Full-Stack Internet Marketing for Law Firms
There is a bit of a disconnect right now between what businesses think their clients want in terms of customer service and what their clients actually want, expect, and prefer. A recent Kayako Live Chat study demonstrated this point quite clearly: The most popular type of customer service among consumers is live chat. While there are still some who primarily use the telephone, that trend is going away more and more with each passing year. LiveChat’s customer service report found that the demand for live chat services increased by 8.29% between 2016 and 2017. This is a problem, however, since businesses aren’t yet up to speed with this reality: Because they still believe that telephone support is the primary method of providing customer service, many are missing out on a huge opportunity to connect with customers and prospects alike. Law firms and lawyers, in particular, would do well to install a live chat module and service on their websites. When your business model depends on your ability to communicate with clients and earn their trust in real time, live chat gives you the chance to do this while they’re already thinking about you. 7 Reasons Your Law Firm Website Needs Live ChatBusinesses of all sizes and types would benefit from adding a live chat service to their websites. Here are seven reasons why your law firm needs it: 1. Customer SatisfactionThe LiveChat Customer Service Benchmark report shares statistics on real-time usage of its software. As of January 2018, 83% of customers that engaged with LiveChat software were happy with the experience. Contrast that with customers who engaged with B2C professional services companies (we’re going to lump legal services in since there is no unique category for it), and you’ll see that satisfaction rate jump up to 85%. Granted, the quality of customer service ultimately comes down to the people offering the assistance behind the live chat software. However, it appears that the majority of users are quite content with this method of service. 2. Real-time EngagementsCustomers want instantaneous support and answers to their questions. Phone calls require them to wait on hold. Emails require them to wait for a response. And social media can sometimes be a crapshoot. Live chat, however, promises a real-time experience that connects prospective clients (or even current ones) with a real person. As you can see in the benchmark report above, it usually only takes about 49 seconds for a live chat representative to make first contact with a customer, so it happens really quickly, too. 3. Improved RelationshipsLive chat puts your law firm in touch with prospective clients in real time. And by providing expert advice, immediate answers to their questions, and streamlining the process of scheduling in-person consultations, you’re improving the experience they have with your firm, all from within your website. 4. PrivacyYour business’s success depends on your ability to aptly handle sensitive manners. That’s why a platform like social media (which puts it all out there for the public to see) or email (which can make responses feel canned and impersonal) doesn’t always work so well. While a phone call could accomplish the same thing as live chat, why force anyone off of your website if you have the means to keep them put? You’ve spent a lot of time crafting a message that informs them about everything you do. If they have questions about it or want to discuss next steps, it should take place on that same website. 5. Time SavingsAccording to the benchmark report above, businesses, on average, field 66 chats a day. With live chat software, though, you’re not restricted by how many conversations take place at once as you are with phone or email. You can handle concurrent conversations on live chat and cut down on the total amount of time spent talking to prospects. 6. AutomationIf you’re short on time or want to make the most of your live chat service, you may opt to outsource live chat to another team member or a legal live chat service. Or you can automate with bots and save your firm even more time in handling incoming inquiries. As Szymon Klimczack, the CMO of LiveChat, told Small Business Trends: “Currently, [bots] are completely ready to handle the most common and repeated inquiries which don’t require any human reaction. Thanks to them, companies can run complex, 24/7 support (even with limited resources) and improve customers’ satisfaction and loyalty.” 7. InsightsUsing live chat software gives your law firm more insights into your client base:
By studying the trends, you can be better prepared to anticipate their questions and address their concerns. It will also save you time in handling the initial intake as you would have already gotten many of those questions out of the way. Law Firm Live Chat: It’s a MustAny time you introduce something new to your workflow—especially if it directly touches your client base—be careful. There are a lot of ways in which live chat software could turn the experience with your firm really sour, very quickly.
