Content Marketing: The most valuable and overlooked asset in law firm marketing

By Edie Reinhardt

Law firms often put considerable resources into getting third-party exposure. Reaching out to the press, speaking at conferences, buying advertising and the like can be very effective marketing, but also expensive.

Meanwhile, firms overlook one of their most valuable, cost-effective and underused assets: Their owned media. These are their website, blog, social media, newsletters, webinars, and other firm-managed channels. Owned media may not have the built-in audience of a major publication, but it offers the control, flexibility, and permanence that firms cannot get with a third party.

Why owned media matters

Owned media plays an important role in how law firms are evaluated. It’s often where prospective clients, referral sources, and journalists go after an introduction, recommendation or online search to determine whether a firm is worth contacting.

These channels allow firms to go beyond listing credentials. Firms can explain what they do and how they think in their own words. Through practical, well-crafted content, firms can showcase expertise, connect directly with contacts, build trust and stay top of mind to improve referrals and gain new clients.

Owned media provides control. Firms decide what to publish, when to publish it, how to promote it and how it supports their broader goals. Unlike advertising or one-time media placements, owned media also has longevity. Content published on a firm’s website can continue to attract and educate readers long after it’s introduced. No one can delete or bury that content.

Yet, despite these benefits, owned media is often treated as an afterthought rather than a strategic asset. Websites go years without meaningful updates. Blogs and newsletters are launched and then abandoned. LinkedIn posts are erratic. Content is created for a single moment and never revisited. When that happens, firms miss opportunities to stay visible, reinforce credibility and support referrals. Contacts forget about them or see their competitors as a stronger choice.

Tips for maximizing owned media

Making better use of owned media doesn’t require a large budget. Small, consistent improvements like these can significantly increase its impact.

• Keep it current. Regularly update websites, bios, and social media profiles. Outdated information and broken links send the wrong message, damaging credibility.
• Post and engage consistently. Firms and individual attorneys should share useful, interesting content on social media, especially on LinkedIn, to build authority, likeability, and trust.
• Show, don’t just tell. Demonstrate expertise by offering practical insights and analysis, rather than just reporting on new developments or listing experience.
• Write for the audience. Most readers are not interested in law firm practice area labels or overly technical legal discussions. They want information about their problem and proof that the firm understands their concerns.
• Consider SEO and AI search. Keywords are still important, but AI search tools now provide summarized answers to searchers’ questions. Publishing clear, authoritative answers increases the likelihood that the firm will appear in both traditional search results and AI-generated summaries.
• Segment email contacts. Firms should categorize their contacts based on who they are, their relationship to the firm and their interests. In this way, firms can customize the information going to different contacts.
• Repurpose and cross-promote. Content should be reused and repromoted. Adapt pieces for different audiences, create shorter or longer versions, deliver them in multiple formats, and share them across channels to efficiently extend the firm’s reach.
• Use paid promotion selectively. While advertising is often costly, it can be useful in targeted situations, such as promoting a webinar or downloadable resource to generate leads.

Law firms often chase visibility through outside channels while neglecting the ones they control. Owned media, when managed strategically, is less expensive and more effective at bringing in business than earned or paid media. No firm can afford to overlook that.

 

 

Edie Reinhardt, Esq. is principal of RDT Content Marketing, which specializes in helping attorneys showcase their expertise and target their marketing to attract more clients. She can be reached at [email protected].