News & Events

Five Steps to Great Content Marketing

Organize Contacts

Content is the most important element of your marketing campaign. The core assumption of content strategy is that if you deliver consistent, worthwhile information to prospective clients, you’ll be rewarded with their business. The following steps will help you attract consumers.

Your Audience: Think about who hires attorneys offering the service you provide. If you focus on employment law, for example, do you prefer to represent employers? Paint a picture in your mind of these employers—their size, their interests, organizations they join, legal needs, or questions they’ve asked. Knowing your prospective reader helps you create content they can use.
Types of content

Home page & practice area pages—Your firm’s home page and practice area pages are often the first a consumer sees; that content should help readers make their decisions. Describe the types of cases you accept, how you work with clients, and why your firm is equipped to do the job.

Blogs—Blog posts can be short, hyper-focused articles about specific topics such as a new law affecting your readers, a recent case, or answers to questions you’re often asked.

Frequently Asked Questions—a FAQ page allows readers to find information you’re most commonly asked to provide in an easy-to-navigate format.

Articles—Longer pieces containing more information, such as a summary of a recent speech or an edited version of an article written for the local law journal. Use client friendly language—no legalese.

Video—Video introduces readers to the lawyer as well as the topic.

Podcasting—Podcasts allow you to address current and potential clients in an audio format they can listen to at their convenience.

Headlines: This covers basic categories such as news (New Law Affects Estate Planning); how-to pieces (Plan Your Will); answers to questions (What is a Will?); numbered lists (Six Parts of a Will); or commands (Protect Your Family With a Will). The goal is encouraging the reader to read the article.
Content Formatting: Start your article with the most important concept first, then move on to the explanation. Formatting such as numbered or bulleted lists and subheads are useful tools. Keep paragraphs and sentences short.
Call to Action: A call to action tells the reader how to interact with you. For example, ask them to set up an appointment, sign up for a newsletter, complete a contact form, or call your office. The call to action appears at the end of blogs, articles, FAQ pages, as well as your home and practice pages.

Content marketing focusing on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent information to your target market will ultimately drive clients to your door.

Roberta Gubbins has served as the editor of the Ingham County Legal News. Since leaving the paper, she provides services as a ghostwriter editing articles, blogs, and e-blasts for lawyers and law firms. She is the editor of The Mentor, SBM Master Lawyers Section newsletter.

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