Search party: developing an effective online strategy for your firm

Websites, videos, search engines and social media may all still be relatively new ways to market your firm but across the world they're having a massive impact on the way people communicate with each other and it's also having an increasing impact on how they access legal services.

Let's start with a commercial reality for all law firms: regardless of your firm's size, you must start to engage with current and future clients through digital channels or you will not survive.

You may still well be holding on to clients who are loyal to you but as time goes on future clients will have found their way to the firms that are much more accessible and are easily found with the click of a button.

You're not a law firm, you're a business

We're now at a stage where an entire generation of adults do not remember what the world was like before the internet. For them it is something that has simply always been there and in turn they're influencing other generations to use digital channels to find the services they need. If you want to remain competitive, regardless of whether you're targeting a private client or the corporate market, it's not ok to say "we're a law firm so that doesn't apply to us." Law firms need to start thinking and acting like a business by saying "we're a legal business and we need to be where our customers are."

Successful businesses don't plough on hoping that the business plan they've had in place for years will still work, they adapt and evolve to make the most of current trends, if they don't then they will fail. Look at HMV, Woolworth's, and Blockbuster, household names who have all been the victim of the way people now buy the products they were offering. Comparing the retail sector to law will only go so far in showing you how others are doing it well, or not, but what if I asked you to imagine not being able to access your bank accounts online? Even as little as ten years ago banking online was seen as revolutionary, now it's a requirement for even the most basic of bank accounts. My point is that the decision as to whether a firm is a continued success will not just be down to the quality of their services, it will also be down to how easy it is to access those services.

Sarah Boustouller, partner and marketing manager at Stephensons Solicitors LLP is making sure digital channels are fully integrated into their marketing plans to engage with future clients: "We see digital marketing as a key channel to market for legal services. This is particularly important in a landscape where a traditional office presence and 9-5 hours do not offer best fit for all. Clients have different circumstances and preferences for certain communication channels depending on what is most relevant to them." But it doesn't just stop there. In addition to providing information about the services Stephensons Solicitors offer, they have also become one of the growing number of law firms responding to the shift in people becoming more willing to access legal services remotely for a fixed price. To reflect this they have developed the ability to offer some services, such as probate, online.

Your online shop window

We've ascertained that law firms need to evolve to reach a modern client base. So what can you do to grab the digital bull by the horns? Different digital marketing channels offer different solutions for growing your practice and together work to showcase every aspect of your firm wherever your future clients may be:

• Website: Without doubt this is your most important digital channel and the place where your online clients will learn the most about you. Easy to understand content needs to be updated regularly with the whole site mobile optimised too. This means that your website will adapt and change so it can be viewed on any device. Your website might look brilliant on a desktop computer but if it has not been mobile optimised then clients who are surfing the web, looking for legal services while on the move, will go elsewhere if your site isn't loading quickly enough or doesn't fit on their screen.

One firm reaping the benefits of mobile optimisation is Manchester-based Clifford Johnston & Co Solicitors, they now have a fully responsive website and three microsites that are specifically targeted to niche areas of work within their firm. These microsites not only increase how easy it is for clients with specific needs to find them but it also means they can measure the performance of each site to ensure their investment is working. The results have exceeded their expectations and has led to them cancelling more traditional forms or advertising such as directories, and doubling their investment on the web.

• Video: Producing lengthy and technical written content is something law firms have been guilty of for decades, a video makes a much more interesting introduction to you and your firm in a way that words can't. Your clients may be finding out about a specific subject for the first time so short, no longer than 90 second, videos explaining the basics of your services can really help to demystify the process, and help them trust that you'll continue to be clear with them at every stage. Stephensons Solicitors are a great example of how to do video well. They've even created their own video channel on YouTube offering everything from explanations about their fixed price structure to 'how to' guides, which really help engage with their future and current clients. Remember, people buy from people so giving your law firm a human touch from the first moment will make a massive difference.

• Search engines: Making the most of mobile optimisation and video will help your website appear above your competitors in search engine results such as Google or Bing, when a potential client is searching for a service you offer. You can increase this further by looking at pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns to refine exactly where you appear, when certain search keywords are typed in by a potential client, and you only pay when someone clicks on your advert, hence the name pay-per-click. This can be a really cost effective solution to quickly targeting a specific group of people. Just ask Almond Solicitors, in conjunction with a specialist digital agency, they created a PPC campaign to target specific areas throughout the UK. Within just a few days it had generated leads, with three new cases being confirmed and taken on within two weeks.

Getting your firm out there

So with an up-to-date website, videos and PPC you're half way there to a great digital marketing strategy but there are still many more ways you can use digital channels to promote your firm:

• Social media: Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn are the big four where peer recommendations come into play. Being on social media allows current clients to talk about how great your service is independently. It also gives you a chance to add links to your blog and your website, while also interacting with potential new clients.

