Attorney Blogging

For years, guest blogging was promoted as a way to get inbound links to your site, increasing visibility with the blog’s readers and also with the search engines. If you have a website, you’ve probably been contacted by a professional (in all likelihood, an SEO consultant acting on behalf of the professional) offering to share his or her expertise on your blog; they promise a high-quality, original post for absolutely nothing. What’s the catch you ask? 

Most law firms want their sites to rank better with the search engines. In discussing SEO, we consistently preach the power of a dynamic content strategy, recommending that attorneys add fresh content on a regular basis. One way to do this is by setting up a blog and posting to it frequently. On many occasions, we’ve had clients ask us what they can do to optimize their blog posts for the search engines. In truth, if you’re writing your blog posts for the search engines, you’re doing it all wrong. If you want a successful blog that helps to increase your visibility on the web, consider the following:

In the words of Winston Churchill, “he who fails to plan is planning to fail”. This is most definitely the case when it comes to online marketing and the implementation of a dynamic content strategy. We see it all the time: a law firm launches a new website and is diligent about adding new content on a regular basis because they know this will help with SEO and make an all around better experience for their site visitors. But then life and the practice of law gets in the way. Suddenly bi-weekly posts turn into bi-monthly posts and as you can imagine, dwindle down to just a handful of new articles per year. Unfortunately, when your content strategy falls to the backburner, your web presence also takes a hit. When it comes to carrying out an effective ongoing content campaign, a bit of planning and brainstorming can make all the difference, allowing you to keep up even during the business times of the year.

Is it better to have your attorney blog integrated into your law firm’s website or kept separately?

With the rise in popularity of attorney blogging, we are frequently asked this question. In order to determine whether or not your blog should be included as part of your law firm’s website, you must first identify your reasons for blogging and the goals you ultimately wish to achieve by maintaining an active blog.

Let’s be honest, blogging is hard work. It takes time, effort and creativity. And after all of this hard work, you want something to show for it--new business, increased visibility and maybe even some guest blog requests. Or at the very least, you want readers and lots of them.  So how does your law firm get more blog readers and subscribers?

Automatically subscribe new clients to your blog recipients list. You are probably reading this and grumbling that not all of your clients are interested in your blog posts. And you’re probably right. A handful of them won’t be but that shouldn’t stop you from trying.  Almost all blogging platforms give users the option to easily unsubscribe so if they’re not enjoying your posts, they can opt out of future emails.

More likely than not though, your clients will enjoy receiving notice of your recent blog entries—they did after all hire you as their attorney so most will be interested in hearing what you have to say. Make it common practice to subscribe new clients as soon as you receive their contact information.

Include a link to your blog in your email signature. Take a look at your sent box right now. In the past three hours, you’ve probably sent out over 30 messages to clients, colleagues, vendors, your local bar association’s listserv and prospects. What a great, free way to advertise your work without appearing pushy.

Take advantage of all of your social media networks. Tweet about your blog entry, post it as a note on Facebook and make sure that the blog feed is working with your LinkedIn account. Promoting your blog on social networks is great because it gives readers the option to check it out without leaving their comfort zone. If they like what they see consistently, they are more likely to head to your site and subscribe for future posts.

Also, be sure to integrate social media sharing tools into your blog platform. Visitors who check out your blog posts should be able to easily share your work with their friends and followers as well. Minimal effort on their part means more visibility for your firm.
 
Be interesting and dare we even say it, controversial.  If you want people to read your blog and come back for more, then your posts better be good, always. Make them interesting and timely. No one wants to read about yesterday’s news.

To really gain traction and get noticed, however, you will sometimes have to go beyond just interesting, you’ll have to be controversial. Don’t be afraid to speak your mind about that new city school board policy or ABA section recommendation. Let it all hang out and you will be surprised to learn just how many people start caring about what you have to say.

And please bloggers, infuse humor. Everyone- prospects, clients and colleagues alike enjoy a good chuckle. In fact, if you did a survey of the videos and stories that went viral over the past year, you’d find that the overwhelming majority were either controversial or comical because that is what attracts attention. Use these elements in your blog to command attention and fascinate readers.
 

