What You Need to Know Before Hiring a Legal Marketing Firm

Selecting a marketing company is a pivotal decision for any law firm. It can significantly impact your firm’s visibility and overall growth.

The question is: how do you find the right marketing company for your unique law firm?

This is a loaded question because there are many questions you need to answer to determine if a marketing company might be a good fit. Below, PMP discusses three essential questions you should ask to ensure you hire a marketing company that aligns with your law firm’s goals.

PMP has extensive experience marketing plaintiff law firms across North America. We understand the unique challenges and opportunities of firms like yours. We know how to build strong legal brands and get more potential clients to contact the law firms we market.

Contact PMP today to learn more about our customized marketing solutions to help unlock your law firm’s true potential.

1. What Is Your Experience With Law Firm Marketing?

Experience matters. You need to find a company that has a proven track record in law firm marketing. Here are some of the steps you can take to evaluate a marketing company’s experience.

Review Case Studies

Ask for case studies or examples of successful campaigns that marketing companies have managed for other law firms. Pay special attention to campaigns for the practice areas you want to focus on in your marketing.

Look for metrics such as increased website traffic, lead generation rates and/or improved conversion rates.

Some marketing companies add positive feedback on their websites from existing clients, such as in quotes or videos. Positive feedback from other law firms can be a strong indicator of a marketing company’s capabilities and reliability.

Request Examples of Their Previous Work

Check out websites they have designed, the content they created and campaigns they have run. Pay special attention to the variety and quality of their work.

Review References

Talk to other lawyers who have worked with a marketing company you are considering. Learn more about their experience with the marketing company, including any results the company achieved. Ask them about the company’s reliability, responsiveness and communication style.

Evaluate Their Industry Knowledge

Ask specific questions to determine a marketing company’s understanding of the legal market and your areas of practice. Their answers should reflect a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities with law firm marketing. When possible, find a marketing company that specializes in the specific area of law your firm is focused on.

2. What Is Your Approach to SEO and Content Marketing?

Search engine optimization (SEO) and content marketing are critical to the marketing of your law firm. These two strategies help improve your website’s visibility on search engines and establish your firm as an authority in the practice areas in which your firm specializes.

There are specific things to look for when evaluating how a marketing company handles SEO and content marketing:

Proficiency in Technical SEO

You need a marketing company that has a strong grasp of technical SEO. For instance, marketing companies should know how to make websites load quickly. Marketing companies should keep a close eye on website speed and adjust over time to keep the site loading quickly.

Websites should also look good on mobile devices and have a secure connection. Potential clients are going to leave websites that are difficult to navigate on their smartphones or other mobile devices.

Marketing companies should conduct thorough website audits to identify and rectify any technical issues that could affect the visibility of your website on search engines.

Effective Strategy for Local SEO

Local visibility is crucial for many law firms. You should look for a marketing company that has a clear strategy for optimizing visibility in local search results, including managing your Google My Business listing, acquiring local backlinks and optimizing website content for local keywords.

Measuring Performance

Marketing companies should provide their clients with detailed, understandable reports that track key performance indicators like:

Website traffic
Search engine rankings
Lead generation
Conversion rates

Marketing companies should be using this kind of data to continually refine and optimize their strategies.

Creating Relevant, High-Quality Content

You may have heard the phrase “content is king” in reference to search engine optimization (SEO). While there are many other factors involved in SEO, high-quality, relevant content may be at the top of the list.

You need to find a marketing company that has a comprehensive strategy for identifying the specific terms and questions your potential clients use when asking for legal help. This research helps to inform decisions about what content to write and how to make it relevant to potential clients in your local area.

Law firms can ask for examples of high-performing content, especially content that addresses the needs of the types of clients you are looking for.

3. Can You Help Us Differentiate Our Firm from Competitors?

Law firm marketing is a crowded, highly competitive space. It is vital for law firms to find ways to differentiate themselves to convert potential clients.

When you are vetting potential marketing companies, ask them how they plan to position your firm to stand out and attract your ideal clients.

These are some of the issues you should discuss with marketing companies you are considering hiring:

Determining a Unique Value Proposition

You should find a marketing company that can explain how they will work with you to identify and articulate what makes your firm unique. This may include your firm’s specialized expertise, unique approach to client service, and more.

Analyzing Your Target Audience

Effective marketing companies go beyond surface-level demographics and do a deep dive into the needs, behaviors and pain points of your ideal clients. This allows the company to create a unique strategy tailored to the needs and concerns of your target audience.

Client Testimonials and Case Studies

Marketing companies need to know how to showcase client testimonials and case studies to build trust and credibility with potential clients. It is even better if they have experience doing this and can provide examples.

Continuous Optimization and Innovation

Differentiating your firm from the others in your market is an ongoing process of innovation and adaptation. Marketing companies must be committed to continually analyzing performance data and market trends to refine your strategy.

PMP has been marketing law firms across the nation for more than 15 years. Review the Success Stories published on our website to learn more about the impact of our efforts on our clients.

3 Questions You Should Ask Before Hiring a Law Firm Marketing Company