Digital Marketing: Maximizing lead generation: Tips and tactics for every channel

By Kevin Vermuelen

Lead generation should be the ultimate goal of any business’s digital marketing strategy, and law firms are no exception. Without a constant influx of new leads, a practice will likely fall short of its business development goals, resulting in stagnant, or even worse, declining growth.

Unfortunately, keeping the funnel full while managing existing client needs can be overwhelming. This is where strategic implementation of proven lead-generation tactics can be a game-changer. And it’s not just about getting any leads but attracting quality leads–prospects genuinely interested in a firm’s legal services and, therefore, more likely to convert into loyal clients.

Social media for lead generation

Social media channels aren’t just excellent avenues for lead generation, they’re essential for any law firm looking to succeed in the digital age. Depending on how a firm utilizes social media, the costs can be very low compared to traditional media. For the vast majority of law firms, LinkedIn Ads and Facebook Ads are the most important channels to focus on.

• LinkedIn Ads – LinkedIn content tends to have higher engagement rates, but law firms need to focus on targeting the right audiences based on client personas and creating ads that have a newsworthy or topical angle. Additionally, it’s important to continuously test the CTAs (calls to action), copy, and images in your ads.
• Facebook Lead Ads – Lead Ads allow B2B users to sign up for an advertiser’s offer in just two taps without leaving the social network. They are also highly customizable and easy to target for specific audiences. However, these ads should not replace a firm’s landing pages, as they remain necessary for capturing leads from organic search and PPC (pay-per-click).

PPC for lead generation

A well-rounded PPC strategy will include more than just Adwords. For example, it’s difficult to consistently bid high enough to beat all competitors in highly competitive spaces. In those instances, having another lead source, such as law firm review directories, is helpful. In particular, legal marketers should look for:

• Lead generation campaigns – A review site can lead directly to landing pages, allowing people to sign up for more information.
• Premium placement – When a listing among the most popular law firms isn’t achievable, premium placement offers a much better chance of turning viewers into leads. Once a marketer has identified appropriate review sites, they can reach out to the appropriate contacts to discuss their options for getting a top placement.
• Industry awards – Third-party sites that recommend legal services often offer advice on “best of” firms. Making it to one of these lists will increase a firm’s chances of finding leads online.
• Google Local Services Ads – Google’s Local Services Ads prominently display a law firm at the top of search results for relevant services, boosting visibility and potential lead generation.

Blogging

Blogging is the foundation of content marketing and is crucial for attracting and sustaining online engagement. Which blog types are the most impactful? Most legal practices would be best served by focusing on the following:

• Authoritative posts – Areas in which a firm’s attorneys possess expertise.
• Opinion pieces – Sharing insights, ideally backed by data.
• Original research – Unique content designed to be consumed by a firm’s industry audience.
• How-to’s – Tips or tutorials that address common questions or help people to solve challenges.
• Trending content – Content centered on popular topics related to a firm’s practice areas.
• Infographics – Increasingly popular, these allow information to be displayed in digestible visuals for easy consumption.
• Videos – Audiences increasingly prefer to watch a video rather than read an article to learn new things.
• Case studies – These blogs showcase the firm’s successful outcomes and solutions for clients, providing real-world examples of attorneys’ expertise and capabilities.

Email marketing

Email remains relevant today, serving as a bridge between marketing automation and CRM (customer relations management). Opt-ins initiate lead nurturing, leading to client acquisition. AI, automated lead scoring, and predictive analytics facilitate personalized emails and integrated communications across channels.

To get the most out of their email marketing strategy, firms should pay particular attention to:

• Value offer – Offering something people are willing to exchange their information for (such as a lead magnet) is the first rule of effective email marketing.
• Landing page – These should include a clear offer of the lead magnet, a compelling CTA, appealing visuals, and a permission/opt-out statement.
• Email subject line – An essential part of email, subject lines should be concise and attention-getting.
• Segmentation – For more targeted messaging, legal marketers should divide their database into smaller lists based on different categories.
• Analytics – Regular reporting helps ensure lists are up-to-date and provides insight for optimizing tactics.
• Personalization – Emails should be tailored to account for client behaviors and preferences, using personalization tokens to insert individual names and other relevant information.

Bottom line

Legal marketers are always looking for the best ways to generate quality leads online. By deploying the most effective lead generation strategies to their chosen digital channel, firms will be better positioned to attract new clients, retain existing business, and establish themselves as thought leaders within their areas of practice.

Feel free to reach out to me with any questions or if you would like assistance developing a lead generation strategy for any of your firm’s digital channels.

Kevin J. Vermeulen is a partner in Good2BSocial LLC, a digital marketing agency that focuses on law firms and companies in the legal industry. He can be reached at [email protected]