A negative experience with live chat is just as bad, if not worse, than a bad one with one of your lawyers. Except, this time, you won’t necessarily be able to defend yourself to try to recover the relationship. So, just make sure you do what is promised. Have someone monitor live chat during the published hours of availability. Have a legal expert on hand to answer their questions. Try to resolve all questions and issues quickly and on the first engagement. And be consistent in your responses. The post 7 Reasons Your Law Firm’s Website Needs a Live Chat Service appeared first on Trial Law Digital. via Blogger 7 Reasons Your Law Firm’s Website Needs a Live Chat Service
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If you want to effectively build a client base, then your law firm’s website needs to show up at the top of search results. There are two strategies you can use to make this happen: SEO and PPC advertising. Both SEO and PPC are equally attractive options for law firms, but for very different reasons. Let’s examine the strengths and weaknesses of both marketing tactics and see if we can find the perfect solution for your website. What You Need to Know About SEOThe first search marketing strategy you could use is good old-fashioned search engine optimization (SEO). This is the process by which a website is designed to appease both search engine criteria as well as cater to the user experience. SEO strategy revolves around a number of techniques, such as:
The better your website handles all these criteria (and more), the higher it will appear in search. Here is an example of how your website might appear in Google with SEO: Here are some other things you need to know about SEO before jumping head-first into it:
SEO is free… in the sense that you don’t have to pay Google or Bing or anyone else to rank your website. It’s not free, however, in that it takes a lot of time to set up and manage over the long-term.
Search engines aren’t always transparent about what exactly makes for a well-optimized website. So, you have to pay close attention to algorithmic changes that affect your site’s traffic.
SEO is a great option for businesses trying to rank for a specific location (as opposed to a global business).
This is what the average click-through rates (CTR) for organic (non-paid) search results look like: As such, it’s important to be aware that a really good SEO strategy can take anywhere from 6 to 12 months to start showing real results. It takes time to build trust with search engines, which is why you need to use other marketing strategies concurrently with SEO.
Once you get your site on the first page of Google, it’s pretty difficult to get off of it unless your site is blacklisted (which, again, is hard to do if you’re playing fair).
As people grow more suspicious with advertisements (with some going so far as to installing ad blockers in their browsers), your only chance to reach some of them is through SEO. What You Need to Know About PPC AdvertisingAnother way you can launch your site to the top of search is by using pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. One of the most common platforms for this is Google AdWords. You choose a keyword, set a “bid” for it (the price you’re willing to pay for every click), and then run the campaign. This search strategy instantly puts you on the very first page of search results.
In the same search I conducted before, here is how the PPC ad results appear at the top of the page: The ads are nearly identical except for two things: additional information is added to the listing and these ads don’t require the user to scroll to find them. Now, before you decide that the fast-pass of search marketing is the way to go, consider the following facts about PPC:
When you pay a premium to Google or any other search engine, your website is placed in prime real estate space. For most of you, that will be at the top of the search results page. For others, it’ll be at the bottom.
With SEO, you attach metadata to each page of your site that the search engines will display. But it’s only the basics: title and description. With PPC, though, you can write unique ad copy to show up in search results. You can also attach descriptors like your phone number, links to other pages, and, in some cases, attach a photo.
The second you launch a PPC campaign in Google AdWords, your listing starts showing up when users search for the keyword you bid on.
An effective SEO strategy will bring your website long-term success in search. PPC will not. Your site will only show up in search results so long as you throw money at it.
This is usually a dealbreaker for a lot of law firms. The average cost per click, on average, is higher than any industry measured (legal is in the light orange): To make matters worse, the average click-through rate isn’t too great either: However, the average conversion rate is the second highest out of all industries: So, even though it costs a lot more (usually) for law firms to use PPC marketing, and it’s tough to get users to click the links, the return is BIG. Clearly, there is something about PPC marketing that works well when you target the right people with the right keywords.
