Your law firm’s website should position your law firm as a trusted resource by providing some answers to your potential client’s questions — and attracting new clients.
But many law firms are struggling with the task of turning their website into a good lead generation tool.
There are lots of reasons why a particular law firm website might not be bringing in new business. Sometimes, lawyers don’t know how a search engine works or how a potential client uses Google to find lawyers, and this keeps their website from showing up. That’s not what I’m talking about today, but if you want to read about that check out The Law Firm SEO #TruthBomb to Save Your Cash.
Some attorneys realize how content plays a crucial role in their law firm’s content marketing plan- but they don’t know what to write about, or the content they have published is irrelevant to a potential client.
In this post we discuss blogging tips for lawyers, law firm marketing ideas, and basics on developing an effective law firm content strategy.
Stepping Inside the Minds of Your Potential Clients
The best way of developing the perfect content for your firm’s website is to consider your potential clients mindset.
Consider the questions that your clients ask about the most (those questions they’re asking you are the same things they Google as they’re researching about their cases and problems). These questions will provide you with valuable insights into the content topics that your readers will find relevant and helpful.
This strategy described below can help you determine, gather, and develop content about the information that your potential clients value most, and that Google is likely to return in search results for relevant queries.
Here is how you start:
Begin by brainstorming questions and topics that relate to your law firm’s area(s) of practice
If you have just started writing content for your site, you might be wondering which topic you should blog about. It is helpful by starting to think about broad topics relevant to your law firm’s area(s) of practice.
For example, a bankruptcy attorney in California might begin by listing related topics like:
- California Bankruptcy Laws
- California Bankruptcy Frequently Asked Questions
- California Bankruptcy Exemptions
After brainstorming broader topics, consider related phrases and keywords that your potential clients may be using when they search for answers on these topics.
When you’re doing this, keep in mind that potential clients questions are rising in complexity as the supporting search engine technologies are getting smarter and better at answering these queries.
Sometimes they aren’t searching for a lawyer (yet). They could be searching for things like, “How do I file bankruptcy without an attorney?” or “filing for bankruptcy in California without a lawyer” instead of “bankruptcy attorney California.”
Potential clients also might be searching for answers to specific questions, like:
- What are you allowed to keep in Chapter 7?
- What is the maximum income to qualify for Chapter 7?
- How long does it take to file bankruptcy in California?
- Can I keep my car if I declare bankruptcy?
If you’re still struggling to come up with a list, check out “How to Do Keyword Research For Your Law Firm Like a Boss
Consider Related Search Terms
At this point your list probably has a combination of short phrases, keywords, and questions your prospective clients have asked you.
Now continue expanding your list by considering terms related to those your potential clients might be searching for. Maybe your clients don’t speak legalese, so if you identify synonyms and related terms to help you determine the kind of language potential clients use to find you.
Google has two convenient features that will help you in identifying related terms: “searches related to….” and “People also ask”.
Let’s use a California bankruptcy lawyer as an example again. Here’s what you might see if you searched for “California bankruptcy laws.”
Example:“People also ask” section in Google search results
Example: “Searches related to” section in Google search results
chapter 7 bankruptcy California income limits, California bankruptcy exemptions, bankruptcy California requirements, chapter 13 bankruptcy, laws on community property, and foreclosure processes are just a few of the potential topics that a California bankruptcy law firm could add to their growing list of client concerns.
Now go Google search for all of these topics and you’ll find even more specific keywords, phrases, and potential questions to be added to the list.
Check Out Your Law Firm’s Competitors
Now that you have your list of questions and topics, start looking at the law firms and lawyers offices appearing on Google Searches for those particular keywords and key-phrases.
If your competition is appearing for certain queries on the SERPS, take some time reviewing their website to learn what type of content they wrote on these subjects. They probably have informative, relevant content that answers specific questions potential clients have.
Now I’m not saying you should copy content your competitors wrote, but if you see what is out there you can make an informed decision about how you will address the same questions and topics.
Remember that even if these competitors might already be covering the same topics or questions, there are always ways to come up with your own unique spin on the subject, that highlights the strengths of your law firm, capturing your personality that will resonate with your ideal clients.
Publish High-Quality Content That Addresses the Concerns Of Your Potential Clients
So now you know which issues a potential client may be searching for. This is just the first step. Next you will have to create and publish high-quality content addressing these questions and topics.
Put some thought into the lists you develop and start to plan out how you’ll create posts and pages for your site addressing these topics. Forget about keyword stuffing your site’s content. If you’re publishing content that’s true to the needs of a potential client – the right keywords will appear organically within your site.
Digital Marketing for Attorneys Doesn’t Have to be Complicated
Don’t have time to write your own blogs? AdInfusion has a talented team of content writers that can create engaging content that will attract new visitors to your website and convert them into new retainers. Contact us for more information.
