Let's face it, the world is complicated, and the laws that govern that world are especially complicated. This is why the legal field is one of the most competitive industries in today's world, because representing yourself in legal proceedings is just not something most people can do. The result of this is every law firm trying to do something to distinguish themselves from the competition. One method many law firms have started using is content marketing, which is a great strategy to use in today's digital world. Of course, content marketing has to be done the right way to be effective and have the desired effect. Here are five tips law firms should keep in mind when it comes to content marketing.
1. Dumb Down the Language
Don't get me wrong, you don't have to pretend like you're talking to a 3rd grader, but remember that the people you're trying to reach through content marketing don't speak "legalese." Odds are, the people reading your content won't have a law degree, and so using words and phrases that are common amongst lawyers may not be understood by the general public. If your content has language that's way over the head of the reader, they're going to lose interest and your content marketing will fail to make a positive impact. Keep things simple and use language that readers will be able to understand and respond to with questions and comments.
2. Provide Solutions
Do research on legal matters that often confuse people and create content on those topics. In that content, present the reader with good information and possible solutions. Remember, law firms are supposed to help people, so set out to do that. Your content marketing is not designed to be advertising for your firm, but if you can help someone solve a problem, your firm will be viewed in a positive light, and that is one of the goals of content marketing.
3. Comment on Current Events
You don't have to deliver breaking news the way CNN does. But if there's something relevant to the legal industry in the news, use it as an opportunity to create content. If there's a new law passed or an important ruling by the Supreme Court, write about it and help the average person understand it better. This is the kind of content that can help your firm stand out. If you can get quality content out there in a timely manner about relevant events, you increase the chances of your content reaching a broad audience.
4. Keep Things Light
It may be in the nature of lawyers to be serious and straight forward, and that method may work for legal briefs and official documents, but not in a blog. Think about how you can entertain or engage the reader with your content. It is possible to get your point across and deliver useful information while at the same time keeping things light and casual with the language you use.
5. Make It Multi-Media
Words are rarely going to be enough in today's world, and so you have to offer people something more. To make content stand out, it helps to have some attractive photos mixed in that are relevant to the topic at hand. If possible, create some short videos that can accompany your posts. If you can make videos that are fun and engaging, you'll be more likely to attract readers and get your firm noticed. The more elements you can add, the more successful your content marketing is likely to be.