Which brings me to my next point: PPC advertising should never ever be automated and left in the hands of Google. You already know that the odds are stacked against you in PPC. If you allow Google to assign default settings to your ads and to create lackluster copy that has no chance against the competition, you’re just throwing money away. Always create your own well-researched campaigns to get the most out of PPC. SEO and PPC: Which Is Best?In all honesty, law firms need both SEO and PPC. Anything you can do to increase visibility in search is key, which means your website needs to be top-of-the-line and, yes, you will need to pay Google occasionally. Ideally, you will have a local search strategy in place, too, that gives your site a presence in Google My Business results. Consider it the holy trinity of winning the search game. The post SEO and PPC: Is One a Smarter Investment Than the Other? appeared first on Trial Law Digital. via Blogger SEO and PPC: Is One a Smarter Investment Than the Other? Over the years, we’ve heard Google’s gentle reminders: “Hey, maybe you should get an SSL certificate for your website.” Those not-so-subtle nudges generally tended to come out right before Google pushed a new update to its search algorithm. As has become evident these past few years, Google strongly favors websites that prioritize security and rewards them in kind with higher search rankings. SSL certificates and HTTPS are a big part of this. Fast forward to 2018, and Google is no longer being subtle about this. “For the past several years, we’ve moved toward a more secure web by strongly advocating that sites adopt HTTPS encryption… Beginning in July 2018 with the release of Chrome 68, Chrome will mark all HTTP sites as ‘not secure’.” So, here is what we need to ask ourselves today: What exactly is an SSL certificate? Do law firm websites even need them? And how do you get an SSL certificate? What is an SSL Certificate?The “SSL” in SSL certificate stands for “Secure Sockets Layer”. In layman’s terms, all it really means is that you have a certificate that places an additional layer of protection between your website’s server and your visitors’ browsers. It also moves your website to an HTTPS (as opposed to the non-secure HTTP) web address. As a result, when visitors enter information into fields on your website (including payment forms, login screens, contact forms, and live chat), their responses are hidden from prying eyes. For the most part, website security isn’t necessarily something visitors can detect. There’s usually no way of knowing whether a website has a firewall, anti-malware software, or even a spam blocker installed. With an SSL certificate, however, there is proof that the owner of the site has taken steps to protect visitors’ sensitive information. You’ve seen this before: a “Secure” notification in the address bar. In addition, if you click on the padlock and security label, you can see an expansion of details about why it’s worthy of that designation. When you click on the “Certificate (Valid)” link, you can actually see details about the SSL certificate. This will look a little different from browser to browser though. For instance, here is what our SSL certificate looks like in Safari: While there is a padlock that lets visitors know there’s some form of encryption protecting the site, it’s not as blatant as Google’s choice to paint it green, display the HTTPS part of the web address, and label it as “Secure”. But that’s why this July 2018 move is such a big deal. For websites without one, Google will explicitly post a “Not Secure” message in that spot. Do Law Firm Websites Need SSL Certificates?SSL certificates are meant to protect visitors that enter sensitive data into a website. But what if your law firm doesn’t collect anything other than a name and email address for the purposes of scheduling a free consultation? Is there anything worth protecting? Perhaps not. And, to be honest, some visitors might not even know to look for a “Secure” message and HTTPS address in their browser window. That said, for those concerned with security, they will know to look out for HTTPS. They may not necessarily understand the underlying technology that makes it secure, but they’ll recognize the green markers. And that’s part of why you need to do this. For the benefit of having such a recognizable trust mark on display. There are other benefits, too:
In sum: yes, your law firm website needs an SSL certificate. Even if it’s just to boost visitor confidence. How to Get an SSL Certificate for Your Website?The first thing to do is to understand the different types of SSL certificates you can get: Domain Validated (DV): This is the cheapest type of certificate. It basically just says you own a domain, you can provide proof that you do, and you want to encrypt it. You get the padlock, “Secure”, and HTTPS. Organization Validated (OV): This is the next tier of SSL certificate. This one requires that an actual agent reviews your domain, company name, and business information against government records to verify that you are indeed conducting business as you say you do. You get the padlock, “Secure”, and HTTPS. There isn’t an easy way to tell between this and a DV unless the visitor opens the “Certificate” link to see where it was issued from. Extended Validation (EV): This is the highest level of SSL certificate. Websites that get these must adhere to the strictest of standards. You get the padlock, “Secure”, HTTPS, and the official company name appears in green. Symantec is a good example of this: For law firms, the DV or OV SSL certificate is what you need. While it would be nice to go the extra