Essential Tips for Lawyers Who Write Their Own Blogs

Learning how to write a blog can be a great way to raise the profile of your law firm and enhance brand visibility. Potential clients are always searching for information online, so why not coax them to land on your page when researching a legal topic?

Yes, we know that blogging feels like one more task on a long laundry list of things many attorneys would like to do, but there simply aren’t enough hours in a day. But let’s look at it differently:

1. Lawyers tend to be good writers.
2. You would be writing about things you know off the top of your head.
3. It’s the cheapest marketing you’ll ever do.

Seen in this light, starting to write your own law blog posts starts to look a lot more attractive.

The key is to have a system that makes creating a blog relatively effortless, whether you publish one every month or every couple of weeks. Read on to discover essential tips for lawyers who write their own blogs. And if you really, really feel certain that you don’t have time to write your own, a law firm SEO agency can do it for you. For help in this area, the professionals at Gladiator would be glad to pitch in. Here’s a list of legal blogging Do’s and Don’ts:

Do’s:

1. Write on a topic that you think your typical client wants to know about.

Every law firm has its key practice areas that generate the bulk of their revenue. While you don’t always have to write on topics related to your revenue-generators, it’s always a good idea to keep these in mind. Also, time and experience have taught you the key questions that the majority of clients want answered. These can be a great starting point when making a list of blog topic ideas. An obscure legal concept is not better where topics are concerned. Talk about the things that bring clients to your door.

2. Include calls to action (CTAs) with your phone number.

Don’t leave a reader hanging who wants to know more but can’t easily find a way to contact you. At various intervals, use a sentence – or better yet, a colorful button – to provide your phone number. Make reference to your chat option, your contact form or other means of getting hold of you fast. Seize the moment and make it easy for a reader to act on the impulse to get more information. If they have to search, you may lose them forever.

3. Use bulleted or numbered lists for succinct, effective communication.

Readers like quick bites of information that are easily digestible. What better way to achieve this than through bulleted lists? We’re not talking about long lists – just lists of 4 to 6 key ideas that will stick in their minds. You will attract loyal readers if you establish a reputation for quick, relevant information that is actionable.

4. Include a hyperlink to your home page/practice area page so a reader can quickly click to your website.

What’s the use of attracting a reader if they don’t eventually wind up on your website to find out more about you and your services? After all, the goal here is to convert readers into leads, and leads into clients.

5. Make sure your blog is “scannable” with headings, subheadings and short paragraphs.

For readers who have little time or are on the go, they may only scan your blog, making quick note of key points and ideas. So, use headings that are informative and compelling to break up text. The headings may be the only things some users read. For other users, compelling headings enable them to skip sections they’re not interested in and drill down into sections that pique their interest

Also, this isn’t a term paper or legal brief. Long, hefty paragraphs can be intimidating and turn readers off. Keep it short, lively and to-the-point.

6. Optimize key words for SEO (search engine optimization) effectiveness.

This is a bit technical but oh-so-important. Google algorithms are tiny brains that use all sorts of numerical calculations to decide which blogs/websites/bits of information Google lists on the first page of results to answer user queries. You want to be high on that list. You achieve this by optimizing for key words and phrases. If you don’t know how to do this, an SEO for lawyers’ professional can help. Call Gladiator at 888-683-3212. (See, that there was a CTA!)

Don’ts:

1. Don’t be general. Write on a single topic.

If you want to stand out, don’t ramble through generalities. Choose a single topic and stick to it. As legal readers go, they often have a question that they’re trying to find an answer to. They’re not a casual reader enjoying a book at the beach. So be sharp, relevant, and give them a legally informed answer.

2. Don’t give legal advice.

Whoa, Nelly! We all know to stay away from this area. State clearly that this is just for informational purposes and is not meant to constitute legal advice. Not only can you mention this conversationally in the text, but you can also include a formal disclaimer at the bottom of each blog.

3. Don’t be too wordy or get down in the legal weeds.

Generally, legal blogs are effective if they’re 800 to 1,200 words. Expecting anyone to read further is asking a lot of today’s busy consumers. Be sure to explain things in layman’s terms rather than getting down into the nitty gritty of legal jargon or multiple case citations. If a reader wants complicated details, they can click on your website or give you a call. It’s an important balance to strike between superficial generalities and snoozy minutiae. Remember that you’re the one with expertise, so write a blog conversationally, like you’d talk to a client in your office.

Get Help from a Law Firm SEO Agency Today

Part of our job at Gladiator Law Marketing is educating clients on how to market themselves effectively and affordably. We try to provide Gladiator Law Marketing blogs that are educational and inspiring. We also give our clients guidance to be sure their content helps them stand out from the crowd. Not only do we implement marketing strategies – we teach them to our clients. If you’d like to find out more about how we can help market your law firm, give us a call at 888-683-3212. Until then, happy blogging!