By now, most attorneys and website owners know that they should be blogging.  Many take to the task with great enthusiasm, writing several posts a week but few sustain this zeal as time passes. In fact, research shows that 45 percent of all bloggers stop blogging within three months.  

Now we know exactly why this drop occurs; in fact, we’ve probably heard every excuse in the book—“with so many clients and court dates, there is not enough time to write blog entries”, “the posts are not generating new business”,  “writer’s block is holding me back.” For these reasons and so many more, attorneys often stop blogging before they’ve even hit their stride and as a result, few see the true benefits of active blogging.

To help you keep your blog mojo, we’ve compiled a list of the top five reasons you NEED to keep blogging. Post it on your desk, make it your computer background or place it on the fridge—wherever it will best serve as motivation to get you writing.

Better Search Results - The more you blog, the better your site will do in the search rankings—it’s that simple. If your site is doing better with Google, you’re going to get more leads from the web.

Showcase Personality & Expertise - In the world of law firm websites, you need something that will set you apart from your competitors. Your informative, insightful and witty blog entries can do just that.  Active bloggers often have prospective clients, fellow advisors and even media outlets engage with them based on blog posts alone.

Stay Connected - Let’s be honest, most practices of law do not lend themselves well to ongoing relationships with clients once the legal work at hand has been completed. In fact, with far too many areas, clients associate their legal experience with a negative time whether it be bankruptcy, divorce or injury. Regular emails to clients with blog entries can actually change this dynamic and keep the relationship intact so that they positively remember your firm when it is time to refer a friend or their next legal matter arises.
 
Strengthen Your Research & Writing Skills - When most of our clients begin blogging, they are concerned with the writing style, subject matter and tone of posts. Blog entries need not be overly formal like law journal articles.  In fact, a more casual tone infuses more of your personality and is less intimidating to readers, many of whom may not be professionals.  The only way to conquer your fear of this more casual approach is to blog and blog often! Overtime, this style of writing will become second nature and may also translate into other areas of practice where personality can be key such as client correspondence.
 
Social Interaction - One of the greatest benefits of blogging, is that it makes you a part of a much bigger social media community. Blogging encourages reader comments and fosters an exchange of ideas which often lead to stronger relationships, online and off. Bloggers tend to actively read blogs with a similar focus so posting regularly can establish you as an authority in your practice area, leading attorneys and advisors from around the country to engage with you and your firm.

As social media continues to grow in popularity and the web further infiltrates daily life (have you heard about Google TV?), you can’t afford to quit blogging. So if you’re struggling, keep at it and remember blogging isn’t a track meet, it’s a marathon.
 

It is easy for attorneys who blog frequently to suffer from writers block. If you are feeling a bit stuck in finding a new topic to feature, you may consider turning to one of the following sources for inspiration:

• News stories: You don't have to create a story or rely on past anecdotes each and every time you blog. Instead turn to popular news sources for inspiration. As a matrimonial lawyer, you might write on a celebrity's divorce proceedings to inform clients about various aspects of the law and how they apply in real life cases. Following a news story provides relevant and fresh information on your areas of practice.
   
• Other Blogs: Of course you do not want to replicate the content but browsing other attorney blogs may provide inspiration for an entry on your site. There are millions of attorney blogs to peruse so you won't run out of inspiration anytime soon.
   
• Attorney Listservs: Many professional organizations offer listservs for their members which allow them to exchange ideas and information related to their areas of practices. Many times, these group conversations raise some interesting ideas which can be translated into fascinating blog posts.
   
• Past hits: Review your older blog posts. You might find that one really stands out in the number of comments it received. If this is the case, you might revisit that topic with a new spin. Old favorites can definitely be revitalized and can be just as popular the second time around.
   
• Client inquiries: Your clients regularly turn to you for legal assistance. And you can be sure that if one or two call with a specific question, more of your other clients have probably wondered about it too. Compile a list of the most common questions and use these client concerns or questions as a starting point.