mile, it’s really not worth it unless you’re processing payments on your website. In terms of where to get an SSL certificate, start first with your web hosting company or domain provider (if they’re not the same). SSL certificate add-ons are occasionally offered within hosting plans, so yours might already have one that’s inactive. If not, see about getting one added on and installed by your hosting company. It’s the easiest, fastest, and safest way to go about doing this. The post Why You Need to Get an SSL Certificate for Your Law Firm Website Before July 2018 appeared first on Trial Law Digital. via Blogger Why You Need to Get an SSL Certificate for Your Law Firm Website Before July 2018 Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is a wise investment for any law firm looking to make a strong impression with prospective clients in search. And, according to Google, there’s a lot of money to be made from those paid advertising efforts if you use Google AdWords. Google estimates that advertisers stand to earn $8 for every $1 spent in AdWords. That, of course, is assuming you have done everything you can to properly optimize your firm’s paid search ad campaign. And therein lies the problem. While Google does offer tools like AdWords Express and startup guides like this setup checklist to get business owners started, there is a tradeoff with those cheaper, quicker, and more hands-off options. But what exactly do you sacrifice when you allow Google to set up your AdWords account for you? And would it eventually pay off in the end? Let’s dig into why you should never let Google set up your AdWords account and what you can do instead that won’t leave you intimidated, disgruntled, or broke from the whole pay-per-click system. Why You Should Never Let Google Set Up Your AdWords AccountLook, it’s not as though Google is working against you and your law firm. In fact, they’re rooting for you to stay in business and to do well. Because the more success you see from your paid search advertising efforts, the more you’re going to use them—and that’s what keeps Google the #1 search engine. But think of the default AdWords account settings (or the AdWords Express service) the same way you would a casino. You dump all your money into the slots or lay it out on the poker table, only to allow the machine or luck of the draw to determine what your winnings are, if any. Why gamble with your law firm’s hard-earned money if there’s a tried-and-true way to do PPC marketing? What it ultimately boils down to is this: if you have the right AdWords account structure in place, you can win in search. But you need to take control of the game; you can’t allow the house to determine whether you win or lose. So, let’s talk about what actually makes for a good AdWords account structure and what can happen if you don’t set it up the right way. The Importance of an Optimized AdWords Account StructureIn an article written by Wayfair’s Brian Wood, he talks about how more search clicks are shifting from organic search results to paid. While his team’s findings pertain specifically to ecommerce companies trying to rank in search, the same likely holds true for local businesses—like your law firm—battling for the top spots in search. With so many paid ads occupying prime real estate at the top of search—especially on mobile devices which require users to scroll numerous times in order to even find organic listings—it’s important now more than ever to get a solid PPC program in place. PPC advertising is a fantastic way to drive traffic to your site as it ensures your law firm appears within the coveted top slots in search… but it will cost you. And this is why having an optimized AdWords account structure is essential. If you want to do AdWords the right way, then you need to have control over:
Without a well-thought-out structure in place, you risk allowing your ad budget to leak away on bad search matches. In other words, the more poorly your ads match with users, the more expensive it becomes to run your ads… and then what’s the point? Obviously, I don’t mean to disparage what Google has done here. They’ve given us a fantastic tool in AdWords. It’s just that the quick-and-dirty way of using it is totally ineffective and costly for companies like yours that want to make the most of their paid search investment. How to Make the Most of PPC AdvertisingAlright, so here’s the part where I talk about what you can do to make PPC advertising work for you. In other words, hire a PPC advertising agency with extensive experience handling paid search marketing campaigns for attorneys and law firms. Here are the 7 things you need to look for: Google PartnerThe very first thing to look for when shopping around for a search marketing agency is their Google Partner status. These individuals and agencies are trained by Google to become proficient experts in all matters related to advertising. Without entry into the Google Partner program, a marketing agency cannot become a certified expert in Google AdWords, so this is the very first thing that needs to be in place. And, if you’re curious about whether or not Trial Law Digital is a Google Partner, we are indeed. Specifically, we have attained Google Premier Partner status. Google AdWords CertificationNext, you’ll want to look for Google AdWords Certification. As Google Partners complete training in the various basic and advanced search modules available, they become accredited to offer those search marketing services to clients. With this certification in place, Google then acknowledges these partners as trusted experts. Trial Law Digital is currently certified in the following areas:
