A law firm needs to be able to attract clients to succeed as a business. Client acquisition is consistently on the minds of many lawyers and law firms, especially small firms. According to a survey of small firms from Thomson Reuters, client acquisition is the top area of concern. At SunRize Marketing, we are a leader in digital marketing for law firms, including for law firm SEO services and law firm PPC. In this article, our team provides a comprehensive overview of inbound marketing for law firms. We explain what it is, why it is important, and the strategies that your firm can use to improve its inbound marketing.
What is Inbound Marketing?
As defined by Tech Target, inbound marketing is a broad term used to describe a strategy whereby businesses attract leads (clients/customers) by drawing them in naturally, potentially through search engine optimization (SEO), social media, or word-of-mouth. For law firms, effective inbound marketing is generally focused on the creation of reliable, informative, and interesting original content.
Why Do Law Firms Need Inbound Marketing?
Inbound marketing can be a strong strategy for many types of businesses, though it is especially useful for law firms. Both large and small law firms can attract highly qualified clients with inbound marketing. Here are three key reasons why law firms can benefit from inbound marketing:
- Build Trust: Original content on a law firm’s website can go a long way towards building trust—both with individuals and with search engine algorithms. In law, potential clients want an attorney and a law firm that they trust.
- Cost Effective: With original content, law firms can get clients to come to them. While there are some start-up costs, inbound marketing can be highly cost-effective for law firms. In the long run, law firms can save money on their client acquisition costs with inbound marketing.
- Knowledge: As a law firm develops and employs an inbound marketing strategy, it will get access to relevant data about what potential clients actually respond to. The knowledge and data can be used to refine and improve efforts.
What to Know About Inbound Marketing Law Firm SEO and Law Firm PPC
As a methodology, inbound marketing is fundamentally focused on drawing visitors (potential clients) in, rather than outwardly pushing a brand. Inbound marketing can be an especially powerful tool for law firms. It is closely linked with both law firm SEO and law firm PPC. In order to be truly effective, inbound marketing must be targeted. This is where well-calibrated law firm SEO and law firm PPC can make a big difference. Here is what you should know about these tools:
- Law Firm SEO: Search engine optimization (SEO) is a strategy/process for enhancing the quality and quantity of web site traffic by improving search engine rankings. SEO is a big part of inbound marketing. By creating relevant, interesting, and original content, law firms can bring more qualified leads into their website. SEO drives unpaid traffic.
- Law Firm PPC: PPC stands for pay-per-click. It is a paid marketing strategy to drive qualified traffic (potential clients) to a website. PPC can be an important part of a law firm’s inbound marketing strategy. Though it involves paid advertising, PPC can still fall under the umbrella of inbound marketing. PPC is about bringing more leads to a law firm’s website.
How Do Law Firms Generate Client Leads With Inbound Marketing?
How does inbound marketing help law firms actually generate client leads? It is a two-step process. To start, well-designed inbound marketing essentially “pre-qualifies” potential clients. The information provided will largely only be relevant to an individual/business that has a specific legal problem that needs to be resolved. From there, original content should provide relevant information, establish a law firm as a trusted authority on the matter, and funnel the potential client into taking action by reaching out to the law firm.
Understanding the Difference Between Traditional Marketing and Inbound Marketing
Traditional marketing and inbound marketing can both be effective tools, but there are some key differences between the two strategies. Traditional advertising tends to be company-focused. It explains why a particular business or organization is good. Inbounding marketing flips the model. It is consumer-focused. Inbound marketing is about bringing leads directly to you.
Traditional marketing also tends to be targeted at a consumer. It may even be viewed as interrupting their life—even if the consumer resonates with the advertisement. In contrast, inbound marketing is designed to help a consumer solve a problem. Most inbound marketing for law firms is driven by the desire to give potential clients the information that they need to take action.
An Overview of the Stages of Inbound Marketing for Law Firms
Inbound marketing is best thought of as a multi-stage process. The first stage of the process is creation. For inbound marketing to work effectively, a law firm needs to develop content that is suitable for its target audience. The second stage of the process is attraction. Your law firm needs content that will attract potential clients. Content should be relevant, interesting, and digestible. For example, content that is dense is generally not well-suited for inbound marketing. The final stage is engagement. The ultimate goal of original content is to get a qualified lead to make contact with your law firm. An effective call-to-action is a key part of inbound marketing.
Creating an Inbound Marketing Strategy for Your Law Firm
Law is a nearly $350 billion industry in the United States. It is highly competitive. Given the market, inbound marketing for law firms should not be generic. The best inbound marketing strategy will convey your law firm’s expertise and distinguish it from the competition. Here are four tips for creating an effective inbound marketing strategy for your law firm:
- Focus on relevant and engaging content. To be effective, an inbound marketing strategy relies on providing useful information.
- Make sure that your content is SEO optimized. By doing so, you can improve inbound marketing by getting your original content in front of more qualified leads.
- Do not ignore social media. For law firms, social media can be a key part of a comprehensive and successful inbound marketing strategy.
- Track your results. An inbound marketing strategy should not be one “set” thing. It should be consistently refined. Tracking results can help your law firm improve outcomes.
Why Should Lawyers Hire Sunrize Marketing for Inbound Marketing?
Inbound marketing is complicated. You do not have to create and implement a strategy all on your own. SunRize Marketing is a digital marketing company that specializes in working with law firms. We help our clients—large, mid-sized, and small law firms—reach more of their clients. With extensive experience in content creation for law firms, we are here to craft an inbound marketing strategy for your firm that works.
SunRize Marketing is a Leader in Inbound Marketing for Law Firms
At SunRize Marketing, we are your one-stop shop for law firm digital marketing. If you have any questions about inbound marketing, we are here to help. Give us a call now or get in touch with us online to learn more about how we can help. Our team works with law firms of all types of practice areas, including personal injury, criminal defense, family law, immigration law, and business law.