sitemap and Robots.txt: Creating and submitting a sitemap and ensuring your robots.txt file is properly configured.
- Content Marketing: Regularly publishing high-quality content such as blog posts, articles, FAQs, and case studies can help attract and engage potential clients. This content should address common legal questions, provide insights into legal processes, and highlight successful case outcomes.
By implementing these SEO strategies, law firms can improve their online presence, attract more potential clients, and drive successful client engagement.
What is legal content writing?
Legal content writing is a specialized form of writing that focuses on producing content related to various aspects of the law.
This type of writing is not only informative but also caters to the need for precision and accuracy, given the nature of legal matters. Here are some key aspects of legal content writing:
- Clarity and Precision: Legal content must be clear and precise to avoid misunderstandings. This includes using correct legal terminology while ensuring that the content is accessible to a non-legal audience.
- Authority and Credibility: Establishing credibility is essential in legal writing. Reliable sources, case law, and statutes should be referenced to support statements made in the content.
- SEO Integration: While maintaining a professional tone, legal content should be optimized for search engines. This includes the strategic use of relevant keywords to improve visibility and rankings.
- Client-Centric Approach: Addressing the specific needs and questions of potential clients is crucial. Content should be tailored to answer common legal queries, explain legal procedures, and provide actionable advice.
- Compliance and Ethics: Legal content must comply with ethical guidelines and regulations. This includes avoiding false statements, ensuring confidentiality, and respecting copyright laws.
- Topics and Formats: Legal content can cover a wide range of topics such as family law, corporate law, criminal law, and more. Common formats include blog posts, articles, whitepapers, FAQs, and case summaries.
By adhering to these principles, legal content writing can effectively help law firms build trust, educate their audience, and engage potential clients through informative and valuable online resources.
Exploring Alternatives to Text Content on Law Firm Websites: Embracing Video
In the realm of enhancing a good law firm website and strengthening creating law firm credibility, incorporating video content offers a dynamic approach that complements traditional written materials. Here are some key benefits and considerations:
1. Elevating Credibility Through Visual Engagement
- Videos can humanize the law firm by showcasing the team's expertise, professionalism, and dedication to legal representation.
- Visual storytelling enhances the firm's credibility by providing a more personal connection with potential clients compared to text alone.
2. Engaging Audiences with Interactive Content
- Videos on legal issues and legal counsel can simplify complex topics and make them more accessible to viewers.
- Demonstrative videos illustrating legal practices or case studies can effectively convey information that resonates with audiences.
3. Enhancing SEO and Visibility
- Video content can improve search engine results pages (SERP) rankings, as search engines increasingly prioritize multimedia content.
- Including video transcripts and relevant keywords can boost keyword research efforts and drive organic traffic to the website.
4. Exploring Long-form Video Content
- Creating in-depth video resources allows for detailed exploration of legal issues and practice areas, similar to long-form written content.
- Incorporating videos on dedicated pages can enrich the user experience and encourage visitors to spend more time on the site.
5. Differentiating from Competitors
- Utilizing video sets the law firm apart from other law firms by offering a unique and engaging way to present informative content.
- Video testimonials, interviews, or behind-the-scenes glimpses can further establish the firm's brand as a well-crafted law firm.
6. Maximizing Engagement Through Multimedia
- Including video content alongside traditional blog posts can cater to various audience preferences and increase overall engagement.
- Enhancing the contact page with video introductions or virtual tours can encourage more interactions and lead to more traffic and conversions.
By incorporating video content into the law firm's content creation process, leveraging the expertise of a legal content writer specialized in multimedia formats, and strategically aligning video topics with key legal keywords, lawyer websites can create a more immersive, educational, and impactful online presence.
Need help creating content for your law practice? Book a call here.