For the most part, law firm marketing is stuck in the 90s, if not the 80s. Few law firms have figured out how to properly use their websites for marketing purposes and those that are using their websites the right way are reaping the benefits, leaving other firms in the dust. The worst part is, the other firms don’t even realize they’ve been left behind.

An article in the National Law Review proclaimed that, “Modern law firm websites are not really marketing tools.” In a way, the article is right- most law firms’ websites are not used as marketing tools. The sad truth is, the fact that law firm websites can’t be marketing tools is a common belief among most law firms, but they, and the article author, couldn’t be more wrong. Law firms would much rather use old and outdated marketing techniques (*cough* TV commercials and print marketing *cough*) than admit it’s time to change.

The modern marketing way of business development and attracting new clients is through content: blogs, videos, podcasts, infographics, and more. Think about it- technology has changed where our attention is. People these days spend hours on their phones consuming content, even while they are watching TV or on the computer. That’s where law firms need to be, but they’re wasting their time and money on marketing that use to work, but no longer does.

Law firms need to create a content marketing strategy, beginning with their website. A good content marketing strategy drives people to the site for information, not just attorney bios, practice areas, and an “about us” page that’s way too long.

When someone needs an attorney, regardless of the type of attorney they need, the first thing they do is Google the issue they are experiencing. By empowering your attorneys to create content targeted towards your ideal clients, that content will be at the top of Google search results. The more content you have, the more “authority” you create and better you position your firm as “thought leaders” in the field/practice area.

Lots of firms spend lots of money on Google Ads (Google Keywords related to attorneys are some of the most expensive and competitive keywords there are, next to insurance and diamonds). Wouldn’t you rather your firm appear in the Google search results without having to pay a lot of money for it? That’s why you need a content marketing strategy.

Law firms need to forget the old way of doing things, forget the “this is how we’ve always done it” mindset, and go where everyone’s attention has gone- online. Having a strong content marketing strategy automatically puts you ahead of your competition and they don’t even realize it because they’re still doing the some old school and outdated marketing they’ve always done.

For help creating a content marketing strategy that works for your law firm, contact Cognicom Media today. We have years of experience helping law firms grow their business through content creation, build thought leadership, and get noticed on the national scale.