This article is written by Nishka Kamath. It is an endeavour to enlighten lawyers, legal professionals, owners of law firms and other such legal business organisations and companies about the importance of digital marketing in India. Every aspect, ranging from SEO, content marketing, email marketing, social media marketing, online reviews and reputation management, web design and user experience, is discussed in detail. Further, the most important point in digital marketing- whether it is allowed or not, is discussed at the very beginning. Furthermore, other points like what is digital marketing, the benefits of digital marketing, why it is important for lawyers to choose digital marketing as a form of marketing, etc., have been discussed in brief. Moreover, there are some frequently asked questions (FAQs) at the very end of this article.

Introduction 

In this technologically driven era, digitalisation has permeated almost every aspect of human lives and businesses and law firms and legal organisations are no alien to this concept. In this ever so quickly growing landscape, having a solid digital presence has become quite important. This can be for numerous reasons, ranging from-

1. Brand awareness;
2. Visibility of the websites and social media handles;
3. Reputation management; or
4. Overall growth of the firm.

Digital marketing has also started to become the core of business development strategy for several law firms. Furthermore, there was a survey of about 20 law firms wherein efforts were put in to access these firm’s digital efforts (including metrics like LinkedIn engagement, reviews, etc.) one must note that the top 5 firms who demonstrated exceptional digital efforts were:

1. Khaitan & Co., 
2. Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas, 
3. Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, 
4. AZB & Partners, and 
5. Trilegal.

If you as a lawyer, legal professional or owner of a lawyer are intrigued as to how they did this and what all metrics can you use to enhance the credibility and visibility of your website, you have landed on the perfect page! This article will discuss it all! So, let’s begin!

What is digital marketing

In simple terms, marketing of a brand with the help of the internet or web and other types of digital interactions to reach out to old clients and attract new potential clients is known as digital marketing. This term is also referred to as ‘online marketing’. Email marketing, local networks and digital advertisements are some of the instances of marketing channels. 

Digital marketing and advertisement in India for individuals in the legal domain : allowed or not

Before we begin reading about the importance of digital marketing for Indian individuals in legal domains, it is essential that one knows about the rules set by BCI (Bar Council of India) in terms of advertisements and promoting one’s legal services and law firm online.

Ban on advertisement

The ban on advertisements in India for legal professionals is a concept derived from the UK, where the legal profession is regarded to be quite a noble profession and commercialising it via promoting ads is a big no-no. Doing so is considered to be dishonourable and may also result in unfair practices.

Rules and regulations that restrict ads for individuals from the legal domain 

The Advocates Act, 1961

Section 48(1)(h) of the Advocates Act, 1961, provides BCI the authority to enact rules relating to the professional conduct and etiquette of advocates. This law provides the grounds for an advertising ban in India.

Rule 36 of BCI Rules

Rule 36 of the Bar Council of India Rules explicitly mentions that advocates are not allowed to solicit work or advertise their services in any way. It states that an advocate cannot perform the following activities:

1. Publishing legal advertisements or endorsements in newspapers, periodicals, brochures, or other media platforms. 
2. Solstice works through direct or indirect methods, including touting or personal canvassing.
3. Offer legal advice through advertising or public pronouncements.

Repercussions of violating the Rules and regulations

Disciplinary actions

The BCI can initiate disciplinary actions if an advocate or lawyer is found to have violated Rule 36. The proof of such violation must be in the public domain via newspaper ads, social media posts, flyers, etc.

Punishments

Depending on how severe the offence is, the BCI can decide on one of the following punishments:

Reprimand

The BCI can issue a formal warning that highlights the misconduct and how it is crucial that rules and regulations be followed by all.

Suspending practice

The licence of the individual who has infringed upon such rules may be suspended for a specific time period, thus preventing them from taking on new clients.

Disbarment

If the offence is heinous (and only in extreme circumstances) or if there has been repeated violations or egregious misconduct, the BCI can cancel the licence of that individual permanently thereby disbarring them from practising law ever.

Case laws on advertising for individuals in the legal domain 

Madras Bar Association vs. Union Of India & Anr. (2014) AIR 2015 SC (CIVIL) 1154

In this landmark judgement, the Hon’ble Supreme Court held that the BCI has the power to regulate advertising for individuals in the legal domain. However, the Court also stated that lawyers could have a website that has basic information about their education, qualifications, areas of practice, and contact details.

V. B. Joshi vs. Union of India [Writ Petition (Civil) no. 532 of 2000]

The BCI, in 2008, through this case made amends in Rule 36 of the BCI Rules by a Resolution. In a writ petition filed by V. B. Joshi, the prohibition imposed by Rule 36 was questioned. The Rules were liberalised which allowed lawyers and legal fraternity to publicise themselves and give subtle details relating to their profession. Thus, after the amendment, legal practitioners were permitted to provide credentials like their ‘names, PQE (Post Qualification Experience), areas of expertise, personal details’ on websites.

Ram Niwas Sharma, Advocate Petitioner vs. State Of Haryana (2003) 

In this case, Punjab & Haryana High Court held that the legal profession is noble and not a trade or commerce. So, advocates must work to serve justice to clients within the legally permissible limits.

Indian Council of Legal Aid & Advice, vs. Bar Council Of India & Anr. (1995)1995 AIR 691

In this case, the Supreme Court illuminated the advertising ban that extends to soliciting work through third parties. It also highlighted the BCI’s commitment to upholding professional ethics and preventing any sort of illegal practices.

C.D. Sekkizhar vs. Secretary, Bar Council, Madras And Ors. (1966) AIR 1967 MADRAS 35

In this case, the Madras High Court made an assertion that it was improper for an advocate to endorse their work as it can cause jealousy and was not very much a suitable option when it comes to such a noble profession. 

Government Pleader vs. S.A. Pleader (1929) AIR 1929 BOMBAY 335

In this case, the Bombay High Court stated that a lawyer sending a postcard that encompasses his name, address and description will be considered to be an advertisement and the individual performing such acts would be held liable for infringing advocate’s professional code.

Exceptions to the advertisement ban rule

Since time immemorial, the general principle that advertisement for individuals in legal domain is banned in India stays in place, there have been some relaxations that talk about the evolving nature of communication, especially in this technologically driven, digital age. You may wonder, are advocates and legal professionals even allowed to advertise in India with few limitations. Well, the answer is ‘yes’. Now, let us look into some of these exceptions. 

Digital footprint

The amendment was carried out in 2008 (to Rule 36 of BCI Rules) due to a writ petition filed in the case of V. B. Joshi vs. Union of India (2000), brought about a major change in the rules relating to whether an advocate and legal professional can advertise in India or not. Before such an amendment, almost all forms of advertisements were banned in India. However, after 2008, the following activities are allowed:

1. Advocates were permitted to have personal websites.
2. The websites could consist of all details of the advocate, including:

1. The name of the advocate,
2. Their contact details (including phone number, email address, etc.),
3. Their enrolment number with the Bar Council.
4. Their area of expertise.

Example

Advocate Verma, has pursued his master’s degree in IPR (Intellectual Property Rights). His website can be named ‘advocateverma.com’. Here, he can enlist his contact details like his phone number, email, his enrolment number with the Bar Council of Maharashtra and also describe his expertise in IPR. Having said that, he cannot include any promotional content or state that he is the ‘best in the legal domain’ in any way whatsoever.

Directory listings

Even though the main rule is to make it clear that an advocate cannot advertise in any form in India, being listed in directories somewhat occurs to be a grey area. Simply put, advocates can passively be mentioned in directories without active promotion.

Example

Let us take into consideration Mr. Verma’s example again. A legal directory can enlist lawyers’ names by cities and specification. Thus, Advocate Verma’s name can be included under ‘Intellectual Property Lawyers in Maharashtra’. Yet, it should not contain any sort of promotional phrases like ‘top lawyers’ or ‘most recommended’ or ‘famous’.