• Blogging: Writing a regular blog placed within your website helps keep it fresh and higher up in search engine results. But as experts in law, writing short articles on legal matters, offering basic advice, or opinions on recent sector changes show that if the reader ever needs a lawyer you're the one to contact.

• Email: Offering an email newsletter is a great way of keeping in touch with previous clients for repeat business. According to the Direct Marketing Association email marketing ROI was £21.48 for every £1 spent in 2012, proving it's a fantastic investment. If a client has only used you for one service, letting them know what else you can help them with is a great way of ensuring they'll choose you again.

Doing it well

No one expects you to become an expert in digital marketing overnight or even ever, while some of the initial changes could well be easily dealt with, making a significant impact may need the help of a dedicated marketing employee, an external consultant or agency. If you do decide to outsource then many agencies will have packages to suit all budgets, just do some research first to make sure they're right for you. Ask yourself:

• Does the agency practise what it preaches? What does their website look like? How active are they on social media? Can you find them easily? If you have trouble finding them, how can they help you become easy to find?

• Look at their clients, have they worked with similar clients to you? Do they understand your sector and your requirements? Can they back it up with client testimonials and case studies?

Is it working?

Naturally any investment needs a return. The cost of investing in digital marketing varies but regardless of how much you spend, you want to make sure you have a steady stream of clients coming to you as a result. So how do you tell if that client you just spoke to on the phone came to you because of a video you made recently or that tweet you posted this morning?

One way you could do this is to simply ask "Where did you hear about us?" However, products like Google Analytics go much further in allowing you to see exactly what channels are working well for you. They will tell you what parts of your website are most popular, right down to how long people spend on particular pages. They'll even tell you where a visitor came from, did they find your website through a search engine or did that recent tweet bring them to you?

By its very design social media is set up to tell you exactly what works well. The amount of times a Facebook post is 'liked' or shared, as well as how many people follow your corporate pages on Twitter and LinkedIn will help you evolve your digital marketing plans for the best return on investment.

There's a lot to take in but digital marketing does not need to be a thorn in your side, and it certainly shouldn't be something you simply pay lip service to. In a competitive market place law firms of all sizes and disciplines need to be doing everything that their competitors are doing, and more.

With alternative business structures well and truly in place and law firms from overseas eyeing up the UK market, it is no longer enough to just assume clients will find you when they need you. You need to be vying for their attention at every turn so they already have your name in mind when the time is right, if not then your competitors will not only take future clients, they may attract the current ones away from you too.

 

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Dez Derry is chief executive officer at mmadigital

www.mmadigital.co.uk

 

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STEPHENSONS SOLICITORS LLP

Sarah Boustouller, partner and marketing manager, Stephensons Solicitors LLP “We see digital marketing as a key channel to market for legal services. We aim to adapt our service so that they are accessible to clients. This is particularly important in a landscape where a traditional office presence and 9-5 hours do not offer best fit for all. Clients have different circumstances and preferences for certain communication channels depending on what is most relevant to them. “Our understanding of this means that Stephensons has developed additional ways to deliver information.  Our digital marketing includes social media, video and a content rich website that includes self-help information for clients in the form of online forums, question and answer libraries, a wealth of news and blogs and useful guides. “Our digital marketing is handled by our central in–house marketing team. However, we have invested time in training our staff on the importance of these channels and how they too can communicate in an optimal way to serve the needs of those requiring access to information and legal services. Stephensons' staff have a vital role to play in terms of feeding into marketing due to their proximity to the market. In conjunction with our risk team, we have a robust online and social media policy which guides the firm in terms of using digital marketing “In addition to providing information via these channels we have seen a shift in terms of people becoming more willing to access legal services remotely for a fixed price. To reflect this we have developed the ability to offer some services online, such as probate. Stephensons has a main website, three microsites, a mobile website, established firm social media accounts and departmental social media accounts all of which continue to grow in terms of usage and followers. We will continue to develop our digital promotional mix and have plans to expand the channels we use to best serve those who want and need to access legal services and information in this way”.

 

ALMOND SOLICITORS

Almond Solicitors wanted to promote their PI services to cyclists and motorcyclists across England and Wales. They consulted an agency who worked with them to develop a comprehensive approach with a mobile responsive micrositethat worked across varied mobile platforms as well as PC’s and laptops. Greg Almond is Managing Director of Almond Solicitors: “Clients are now able to have a better customer experience when visiting our website, whatever device they are using. A Pay Per Click campaign was created to target specific areas throughout the UK and within just a few days it had already generated cases, we actually had three confirmed cases within two weeks. We will continue to work closely with our digital agency on multiple lead generation campaigns to help push our brand further.”

 

CLIFFORD JOHNSTON & Co SOLICITORS

We now have a fully responsive website, which is a first for law firms in Manchester, and three microsites that are specifically targeted to niche areas of work within our firm. We have been able to measure the performance of each website by using call tracking and the results have exceeded our expectations. This has led us to cancelling more traditional forms or advertising such as directories, and doubling our investment on the web.

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