How to Hide The Monster
(Part II of Law Firm Marketing)
So, now we know that we need content, where do we get it? Certainly we all understand that content doesn't just appear overnight. Developing content takes time and effort - it's a monstrous task. With these tried and proved tips, we will discuss hiding the monster, making it appear to be a tamed kitten.
The least expensive and most expedient option is to rifle through your files and find those briefs, white papers, research projects and letters to clients, unearthing content ripe for rewriting in consumer understandable language and updated to include current issues and research.
Next, challenge your partners, associates and paralegals to contribute short articles on issues in which they either have an interest or found themselves enmeshed in due to a case they are currently researching. Be sure to promote it not as just another task to complete, but rather an opportunity to have articles in print and demonstrate their knowledge in a certain area. You might even want to consider offering a bounty for well written articles on specified subject matters.
I suggest short articles because people browsing about the web have limited time (as true of us all) and probably aren't going to read 10 page articles on-line. If a subject matter demands more than a page or so, think about breaking it into organized smaller pieces so your visitors can read an article at one sitting and come back again to learn more at a later time. Short articles also benefit you and your employees who may contribute since this is a small task rather than a huge monster looming in the dark. Chances are that if employees perceive a monstrous writing project, the project just continues to loom forever and you will end up with out any articles!
PrairieLaw (this web site no longer exists) is a great example site for producing easy to read and understandable articles on a variety of subjects of interest to consumers and in short bite sized pieces. What PrairieLaw does wrong, in my opinion, is in making their articles too fluffy and without sufficient meat and further in-depth references. WebBuzz (no longer active) provides the meaty content broken down into chapters through web lectures by Professor Michael Geist. But, this type of format might be daunting to the average writer if they see the project in its total form. I suggest a cross between the two - the style of WebBuzz with meaty references to additional information, yet, the short, preciseness of PrairieLaw in easy to chew chunks.
We probably should back up here and come to the agreement that your firm's market is indeed the consumer of legal services. I suggest zeroing in further on the target audience to determine the exact style of the article. An article for the average lay person experiencing the probate of the estate of a loved one has a different flavor and legal expertise level than the article written for the small business needing to know more about security measures for their computer systems; the large corporation demands yet another level of writing when wanting to understand the law of monitoring employee email, telephone usage and other activities at work on company equipment. So, depending on the group you wish to target (or over time you can decide to target each group through utilizing various areas of your website), you choose the best writer for the project and the level of expertise needed.
For example, Paralegals are the perfect source for articles informing families about what to expect in the probate process, what documents will be needed by the firm, how to file for life insurance death benefits, and the notifications and documentation needed to change accounts. However, an associate might be the more appropriate writer for a more intricate article discussing the options and ramifications of dealing with IRA rollovers or Family Limited Partnerships.
Another option for procuring content involves hiring a content writer, well versed in the various legal subjects you want to feature, to either produce original content or smooth out the content provided through fact papers the firm already has prepared. The last thing a firm wants is legal articles so above the understanding of the audience that no one bothers to read them or ends up with more questions than answers. Most legal articles are written at the scholarly level, fit for Courts, law journals and other legal publications. While these types of media exposure assist a firm's marketing effort, the scholarly level articles on a web site probably won't attract too many consumer readers.
The good news is that these scholarly articles can then be rewritten into smaller bite sized pieces for another target audience by a writer who understands the legal concepts and can break them down to explain the same issues in a more user friendly language. The adept writer who understands the issues can reduce even the more complicated subject matters into readable content for a web site.
Using a writer who understands the Internet, the methods used by the average user to search for content, how search engines and directories index content and which search engines and directories are most noted for what type of content provides a greater chance of success in the eventual marketing of the site content. Several web site design firms, including KatsueyDesignWorks, specialize in assisting law firms with content development and proper submissions to the appropriate search engines and directories. Many other design firms do not, as they lack the legal training or the writing abilities. Your firm's specific needs in this area should lead when making your choice in a web site developer. If you need assistant with content, hire a design firm that provides these services or find a consultant willing and able to work with your design team.
If your firm decides they would like to provide links to other legal content, the important issue will be commitment to keeping those links updated and maintained. Nothing is more discouraging than a promising link that turns into a 404 page not found message. A couple of these will send your site visitors packing to another site with more current content.
In summary, devise a plan for the types of content you want for the firm's site. Solicit your employees to assist in developing this content in easy to produce pieces rather than tackling an entire monster. If a few writers commit to providing short one to two page articles once a month, in a year's time, the firm's content will be quite sizeable. Choose the appropriate writer for the appropriate subject, determined in part by the complexity of legal issues needed to cover the subject well. Break complicated and in-depth subjects into bite sized chunks making the task easier for the writer and more manageable for the busy reader.
Consider hiring a consultant (whether this be a task specified when hiring your web site designer or you chose to hire an independent writing consultant) to assist with ensuring the content is best written and organized for the anticipated target audience and for obtaining optimum results from the search engines. Draw up and implement plans for continuing refreshing and additions to your content so your site never becomes outdated, stale and stagnant.