Informative and not promotional

The main focus of the 2008 relaxation was to ensure that information about advocates and legal professionals is accessible to individuals in need without turning it into a complete commercial advertisement. So, while one can share information, it must not be promotional in nature. There is a fine line between what is information and what is promotion, so advocates and legal professionals must exercise it with proper caution.

Example

Let us take into consideration Mr. Verma’s example again. Advocate Verma can state that he has ‘10 years of experience in the field of IPR’, however, he must avoid using phrases like ‘the most sought-after intellectual property lawyer with a decade of unbeatable success’.

Word of caution

If any advocate or legal professional is found to have promoting information apart from the aforementioned elements, he/she can be held liable for professional misconduct in accordance with Section 35 of the Advocates Act, 1961, and this will attract a penalty as enlisted above in the punishment section, inter alia. 

Importance of digital marketing for Indian lawyers

Helps builds awareness

One of the main objectives of digital marketing is to ensure that one builds authority so potential clients can believe what one actually claims they do, thereby availing one’s legal services. One method of doing this is gaining testimonials and asking clients to give online reviews and adding the same in one’s website and on social media handles. One can also encourage their clients to give Google Reviews once their case is over or their needs are fulfilled. And in case if a negative review is a concern, there are several ways one can respond to it and prove that the firm is going to work on the issue, thus becoming a positive indicator. 

Interesting fact: In 2020, the Content Marketing Institute claimed that, as per 75% of marketers, digital marketing tactics helped them increase their company’s credibility and trust.

Keep up with competitors

By getting a free website health check (there are several agencies online that provide this) one can get a full, in-depth information about the whereabouts of one’s website and social media as well as SEO, user experience, etc. Investing in digital marketing will make sure that one does not fall behind their competitors.

Increase in business

Provided the right strategy and execution are applied, digital marketing can help a legal professional as well as a law firm in boosting website traffic, generating leads, and ultimately getting more business. This result, however, will depend on multiple factors like the target audience, market competition, the quality of one’s marketing efforts, etc. One must understand that different strategies need different lead times to show desired outcomes, but after persistently giving time and energy in building the website, one can definitely see results.

Track success

The best thing about digital marketing is that one can easily track the success of their social media campaigns. Tools like Google Analytics can ascertain exactly how many visitors have visited the website through SEO, paid search, or social media activities. Such activities can be tracked by Google Search Console to discover how many times has one’s URL of the website approached in search results, thus marking the number of impressions. One can also post-click data, which looks at site engagement. If one does not have it, they should talk to their agency about the same.

Low costs

One might think, that digital marketing will cost one an arm and a leg but it does not necessarily have to be so. There are numerous low-cost, at times, free techniques and strategies that can be applied including keyword research, social media scheduling, etc. to one’s legal website and social media handles.

Further, one can use free tools like Canva- to create graphics and brochures for their social media pages, Mailchimp- a tool for email newsletters and marketing lists, Yoast SEO Plugin- for WordPress for blogs and legal content.

Flexibility

Another major benefit of investing in digital marketing is the flexibility it provides. There are so many aspects which can be easily changed and if one wants more work they can put in more effort by writing more copies and posting such things online on social media pages or increasing the amount one has kept aside on advertisements.

More engagement from the audience and more clientele

After COVID-19, clients do not care much about the location of the law firm as much as they do about the services the law firm has to offer, which is why a robust digital marketing strategy can help one reach potential clients who are not located in the particular area.  By creating compelling and informative content, optimising your website for search engines, and utilising targeted advertising, one can surely engage with their target audience and drive more business.

Better customer experience 

A solid customer base is the cornerstone of any blooming company and digital marketing for everyone in the legal field will provide the chance to not only build a trustworthy audience but also keep them, provided proper strategies are followed. A lot of individuals and organisations have been using chatbots to respond to frequently asked questions. This provides the clients a sense of being understood, heard and valued.

Digital marketing for lawyers, advocates and law firms

Why do lawyers need digital marketing

Digital marketing is important in the era of a technologically driven world. As per research, other than word of mouth and recommendations from friends and family, most of the clientele utilise search engines, online reviews and legal directories as their first step in finding a lawyer. That is why it is more so important now to have an online presence, or chances are you may be overlooked by clients who otherwise retain your services. Also, usually, even if your services as a legal professional or law firm are recommended by someone else, the client is much more likely to go online, research the firm, check the reviews, the social media accounts, etc., before contacting for services. Many individuals may consider choosing another option if there is no user-friendly website or online reviews for your services and/or law firm.

A solid online presence will allow an individual to tailor services to the target audience. Let us understand this with the help of an example. There is someone in Saket Nagar, Delhi, who is in search of a criminal lawyer. They are much more likely to do a Google search and click on one of the first results. However, when someone uses a more traditional method, perhaps word of mouth or publishing an advertisement in a newspaper (please note, such forms of advertising are banned in India, you may read further about the paragraphs below introduction above), one’s audience would only be limited to the individuals who have read that newspaper on that day, or someone who has a connection with whom word of mouth was spread and this may not necessarily be someone who wants to seek legal assistance or representation.

Availing digital marketing to promote one’s brand, especially for lawyers and advocates who have just started on their legal journey or are rebranding their brand or legal services thus provided is quite useful as they cannot rely solely on word of mouth. This allows new attorneys to develop their brand and provide a more pocket-friendly way of advertisement. Another major advantage of digital marketing is the ongoing client engagement through online ratings and reviews. Since, in this technologically driven era, a lot of individuals rely upon online reviews before they hire a lawyer or an advocate, it is quite crucial that one requests reviews from their clients and peers and responds as often as possible to them.

Importance of setting one’s digital legal marketing goals

A point must be noted that not one single strategy can prove to be beneficial and fruitful to all legal professionals and law firms (so, there is no one-size-fits- all approach that can be followed here). One needs to evaluate their marketing goals and target audience and tailor their online marketing strategy accordingly. To understand this better, here are some pointers that one can consider to set up digital legal marketing goals.

What are your marketing goals

Firstly, one has to analyse what exactly their goal is to accomplish long term wise. The questions one can ask oneself are:

1. Is the goal to drive more traffic on the website or social media handles?
2. Is the goal to seek an online reputation by increasing client ratings on legal directories?
3. Is the goal to generate more client leads using a pay-per-click campaign?

No matter what exactly one’s long-term goal is, the end result must be to yield more business opportunities. However, it is helpful to have a game plan beforehand so that one can craft a strategy to meet the desired, set goals. Further, one should be quite realistic about the goals. For instance, legal SEO is a highly nuanced and competitive market and one cannot, rather must not, expect to rank on the first page of Google in a single day. Even when SEO is implemented in a proper manner, it can take days and months on a stretch to fetch the results one desires.

Who is your target audience

The target audience can be referred to as the client base one wants to attract. For instance, a criminal lawyer will have a different target audience to attract than that of an IPR lawyer or civil lawyer. One’s whole marketing strategy needs to encompass the target audience. If one is aware of how their target audience thinks it will help in tailoring a law firm’s digital marketing strategy and ascertain what kind of keywords should one be using in their content. What kind of content will the target audience search for online is one such question to ponder upon while adding content on to one’s blog or social media account(s).

Further, how one can appeal to potential clients to get them to hire you for legal representation is yet another question to ask while building an online legal presence. Also, accessing one’s existing and former clients and noting any common attributes between them and including more such techniques and strategies is yet another method to enhance one’s online legal presence. Also, one can conduct research (or seek help from an agency) to discover who is most likely to retain your legal services in your area or places where your organisation is located. One can also look into competitors’ online presence to see what they are trying and who they are trying to reach (i.e., what sort of target audience are they focusing on and how so). Knowing one’s target audience will also prove as a guide to ascertain which social media platforms and legal directories one can focus their attention to. Considering the myriad (or multitudes) of options thus available, one may have to initially have their main focus and attention on the most relevant websites and social media pages that attract one’s target audience or clients. Say for instance, if one’s target client is more active on Instagram than on LinkedIn, one must add more content on Instagram and pay more attention to the posts that are posted there. This will help maintain and promote client engagement.

