What's a good "open rate" for a law firm email newsletter?
Find the answer and more in our new report:
The State of Law Firm
Email Marketing:
Benchmarks, Trends
and Best Practices
September 05, 2010
November 09, 2008
September 01, 2008
Law Firm SEO Services
Law Firm Website SEO
Search engines are a major source of traffic to law firm websites (as well as law firm blogs). Generally, the higher up a link to a law firm website is displayed in relevant search engine results (i.e., the higher the site “ranks”), the more prospective clients will visit the site. And the more prospects visit a site, the more leads will be generated. Therefore, a law firm seeking to maximize the number of leads generated by its website should follow “best practices” when it comes to search engine optimization, or SEO.
After reviewing the services below, we also invite you to visit our blog to learn more about law firm SEO best practices.
eLawMarketing offers several law firm SEO services:
- SEO audits (for existing law firm websites)
- Pre-Launch SEO Consulting (for new law firm websites under development)
- Post-Launch SEO Consulting (typically coupled with either an SEO audit for existing sites or pre-launch SEO consulting services for a new site)
- Online Reputation Management (to address "negative" results on Google)
- Search-Engine Optimized Press Releases
I. SEO Audit (Back to top)
A critical first step towards improving the search engine visibility of an existing law firm website is an SEO audit. The purpose of the audit is to determine the site’s “status quo” in the SEO performance categories listed below, and to assess compliance with SEO “best practices." Once a site’s status quo and compliance is determined, we can implement appropriate strategies to address any weaknesses and improve search engine visibility.
i. SEO Performance Categories:
Referral Traffic
- Identifying links from other websites and blogs (a/k/a “referral sources”) back to your site
- Determining what “anchor” text these referral sources are using to link back to your site
- Measuring the volume of traffic being driven by various “referral sources”
Search Engine Traffic
- Determining the keywords for which your site is ranking highly in search engine results
- Measuring the volume of traffic driven by particular search engine queries
- Determining which of your site pages are included in Google’s index
- Identify any pages on your site that Google has had trouble crawling
ii. “Best Practices”
- Confirming compliance with “best practices” in terms of composition of title, meta description, ALT and other tags, and visible site content
- Confirming compliance with “best practices” in terms of internal linking structure
- Measuring ability to update site frequently with fresh content
II. Pre-Launch SEO Consulting (Back to top)
The purpose of pre-launch SEO consulting is to ensure that a new law firm website is designed and coded in accordance with SEO "best practices," and that a firm will have the tools to monitor, maintain and maximize search engine visibility after launch. Indeed, given how critical search engine optimization can be to the ROI on a new law firm website, it is important to grade potential website developers on their SEO capabilities before a developer is selected.
Pre-launch SEO consulting services include:
- Using the KEI (Keyword Efficiency Index) metric to research optimal keywords with which to seed visible site content, and title, description and other tags
- Composing title and description meta tags
- Reviewing proposed homepage and secondary page design, link structure and content
- Reviewing content sharing strategies
- Reviewing vendor content management system capabilities (ideally, prior to vendor selection)
- Submission of site (and any blogs) to quality law-related and nonlegal directories
III. Post-Launch SEO Consulting (Back to top)
Once the status quo of the firm’s website is determined as a result of an SEO audit, or after a new law firm website launches, we offer ongoing services designed to monitor, maintain and maximize a site's search engine visibility. The primary strategy here is to aggressively seek quality inbound links to the website (and any firm blogs) from topically related third party websites and blogs with high Google “PageRank” (i.e., the metric by which Google measures the importance of a website or blog). In seeking inbound links, a key emphasis is striving, as much as possible, to ensure that the links from the third party websites and blogs are “anchored” with keywords relevant to the firm’s practice areas.
