Law firms of different sizes face different marketing challenges along their paths to success. Continue reading “Common Legal Marketing Mistakes In Medium Sized Markets”

How community involvement can – and will – change the perception of your law firm

Community involvement is a pivotal part of how your law firm is perceived. However these days there are a wide variety of ways that attorneys can put purpose before profit by reaching out and giving back. These efforts fall under the category of corporate social responsibility or CSR. Continue reading “Trending: Law firms putting purpose before profit”

Today, 38 percent of all daily media interactions happen on “second screens”.

With annual attorney television advertising approaching the $650 million mark, and a handful of law firms spending over $10 million each on campaigns, there’s no doubt TV ads are still valued as an earnest investment in the legal vertical. But while the reach of TV simply cannot be replicated, the “first screen” is only one “touchpoint” in increasingly essential multiscreen marketing strategies.

TV is traditionally considered the first screen, and people still watch a lot of it, mostly for entertainment value. But they do it differently now. They’re not exactly totally tuned in anymore. Most viewers now watch the big screen with a supplementary device such as a smartphone, tablet or laptop, also known as a second screen, in their hands.

Shifts in consumer purchases and behavior support this trend. The number of devices per person has more than doubled since 2000 and figures indicate that over 60% of Americans now “browse” the Internet while watching some form of video programming. Nielsen has reported that 80% of smartphone and tablet owners log device time while watching TV.

Either way, it’s abundantly clear that people still watch TV, but it’s those who view it with a second screen in hand who hold the key to the future of multiscreen marketing and advertising for lawyers. Synching legal brands across devices is the only way that lawyers can truly leverage initial spend on television advertising.

Unfortunately the digital space is a highly competitive place for lawyers to advertise. In fact, the top 23 of 25 Google keywords used to link search topics to Internet ads are in the personal injury law firm category. That kind of demand translates to higher spending for competitive search terms like the phrase sitting in the most expensive seat right now—“San Antonio car wreck attorney.” It’s a cool $670 per click.

But that doesn’t mean smaller firms or lawyers with limited budgets are excluded from either television advertising or pay per click advertising. It just means law firms need to be smarter and more sophisticated in their approach to marketing on all mediums. It’s about understanding how, when and where consumers spend time on different devices, as well as how to draw the lines between first and second screens to make a bolder impact, separate your legal brand from the competition and increase engagement with prospective clients.

 

TV’s new challenges: from distraction to engagement

So what are people—potential legal clients—doing on all these distracting devices while passively watching TV? Well, mostly surfing for information, often related to what they’re seeing on TV, which could just as easily be your law firm’s ad as an awards show or sporting event. Other times they’re multitasking (reading email, doing work, shopping online, etc.) in an efficient way that at least creates the illusion of productivity. Or they’re simply socializing via text and social-status updates.

Especially among the millennial generation, which has literally grown up on screen time, users are going to the Internet to dig deeper and ultimately engage more directly and personally with brands, whether that’s through social networks, interactive website features, online video or other digital marketing components.

That said, younger users are also smart enough to use their devices to distract themselves during what they deem as boring TV commercials (hopefully not yours). This makes marketers’ jobs ever harder. Attorney television advertising now needs to be more original, more compelling and more memorable than everything else out there to keep a viewer’s attention. Simultaneously legal brands need to be making an impression on the Web when, on a whim, browsers turn their attention to the second screen.

Knowing what trends in technology are allowing for the vast interplay between the first and second screens is critical to building a comprehensive marketing strategy for the future and learning how to reallocate some traditional advertising dollars toward connected devices. The exciting part is new cross-screen platforms and opportunities are coming online all the time and these will only improve how well lawyers can continue to market across multiple screens. As you look to the future, here are a few things keep on your radar.

 

Advertising is only as good as what you consume it on.

Simply put, advertising content must be tweaked for the medium on which it is viewed or digested. What works on TV, while it should similar enough in look and feel to maintain brand consistency, won’t be viewed (and therefore understood) in the same way on a PC or phone.

For example, Microsoft found that people don’t mind advertising as much when it appears on a larger-scale screen like a TV, or even a computer or tablet, but ads get progressively more annoying as the screen gets smaller. You law firm’s ad can feel downright intrusive on a smartphone, so keep that in mind for your mobile marketing strategy.

 

Adjust your digital content for the context.