Rise of digital marketing in the legal profession

Since time immemorial, lawyers and legal professionals have relied heavily on traditional markets of advertising like word-of-mouth referrals, print advertising, physical networking and the like. However, these methods are valuable even now, but as the saying goes, ‘change is the only constant’, and there has been a significant shift towards digital ways of advertising in the legal profession. You may wonder why this is so. Let us find out the reasons.

Significant change in the client’s way of approaching a lawyer

First and foremost, the internet has drastically changed how clients find and engage with legal services. Nowadays, more and more clients are turning towards search engines, online reviews and social media to find and evaluate lawyers.

Added advantages

Secondly, digital marketing empowers lawyers with several advantages over age-old traditional methods. It is more effective, pocket-friendly, provides measurable results, allows for targeted marketing, and can reach a wider number of people, more so than the traditional way, if used properly. Such a shift in the advertising landscape puts the power of growth and success in the hands of lawyers, allowing them to take control of their professional journey.

How can lawyers use SEO as a tool for digital marketing 

Let us understand SEO for legal professionals, lawyers and law firms in smaller chunks.

What is SEO for lawyers

SEO (an abbreviation for Search Engine Optimization) refers to the optimisation of a legal professional’s social accounts or a law firm’s online presence to improve its visibility in search engine results. The main object of SEO is to attract organic (non-paid) traffic to a website or social media handles by optimising various elements like-

1. Content,
2. Keywords,
3. Meta tags, and
4. Backlinks, inter alia.

The quality of a website is ascertained by the ability of the site to rank for relevant searches. Prioritising law firm SEO is of utmost importance for lawyers, legal professionals and law firms who want to appear at the top of Google search results and attract meaningful traffic.

Why is SEO important for legal professionals and law firms

In a recent survey, conducted in 2022, about 64% of individuals stated that they would carry out an online Google search to find out an advocate or a lawyer. Let us understand the nuances of this a bit more. The first three results upon carrying a Google search take up more than 50% of all the clicks with the top spot receiving a whopping 27.6% of the average clicks. But, the click-through rate goes down as one moves to the lower pages and the rate is so low that the last spot on page 1, position no. 10, gets only 2% of the clicks. Now think about this scenario. There are two law firms, and both are equally skilled and famous. One is easily discoverable on Google, whereas the other is buried somewhere on page 19 of a Google search. Which one do you think gets the most clients? Obviously,  the former. Now, this is the power of SEO. Visibility when it matters the most and ensuring that the firm is the top choice for people seeking legal help.

Importance and benefits of using SEO for legal professionals and law firms: the best tool for digital marketing 

Following are some of the many perks of having a solid SEO strategy:

Enhanced visibility

Using proper SEO strategy is like having the best billboard on the busiest digital highway, meaning, everyone sees and acknowledges your presence!

Targeted traffic

With a proper SEO strategy, one can attract more visitors to their firm or organisation, meaning there are higher chances of converting them into clients.

Enhanced credibility 

High search rankings are the digital equivalent of high-end office locations, thus signalling trust and authority. 

Competitive edge

With a proper SEO strategy, one can be at the top of the list in case of search results and can also outrank the competitors. This can make you, as a legal professional, or your organisation or law firm, as a legal service provider company, be the go-to choice for seeking legal assistance.

Pocket-friendly marketing

In comparison to traditional, age-old ads, SEO is a gift that keeps giving. One can invest in it and reap the benefits for several years.

Why should legal professionals and law firms aim to rank in the top 3 Google search results

High click-through rates

As mentioned above, the top 3 search results when a normal Google search is carried out yield about 27.6% of the total click rate and that last page, which is the 10th on the list, only attracts about 2% of the click rate. Obviously, a law firm that ranks higher in the spot has more visibility and more users reaching their website in comparison to that of the competitors.

Significant drop in visibility rate beyond the first page

It is said that only 0.63% of the users visit the second page of Google results.

Impact of search intent on click through rates

It is crucial to note that branded searches that are more specific and often used by people who want specific law firms or legal advice have been seen to have significantly higher click-through rates. This definitely sheds light on how important it is for legal professionals and law firms to optimise their branded and non-branded keywords.

Mobile search trends and local searches

As reiterated above, most people use their cell phones to search or do research. A high percentage of such searches are local in nature, which is one major reason why law firms need to optimise their mobile searches. It is crucial that the website is mobile-friendly and targets local SEO to appear at the top of searches. An instance of this could be one’s website ranking when an individual searches ‘law firm near me’.

Further, ranking in the top 3 Google search results is not just a matter of prestige but rather a critical business necessity for one’s law firm and legal professional account. A ranking page ensures maximum visibility, leverages the nature of search intent and caters to the growing trend of mobile and local searches. 

Some tips for lawyers and law firms on building a solid foundation when it comes to SEO

High-quality content

Content is one of the important ways through which one can communicate with potential clients and search engines. Through content, one can portray their field of expertise, impart crucial information and respond to the queries of potential clients. In order to make high-quality content, it is important that one creates engaging and informative content which will build trust with the audience. Further, it is important that such structures be properly structured and bifurcated into several headings and subheadings and also have a proper flow for the readability of the audience. This will also help search engines to understand the content and rank the content accordingly. Moreover, one must choose the right keywords as they act like connectors between the content and potential clients. Effective keyword integration involves understanding how and what exactly is the language and terms of potential clients and then carefully embedding them (naturally) within the content.

Backlinks

Backlinks are the digital equivalent of word-of-mouth recommendations in the legal world. Imagine every link to your website as a vote of confidence from another site claiming, ‘We trust this law firm’s content enough to redirect our visitors that way.’ But as with any advertisement, the quality and relevance of the source are of paramount importance. This is where quality and right backlinks come into play to tell search engines that the content is valuable, credible and of use. High-quality backlinks enhance the site’s authority and drive relevant traffic your way. It is like having a well-reputed lawyer or advocate pointing a client in your direction. Further, when it comes to law firms, local relevance is critical and local backlinks (like from local chambers of commerce or regional legal associations acting like community endorsements) will further boost the visibility in local search results, thus making one’s firm more prominent in terms of visibility in the local, immediate area.

Also, while not all citations necessarily have a backlink, they are quite important for local SEO. Accurate and consistent citations across the web will ensure that one’s firm is legitimate, which in turn will help potential clients locate you in an easier manner.

Building a solid technical SEO foundation

Technical SEO lays ground on the foundation of one’s online presence. It makes sure that the law firm of the website is structured properly, is easy to understand and favoured by search engines. Further, one should follow these core elements of technical SEO, and each of these pointers is important for the success of the website:

1. The website has to be fast-loading, have optimised images, and leverage browser caching amongst other technicalities. This will ensure that clients find what they need quickly without it being a hassle and frustration.
2. One must ensure the website is secure and has well-structured, clear URLs which will help users navigate the website easily. One can implement HTTPS to protect the website and user data. The URLs must be short, logically drafted and have hyphens to separate words and avoid using any complicated parameters as far as possible.
3. Structured data (also known as ‘schema markup’) is like a detailed business card for one’s website. This helps search engines understand the content of the website better and further provide more enhanced, informative results to users. One must definitely implement schema markup for one’s law firm, attorneys and reviews, which can further enhance one’s appearance in search results with rich snippets, making one’s listing more prominent and informative.
4. Colours, layout, and content (that could be SEO keyword-centric) should be in accordance with the identity of the firm and its core values. A well-designed website that is in alignment with the firm’s brand gives visitors a consistent and reassuring experience.

How can legal professionals and law firms implement SEO

Implementing SEO for a law firm or a legal professional is like developing a legal strategy for a case, meaning it needs a lot of planning, understanding of the landscape and precise execution and each step has to be properly scrutinised before implementation. One can follow the following steps for effectively enhancing their online legal presence.