Maintaining a blog is no easy task but with constant developments in the law and frequent contact with your client base, it is certainly one which can be tackled creatively. If you ever have questions about your firm’s blog, we encourage you to contact our attorney marketing experts.
 

Blogging can be a great way to deliver information to your firm's website visitors and keep an ongoing relationship with your current clients even when you are not actively handling their legal matters.  Amicus Creative’s Blog Management system makes blogging easy, allowing you to add a new blog post in just a couple of minutes.

To further improve this feature and increase blog exposure on your attorney website, Amicus Creative has created a blog module which automatically displays the titles with respective links to your three most recent blog entries on every page throughout your website. This new capability draws attention to your blog updates as soon as a user lands on your site. There is no extra charge for this feature and we can have it added to your site in just a few minutes.

To learn more about our new home page blog module or to have it added to your Amicus Creative website, contact us today.

This week representatives from Amicus Creative will be visiting Amelia Island, Florida for the Annual National Association of Estate Planners & Councils (NAEPC) Conference. Our team members will be on hand to discuss our services and give you a demonstration of our user-friendly Site Manager which allows your law firm to easily manage your website.

With a plethora of content on Estate Planning, Asset Protection, Special Needs Planning, Probate and Estate Administration, Elder Law and Veteran's Benefits, Amicus Creative is well equipped to meet the needs of Estate Planning Attorneys. Additionally, we offer interactive website tools like the Estate Tax Calculator and Attorney Blogging system which keep potential and current clients coming back to your firm's site. 

LegalVault, our advanced document storage system can also be incorporated seamlessly into your firm’s website. With 24/7 access to all their most important documents, this unique feature will give your clients peace of mind while ensuring your firm remains at the forefront of providing premium client service.

We look forward to seeing you in Florida!

The legal team at Amicus Creative Media has been hard at work adding new legal content to our practice area library. Our newest content additions include Criminal Defense, DWI Defense, Immigration (Deportation Defense, I-9 Compliance, Temporary Visas, attaining Permanent Residence status), Civil Litigation and Employment Law. In the upcoming weeks, we will be expanding our content library even more adding information on Family Law, Matrimonial Matters and Guardianships. As a client of Amicus Creative, you are always entitled to use our content at no extra charge. We encourage you to log into the Site Manager today and see all of the new material which Amicus Creative has to offer!

Over the past few years, legal weblogs, also referred to as blogs, have become increasingly popular as a medium through which individuals can communicate their thoughts on a wide array of issues. When utilized correctly, your law blog can help you attract new clients, keep you connected to current clients, establish you as an authority in your respective areas of practice and assist with search engine optimization. Below we have provided you with some tips on the ins and outs of maintaining a successful blog.

Blog Topics
First and foremost, your blog entries and the topics they cover should be interesting.  You may wish to use local or national news stories to highlight the need for your services. For example, if you are an estate planning attorney, you might post a blog entry about a celebrity death and the aftermath as it relates to their estate plan. If you are an elder law attorney, you may wish to track a proposed law concerning Medicare as it makes its way through the House and Senate detailing the implications for your clients. 

It is important to note that blog entries are not intended to be scholarly pieces. Instead, they allow you to reflect on a certain issue and express your professional opinion on the matter.  As you write these entries, let your own voice be heard. Your site should serve as a place where potential clients can get a good feel of who you are and what you have to offer; your blog can help convey both your expertise and personality.

To encourage people to read these posts, you should keep them short. At times it is okay to write a lengthier piece, when the subject matter requires a more thorough discussion, but this should not be the norm with all blog entries.

How Often
The success of your blog lies not only in the quality of your blog entries but also in how frequently you post new content to the page. With your law blog, be regular.  You should try to write at least once or twice a week.  Finding time to write can be difficult so it might be a wise decision to schedule in one or two spots throughout the week to sit down and tackle new blog entries.

As professionals, you stay up-to-date on developments within your field. Use the Amicus Creative Blogging System to share this knowledge with others and make more contacts with individuals interested in your work. Visitors can subscribe via email to automatically be notified of new blog entries. More sophisticated subscribers can use the RSS feature.