Lawyers throw money into many different ways to advertise their services.  This includes on the television, radio, yellow pages, with bar associations, and on the internet.  But not all of these ways are effective, and many of them are a waste.  This is particularly true for small firms or firms in saturated markets.  Thus, the best medium for a lawyer to advertise in these markets is one that gives them the most bang for their buck–the most exposure per dollar.

So what medium is best for lawyers to spend money on?

The internet.  A recent study found that the internet is the most popular way to find a lawyer.  The number of individuals using the internet to find lawyers has grown more than five times what it was in 2005.

In fact, study participants also use the internet to research a lawyer before hiring them more often than any other method.  Thus, not only are consumers using the internet to find a lawyer, they are using the internet to review, compare, and ultimately make a decision on retaining the lawyer.  This stresses the importance of internet marketing over television, radio, and traditional print advertising methods.

The study was performed by FindLaw, a division of Thomson Reuters, and found that 38% of study participants used the internet to find a lawyer.  Another 29% would ask a friend or relative, and 10% would consult a local bar association.  Only 4% would use the Yellow pages.

Lawyers can really benefit by working with the growth of the internet, particularly in light that it is the most popular way to find a lawyer.  Legal blogs especially can really help lawyers focus on their target audience as opposed to indiscriminate marketing.  Law firms in saturated markets–particularly markets where some firms have almost a monopoly on television marketing–can still execute successful advertising campaigns by tapping into the internet and using legal blogs to their advantage.

Plus legal blogs are cheaper than other marketing mediums.  Most web service providers will charge approximately $100 to $150 dollars for three years to run a website.  The content you add to the legal blog is all generated by your own staff, particularly other attorneys, summer associates, or law clerks/law students working at your firm. This means the work can be performed for free after hours or as different assignments to current employees.

However, sometimes a law practice is too busy to devote time to drafting legal content for the law firm blog.  This is where a legal content writer comes into play.  Sometimes a legal content writer can be cost-prohibitive, particularly for small firms.  Some legal content writers charge $60, $75, or even $100 or more for a single legal blog post, usually between 450 and 600 words.  Many times these are written by non-attorneys or refer to current events in other states.

We have seen some competitors draft blog posts about a deadly Houston, Texas Car Accident for a New York City law firm–that is guaranteed to not only attract fewer search engine hits, but will also turn away those who do click on the link because it is irrelevant.  Remember, not only is the internet the most popular way to find a lawyer, but it is also one of the most common ways to research a lawyer before hiring him or her.  Thus, posts that are irrelevant or from another jurisdiction will not impress readers!

Here at NAB Legal Marketing, LLC, all of our writers are attorneys–including the founder and managing member who is a civil litigator and appellate attorney practicing personal injury law.  The price of our blog posts is commensurate with length, with our 450 word blog posts frequently costing $35 or less!  Thus, our services are equally as affordable for smaller law firms hoping to increase their web presence because the internet is the most popular way to find a lawyer.  We also draft practice area pages and build basic legal websites.

For more information, please contact us by filling out the convenient form below or visiting our contact us page available here.