Buying a domain and selecting a web hosting service

Buying a domain

Getting a domain name for one’s website is like establishing a firm’s digital address. When one goes to rent or buy an office they make sure the location is in alignment with their identity and ethos and the same must be considered while choosing a domain.

Selecting a web hosting service

Web hosting can be referred to as the foundation that ensures the law firm’s website is easily accessible to all and functioning properly at all times. While choosing a hosting service, one must necessarily take care of these points:

1. The hosting service must guarantee robust security measures and is reliable enough. It should always be accessible to the audience and must protect the sensitive information (or any data) of the client.

Crafting a fine web design and user experience

To make a digital office as welcoming and effective as that of a physical one, it is crucial that the web design and user experience are brilliant. An effective web design plays a crucial role in developing trust and credibility amongst clients. Further, a well-designed website shows that it is professional in a manner that the audience and clients can rely upon it for further assistance of legal services. 

Conducting keyword research

When it comes to SEO, it is important that one carry out proper keyword research and ascertain what exactly are the needs of personal clients when they are seeking legal services online.

Quality link building

Link building is one of the most basic and important aspects of SEO. Search engines use links to determine the credibility and authority of a website, which is why high-quality backlinks act as endorsements thus increasing the site’s value and enhancing its rank when it comes to search results.

Hiring a law firm SEO expert

Improving one’s law firm goes beyond simple SEO tactics as it needs a dynamic strategy that is up to date as per the ever-changing trends and updates of Google search results.

One of the major ways where a professional SEO agency can come into help is that these websites stay updated upon the changing algorithm and implement these strategies to match these updated algorithms so that the website of a law firm or a legal professional stays competitive in search rankings.

SEO experts who are really skilled at their job go beyond effective on-page and off-page optimisation, they regularly update their clients of such core updates and the effect it is much likely to have upon several elements. By appointing an agency, the legal professionals as well as individuals who own the law firm can focus on other important things like their legal practice. Further, appointing an agency will ensure that the website is visible.

Some key methods to track SEO

Just like a lawyer tracking the progress of his or her case. It is crucial that one tracks the SEO performance to understand the impact it has caused on one’s website or social media page and to further guide as to what strategy has occurred to be fruitful.  By tracking search metrics, one can gauge the effectiveness of their efforts, identify where all improvement is needed and make data-driven decisions. The key factors to consider while tracking SEO progress are as follows:

Organic traffic

Tracking the count of visitors that visited one’s website or social media handles from search engines will give a clear picture of SEO reach. A growth in organic traffic much likely portrays that the visibility in search engines results is upgrading and enhancing. One can make use of tools like Google Analytics to measure this metric and understand which page is frequently visited by the audience.

Keyword ranking

Becoming aware as to where one’s site is standing in terms of ranking for key terms related to one’s practice is crucial. One can make use of keywords tracking tools like Google Search Console or Ahrefs to keep an eye on the positions for targeted keywords.

Engagement metrics

One must know, it is not simply about getting more visitors to the website or social media handles, rather, it is about keeping them there. Several elements like the following help in ascertaining how users are interacting with the site or handle:

1. Bounce rate,
2. Pages Per session, and
3. Average session duration.

One can consider these questions to understand whether client requirements are being served:

1. Are they able to find what they need?
2. Are they engaging with the content? (The term ‘engaging’ here means interacting with the contents, i.e., sharing it with others, spending more time on the page, website, social media handle, etc.)

High engagement levels generally portray that the website is of value and relevant to the audience.

Conversion rate

Ultimately, the end goal of one’s law firm’s website and social media handles is to convert visitors into clients. Keeping an eye on how many visitors have taken such steps (like filling out a contact form or calling one’s office or even downloading a resource) will help one apprehend how effective the content and SEO has been in converting visitors into leads and clients. This metric is of paramount importance for calculating ROI of one’s SEO efforts.

Local visibility

For law firms, local SEO is quite important. Tracking the appearance of the firm or personal page in local search results and platforms like Google My Business becomes quite crucial. One must consider the following points to enhance their online local visibility:

1. Are the contract details up to date and apt?
2. Is one appearing in the local pack for relevant searches? 

Maintaining a strong local presence is of vital importance to attract clients from one’s area.

How can lawyers use content marketing as a tool for digital marketing

Content marketing goes hand in hand with SEO. By creating valuable, relevant content like blogs posts, articles and videos, one can mark their presence online and also be of great authority in the practice area thus specialised in. By sharing informative pieces, legal advice, case studies, and insights one can showcase their skills and expertise in that field and provide value to the audience.

Benefits of content marketing for India lawyers

1. By regularly publishing quality content, the website can potentially rank higher in search engine results, thus making it easier for potential clients to find you online.
2. Also, posting quality content will help build trust within clients, and further show one’s expertise in that field which is important for acquiring new clients.
3. Furthermore, sharing high quality educational content and insights may serve to help everyone understand an issue better, thus leading to more informed clients who appreciate the legal services in a better manner.
4. Unlike paid ads (which are prohibited as per the BCI Rules for Indian lawyers and law firms) that stop generating traffic after a certain time period (or when one stops making payments for the same), content marketing persistently drives traffic and generates leads long after the content is published. This provides long-term benefits and a sustainable marketing strategy.

How can lawyers use email marketing as a tool for digital marketing

What is email marketing

Email marketing is a part of digital strategy that uses email to promote and sell legal services. This method can be used to cultivate relations with potential and current clients, increase brand awareness and generate more leads.

Word of caution

As we know, advertisement of legal services for advocates, lawyers and anyone in the legal domain is not permissible in India, one can still use an email marketing strategy to build up their clientele and keep the existing clients posted about their whereabouts. You may wonder how. Let us find out.

Legal articles, blog posts, relevant legal topics and educational content

A legal professional as well as a law firm, can share informative, educational content that could range from a variety of legal domains like:

1. Legal issues,
2. Recent amendments in the law,
3. Recent changes in any regulations,
4. Landmark judgements, 
5. Legal tips, etc.

Newsletters

One can also send newsletters (say weekly, once in two weeks, monthly, depending upon one’s bandwidth to do so) to their clients and subscribers. Such newsletters can include numerous information like:

1. Legal updates,
2. Case studies,
3. One’s personal insights in their field of expertise,
4. Interviews of lawyers and professionals, etc.

Such a move will portray that the lawyer is well-established and will open paths to attract clients.

Clients updates

One can keep their existing clients posted on the status of their cases (say, a temporary injunction is ordered in favour of your client), thus helping build trust and maintaining a professional relationship between clients and the legal service provider(s).

Event announcement

Suppose your organisation or law firm is celebrating an event, say the 5th anniversary of the company, or if one of the lead lawyers is participating in any legal events or conferences, in such cases an email with the event’s announcement and details will make the clients feel included. 

Personalised emails

One can further consider sending personalised emails that are tailored to the interests and needs of different segments of the email lists. Doing so can increase engagement and demonstrate attention to detail, thus impressing the clients, which in turn could attract more clients, especially if the former client is happy and shares such information by word of mouth. 

Regular follow-ups

One can also, in their emails, take regular follow-ups from clients who previously showed interest in attaining legal services. This can lead to deeper engagement and may attract potential new clients.

Benefits of legal marketing for Indian lawyers

Email marketing campaigns have several advantages for lawyers, legal professionals and law firms, some of them are as follows:

More leads

Email marketing can help one generate more leads and grow their client base. Sending personalised emails or keeping one’s subscribers and audience involved will definitely help nurture a strong relationship with such individuals, thus building trust and credibility. This will also boost the visibility and reputation of one’s organisation.

Reaching out to potential clients

Email marketing campaigns can further help a company reach potential clients who may be interested in abating legal services from the company. By sending targeted legal information about the firm and shedding light on how the company can help the clients can be a major boost in increasing clientele. By doing so, the audience may also be intrigued to visit the website and contact the company further to learn more.