The range of monthly post-launch SEO consulting services include:
- Deconstruction and analysis of competing websites and blogs that rank highly for keywords that the firm is targeting
- Directing ongoing content creation strategies
- Sourcing accomplished writers to deliver high quality written content (note: copywriting is extra)
- Seeking reciprocal links with third party websites and blogs with related content and high PageRank (including high ranked sites owned by eLawMarketing and partners)
- Publicizing specialized content on the firm’s website and any blogs using online PR services such as PR Web
- Facilitating sharing of the firm’s content via social media & social bookmarking tools such as Digg, Stumbleupon, Furl and Delicious
- Ongoing monitoring of Google Analytics and Diagnostics to check progress towards goal of increased inbound links and search engine and referral traffic
IV. Online Reputation Management (Back
to top)
Today,
law firms are operating in an increasingly connected and conversational web
environment. Sources of information about a firm and its attorneys are no
longer limited to the firm’s website or press releases. Instead, casual dialogue
or references on social networks, blogs, directories, job boards and other websites
all contribute to the reputation of a firm in the legal marketplace. In just
a few hours, a single negative reference about a firm on a well-trafficked blog
can easily mushroom into hostility or ridicule across the Internet!
A major force behind the changed online environment is Google, which as Andy Beal and Dr. Judy Strauss explain in their book, Radically Transparent, is no longer just a search engine; it’s a reputation engine that stores links to every single reference - positive or negative - about a company anywhere on the Web, and displays them to anyone who inquires.
So are you helplessly at the mercy of Google? Not at all. Through a program of regular and ongoing publication of positive online content – e.g., articles, blog posts, press releases, seminar announcements – on your own and third party websites, your firm can maximize the likelihood that positive references will dominate references to your firm on Google, and push down negative references, if any, to later pages.
To help law firms and individual attorneys monitor and manage their online reputations, we offer the following services:
- Advise on mechanisms to monitor legal industry blogs, traditional media websites, and miscellaneous “feedback” sites like Vault.com
- Advise on content creation strategies (e.g., articles, white papers) designed to build positive search engine references
- Compose and distribute online press releases optimized for search engine visibility
- Design and launch “niche” blogs designed to maximize search engine visibility of individual attorneys in specialized practice areas
- Advise on distribution of firm content to third party resource websites and directories (e.g., JD Supra)
- Advise on marketing through Wikipedia
- Advise on marketing using Twitter and social bookmarking sites (e.g., Digg)
V. Search-Engine Optimized Press Releases (Back
to top)
A survey of 1,900 business technology marketers by MarketingSherpa rated the search-engine optimized press release as one of the most effective emerging market tools.
Search-engine optimized online press releases provide value by:
- Adding new inbound links to your website
- Driving increased traffic to your website
- Generating new leads.
eLawMarketing offers a suite of services to help law firms write, distribute and track search-engine optimized online press releases, including:
- Identifying newsworthy announcements
- Identifying appropriate keywords to incorporate into a release
- Writing optimized press releases incorporating your most important keywords
- Designing high-conversion “landing pages” to which to link from the release (e.g., a landing page offering a white paper)
- Submitting the press release for distribution through PR Web)
December 08, 2005
Podcast portfolio
Sample Law Firm Podcasts/Videocasts/Flash
eLawMarketing's podcasting and videocasting services help distinguish law firms as innovative, tech-savvy and pioneering. "Hear" or "view" some sample projects below.
Podcasts
Pepper Hamilton (complete Podcast Center with interviews)
Crime Attorneys (interview format)
Canadian Bar Association (synchronized Flash)
DeCaro & Kaplen (voiceover with script)
Farella Braun + Martel (voiceover with script)
Videocasts
Pepper Hamilton (complete Video Recruiting Center)
Flash
Golden Gate Chapter of the ALA (monthly Flash magazine)
Canadian Bar Association (Powerpoint converted to Flash with audio)
Flash holiday cards with music
Podcasts
Pepper Hamilton
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Pepper Hamilton is a multi-practice law firm with 450 lawyers in seven states and the District of Columbia. When the firm approached eLawMarketing about a podcasting program, we advised using an interview format that would position individual attorneys as experts in their fields. The project culminated in the launch of a Podcast Center that hosts the firm's podcasts, and is maintained on a self-service basis by one of the firm's marketing managers. Each broadcast is available to listeners in 3 formats - instant play bar, RSS feed, and MP3 file.
