Over the last decade, we’ve seen the pace and accessibility of the internet improve immensely. Broadband infrastructure has spread broadly, and mobile data packages have advanced along with smartphone technology to deliver today’s exceptional mobile browsing experiences. This is significant for almost every facet of the digital world, but it’s particularly vital for video content.

It’s now viable for almost every internet user to watch HD video with few limitations, whether on their desktops, laptops, tablets, or smartphones. This pairs perfectly with video production’s low barrier to entry (you only need a decent phone camera and a willingness to learn basic editing), meaning that modern businesses have every reason to attempt video marketing.

At the same time, given how competitive the world of legal representation has become as a result of online competition (it’s extremely easy to check reviews and compare rates instead of going by reputation alone), law firms are having to work harder than ever to stand out.

Doesn’t this seem like an obvious fit? Once a sufficient level of website polish has been reached, it’s a logical next step. In this post, we’re going to look at how law firms can work video marketing into their strategies to get ahead of their competition. Let’s begin:

Establish their brand identities

To the average person, law firms can easily blur together into a homogeneous blob of surnames. What separates Smith & Edwards from Robison & Carlyse? Specialties, certainly — particular areas of the law that they focus on — but it’s tricky to seem different once someone has chosen their area of need. The essential promise (timely and efficient resolution of a relevant legal problem) is always going to be the same.

This is where brand identity becomes crucial. The interpersonal element of dealing with a law firm is often overlooked (more on that later), but how a prospective client views a law firm beyond what it technically offers can make all the difference. Video offers a huge amount of creativity, allowing a company to set itself apart through production alone.

The type of content is even more important. For instance, take the documentation of charitable activities: it doesn’t directly promote a law firm’s services, but it does improve its reputation, which matters more than ever in this time of corporate responsibility (this is also a core driver behind the rise of reputation management services).

Offer succinct legal tutorials

There’s a lot of misinformation out there about legal matters. It really doesn’t help that the media persistently offers warped impressions of how things work (steer clear of legal dramas if this concerns you). Before people hire law firms, they often want to get familiar with the key elements of their cases — that way, then can more easily tell if they’re being led astray.

Since law firms have plenty of expertise to offer, they can provide small snippets of it for free: just as retailers are increasingly using video tutorials, lawyers can create simple guides to complex legal issues people commonly search for. Conduct some keyword research to see which queries keep popping up. Perhaps there’s room for a multi-part series on going to small claims court, for instance — if so, there would be a lot of value in filling it.

The reasoning is obvious. Not only can legal guides of this kind convince viewers that they’re dealing with experts, but they can also attract followings for the lawyers who present them. Law firms can feel cold and faceless: if someone can actually attach a likeable face to a brand, they’ll be far more likely to want to work with it.

Highlight their most successful cases

Legal representation is expensive, even at the low end, so it isn’t something to be taken lightly. This is why recommendations drove the law industry for so long: before people would trust prospective lawyers, they’d want to hear from others (usually friends or family members) who could vouch for them.

And while that still works well, video is great for providing another form of social proof: happy clients appearing on camera to speak about their experiences. If someone is truly content with their lawyer (or lawyers), they’ll likely be willing to spend a few minutes endorsing them. It’ll also make them feel good to know that they’re helping others by helping them choose a good firm.

Alternatively, law firms can focus less on the clients and more on the details of the cases (to whatever extent they can disclose such things). Being able to say something like “We handled 25 defamation cases last year and won each one” offers an instant boost to credibility, and an in-depth case study (redacted where necessary) can show attention to detail.

Video marketing has truly earned a core place in the modern digital marketing playbook, and it can bring a lot to the legal realm. By helping firms establish memorable brands, provide valuable content, and showcase their successes, it can significantly boost efforts to attract new clients.

With special thanks to our guest blog author: Kayleigh Alexander of Microstartups.org

Listed under:
Digital MarketingMarketing for Law Firms