Helps in building firm visibility and enhancing its reputation

Apart from generating leads and maintaining relations with clients, email marketing can help boost the visibility and reputation of the company. Regularly sharing quality legal information with clients can leave an impression of a thought leader. Further, by adding links to one’s website in the email, one can also increase traffic on the website.

How can a lawyer build a successful legal marketing campaign

As we know, email marketing is a great way to connect with potential and current clients, thus promoting the company and generating new leads, but have you wondered how to successfully create an email marketing campaign? Let’s find out.

Define targets and goals properly

While carrying out a successful legal email marketing campaign, it is crucial that one looks into the following questions:

1. What is the end goal or expected outcome from the legal email marketing campaign?
2. Is the goal to increase brand awareness, generate new leads or nurture already existing customers and clients?

Once one is aware of all such details, it will be easy to decide what sort of content would best suit the set goal. 

Segment the list

Say, one of your clients is interested only in IPR and another one has his main focus on civil laws. Would the former read with utmost enthusiasm the information related to civil laws? No, he won’t. This is why it is crucial to segment the email list and send more target-specific messages to that particular group. This enhances the chances of them reading and engaging with one’s email.

Keep it short, simple and sweet

Emails must be short, simple and sweet, as people are more likely to read and engage with a smaller piece than an enormous one. One must ensure that the message to be converted is clear and concise.

Add interesting images and videos

Using compelling visuals is yet another method to keep the audience and subscribers engaged. One can add images and videos to make them more appealing and help convey the message in an efficient manner. 

Including a call to action (CTA)

Including a call to action (CTA) is quite essential. Every email must have a clear CTA that enlightens the readers about what you want them to do next, i.e., visit the website (which has a disclaimer) further, signing up for a free consultation or even downloading a white paper or e-book of legal information. But don’t ever solicit work via email marketing, as this is not permitted.

How can lawyers use social media marketing as a tool for digital marketing

Role of social media platforms in legal digital marketing

Social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter enable lawyers, legal professionals and law firms to showcase their expertise. By posting regularly on such handles any information related to legal articles, case studies and legal insights, one can ensure there is direct engagement of the personal brand or of the company with existing as well as potential clients. Further, clients can communicate with you through asking questions and other such interactions, thus building loyalty and trust.

Word of caution

As an Indian lawyer or law firm, it is crucial to note that you cannot go around advertising the legal services you provide or the legal company or organisation you own. You can simply use digital marketing as a tool to enhance your social media handles’ presence by posting informative content, engaging with the audience, etc. However, you cannot explicitly promote yourself or your law firm or solicit work!

Benefits of legal social media marketing 

The benefits of legal social media marketing for lawyers, legal professionals and law firms are as follows:

1. It helps one reach a wide range of audiences thus increasing visibility.
2. As compared to traditional marketing methods (with most of them being banned in India), social media marketing is convenient, cost-effective and permitted in India. This method is also more effective than the traditional one (for instance, a post on Facebook or Instagram is much more likely to spread faster and reach a wide variety of audiences as opposed to word of mouth which will be slowly passed on from one individual to another).
3. Posting positive feedback from previous clients and their reviews on social media handles can serve as social proof and further reassure other potential clients of the company’s capabilities.
4. Social media allows law firms to stay updated with ongoing trends and changes in the legal field. By monitoring discussions and participating in trending topics, firms can adapt their strategies to remain relevant and competitive​.

How can lawyers, legal professionals and law firms engage with audiences in social media marketing 

1. Lawyers, legal professionals and law firms can engage with followers by responding to their queries quickly. 
2. Or, if they have commented on something, make sure the same is acknowledged with a thank you comment or the like. 
3. Let the audience have interactions with you and make sure there is active participation from your end. 
4. Social media marketing humanises the firm and allows individuals to connect with potential clients on a more personal level.

How can lawyers use online reviews and reputation management as a tool for digital marketing

Online reviews: Part 1

Importance of online reviews in legal digital marketing 

Obtaining online positive reviews grim satisfied clients is crucial to boost law firms’ optimisation efforts. Encouraging satisfied and happy clients to give reviews and 5-star ratings on platforms like Google My Business, Yelp, etc., can enhance one’s online reputation thereby signalling search engines that the website, the social media page, etc., is trustworthy and relevant to portrait clients. Generally, it is quite common for search algorithms to prioritise businesses which have high ratings and reviews, thus improving search results visibility. Basically, happy clients act as online advocates advocating that the legal services provided are top-notch, this will help one’s company to stand out and attract more clientele considering such positive feedback.

Further, nowadays, potential clients before choosing a law firm or legal professional to obtain any legal assistance, carry out extensive research and take their own sweet time to look into similar firms who offer similar services before finally reaching a verdict and choosing a firm. So, having positive reviews from happy clients and other individuals can increase the probability of one’s firm or organisation being narrowed down to the final option. Positive reviews will build an idea in the potential client’s mind that this is the right place to seek legal assistance and that it is reliable. 

Furthermore, checking what previous clients have to say about the firm or the legal services provided by the individual can provide clients with a rough idea as to how satisfied the potential clients were. If numerous clients have happy, positive feedback, clients will consider the firm or individual to be a good choice.

Benefits of online reviews for Indian lawyers

Building trust and credibility 

Having positive online reviews will most likely have a favourable impact on clients, as it helps build trust and credibility for one’s law firm or the legal services one has provided. Clients rely heavily on the reviews and experiences shared by other individuals while deciding on which legal firm to choose to seek legal assistance. Having positive reviews will create a trustworthy image, making potential clients more likely to choose your firm​. 

Social proof

Positive feedback and reviews serve as social proof that portrays that other clients had a positive experience with the legal services provided. This will help potential clients feel more comfortable that the firm or the company is the right one to choose considering that they can also have such a similar positive experience.

Enhanced visibility

Online reviews and feedback, especially on popular platforms like Google Business Profile can boost the visibility of the firm and the website. It is pertinent to note that review quality and velocity is a significant ranking factor in search results.

Increase in visitors to client conversion rates

Positive reviews can lead to a higher conversion rate as clients are more likely to choose a firm that has positive feedback rather than negative one. As per some studies, a higher overall rating can leave a major impact on the likelihood of a client choosing one firm over the other one that is just down the street or a block away.

Valuable feedback

Positive reviews provide valuable feedback that can help a company or an individual identify their strengths and areas where one can excel. Such information can be utilised for improving one’s offerings and maintaining high levels of client satisfaction. 

Word-of-mouth marketing

Positive online reviews can act as a fuel to word-of-mouth marketing, the reason being, that happy, contended clients are much more likely than not to share their experiences with friends and family. This organic marketing can further enhance the reputation of a firm or legal professional’s service provided and lead to new clients.

Higher revenues

A combination of enhanced visibility, greater conversion rates, and word-of-mouth marketing can eventually result in increased revenue. Positive online reviews can help attract more clients and boost sales for one’s firm or company.

Reputation management: Part 2

What is reputation management

Reputation management can be referred to as the strategy that focuses on monitoring, managing and improving the perception of a legal professional and their law firm. One must note that a law firm’s reputation is not just about ensuring that the clients are satisfied but also about leveraging positive reviews and content to improve, control and develop trust over time between clients, both on a local level as well as on social media accounts. As an individual from a legal domain, one needs to be aware of the information that comes up when someone searches for your or your company’s name online. Even a single negative review if not handled in a proper manner or if ignored can have a bad impact on how others think about the firm and the services, which in turn will affect how others view you and the firm and eventually cause them discomfort in hiring you and your firm to render legal services.