Visit Pepper Hamilton's PodCenter. Or click the "play" button (i.e., gray arrow) below to instantly listen to a short podcast with Susan Lessack, a partner with Pepper Hamilton’s Labor and Employment Group, on smoking policies in the workplace.
MP3 File
Crime Attorneys
Back to top
CrimeAttorneys is a leading national criminal law firm based on the West Coast. They also elected to use an interview format to position one of their attorneys as an embezzlement expert.
Click the "play" button (i.e., gray arrow) below to hear an interview conducted by eLawMarketing with attorney Pal Lengyel-Leahu, Esq., on how to handle an embezzlement case.
MP3 File
Canadian Bar Association
Back to top
The Canadian Bar Association represents the interests of over 35,000 lawyers, judges, notaries, law teachers, and law students throughout Canada. eLawMarketing has produced several podcasts for the CBA consisting of Powerpoint presentations converted into Flash with synchronized audio. The presentations can be viewed on the PracticeLink section of the CBA website.
Alternatively, click a link below to view individual Flash and audio presentations (note: audio files should start playing automatically in about 3-4 seconds; click the "Play" button if they do not):
A Fresh Look at Fee Collection for Lawyers - Synchronized Flash!
Podcasting for Lawyers - Synchronized Flash!
Creating a Winning Client Retention Strategy in Five Steps - Synchronized Flash!
Managing Your Cash Flow - Synchronized Flash!
DeCaro & Kaplen
Back to top
Michael Kaplen of the law firm DeCaro & Kaplen is a noted personal injury attorney who specializes in brain injury cases, and writes and lectures regularly on the subject.
Click the "play" button below to listen to a podcast produced for Kaplen by eLawMarketing on: 10 Steps Brain Injury Victims Need to Take When Meeting With a Doctor.
MP3 File
Farella Braun + Martel
Back to top
Farella Braun + Martel is a mid-sized West Coast law firm with a highly respected intellectual property practice.
Click the "play" button below to listened to a podcast produced by eLawMarketing for the firm on: How Useful is the Recent Federal Circuit Decision on Utility.
MP3 File
Also from our sound studio, outside the legal industry (right click the links below to download the files and listen on your desktop)
Multi-Vitamins - To Take or Not to Take?
Junk Food in the Family?
Why French Women Don't Get Fat
Videocasts
eLawMarketing now offers videocasting services to law firms wishing to incorporate video into their online marketing mix. We've partnered with a production company with a nationwide network of professional videographers. So whatever city you are located in, or if you have multiple offices across the country, we can arrange for a professional videographer to come to your offices to film your videos. Click the "play" buttons below to view some sample videocasts.
Pepper Hamilton
Back to top
Pepper Hamilton is a multi-practice law firm with 450 lawyers in seven states and the District of Columbia. The clip below is a recruiting video produced by the firm for display in the video center designed and deployed by eLawMarketing to host this and other recruiting videos.
(Running Time: 1:45)
Also from our videographer team, two videos outside the legal industry.
This clip reviews the wonders of the Rose Center for Earth and Space at the Museum of Natural History in New York City, which features some of the most technologically advanced space exhibits and theaters in the world.
Download File
This final clip below promotes the skills of Felix Chavez who has restored the decorative interiors of many of New York City's oldest and grandest buildings. Filmed just before 9/11, the clip includes a skyline shot with the World Trade Center.
Download File
Flash Animation
Golden Gate Chapter of the ALA
Back to top
The Golden Gate Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators has been publishing their monthly newsletter The Bridge for many years. In an effort to reduce costs and increase interactivity, the Golden Gate Chapter turned to eLawMarketing to convert its print newsletter into a PDF and Flash.
The Flash version of The Bridge delivered by eLawMarketing features:
- Unique page flipping functionality
- Print functionality
- Forward to a Friend
- Advertisements "hotlinked" back to advertiser websites
- Hotlinked table of contents
- Searchable text
It is also possible to embed video and forms inside our Flash magazines
Canadian Bar Association
Back to top
The Canadian Bar Association represents the interests of over 35,000 lawyers, judges, notaries, law teachers, and law students throughout Canada. eLawMarketing has converted CBA's Powerpoint presentations converted into Flash with synchronized audio. The presentations can be viewed on the PracticeLink section of the CBA website.