ExperienceOnce you have identified an agency as a certified Google partner and expert, it’s time to look over their qualifications. Every industry and business niche has a different way in which they win in search, which is why PPC advertising can be so difficult to do well. With the guidance of a marketing agency that has experience managing PPC advertising for lawyers, you’ll be in good hands. Trial Law Digital has experience managing AdWords campaigns for lawyers all over the country, with some budgets as small as $1,000 per month and others as large as $75,000 per month. We successfully manage multiple AdWords & Bing campaigns and have extensive experience managing campaigns for the following areas of practice:
CostObviously, if you’re already planning to spend a lot of money to get greater exposure in search, taking the cheap, automated route of letting Google set up your AdWords account might seem like the wise choice. However, as we’ve already discussed, Google doesn’t always have advertisers’ best interests in mind when devising these settings. Sure, you might make some money, but they won’t be the optimal settings to get you the biggest payoff for your efforts. If you work with Trial Law Digital, we offer flat fees starting at $1,000 for setup, and a flat 25% rate based on the total spend amount, so we keep costs predictable and manageable on your end. Ease of UseSimilar to the Google quick-setup option, working with an expert marketing agency makes the process of setting up and running PPC ad campaigns for your law firm a cinch. We understand your industry. We know what your audience is looking for. So, let us take care of making the most out of your PPC advertising campaigns. AnalyticsWhen you put your PPC advertising in the hands of a trusted third-party like Trial Law Digital, we take care of the analytical side of Google AdWords, too. This means integrating with your Google Analytics in order to track leads and conversions, as well as integrating call tracking with your website. ReportingAnd, of course, you want proof that the money you’re investing in paid search will net you that 8-for-1 return on investment, as Google estimated. When you work with Trial Law Digital, we take care of providing you with detailed reports that outline your campaign performance. In addition, we provide recommendations on how to improve your account setup in the coming months to maximize your campaign’s performance. What You Get When You Choose Trial Law DigitalRemember: Google is like a casino. Yes, they want you to win, but only enough so that you keep coming back for more. While it might seem like the economical choice to use their automated setup and services, you’re not going to see the best (or even very good) results if you go that route. If you want to get in front of new clients—and the right kinds of new clients who not only click on your ads, but also convert—then you need to work with a trusted partner who knows the Google paid search system inside and out. And that partner is Trial Law Digital. For those of you looking to get started with Trial Law Digital’s PPC Advertising services, give us a call today at (205) 451-3376. If you’re still on the fence and wondering what it is we can do for you, have a look at what you get with our PPC Advertising Services below. Trial Law Digital: PPC AdvertisingSetting Up Your AdWords Account By the time you’ve appointed us for PPC management, then we’ve already had an initial look at your website, your ad space competitors, and your search space, and will have developed a rough idea about your account structure in connection with giving you a PPC Quote. Appropriate PPC Campaign Structure The first step in the management engagement is to plan your initial PPC account structure in terms of campaigns. To do so, we have to know your overall ad budget, and forecast some costs per click for your account. So, if we haven’t already done so during the PPC Quote process, then we may ask you some questions, and possibly even ask you to complete a questionnaire initially. We also use our extensive library of law firm search marketing data to build out your campaigns quickly and efficiently. Preliminary Keyword List Once we’ve identified your PPC account structure, then we begin building a preliminary keyword list. Since we already have clients in quite a few industries, we may already have a pretty good idea about what keywords may work for you. Regardless, we customize a keyword list for you by analyzing your website, your competitors, and through our own research techniques. Optimal Ad Groups As we develop your keywords, we also begin categorizing the keywords into ad groups. Determining the appropriate ad groups for your account is critical to creating a successful campaign. We apply our research, judgement, and experience in determining which ad groups will work best for you. The final decisions for ad groups is always made by one of our most senior qualified PPC Professionals. Initial Keyword List Once we have established the appropriate ad groups for your account, then we begin buffing out the keywords within those ad groups. This generally involves increasing the number of keywords by a factor of 5x the preliminary lists. During this process we also develop a negative keyword list. Initial Ads Once the keyword research is done, and we fully understand the relative keyword values within each ad group as well as your competitors’ ad text, then we plan your positioning within your own ad space and begin writing your ads. Your own website will give us ideas for your ads. Aside from that, we have our own survey tools which help us catalog ads which have been used across the U.S. by