Some tips and tricks for online reviews and reputation management

Mentioned below are some tips and tricks to help one enhance the firm’s reputation and attract more clients in the near future:

Monitoring the reputation of lawyers in the law firm

While reputation is not something one can have complete control of in their hands, one can make sure they directly influence it by monitoring and improving the behaviour of those who work in the firm. One must take note that whenever the firm’s employees leave their mark on social media and other public forums, they become a reflection of the brand (meaning a reflection of the firm), so one must ensure they are doing a great job by checking how they respond to comments from strangers and co-workers alike. In order to keep it all uniform, one can implement sine rules for all the lawyers and legal professionals in their law firms on how they should handle potential clients online.

Fixing negative reviews

There are a few things one can do to turn the negative reviews around and enhance the reputation of the firm. One method is by reaching out to the client directly who posted a negative review and address their concerns. If a client is frowning upon the services provided, one must address the issue on an individual scale. Having some set ways to convince the clients to take down a poor review by addressing what made them unhappy in the first place is an effective method of damage control.

Make use of PR tactics 

It can be quite difficult to get one’s name out in the market, especially when one is a small firm competing with larger law firms and business organisations. This is why, it is always a good idea to take a page from public relations books. One can consider reaching out to the publisher of a local newspaper or TV station and enquire if your story can be featured in their regular profile on local businesses. One can also offer to give some legal advice and talk at a community event about some useful legal information for the public.

Asking for positive reviews

Requesting happy, contended clients to post positive feedback about their experience on social media and review websites can leave a huge impact when it comes to brand recognition. Sending thank-you cards and follow-up emails after the case or work is done and then asking for their review and feedback is also a great way to seek feedback online. Clients are often more than happy to write positive feedback when the same is requested from the lawyer who rendered his/her professional services to them. Also, another method that has proved to be quite efficient is to request reviews from other attorneys the firm and lawyers of the organisation have worked with. Also, any other individual who has had a positive experience with the firm and legal services provided can also share his/her feedback, which will be quite fruitful.

Do not engage in any online arguments

One part of reputation management that lawyers and law firms can look into is not to engage in any sort of online arguments. Doing so will tarnish the lawyer’s and law firm’s reputation thus causing a negative impact on potential clients.

How can lawyers use web design and user experience as a tool for digital marketing

Importance of a good website design and a top-notch user experience 

Generally, a website is the first point of contact between a legal service provider (or a law firm) and a potential client, which is why, in this technologically driven world, it is more so important that one makes an amazing website with a smooth interface that leaves a lasting impression on the audience and represents one’s brand in an accurate manner.

Benefits of a good website design and a smooth user experience 

1. It will act as an extension of one’s legal brand.
2. It will help audience and portrait clients to earlier navigate through pages thus being easy to use and providing a smooth user experience.
3. It will be better optimised by search engines, thus making one’s website rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs).
4. A well-designed website will generate more leads and help win new clients.
5. A well-designed website can also improve customer service as it helps clients find information quickly, thus saving time for both- you and the clients. This, in turn, leads to a better overall experience for the clients.

Tips for a good website design and a smooth user experience

1. Keep the website user-friendly.
2. The website must be SEO-friendly.
3. Keep the webpage attractive and add templates and designs that best suit your business and brand.

Tips for legal professionals and law firms to enhance their digital marketing skills and professional account

Believe it or not, any potential client who may choose a lawyer or a law firm does a fair share of research before deciding upon whose services they must render. Simply put, before talking to the individual, they are engaging with their websites. At times, a qualified law firm or a lawyer may end up losing their client just because their website was not impressive enough or their marketing strategy was not effective enough. This is why here are some tips and tricks one can follow to land bigger, better and more clients.

Building a professional website

Building a professional website as a legal professional or for your law firm will help in the following manner:

1. Elevated credibility that develops trust in clients,
2. Increased visitor engagement.

Word of caution

As reiterated time and again, Rule 36 of BCI Rules prohibits Indian lawyers and advocates from advertising their services online. But, with the 2008 Amendment, they were permitted to add basic details like contact information, qualifications, etc. However, it is pertinent to note that such information has to be accompanied by a disclaimer that the information provided is apt. Further, if a lawyer or advocate provides any sort of information that goes beyond what is permitted, he/she may be held liable under Section 35 of the Advocates Act, 1961. The consequence of such an act can be a disciplinary action for professional misconduct or a complete ban on practising law as a career being imposed upon him/her.

One must focus on the following elements, inter alia, to create the best website and enhance the online performance:

Clean, minimalist design

Websites must be free from any visual clutter and distractions. Rather, one must have its main focus on conveying the message to one’s audience.  

Optimised content

The content of the website has to be optimised by using relevant keywords that describe the legal services of a legal professional or a law firm. This will increase the website’s ranking in search engines and bring in more leads, thereby attracting more clientele.

Technical SEO

This is yet another method to enhance user experience for the website. It involves overhauling the structure of the website, its speed, and security to ensure a safe, user-friendly browsing experience.

Must respond to smartphones well

In the era of smartphones and accessible devices, very few people actually open a laptop to make a web search. If a website is not convenient enough for a potential client, one may end up losing them, so it is crucial that one ensures their website is smartphone-friendly. Further, if the website conveys adequate details (like the contact information, i.e., the phone number, email address, and fax no, if any) increases the chance of converting a potential client to a client itself. Furthermore, a website with great design elements and content can instantly impress the clients, so one must ensure the user interface is good and the website attractive for clients to be hooked to the same and stay in their minds!

In simple words, as most individuals use smartphones to search for nearby services, one must ensure the website loads fast, looks great, and is user-friendly on mobile devices.

Using SEO

Using the right keywords (mentioned in detail in the above passages) will help one’s content rank higher and increase the traffic on the website. This is essential as a boost in online content has led to the internet being a dense forest (of websites) where SEO works like a compass. Choosing proper language and keywords- that best suit the local/regional area, carefully categorising and arranging each and every web page, including images, alt text, and other efficient methods that comprise on-page items in one’s journey of website optimization.

Further, focusing on SEO goes far beyond creating and optimising a Google Business Profile, to name a few elements, it also includes:

Building citations

If one owns a law firm, the name of the firm must be enlisted in online law firm directories like:

1. Super Lawyers
2. Avvo 
3. Lawyers.com, and
4. LegalMatch.

Create location-focused content

One must include location-focused keywords in their website’s content, this may incorporate the following details:

1. Location-specific headlines,
2. Title tags,
3. Meta descriptions, and
4. Page copy.

Tracking and monitoring local SEO performance

Ne has to ascertain if their local SEO efforts are yielding any tangible results, and to do so, one can make use of tools like Google Analytics to learn the performance of the website and noteworthy metrics like:

1. Page views (it measures how many times a user has visited a page on a particular website during a specific time),
2. Bounce rate (it refers to the percentage of visitors who enter the website and leave, i.e., bounce, instead of continuing to view other pages with the same website), and
3. Engagement (level and interaction. of the audience on a website or page).

Social media

We all know that word of mouth has always been a major driving factor in attracting clients in the legal business, especially before the advent of the Internet. Numerous lawyers get their clients through referrals from either known or unknown individuals. It is safe to say that referral business is alive in the legal business industry; however, apart from the traditional age-old methods, social media is one method of earning/gaining referrals. One must engage in various social media activities and keep a strong reputation and presence on social media, which will help build trust and credibility in the legal field and amongst clients.

Tips for effective social media marketing

Choosing the perfect platform

One must definitely research and then choose a platform where the targeted audience is active. Say, for instance,  for professional networking, LinkedIn is the best platform, whereas, Facebook is great for community engagement. 

Content strategy

One must post valuable content, like legal tips, industry news and firm updates on their social media accounts to keep interacting with the audience.

Engagement

To build a relationship with the audience, one must respond quickly to the comments and messages of their clients or potential clients.

Consistency

One must regularly post on their blog or social media to keep their audience engaged and informed about their whereabouts. Perhaps making a regular schedule on the same would be efficient.

