Your big-picture digital marketing goal is likely straightforward and logical: Convert the prospects who find you online into clients. Achieving this goal requires time, attention and money. You just need to make intelligent investments that lead to a good return on those investments.
Here are three smart updates that should top your marketing to-do list so you can achieve your big-picture goal.
1. Mobile-First Website
If you have been using Google Analytics, you have likely seen a significant increase in the number of visitors accessing your website on mobile devices. For most law firm websites, mobile users outnumber desktop visitors.
Many websites are already mobile-responsive. However, there is a big difference between mobile-responsive websites and “mobile-first” websites. If you are upgrading or redesigning your site, prioritize mobile development rather than making it a secondary consideration.
According to Search Engine Land, “mobile is unignorably big.” To tap this sizable population of potential clients, your website needs to:
- Load quickly (in less than three seconds, according to Google).
- Use layout, graphics and functionality optimized for iPhone, Android and iPad users — not squeezed into a mobile layout after being designed for desktop users.
- Streamline navigation. Menus and call-to-action elements should be clearly labeled and point users to the exact information or feature they’re seeking and provide the strongest reason for them to call you.
In addition to mobile-first development, optimize your website design so it connects with visitors, tells them who you are and presents relatable images that connect with your prospect’s needs while representing you as professional and trustworthy.
2. SEO Best Practices
People no longer just enter keywords into a search engine to find an attorney. Many users speak into their mobile devices when performing a search. Google is continuing work on its mobile-first index of search results, more proof that mobile-first will have a major impact on your marketing.
In addition to sending quality signals to search engines with a mobile-first website, you can also rank well in search results and drive quality traffic to your website by:
- Optimizing your website content and metadata for a wide swath of queries using natural, conversational language. (The days of stuffing each page with unnatural phrases to convince Google of the page’s relevance are over.)
- Earning quality backlinks through authoritative domains and websites that are relevant to the legal field — including thought leadership-style articles and inclusion in directories specifically for lawyers.
- Connecting with journalists, bloggers and industry experts to build relationships and share your content. As Entrepreneur contributor R.L. Jones writes, “there are plenty of influencers out there who can help champion your cause … [and] help you reach a large audience.” A mention from the right influencer gives you and your content legitimacy in the eyes of search engines and prospective clients alike.
Ultimately, turning prospects into clients means answering the questions that bring visitors to your website. Optimizing for the queries users actually enter into search engines — instead of the classic vanity keywords — will bring more traffic to your site. Answering these questions will result in more leads.
3. High-Quality Content
There are many definitions of “quality content” in the context of digital marketing and SEO. Ultimately, the best content will answer the common questions users ask when searching for a lawyer, as noted above. Your content should also tell prospective clients who you are, what you do and why visitors to your site should hire you.
Keep in mind that today text is often secondary to other top-performing content such as:
- Videos
- Other visual content like infographics, quizzes and SlideShare presentations
- Social media posts sharing pictures, video, custom visual content and other collateral
- Downloadable content distributed through personalized emails
- Custom landing pages for users who find you via paid search and display and retargeting ads
In some cases, updating existing content on your website can help you leverage the age and established authority of longstanding pages and popular blog posts. This can enhance your SEO and provides visitors with up-to-date information that meets their needs and gives them a reason to contact you.
Dan Goldstein is the president and owner of Page 1 Solutions (@Page1Solutions) a full-service digital marketing agency, and Altrumedia, an altruistic marketing agency for lawyers. He is the author of “Win with Multi-Channel Digital Marketing.”
Illustration ©iStockPhoto.com
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