To view samples, click any link below to view individual Flash and audio presentations (note: audio files should start playing automatically in about 3-4 seconds; click the "Play" button if they do not):
A Fresh Look at Fee Collection for Lawyers
Creating a Winning Client Retention Strategy in Five Steps
Flash holiday cards
Back to top
Animated and reflecting classic holiday themes, our Flash holiday cards can either supplement your traditional print card mailing, or break new ground as a tech-savvy innovation. Click the screenshots below to view two samples.
| Stock animation | Custom animation |
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October 09, 2005
Podcasting service
Interactive Solutions: Law Firm Podcasts, Videocasts, Webcasts and More
Our interactive online marketing solutions cover a broad array of technologies and techniques designed to help law firms and individual attorneys creatively engage and converse with clients and prospects in a variety of formats:
Podcasts (back to top)
By
the end of 2007, the number of individuals in the United States who had ever
downloaded a podcast reached 18.5 million, while the number
individuals who download and listen to an average of one or more podcasts per
week reached 6.5 million. By the end of 2008, these numbers
increased to 28 million and 10 million, respectively, while by
2012, they are expected to rise to 65 million and 25 million.
Law firms and individual attorneys can take advantage of the explosive growth of podcasts to create their own syndicated online radio shows that will:
- showcase their expertise
- build a loyal audience
- generate new leads
- drive website traffic
eLawMarketing offers a suite of services to help law firms and individual attorneys create, host and promote podcasts. Read below to learn more about our podcasting services, then visit our sample podcast portfolio to hear some legal industry broadcasts. We also invite you to visit our blog to learn more about law firm podcasting best practices.
• Scripting: A key ingredient determining the popularity of podcasts is quality content. We’ll work with you to develop engaging scripts that will capture the attention of your listeners.
• Production: We’ve partnered with a professional sound studio that can edit your recordings, add custom introductions, and supply voiceover talent for recording scripts or conducting attorney interviews.
• Hosting: Make your podcasts accessible to listeners via online play bars, RSS feeds, and email.
• Promotion: we'll promote your podcasts by posting the RSS feeds to sites such as iTunes.
• Flash: Convert a Powerpoint to Flash and add audio to create
a synchronized podcast with both audio and visual elements. Click
here for a podcast incorporating Flash slides.
• Podcasting center: Deploy a custom podcast center on which to showcase and share your firm’s podcasts in accessible formats (view sample).
• Tracking: Track how many people are listening to or downloading your podcasts.
• Landing pages: Your relationship with your viewers should
not end with the conclusion of your broadcast. Instead, direct listeners to
special landing pages with a “call to action” where they can fill
out and submit online forms to request further information from your firm, or
sign up for an email newsletter.
We build landing pages that maximize conversions! Each time a visitor to your
landing page submits a form, the following actions occur:
- contact information is automatically captured in a database (databases can be exported to Excel as .txt or .csv files)
- a branded confirmation message is displayed to the prospect
- a confirmation email is sent to the prospect (email can be personalized with prospect name (“Dear John”) and other details submitted with the form)
- notification of the new lead is distributed via email to appropriate staff for followup.
Learn more about law firm podcasting "best practices."
Videocasts (back to top)
A
recent survey of B2B marketers revealed that:
- 71% believe that online video can help build brand awareness
- 63% are likely to invest in a branded video destination in 2009
- 47% expect online video to generate more leads in 2009
Importantly, the interest in online video is not limited to young viewers, but is also shared by a significant and growing audience of older, more educated, and more affluent viewers. A recent demographic profile of visitors to video-sharing sites such as YouTube by the Pew Internet & American Life Project found that, for example, 14% of visitors were age 30-49; 33% had some college or graduate school education; and 35% had a household income of $50,000 or greater.