similar companies. We write a minimum of four ads per ad group. This enables us to perform ad split testing as a means of improving your ad content over time. We often maintain themes for ads across ad groups; however, every ad within a single campaign is unique. Replication and Campaign Settings Once the work at the ad group level is completed then we may replicate ad groups across campaigns, if necessary, adjust your campaign-level settings and test all of your ads as the final step in setting up your new PPC account. Account Approval Depending on what we have agreed in advance for the PPC management engagement, once we have completed the setup, we may offer you a chance to review the account before turning on the campaigns. Activating your ads, requires entering your credit card information within your Google / Bing account. So, if we haven’t already done so, then this would be completed before your ads can run. With the increase in average CPCs over the last few years, you have to really be careful with your money. All the more reason to hire a team with experience! The post Why You Should Never Let Google Set Up Your AdWords Account appeared first on Trial Law Digital. via Blogger Why You Should Never Let Google Set Up Your AdWords Account As a lawyer, what would you say is your primary focus in the day to day? Do you look back on the previous failures of old cases and wonder what you could’ve done differently? Do you look ahead at your current cases and think, “I’ve been on a good streak here. We’ll probably win this next one too.”? Or do you focus on the process of gathering the facts, building your argument, and planning a counterattack against whatever gets thrown at you? In order to do what you do, you need to be able to think practically and be strategic in your approach. Without that sense of logic and order and control, you’d likely be too distracted by everything else swirling around you—and you can’t afford that. In fact, I’d argue that no one who’s serious about their business can afford that. This process-oriented approach to work is what’s known as process thinking. Process thinking is “a philosophy that emphasizes preparation and hard work over consideration of outcomes or results”. Now, that’s not to say that you don’t care what the verdict of your cases will be. Of course you do; that’s what motivates you to work so hard to defend your clients. But proponents of process thinking believe that focusing too much on that end result can detract from successfully getting there. This is something that’s used heavily in sports, thanks to coach Nick Saban, and it’s something I’d argue has a place in marketing, too. Proof That It’s the Process and Not the Results That Lead to SuccessOne of the more famous supporters and implementers of process thinking is Nick Saban. The story about how he came to develop “The Process” and change the face of college football is an interesting one. Before he became the coach at the University of Alabama (which also happens to be my alma mater), Saban coached for Michigan State University. As the team prepared for an upcoming game against the Ohio State Buckeyes, he turned to his friend Dr. Lionel Rosen, a psychiatry professor, for help. The players were nervous and their lack of confidence was showing. Saban wanted to see if there was anything Rosen could do to turn that around. This is when The Process was developed. “Rosen emphasized that the average play in the football game lasted about seven seconds. The players would concentrate only on winning those seconds, take a rest between plays, then do it all over again. There would be no focus at all on the scoreboard or on the end results.” Despite having a rough start to that game, Michigan State was able to systematically disable the Buckeyes through the use of Saban’s and Rosen’s “Process”. They stopped worrying about that final score and just focused on each play. In the end, they beat the Buckeyes, 28 to 24. As Saban moved on to work with other teams, he continued to find that The Process worked, so much so that he led the University of Alabama to three BCS championships and an SEC title many years later. Why You Shouldn’t Worry About the End Results in MarketingI often notice that lawyers (as well as many of the other clients I work with) struggle with this concept of process thinking in marketing. Which I totally get. You’re investing money in something that has to pay off in the end. And so it becomes stressful and you unintentionally focus on things like:
But as process thinking and Nick Saban’s history with his own “Process” have shown, you can’t afford to let your brain go there. And the reason for it is simple: thinking about the past or the future as you work on achieving a goal is futile. These distractors cause an emotional reaction, which can keep you from handling the task at hand. All you can do is take it step by step, day by day. Sure, it’s okay to glance up every now and again to make sure you’re still heading the right way, but then it’s time to put the blinders back on. I think lawyers are at an advantage when it comes to tackling online marketing with process thinking. It’s already in your nature to work this way. So, the next time you take a look at your marketing strategy, view it as you would a case. Think about how you can break it down into smaller, more logical, and more manageable pieces. Break up your website optimization based on top (e.g. speed, images, SEO, user flow). Handle the various phases of content creation separately. Spend time on specialized tasks like link building. Just keep in mind that the goal here is to give each task 100%. The marketing wins will follow.