We know that consumers feel differently about content depending on the device on which they’re interacting with it. For example, laptops, which are traditionally associated with work and productivity, are generally thought of as tools for teaching and informing, before shopping or gaming. Content known to be consumed via laptop, therefore, need to be catered to the context.

Mobile phones, because they are our constant “companions,” are more linked to behaviors like building relationships and communicating socially. Keeping user behavior on different devices in mind when developing content marketing strategies will help your attorneys engage more appropriately and gain better reach—not to mention what putting a consumer’s needs first does for reputation management and brand loyalty.

 

Monitor, measure and morph what’s not working.

The goal of every second-screen marketing effort should be to create authentic, helpful content and deliver it in a way that drives engagement with the user you’ve already hooked. This can happen in a huge variety of ways through a huge variety of tools and platforms, but the ultimate goal is to help users easily discover important information; consume it in a way that feels both palatable and memorable; and gain immediate access to the tools they need to share content with whomever they want.

If you’re doing your job, your digital analytics will show an increased number of active users, opt-ins and longer time spent interacting with content. If website page-performance numbers are stagnant or decreasing, on the other hand, it’s time to mix things up or try a new tool. And, of course, in the second-screen digital environment testing the effectiveness of new marketing tactics is not only entirely possibly, it’s a commonplace practice.

While it’s no longer as easy as signing up for an attorney TV advertising package, digital marketing doesn’t have to be a burden either. Network Affiliates has been staying in front of trends in legal marketing since attorneys were first allowed the distinction of advertising.

To handle each part of the process, we maintain in-house creative, production and media planning departments. Longtime legal clients often call us the “one-stop shop” for law-firm marketing. Call us at (888) 461-1016 to start taking back your market share.

Kick your law firm’s digital marketing strategy up a notch by truly understanding your audiences

Understanding your audiences can be complex. While free tools like Google Analytics have made it easy to tap data related to keyword searches, website traffic and content performance to learn more about online audience behavior, the next-level strategy is identifying different audience “personas” and learning how to connect with these prospective clients. Continue reading “Personas: What They Are and Why You Should Care”

Your audience is more important than your attorneys. We realize that’s a little blunt, but without a clear understanding of your existing clientele, attorney marketing is futile.

Continue reading “Legal Marketing 101: How to Identify a Target Audience and See Real Results”

Data across the board proves that broadcast and cable are still the most valuable medium for lawyers. In fact, attorney TV advertising grew six times faster than all other ad spending from 2008 to 2014. Furthermore, just last year legal services took home the sixth spot on the Top 20 list of broadcast advertisers.

When a law firm doesn’t necessarily have the time or resources to invest in a fully customized testimonial campaign, one alternative is to leverage the power of storytelling in an encapsulated version; combining the power of a 30-second testimonial and the intimacy of placing the viewer in the victim’s shoes. By exploring an effective way to share “testimonial style” stories in a dramatized fashion, capitalizing on exceptional production value, and our country’s love of sports, this makes for a truly unique and focused legal TV advertising campaign.

“Storyteller” is dramatic. It’s disarming, it’s attention grabbing, and it will most definitely stand out in the crowded airwaves.

It doesn’t have to be expensive to look expensive. At Network Affiliates, we own all of our own equipment; we have a fully-equipped in-house production stage, several on-site editing suites and a seriously talented team that has worked all over the world. Call us today (888) 461-1016!

In the legal advertising landscape it’s harder than ever to create messaging or creative that stands out, grabs attention and separates you from the rest of the competition.

“Just Another Day” is not just another talking head TV commercial.  It’s dramatic, entertaining, engaging and most importantly memorable. It will keep people guessing, and in the end, leave them breathless – which will absolutely help separate your firm from the rest of the legal noise in your market.

It’s no surprise that consumers most easily relate to people and issues they can identify with. Reaching clients through smart, diverse, authentic advertising, coupled with unparalleled production quality, gives you the chance to connect on a deep and emotional level.  At Network Affiliates, we strive to keep raising the bar – giving our clients the best opportunities to create something unforgettable.

Is your TV presence and approach made up of right stuff? Network Affiliates’ broadcast advertising experts have been in legal advertising and marketing since 1981. We know media, we know messaging and we know what it takes to keep your case load full in today’s marketplace. Call us today!

