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Legal Internet Marketing & Search Engine Optimization. Why SLS Consulting is the Answer to all of your Internet Marketing Problems! By Susan L. Sipe, President Prepared by Heather Snyder. What Good Is A Web Site?.
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Legal Internet Marketing & Search Engine Optimization Why SLS Consulting is the Answer to all of your Internet Marketing Problems! By Susan L. Sipe, President Prepared by Heather Snyder
What Good Is A Web Site? • Millions of people use the Internet now as their main source of information. • Law Students do most of their research online. • A web site can do more than provide facts and figures; it can offer a window to prospective clients and job applicants into your firm’s history, culture and values.
What Good Is A Web Site? • Think of a web site as an online firm brochure or Internet business card, instead of considering it as advertising. • In this day and age, you can’t afford NOT to have a good web site. Our society is so web savvy that it is an “expected courtesy” to have a web site to offer information about the firm and its lawyers.
What Good Is A Web Site? • Three quarters (3/4) of all law firms have a web site. If you don’t have one, you are invisible to those people who are using the Internet as their source for information. But…a bad web site is worse than no web site at all.
Examples of Search Numbers from May 2006 • Attorney: 1,870,410 • Lawyer: 369,222 • Personal Injury Lawyer: 72,654 • Personal Injury Attorney: 71,001
What is a Good Web Site? There are many components to having a “good” web site. In Internet Marketing (whether you decide to aggressively market your site or not) content is King. Your content should accomplish the following:
A Good Web Site… • Describes the firm and portrays its values and history, • Describes the areas of law the firm accepts cases in, • Lists the qualifications and accomplishments of the firm’s lawyers, • Lists and gives access to all firm publications and articles, and • Gives updates or advice on current legal issues.
Your Web Site Should Also… • Look Professional • Be User Friendly • Be consistent with other firm marketing • Have readable text and minimal graphics • Have proper keywords and descriptions
Your Web Site Should Also… • Have no broken links • Be kept up to date • Offer an online contact form and alternate contact information • Be in keeping with your State Bar’s Rules for Lawyer Advertising
To Market or Not To Market Your Web Site? • There is no rule that says that if you have a web site, that you must use it as part of your advertising or client development strategy. • Some firms use their web site for informational purposes only and others use their sites to aggressively market their firms online in place of, or in addition to traditional methods.
To Market or Not To Market Your Web Site? • The traditional methods of marketing a law practice (i.e. yellow pages, radio, television, print media) are becoming more expensive and less effective. • Even firms who rely on referrals as their main source of new clients should consider having a web site.
To Market or Not To Market Your Web Site? • Even if a prospective client is referred to a particular law firm, they may want to do their own investigation and the Internet puts that information, literally, at their fingertips.
Is Internet Marketing Cost Effective for Lawyers? Online marketing CAN BE the most cost effective method to market your law practice, if it is done with the correct tools and knowledge.
Is Internet Marketing Cost Effective for Lawyers • Depending upon the size of your firm, your budget and your goals for your site, you can get a web site designed for anywhere between $5,000.00 and $100,000.00, depending on what your needs are. • You can also purchase advertising spots for much less than most traditional ads.
Is Internet Marketing Cost Effective for Lawyers? Important things you should consider before beginning an Internet Marketing campaign: • What can you afford to spend? • What are your goals? • Realistically, how soon do you expect to attain those goals?
Is Internet Marketing Cost Effective for Lawyers? Do your homework: • Do Internet searches and see what lawyers or law firms come up in your search results, then call those lawyers or their marketing personnel and get some ideas.
Is Internet Marketing Cost Effective for Lawyers? More homework… • Get quotes from different companies who build websites and compare them. You wouldn’t go out and buy an expensive automobile without researching, so why would you purchase online advertising without finding out if it is worth it?
Is Internet Marketing Cost Effective for Lawyers? One of the most important things about the Internet is…you can set your budget, big or small, and still be effective. The Internet levels the playing field of lawyer marketing and gives new firms the same opportunities as the firms that were established 100 years ago.
Is Internet Marketing Cost Effective for Lawyers? Done properly, your Internet marketing campaign can… • Improve your image, • Increase your client base, • Improve your client relationships, …all within your pre-determined budget.
What Types of Internet Marketing Can I Purchase? Finding your way through the Internet marketing maze is sometimes difficult. There are many forms of online marketing available to lawyers and law firms.
Types of Internet Marketing… • Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – Optimizing your web site so that it is more easily found on the search engines.
Types of Internet Marketing… • Legal Portal Sites (Attorney Directories) – Legal web sites where you can purchase a geographic and practice area specific listing and take advantage of the marketing the portal is engaging in to bring more qualified traffic to your site.
Types of Internet Marketing… • Banner Advertising – Purchasing banner rotation ads on the search engines or other legal portals – usually on a cost per impression basis
Types of Internet Marketing… • Keyword Bidding – Search engines that let you bid on your desired keywords and placements and paid on a pay-per-click basis. • Keyword Purchasing – Flat fee, pay-per-click traffic.
Conclusion If you take your time and do it right, launching and maintaining a law firm Web site can… • Heighten your firm’s visibility • Increase your client base • Improve client relationships All while maintaining your budget.
Conclusion Continued… • Planning and forethought are keys to doing it right, • Don’t blow your budget on designing your Web site, leaving nothing to market it with, • Do your homework and plan your Web site strategy as thoroughly as you would your trial strategy.
Conclusion Continued… Your Web site strategy is your doorway to your firm’s future – pass through it wisely.
