Blogging has been around for quite a while, but it feels like it’s starting to gain more traction all over again. If you haven’t jumped on the blogging train yet, you’ve probably at least read your fair share of blogs. At the very least, you’ve definitely read articles that originated on a blog (hint: this one!)
Blogs can be many things, from a recipe source to a guide on the latest fashions. When done properly, they are a hot resource for quick and digestible information.
So why should you consider starting one as a lawyer?
BLOGS MAKE YOU VISIBLE.
By starting a law blog, not only are you getting yourself out there to provide value to your potential clients, you’re boosting your website’s presence on Google – the king of search engines.
BUT WHY SHOULD I PROVIDE INFORMATION TO MY POTENTIAL CLIENTS FOR FREE?
By giving value to your potential clients for free, you’re allowing them to get to know, like, and trust you. Your potential clients won’t be representing themselves in court — they need a lawyer. But why should they choose you? Prove to them that you know what you’re talking about so that they can feel confident in hiring you. Heck, maybe they can even implement a little tip you’ve given. If it works, they will keep coming back for more.
HOW DOES BLOGGING HELP ME GET VISIBLE ON GOOGLE?
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) boosts your website by pulling keywords from your website’s text and listing your site pages under relevant keyword searches. If you blog about fighting speeding tickets in Minneapolis, your post will appear in searches that people make about how to fight a speeding ticket in Minneapolis. When you want to be visible when people are searching for your area of law, you’ve got to provide great content that focuses on the keywords your potential clients are searching for.
HOW TO START YOUR LAW BLOG:
Start with your website. Which platform do you use? With WordPress, it is insanely easy to start your blog because it is likely already built into your theme. You’ll simply create “Posts” when you’re ready to make a new blog entry. Be sure that your website’s menu shows your blog page so people can find it easily when they visit your site. Don’t have a website yet? You need to create one! This is your best tool for finding clients and a necessity for your law blog.
Get to writing! You have all kinds of knowledge and experience. Share it! Writing blog posts doesn’t have to be excruciating. Make a list of topics you want to cover, pick one, and start vomiting every thought you have about it onto your keyboard. Editing can happen later – just get your thoughts onto the screen!
Look at your formatting. Do you have photos in your post? What about headers and other formatted text to break things up? Long paragraphs are intimidating, and you do not want your posts to look difficult to read – people will skip right over them. Bold your keywords, add relevant photos (be sure to add a Featured Photo, too!), and break your lines up so that the content is skimmable.
Check on your SEO. Your blog is most useful in attracting potential clients when it can be easily found, right? Make sure to use relevant keywords throughout your post, add inbound/outbound links, and keep your text easy to follow. For added help, you can download the Yoast plugin to your WordPress site and it will guide you in best practices that will help boost you in search results on Google.
Launch your blog! Now that you’ve written, formatted, and SEO-ified your first post, it’s time to launch! You don’t need a lot of content on your blog before going public with it. Get eyes on your content right away and if they like what you’ve written, it will keep them coming back for more. To do so, announce your blog on your firm’s social platforms, LinkedIn, and even your personal platforms. Encourage your followers to like and share.
Keep it up. Don’t write one post and bail on your blog. Your website loves the boost of content & the added keyword searches you’ll show up in, plus your potential clients are hungry for your knowledge. Stick to a schedule and continue pumping out the value that people are searching for.
Now Go for It! Hopefully this information has given you the gusto to start your law blog and give your potential clients some insight into what you’re knowledgeable on. So now that you’ve read what you need to do, it’s time to do it! Sit down at your computer and let the (word) vomit fly.