Boomers are so yesterday. Millennials are the biggest living generation in U.S. history. And these savvy consumers, now age 22 to 37, are poised to redefine the economy as we know it. The change is making law firms nervous about how to catch up and market to this often- misunderstood population.

But two things are clear: First, businesses can’t overlook or avoid marketing to millennials, who are becoming serious spenders. This includes both law firms and the attorney advertising agencies that advise professionals on today’s best marketing practices.

Good intending yet deeply flawed humans will always need quality legal consultation, whether they’re 25 or 70. (And as a bonus pass-through marketing strategy, nearly 30% of millennial men and women are living with their parents, who also need lawyers.)

The second revelation is that investing a little time to learn about this generation is worth the effort. There’s real ROI tied to knowing this audience. If your law practice can grasp millennials’ needs, you can win their business.

Here are some key takeaways from market statistics and behavioral research into how Millennials make decisions. These will undoubtedly impact how your law firm begins to market in the future.

• Millennials work (and play) online, mostly on mobile devices.
• They appreciate access over ownership in the new “sharing” economy.
• Millennials expect everything (media, information, purchases, etc.) on demand.
• They are socially conscious and widely accepting and expect brands to demonstrate similar values.
• Millennials are savvier with technology and “live” in a world in inundated with social, shareable information.

Take these insights—and market with them!

As an attorney advertising agency for more than 30 years, it’s our job to stay up with critical consumer buying trends; hire some really smart millennials to help our clients market smarter; and guide lawyers in new marketing strategies that help attract a new segment of clients, improving ROI.

Not every macro trend we see among millennials applies to every young person interacting with your law firm. Leveraging the insights above, we’ve identified two big themes that could move the needle for attorneys.

1. Make your money back on mobile

Millennials expect—and get—the actionable information (such as online reviews, social-media commentary, and instance price comparisons) when they want it. This often leads to quick decision-making. Lawyers must consider this  when marketing to this group.

Always-on access, one-stop shopping, on-demand knowledge: Call it what you will, but the ability to learn things instantly requires your legal website be as mobile-friendly as possible. It’s not acceptable to have a site that doesn’t render in a readable way for mobile users.

In fact, Google started penalizing sites that weren’t optimized for mobile use by decreasing their ranking – and therefore, their visibility.

Don’t walk. Run to your web developer to make sure you have a fully responsive website. Because if it’s not mobile-ready, prospective clients will move on to a competitor that already embraces their increasingly mobile ecosphere.

Once you see the value in focusing on mobile to reach this new audience, there are a number of simple ways to not only make sure millennials won’t turn you off but to truly engage with younger audiences in modes they prefer.

User Experience

Think of it as being mindful of how easy it is to use your website. On a mobile device, it’s even more imperative to make sure your website is simple to navigate; content is bite-sized at first glance, but can take users deeper when they’re ready; and general layout and features are clean, streamlined and intuitive.

Content

No one—not millennials, not boomers—want to read long stuff on a phone. It strains overtaxed eyes; it’s cumbersome during a busy commute, and it could turn off a prospective client from your firm.

Instead, make those long-form blogs and in-depth case resource pages easier to chew on via mobile phone. Beefy, informative content is helpful for SEO and building a reputation, but try cutting the length of content you “tease” users with, and then give them links and options for reading more—when they’re ready.

Eye candy

There’s no doubt that image-based information is where content is going in the very near future. Millennials like looking at and sharing passive video, photo and infographic content on their phones.

For every new content marketing initiative, think about how video might play a part in helping to personally engage a tech-savvy audience that’s used to plenty of eye candy.

Social media

Millennials expect to share any message through social media that a brand delivers. This is free marketing for law firms! Make sure that any content you provide access to on a mobile device comes with one-tap sharing tools, so this audience can spread the good word about your firm, for your firm.

Likewise, consider getting your message directly to the top-trending social platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, where a younger generation might be even more inclined to share your story.

2. Make authentic, original messages (with some irony, seriously)

This generation is craving authentic, original content that caters to their needs and wants. In fact, they can smell an ad through any device and will download software like Adblock Plus to ensure they never see a pop-up advertisement again. Like their TV, millennials prefer their information consumption without any fixins’.

Creating relevant original content that engages the millennial consumer isn’t impossible for law firms. Just remember to build future messages that are not driven exclusively by sales projections; create content that is truly relevant to the lives of young achievers, and infuse it with a little sarcasm when appropriate.