Make your presence acknowledged

Authoritative presentation of crucial information can serve to be impressive when it comes to first impressions. One can do so by opening a YouTube channel or a blog (wherein one can provide basic and important information on legal matters, discuss things happening in the legal world, or any such significant legal details that people can use in their day-to-day lives). Doing so will help one gain the attention of individuals, which is a key to successful legal digital marketing.

If needed, seek professional assistance

Moreover, do not hesitate to seek assistance from individuals who are experts in the field of digital marketing. There are numerous agencies that can help you as a lawyer or an owner of a law firm in SEO, PR (public relations), Google for business, content, website, outreach, paid advertisement, etc. On the one hand, elements like PR and outreach can assist one in managing their reputation in the market, whereas, on the other, elements like Google for business, paid ads, with the above tools (say, for instance, SEO) can help one attract a good set of clientele. An agency can help lawyers and legal professionals take care of their ROI (return on investment).

Define your key business geographic topography

In order to succeed in the digital market, a lawyer or law firm must ensure that they define all the key business locations and have a strong optimisation campaign. This can help them reach the desired target audience, win new clients, and outrun the competition. Further, a website must be designed around the locations and areas of practice. One can follow these methods for traffic and sales optimisation:

Locality and jurisdiction

Make sure adequate light is shed upon the locality where the firm operates. One can add a page called ‘Areas we serve’.

Relevant content

One can include FAQs, case studies, client testimonials and recent case outcomes that are relevant to that locality. FAQs that address common questions related to different practice areas and locations can be incorporated for more traffic from a desired area/location.

Creating an optimised Google Business Profile (GBP)

A Google Business Profile (GSB) is quite crucial to dominating local SEO. While one makes such a profile, one must take note of all these pointers:

Enter complete and accurate information

One must fill in proper details like the business name, address, phone number, category, website URL, and business hours without any errors.

Upload professional photos of your location

If you are a law firm or own an office, you must use high-quality photos of your office, staff, and building’s exterior. Photos are crucial to creating and optimising GBP listings.

Naturally incorporating keywords

When relevant, one must include keywords that an individual may use to describe your firm’s legal services.

Getting clients to give online reviews and feedback

To enhance one’s online presence, a law firm or a lawyer can ensure they provide the best experience to their clients and create a streamlined approach to request their clients for online reviews or ratings. This will help with an enhanced online reputation, which, in turn, will help in improved sales and conversions.

Leveraging content marketing

We all know content marketing is a strategy that has its major focus on the creation and distribution of valuable, relevant content for attracting and retaining a defined audience. When it comes to law firms, this strategy can establish authority and help develop trust among them and potential clients. By posting high-quality content like blogs, posts, etc., one can easily show their level of expertise in those subjects and keep their audience engaged.

Tips for content marketing being a success

Blogging

One can publish legal articles on law topics that could intrigue the target audience. One can also answer frequently asked questions on their page along with providing insights.

Video content

Creating informative videos and webinars while also posting them on the website on legal matters and sharing them via newsletters, social media, etc., can help one enhance their online social media presence. 

Ebooks and whitepapers

Ebooks and whitepapers are yet another way to comprehensive guide on complex legal issues and one can publish them as downloadable resources.

Case studies

One must showcase all the successful cases handled by the firm. This will demonstrate a legal professional’s as well as the law firm’s expertise and further help develop the trust of potential clients.

Taking reviews

Online reviews play a major role in influencing potential clients’ decisions when they ponder upon which law firm they must select. A positive review and higher ratings can help develop trust and credibility. Also, one must ensure they take into consideration any negative reviews and comments and carefully manage them.

Some points to know about online reviews

Importance of online reviews

Positive reviews can definitely help in building a reputation and further attract more clientele.

Strategies for gathering reviews

A legal professional and a law firm must encourage their satisfied, happy clients to leave reviews on platforms like Google, Yelp, and Avvo.

Managing negative reviews

It is crucial to respond professionally to negative reviews and take such comments as constructive criticism, thus addressing concerns and offering adequate solutions.

Some other tips on online reviews

These tips are geared toward lawyers and legal professionals, but a law firm can also incorporate them into its website.

Internal linking

One must ensure their guides include links to other relevant pages on their website to keep users engaged on such content.

Visuals and infographics

A legal professional, including lawyers and law firms, can include visuals to break up text and provide additional insights. 

Case studies and instances

Using real-life instances that highlight the success of the law firm through digital marketing can further help enhance social media presence and attract more clientele.

Regular evolvement

It is crucial to note that digital marketing trends evolve regularly, and one must necessarily keep themselves updated on such trends.

Hire a dedicated law firm digital marketing agency

While managing digital marketing in-house can be a suitable option, at times, hiring an agency that specialises in digital marketing to bring in the expertise, save time and ensure comprehensive long-term strategies can be fruitful.

Benefits of hiring a digital marketing agency

Expertise

Marketing agencies have the experience and knowledge to develop and implement effective strategies which may yield results quickly.

Less time consuming

A hired digital media agency can handle social media accounts, leaving the lawyers, legal professionals, and owners of law firms to focus on areas of practice and other important aspects of business.

Comprehensive strategies

A hired digital marketing agency can provide several services ranging from SEO, content marketing and digital advertising. With such expertise, one can surely enhance one’s digital presence.

Tips on hiring the right digital marketing agency

While selecting the right marketing agency, one must consider the following points:

Experience dealing with law firms

One must choose an agency that has a proven track record of working with legal clients.

Variety of services

As a legal professional or owner of a law firm, one must ensure the marketing agency offers a variety of services, especially the ones you are looking for.

Reputation

Before selecting a digital marketing agency, one must look online for reviews and compare them to the testimonials provided by other law firms.

Communication

It is essential to choose an agency that clearly communicates and regularly updates its clients on the progress of any campaigns that are conducted.

Conclusion

To conclude this article, we can state that the importance of digital marketing for Indian lawyers cannot be overstated. It acts as a powerful tool to enhance the visibility of a law firm and a legal service provider, attract targeted clients and business a reputable online presence. By using various marketing schemes under digital marketing like SEO, content marketing, social media marketing, law firms and legal professionals can effectively reach and engage with potential clients, thus driving the growth of business and staying competitive in the digital age. Adopting a comprehensive digital marketing strategy (that is carefully tailored for your firm and best fits you) is no longer an option in this era but is quite essential for legal professionals aiming to thrive in today’s dynamic market landscape.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

As many legal professionals and lawyers do not have a background in digital marketing, mentioned below are some frequently asked questions (FAQs) that could serve as effective digital marketing strategies.

Can lawyers advertise their legal services in India?

As mentioned above, Rule 36 of the BCI Rules bans lawyers and advocates from advertising their services. However, with the 2008 amendment, all legal professionals were permitted to display basic information on their websites and other pages. The information includes contact details, qualifications, inter alia (kindly refer above points for more information). It is pertinent to note that such information has to be accompanied by a disclaimer that the information provided is apt. If an individual provides any information other than the permissible one, he/she may be held liable under Section 35 of the Advocates Act, 1961. As a punishment, disciplinary action for professional misconduct or a complete ban on practising law as a career can be imposed.

Why is there a ban on advertising legal services by Indian lawyers?

As mentioned above, the ban on advertising legal services is to avert the commercialisation of the legal profession and to further stop individuals from using unethical ways to prevent legal disparity and to avoid misleading the public.

What were the major amendments made to Rule 36 of the BCI Rules in 2008?

The 2008 Amendment permitted advocates/lawyers to add their basic information like their name, contact details, email address, qualifications, etc., on their websites. However, as stated above, the amendment stated that it is important that such details be accompanied by a disclaimer. The disclaimer must mention that the information provided on the website is authentic and accurate.

What are the key differences between marketing oneself as a lawyer and marketing for a law firm?