Given the popularity of online video, law firms and individual attorneys should be thinking how they can best leverage online video for marketing and business development. Popular video applications include:
- client testimonials
- firm profiles
- client education
- recruiting
eLawMarketing offers a suite of services to help law firms and individual attorneys create, host and promote videocasts. Read below to learn more about our podcasting services, then visit our sample videocast portfolio. We also invite you to visit our blog to learn more about law firm video best practices.
• Scripting: a key ingredient determining the popularity of online videos is quality content. We’ll work with you to develop engaging scripts that will capture the attention of your viewers.
• Filming: we’ve partnered with a production company with
a nationwide network of professional videographers. So whatever city you are
located in, or if you have multiple offices across the country, we can arrange
for a professional videographer to come to your offices to film your videos.
• Production: our production partner will convert your raw footage into a video masterpiece! Services include:
- Video editing, including insertion of custom transitions, graphics and captions
- Audio narration using voiceover talent
- Intro and Outro screens
- Formatting for Internet viewing.
• Hosting: stream your video online inside a custom video player that is optimized for the search engines, and supports viral marketing.
• Promotion: we can help you promote your video via YouTube, MetaCafe and other online video sharing sites.
• Video center: deploy a custom videocast center in which to showcase and share your firm’s videos in an accessible format (view sample).
• Tracking: we can implement advanced tracking tools to help you determine how many people are viewing your online videos.
• Landing pages: Your relationship with your viewers should
not end with the conclusion of your broadcast. Instead, direct listeners to
special landing pages with a “call to action” where they can fill
out and submit online forms to request further information from your firm, or
sign up for an email newsletter.
We build landing pages that maximize conversions! Each time a visitor to your
landing page submits a form, the following actions occur:
- contact information is automatically captured in a database (databases can be exported to Excel as .txt or .csv files)
- a branded confirmation message is displayed to the prospect
- a confirmation email is sent to the prospect (email can be personalized with prospect name (“Dear John”) and other details submitted with the form)
- notification of the new lead is distributed via email to appropriate staff for followup.
Learn more about law firm video "best practices."
Social Media (back to top)
Marketers
have rated social media networking as one of their top marketing tools in the
current recession given the potential of this form of marketing to generate
substantial publicity and leads with minimal financial outlay.
To help attorneys effectively use social media sites to market themselves and their firms, and develop new business, eLawMarketing now offers social media workshops. We can either (i) come to your firm and deliver an “on site” presentation, or (ii) schedule a remote webinar using Webex that allows multiple offices to participate.
Presently, our presentations focus on the two most popular social networking tools: LinkedIn and Twitter. Here’s what attendees will learn:
- How to compose an effective profile
- How to build your “connections”
- Why you should join groups (or even create your own!)
- How to monitor “conversations” within your groups
- How to initiate discussions within your groups
- How to use “applications” to showcase your work
- Common ethical issues
- What is Twitter? (the basics)
- How to “follow” other people (and get your own followers)
- Customizing your Twitter profile
- How to efficiently manage the flow of “tweets”
- How to search for “conversations” where you can contribute
- Retweets, hashes and other Twitter jargon
- Helpful third party Twitter applications you should consider
Visit our blog to learn more about lawyer social media best practices.
Webcasts (back to top)
According to a 2007 MarketingSherpa study, webcasts (a/k/a webinars
or web conferences) were the second most popular lead generation tool for B2B
marketers. Webinars also help position your attorneys as authorities
in their fields.
eLawMarketing offers a suite of a la carte services to help law firms and individual attorneys create, host and promote law firm webcasts:
- Arranging online registration options (both fee and no fee)
- Designing and hosting event and registration landing pages (view a sample webinar landing page)
- Designing, distributing and tracking email promotions (view a sample promotional email)
- Sourcing lead lists
- Creating Powerpoint slides (view sample Powerpoint slides in Flash)
- Training and coaching presenters
- Developing White Papers as webinar giveaways to reinforce thought leadership
- Helping with the selection of a webinar provider
- Moderating events
- Conducting post-event surveys
Visit our blog to learn more about law firm webinar best practices.