The post Why You Shouldn’t Worry About the End Results in Marketing appeared first on . via Blogger Why You Shouldn’t Worry About the End Results in Marketing For as friendly a place Facebook has made itself for publishers like yourself, they certainly have a history of making the conditions under which you can thrive there more difficult. In 2015, they updated their algorithms based on user feedback, claiming that overly promotional posts from pages were intrusive to the experience of using Facebook. In 2016, they updated the algorithms again. This time it was to give priority to posts Facebook believed would elicit more interactions (namely, those from friends and family). In 2017, Facebook “quietly” tested an update to the algorithm that would push all non-promoted posts out of users’ news feeds and into a separate tab. After the swift and harsh feedback they received, they killed the initiative. Now, in 2018, Mark Zuckerberg has announced their latest update. While there is a lot of talk about wanting to improve people’s moods when using Facebook, what it boils down to is this: posts from business pages will be phased out almost entirely in favor of posts from friends and family. Keep reading to find out what this means for your law firm’s Facebook page and what you can do to make this social media platform a worthwhile form of marketing going forward. What Your Law Firm Should Do About the Latest Facebook Algorithm UpdateFacebook has been saying the same thing for years and it always boils down to the same point: “Our goal with News Feed has always been to show people the things they want to see. When people see content that’s relevant to them, they’re more likely to be engaged with News Feed, including stories from businesses.” However, what they’ve shown us is that stories from businesses are in fact receiving less and less engagement in the news feed… because they’re not appearing there anymore. Organically, anyway. With each new update to the algorithm, Facebook has essentially told businesses that they need to pay for sponsored posts since users don’t find their content relevant or inviting. But is that really the case with a business like yours that serves the public? If people have run into your firm on Facebook and actively liked and followed your page, then they must want to hear from you, right? Based on many users responding to Zuckerberg’s announcement, it looks like both consumers and business page owners are concerned about this very point. Scott Ayres did a good job of summarizing this: “Businesses built this platform and made it what it is. You’re taking that away more and more every day. Those businesses are also users, don’t forget that. Also small businesses are like friends in little towns. Pages by the Police department, schools, chamber of commerce, city, etc. are super important to see. To squash their Reach and make them pay doesn’t make sense. You need to rethink this.” Regardless of how Facebook consumers feel about this, Facebook is not likely to reverse course on this decision or algorithm update which means your law firm needs to take steps to keep it from severely affecting your marketing efforts. If Facebook is telling you that your content needs to be more meaningful and engagement-worthy, then that’s exactly what you need to do. Here are seven ways in which you can reshape your Facebook marketing efforts in the face of these changes: 1. Continue Using FacebookEven if you struggle to get users to find your content organically in the news feed, your Facebook page is a strong authority in search when users are looking for local law firms. 2. Get Client ReviewsEncourage your clients to leave reviews of your law firm on your Facebook page as well. Those reviews, again, will help your firm show up in local search results. 3. Be TransparentYou won’t want to beg or entice your followers to engage with your posts as that could work against you. Simply remind them about the changes to the news feed and let them know that if they want to continue seeing updates from you that they can set you as a preferred contact in Facebook. 4. Be Mindful About What You ShareFacebook conducted a study with Carnegie Mellon University that revealed that users felt better about using Facebook when they actively engaged with others. If your post is only meant to promote your firm or is completely irrelevant to your followers, don’t share it. 5. Interact MoreRather than share more content in the hopes of breaking through news feeds, take more time this year to interact with others on Facebook and develop meaningful connections that way. You can discuss topics that your firm specializes in covering or you can provide answers to questions that you’re an authority on. 6. Use Live VideoFacebook says that “live videos on average get six times as many interactions as regular videos.” If they want to see more engagement, this is a great way to do that. 7. Pay to PlayUntil the reconfiguration of your Facebook strategy through the above methods doesn’t work or takes a while to kick in (which may be the case), think about moving some of your paid marketing funds over to Facebook. It’ll give you the initial exposure you need to show new and old followers that your posts are worthy of reading and engagement. Wrapping UpThis is likely to be very frustrating news for you as a local business owner and marketer. Facebook has always promised to be business-friendly, but more and more are making it too difficult to do so unless you’re willing to pay to play. It might not seem fair at the moment, but with an honest and thoughtful marketing strategy implemented, you can circumnavigate your way around these structures working against you. The post Facebook Is Changing Its Algorithm Again… And It’s Not in Your Favor appeared first on . via Blogger Facebook Is Changing Its Algorithm Again… And It’s Not in Your Favor Law firms face new challenges marketing their organizations. Online competition is fierce, suggesting lawyers need to consider going beyond the basics to garner a greater share of the potential client pool in their area. But, what steps