The difference between marketing yourself as a lawyer and a law firm lies in the following key factors:

1. When one builds a personal brand, the major focus is on telling the audience about:

1. Educational background,
2. Work experience,
3. Practice area, and
4. Track record.
5. Whereas, while building  a law firm’s brand, the major focus is on telling the audience about the organisation, talking about:

1. Services provided,
2. Satisfied clients (and their reviews),
3. Professional staff, and
4. Achievements in the legal field.

Blending these two approaches will create a holistic overview of one’s law practice, which in turn, will help build trust with the target audience.

How do lawyers attract business?

With the advent of the Internet coupled with traditional marketing methods, lawyers have many methods for attracting business. SEO, email marketing, content marketing are some of the methods to implement in their digital marketing strategies, and these strategies can be effective as marketing strategies, which in turn will help attract more clients to the firm, provided such methods are executed properly. 

However, it is crucial to note that not all digital marketing strategies will be fruitful for every law firm, so one must research properly and ascertain which digital marketing strategies will work best for one’s firm or suit their practice area. One will only learn to do so if one experiments on which strategy best suits them and yields the best results. In order to accelerate this, hiring a digital marketing agency that has worked with law firms and legal professionals before (or whose main base of clientele is lawyers and law firms) can also be quite fruitful as they are quite aware of the recent trends in that niche.

How can one market themselves as a new lawyer?

If you are a new lawyer entering the legal community, it is important to focus on building your brand as soon as you can. To do this, digital marketing is one of the best methods, and the sooner one starts with securing the business, the better it will be to help in expanding the firm. Further, it will also give you an arsenal of client testimonials to generate even more business in the coming days. Following strategies like SEO, content marketing, etc., can introduce one’s name in the market and provide them with new clientele. Some crucial information to communicate as a brand-new lawyer is your:

1. Experience,
2. Practice area or area of expertise and
3. The location where he/she wishes to practise, i.e., the jurisdiction.

One must also provide a simpler method to be contacted on their website, which may include a call to action and one’s contact information like email address, office address, etc.

Can a legal professional and/or law firm do digital marketing themselves?

Yes, a legal professional and/or a law firm can do digital marketing, as mentioned above, but they may or may not fetch the best results. Also, losing billable hours and precious revenue poses to be a major concern. Further, while a legal professional and/or law firm may run a marketing campaign, at times, it is not in their best interest to do so. One can consider seeking help from legal digital marketers.

What is the work of legal digital marketers?

The main focus of a legal marketer is to generate new business for their firm. For this, a variety of social media tools can be used like:

1. SEO,
2. Email marketing, etc.

This will attract potential clients and convert them into leads. Once a lead is generated, it is the job of legal marketers to make frequent updates and make the lead become a client. Legal marketers have extensive knowledge in the field of marketing and sales, and they use this expertise to generate new business for the firm. They further have the duty of keeping up to date with the digital marketing trends to ensure the clients are not investing their assets in outdated tactics that may not be as fruitful as the new strategies to attract new business and clientele.

How do you get new law firm clients?

Well, addressing one’s value and mentioning detailed information on the legal services provided by a legal professional or a law firm will always prevail in the minds of potential clients. When clients are searching for an advocate or lawyer, to file their suit or draft any agreement, they want to know that they are choosing the best person for the job. 

The best way to digitally market this is via having the main focus on the core strengths of an individual or organisation. The strength may include anything from experiences to reputation to the result one has attained in the past or the cases they have won. Simply put, whatever makes one unique, must be displayed to attract potential clients. There are many channels one can avail to market their personal brand or law firm. Traditional methods such as print advertising, radio and television can be effective, but may also be expensive. This is why, many legal professionals and owners of law firms are turning to digital marketing to help them reach potential clients and keep an eye on the engagements that turn into a business.

How can one build client trust online?

When a client goes in search of a lawyer or attorney to attain their legal services, they always make sure they find someone who is worthy of their trust. The best way to build client trust on online platforms is to provide detailed information about your legal services and be transparent about all the costs that the client will have to incur for the services. 

One should also focus on creating a strong relationship with potential clients by responding to their questions and concerns in a timely and professional manner. Additionally, one should ensure that their website is easy to navigate and that it gives clear information about the legal professional and law firm. Also, one can develop trust among clients by offering a free consultation so they get to know you and your firm before deciding to avail services from the person or that organisation. The perfect mixture of all such aspects will definitely result in more clients trusting you and your firm, thus ultimately leading to more business.

What are some legal advertising precautions an Indian lawyer and law firm must follow while using digital marketing as a tool?

In this era, where digital connectivity is at its highest, online digital marketing has evolved to the extent that it is now one of the most crucial resources for businesses to succeed. However, when it comes to the legal digital marketing field, there are some unique sets of limitations, and Indian lawyers and law firms definitely have to follow them to avoid repercussions like punishments or, in worst case scenarios, being barred from practising the legal profession altogether. There are some set rules that prohibit Indian lawyers and law firms from advertising and promoting their legal services in a way that is regarded as unethical or is against the set rules of professional conduct. Let us see what points one must be cautioned about, apart from the explicit rules of BCI (discussed in brief in the above passages).

Content and messaging

We all know words have tremendous power, the case is more so in the field of legal digital marketing and legal advertising. While creating intriguing content for their digital marketing strategies, Indian lawyers and law firms must do it with proper caution. There should be a balance between demonstrating competence and exaggerating a certain point. Lawyers and legal firms must put more effort into educating potential clients, building and developing trust and sharing important legal information instead of using flashy gimmicks and hollow promises.

Cold calling and solicitation

As per the BCI Rules, lawyers are banned from using cold calling or unsolicited emails to find clients in India. Doing so will appear to be quite obtrusive and will infringe on professional ethics, making it an imminent marketing blunder. Instead, Indian lawyers and law firms can take a more strategic approach by-

1. Holding webinars on legal matters,
2. Bring about workshops and seminars on pertinent legal subjects, etc.

With such steps, they can establish themselves as leaders and prominent personalities in the legal field.

Client confidentiality 

We all know, the foundation or essence of any prosperous legal practice is trust. While promoting legal services online, Indian lawyers and law firms must ensure that they are not infringing the privacy of their clients. Any sensitive information exchanged between each other must be kept confidential, thus respecting the privacy of one’s client. However, with the permission of one’s clients, lawyers and law firms can add their testimonials. These testimonials must highlight the overall experience of the clients instead of sharing any explicit, private information. Doing so will give potential clients reassurance that their private matters will be handled with care and their privacy will not be infringed in any manner whatsoever.

What are some alternative marketing strategies Indian lawyers and law firms can avail for a strong online presence and to draw potential clients?

While traditional forms of advertising are banned for Indian lawyers and law firms, there can be some other marketing techniques that can be used to keep a strong online presence and to attract potential clients, some of them are as follows:

Thought leadership

By consistently posting knowledgeable and insightful material on their websites or blogs, Indian lawyers and law firms can position themselves as ‘thought leaders’ in their industry. This helps improve and enhance the reputation of the legal professional or organisation and attracts potential clients who are looking for information and expertise.

Seo (Search engine optimization)

As reiterated time and again above, using SEO strategies can increase a legal professional’s and a legal firm’s exposure in search engine rankings. Further, without using any unethical forms of advertisement, Indian lawyers and legal firms can enhance their internet visibility by optimising website content and adding important keywords.

Social media engagement

Again, as mentioned in the above passages, social media platforms can be of huge help for Indian lawyers and law firms to engage with their potential audience and to attract clients. They can build a solid online legal presence, which in turn, will help create leads. One can do so by publishing legal updates, sharing industry insights, and taking part in forums.

What are the legal issues in digital marketing?

The top legal issues that can affect one’s digital marketing are as follows:

1. E-commerce and digital marketing,
2. Purchasing a domain name,
3. Compliance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA),
4. Privacy on the Internet,
5. The Law of Social Media,
6. Policy on Personal Information Protection,
7. Agreements on Terms of Service, and
8. Contracts for E-Commerce.

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