3 Marketing Trends in the Legal Profession

In our modern, fast-paced world, there are few industries that move faster or with more regular changes than marketing. Especially with the ever-increasing influence of technology– a field that moves even faster– it can be difficult for those outside of the marketing industry to keep up with the latest trends and tendencies in advertising. For small business owners, this can be a crucial element of success, as effective understanding and utilization of the latest marketing techniques can be the one thing that gives them a leg up on the competition.  Having the best agency with affordable marketing services will greatly enhance your company’s success in the market.

Legal Marketing

Legal professionals who practice independently or work within small firms should understand that effective marketing strategies could be the difference between an increasing client list and losing out to other options. Those who adapt to the way their market moves are the quickest to gain access to potential clients, and those who fail to adapt can quickly find themselves left behind.

Judging by market trends in late 2017, there are some clear themes to the recent changes in legal marketing. For the most part, these trends continue to look promising to small firms and independent practitioners, and this has been a continued theme over the last few years. The increased presence of social media in marketing (as well as the increased presence of legal professionals on social media) has effectively leveled the playing field, allowing small firms to reach just as wide an audience as major competitors and corporations.

However, it may go without saying that only those who are aware of effective marketing strategies and the most efficient implementation of these strategies have benefited from these recent trends. But as digital marketing becomes more simplified for small business owners and entrepreneurs, you do not have to be an expert in digital marketing to increase your marketing ROI. If utilized correctly, the following trends could help any attorney do just that and improve his or her firm’s visibility, community standing and client list.

1.  Focus on Reviews

Online reviews and user-generated marketing have always been important for small businesses, and they have become absolutely crucial for small firms and solo lawyers. As consumers tend to put more stock and belief into online user reviews generated by their peers (compared to traditional advertising and marketing copy), legal professionals would be wise to try and manage these reviews positively.

Of course, there are only so many colleagues, friends and acquaintances whom you can ask to review your firm, but there are other ways to properly manage and grow your online ratings and improve your reviews. Little things like making use of review tools, reminding happy clients to post reviews and responding graciously to positive feedback can go a long way.

2. Visual Content

Engaging and relevant content should be the focus of a great legal website, but the visuals that complement your content can say as much about your firm in less time. When it comes to making an initial impact and positive first impression, the images and videos on your site may actually be more beneficial than anything a user could read. Of course these elements have always been important, but marketing trends show that their impact only continues to increase.

With that being said, it is important to note what is meant here by visual content. It certainly does not mean you should fill your site with large images or unnecessary videos in some misguided attempt to improve SEO or catch the eye of potential clients. An uncomplicated layout with a professional, simple visual appeal– such as can be seen on this example— are generally much more beneficial in the legal industry.

3. DIY

As all average people are becoming more tech-savvy, the dependence on marketing firms and third-party specialists is decreasing in digital marketing. Lawyers– and most other professionals– now have enough basic understanding of digital strategies and utilization to implement many of them without help. But while you may want to get more hands-on with your marketing efforts, some outside assistance may still be necessary if you are not advanced in the your digital marketing expertise.