Millennials just don’t take themselves that seriously—and they don’t expect any brand they interact with to do so either. There is always room for some subtle humor, a shade of irony or some sign that your legal brand takes the law very seriously, but knows how to tread lightly when it comes to perceptions of lawyers.

This direct approach has gone a long way in securing loyal customers in the commercial space. Beer being one fun and ironic example, long-standing brand Pabst Blue Ribbon (PBR) has solidified itself as the ultimate hipster beer to the tune of skyrocketing sales. They appear to have achieved this simply by embracing an existing reputation as the everyman’s brew—and positioning a simple, iconic history that suddenly checked all the right boxes with millennial consumers.

In addition to authenticity and lightheartedness in your messaging, consider all the ways your firm can leverage what it does for the “good of all.” Why? Because research on millennial behavior shows that these globally-minded youngsters are not only more accepting of more types of people and professions, having grown up in a progressive no-bullying, no-hating, no-tolerance-for-discrimination environment, but they actually seek out businesses that are equally socially conscious.

The good news is in many ways attorneys are already positioned as an integral part of society. Your firm’s challenge is to leverage that message in a new one-for-all, all-for-one way that makes an impact with a millennial client.

In a millennial world, where being original or different is the new cool, these insightful young entrepreneurs expect businesses to show their authentic brand personalities in all their glory. And isn’t that the heart of marketing, anyway: to present exactly who you are and how you’re different in the most compelling, engaging and relevant way?

So in many respects, you’re already on the same page. It’s not far-fetched to imagine a millennial dialing up one of your mobile-minded, socially responsible, attorneys for a good old-fashioned consultation.

Have more questions about how to reach millennials with your legal advertising? We have answers! Winning millennial business is just a matter of understanding this group’s habits—and how to engage with them. Call us today to learn more: (888) 461-1016.

Bad online reviews have the power to affect any law firm. Even if you do a great job and hear mostly positive feedback from past clients, those are not the people who typically post reviews. Disgruntled people are more likely to broadcast the bad news. And unfortunately, even a single ruthless report posted on a large platform like Yelp can have devastating effects.

Bad results, known as negative search engine result pages (SERPs), can turn away prospective clients early in the validation process. An unfavorable review might even lead a person to make a rash, misinformed decision not to choose your law firm. However, there are ways to reduce the impact of unfavorable SERPs. Start with these smart SEO strategies for attorneys:

 

1. Start with looking at your branded search page. To judge how bad the damage is, simply search for your lawyer’s or legal practice’s name, since most dissatisfied clients posting bad comments are more than willing to mention the firm name in the post. Then identify and qualify all queries in the SERP in which there are negative results.

 

2. Dig into your online reputation. Begin monitoring the most popular places that people post reviews, comments and feedback to mass audiences on the Web, such as YouTube, Vimeo, Yelp, Your Industry News and Yahoo Answers.

 

3. Push it down the pipe. The fewer negative results that show up on your branded search page, the better for your law firm’s reputation. Limit your losses by getting these pushed back to page two or three. Begin by cultivating fresh positive reviews by respectfully asking past and current clients to post some constructive comments about your legal services and lawyers.

 

4. Then, be selective. Have a strategy for engaging only with the most trusted, ethical and highly ranked online business directory sites and services. First register your law practice. Second encourage clients to leave positive feedback in a professional way. Third, cooperate with reputable websites that may have leeway or authority to help you remove negative results.

 

5. Start content marketing. Creating your own positive, highly “shareable” content through a regularly updated blog, for example, can begin to displace the bad content from the first SERP and reposition your practice. To work well, however, attorney content marketing must be authentic, engaging, informative and helpful—never sales-y.

 

6. Build your community. Once you’ve started creating some positive news about your legal practice, now you need to share it appropriately via optimized profiles on social platforms: Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, for starters, which can climb high in search engines. Start to build an effective online community to proactively spread the good word about your business.

 

7. Talk to your customers. If for whatever reason a former client has posted a destructive review of your law office practice or staff, attempt to begin a more positive dialogue. Learn all you can about the issue; try to find a solution or compromise; and upon resolution inquire about the removal of negative feedback.

 

Overcoming bad reviews in SERP is just a matter of following good SEO practices for law firms: stay informed, stay vigilant—and stay positive.