There are over 2,000,000 searches on legal subjects every day in the UK according to Google. Consider that, and the fact that over 80% of adults now go online, most of them daily, and it’s clear that law firms need an effective online presence.
The key to effective online marketing is understanding the audience. The infographics below - produced by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) - show data relating to internet access by age, gender and region. The key point here is that more and more people - old and young, male and female - are online. Increasing numbers of people over 65 access the Internet, a trend that will no doubt continue. To get a clear picture of the people who use your website upgrade from Google Analytics to Universal Analytics.
So, what is an "effective online presence"? At the very least law firms should have a website that they regularly update with useful and unique content. Regular updates are signals to search engines that your site is an up-to-date source of information. When thinking about content the first thing to consider is your audience - what will they find useful?
Being online is not just about having a website. Social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter have millions of users. It won’t be a surprise that Facebook is the most popular social media site, but the second most popular might not be so easy to guess. Spoiler alert! There's a reason why Google recommends having videos on your site...
Social media sites are there for you to ENGAGE WITH YOUR AUDIENCE. Don't waste your time simply publishing updates and wondering why you get no response. You must engage with your audience. Signpost them to other useful sources of information, share something funny, or respond to their posts. The aim is to build a relationship, which is enough to put most law firms off! But done well social media activity can have a positive effect on your bottom line.
An effective online presence should clearly include social media. To be able to attract new clients you need to be where your potential clients are. And it almost goes without saying that you should be maximising your visibility in search engines by keeping an up to date listing on Google My Business, but you're already doing that, aren't you? Remember, according to Google there are over 2,000,000 searches on legal subjects every day in the UK.