White Paper Marketing (back to top)
White papers have serious “viral marketing” benefits. Research shows that 77% of prospects who download white papers will pass it along to their colleagues, and 24% will pass it along to a supervisor (MarketingSherpa).
White papers can also be lead generation machines, especially when tied to an online press release announcing their publication and linking to an optimized landing page offering the white paper for download.
eLawMarketing helps law firms and attorneys convert white papers into powerful marketing tools. Our services include:
• Topic Development: Selecting the right topics for your white papers is key. Avoid broad topics that it would take a book (or at least a law review article) to cover properly. Instead, focus on a small, but fascinating slice of your knowledge base. To paraphrase a well-known proverb, write about the “trees;” not the “forest.” We’ll help you brainstorm to find the right topic.
• Ghost Writing: Too busy to write a white paper? Our attorney writers can interview an attorney, develop an outline, and convert it into a compelling, well-written draft for the attorney’s review.
• Compliance With Best Practices: We'll provide guidance on such details as effective white paper titles, length and formatting.
• Promotion and Conversion: How you promote your white paper will determine its success. We’ll assist with drafting an online press release to promote the white paper, and an effective landing page to convert traffic from the press release into leads.
Visit our blog to learn more about white paper marketing best practices for law firms.
Powerpoints (back to top)
Powerpoint’s custom styles and animation can help you create engaging
presentations that:
- Capture your audience’s attention
- Deliver your message with style and clarity
- Leave a lasting impression
Popular Powerpoint applications include:
• New Business Pitches: Creatively communicate your firm's expertise and successes.
• Flash: Powerpoints can be converted into Flash presentations and displayed on the Web. Make your entire Powerpoint portfolio available for viewing on your website! (view sample)
• Audio: Convert your Powerpoint to Flash. Then add sound to create a synchronized podcast with both visual and audio elements.(view sample)
• Brochures: Powerpoints can “double” as interactive brochures distributed electronically to prospects together with other marketing materials.
Flash (back to top)
eLawMarketing works with a talented team of Flash programmers. We can deliver
sophisticated and engaging Flash animations for a host of marketing purposes:
- Flash magazines and newsletters (converted from PDF)
- Flash Powerpoint presentations (with synchronized audio)
- Flash holiday cards with music - custom cards and stock animations
Contact Us Today!
May 04, 2005
rhc_contact_list
“Tomorrow belongs to those who take action today”
Anonymous proverb
The holiday season is fast approaching. Check out Flash holiday ecard samples from prior years below. Then contact us to learn more.
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May 02, 2005
Portfolio Association
Sample Online Association Management Installations
To date, the Atlanta, Los Angeles and Wisconsin Chapters of the Association of Legal Administrators have implemented our new online association management application.
The tool allows the Chapters to manage their memberships and events through a single, secure web-based interface. Members can also renew their memberships, pay dues and register for events online.
Click the thumbnails to the right to view a sample membership logon page on the Atlanta Chapter website and a sample event registration pages on the Los Angeles Chapter website.
Click here to learn more about the features and benefits of our online association management tool.
Portfolio Tools
Sample Web-Based Tools
Rothman Consulting (extranet)
Reed Tinsley (extranet, contact management)
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| Click thumbnail above to view full-size screenshot |
Rothman Consulting
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Rothman Consulting provides investigative and due diligence services to high profile clients such as hedge funds and venture capitalists. Its assignments and reports are often sensitive and confidential.
By launching an extranet that enables clients to securely upload or download files 24/7, Rothman Consulting has increased convenience and accessibility without sacrificing security and confidentiality.
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| Click thumbnail above to view contact form |
Reed Tinsley
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The "Contact Us" page on Reed Tinsley's website originally displayed only the firm's phone number and mailing address.
The addition of a form promising a prompt response encouraged more visitors to contact the firm and resulted in a sharp increase in prospective client inquiries and other opportunities such as speaking engagements.
All visitors who submit the form immediately see a confirmation screen and receive a confirmation email. The contact information is stored in a database where it is accessible to the firm's administrator 24/7 for followup.
Reed Tinsley also implemented an extranet to enable clients to upload large files for their accountant's review to a secure site.