really need to be taken in order to attract prospective clients with a law firm’s website? We Define Your GoalsWebsite advertising is, in many ways, no different than any other form of advertising. Before spending a great deal of money on a website that doesn’t deliver the desired results, start with the basics. A preliminary step many organizations disregard is developing goals and determining what steps are necessary to achieve those goals. Search engine optimization (SEO) experts routinely agree law firms, like other businesses, need to determine what their short- and long-term goals are before spending money on a website. We Understand the Unique Problems Facing Law FirmsSEO professionals don’t all have the expertise to develop and maintain websites for law firms. While generic designs are commonly used by some law firms, every category of business has unique characteristics setting it apart from other types of businesses. That’s why law firms need an ally who understands the nuances of lawyers’ websites and what types of design features are likely to provide the return on investment expected. Style is ImportantWhile some websites are too garish, others are too plain. SEO experts focusing on websites for attorneys understand there’s a balance that must be found between garish and bland for a site to attract potential clients. By working closely with SEO professionals, lawyers can define their needs and let the design experts take it from there. If changes prove to be needed, the site designers can make any modifications needed. Focus on Local MarketsMost law firms tend to deal with local clients rather than those in distant cities. That means the SEO efforts need to focus on attracting potential clients in the immediate area. SEO experts routinely explain to clients that specific strategies must be implemented to attract local clients. That’s done using location-specific keywords and keyword phrases as well as other tools necessary for sites to get to that all-important first page of results when potential clients search for an attorney. Content is Still King … But It Also Needs Marketing StrategyLocal SEO professionals understand how the algorithms used by Google and the other search engines work and encourage clients to use content the search engines want to see. Google emphatically demands websites be relevant and easy to navigate. They also demand that a site’s content be updated frequently. The question then becomes, how can that best be accomplished? First, the rules are always changing, which means a site that ranks highly today might well flounder next month if search engine ranking techniques change. That’s why a “one-and-done” approach to building a website simply doesn’t work anymore. Updating is vital to retain a high ranking, and there are some excellent strategies for staying on top of the rankings. • Use blogs to keep site visitors informed • Videos are now a virtual necessity for sites seeking top ranking spots • Interactive content and question/answer formats are encouraged • FAQ areas are always popular However, SEO experts working with attorneys recommend their clients don’t adopt strategies they won’t be able to keep up with. That means refreshing content must be done religiously to obtain the best results. SEO professionals work closely with clients to tailor their sites to best meet their needs and capabilities. Stay On Top of Current Social Media TrendsThe very way people communicate and do business is evolving rapidly. Tools like email are still used but are rapidly being supplanted by social media. Facebook is, of course, one of the top social media sites, but Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr and a host of others are also popular and should be considered as a valuable tool for attorneys seeking new clients. Not all social media sites are ideal for attracting specific types of clients. The trends are rapidly changing, which means the use of social media must be carefully tailored to meet a specific client’s needs. That’s only one area where the expertise of SEO professionals is vitally important. Link Building Can’t Be NeglectedTop SEO experts will always discuss link-building strategies with clients, as solid links to relevant sites are a great tool for expanding a firm’s exposure in a specific area. Since poor-quality links can actually damage the credibility of a site and threaten its search engine rankings, this isn’t a task to take lightly. Professionals understand how to create effective links to enhance a site’s value. Following Up to Improve a Site’s PerformanceSuccessful sites for law firms generally include quite a bit of content. Some content will always be better at meeting the firm’s goals while other content may need to be improved or replaced. The only way to determine how a site can be improved is to take advantage of SEO reporting and analytics. That’s another reason working with SEO experts is crucial, as doing so provides access to the data needed to truly grasp what elements of a site work and which ones don’t. When a problem is identified, SEO professionals work with clients to explore alternatives that could improve the site’s performance and, at the same time, the firm’s bottom line. For example, users are rapidly transitioning to using portable devices rather than laptop or desktop computers. If a site isn’t mobile-friendly, those users are likely to quickly move on to a site that is. Analytics help to identify many types of issues that can negatively impact a site, which allows site owners to take steps to eliminate those issues. Getting StartedLocal SEO provides a solution for lawyers searching for ways to enhance their businesses. Quality websites are definitely a way to accomplish that objective, but developing a site that will rank at the top of the search engines isn’t a simple process. We’re here to make the process easier both today and as client demands change in the future. To get started, contact our team of experts today. The post Challenges and Solutions for Law Firm Websites appeared first on . via Blogger Challenges and Solutions for Law Firm Websites |