Why Your Law Practice Needs a Mobile App

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The mobile phone is the most widespread and most rapidly adopted technology of all time. In the past few years, usage has grown dramatically. There are now almost 6 billion active mobile phone subscriptions around the world – almost 84% of the people on Earth have a mobile phone! In 2011 more smartphones were sold than all types of personal computers added together including desktops, laptops, and tablets like the iPad.

Contact pageMobile Apps for Attorneys
One way for individual attorneys and small law firms to take advantage of the boom in mobile phones is by offering their clients a mobile app. A mobile application (or mobile app) is software designed to run on smartphones, tablet computers and other mobile devices.

Most importantly, a mobile app for solo practitioners and small firms can help you increase client loyalty, generate referrals, differentiate your law practice from the competition, and stay on the forefront of this exciting new technology. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Attorney Marketing, Attorney Mobile Apps, Internet Marketing, Legal Marketing, Newsletter - Feature Articles

80% of Mobile Time is Spent on Apps

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Mobile phones are a growing part of everyday life. We get directions, find local businesses, play games, and more. Here are the latest statistics on how Americans use our phones.

  • Accessing maps and directions is the number one mobile activity, followed by social networking, finding local information and reading news (comScore).
  • Mobile searches have quadrupled in the last year (Google).
  • One in seven searches are now mobile and one in three mobile searches are local (Google).
  • After looking up a local business on their smartphone, 61 percent of users call the business and 59 percent visit (Google).
  • 80 per cent of mobile time is spent on apps (Flurry).
  • People are now using more apps than ever, launching 7.9 per day (Flurry).
  • When given a choice, consumers prefer using an app (85%) over a mobile website (Compuware).
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Mobile Apps Keep Your Clients Connected

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There are more than 6.5 billion mobile devices in use worldwide today, significantly more than the number of Internet users. Consumers are adopting new technology as fast as it becomes available and expect to be connected at all times in order to find the products and services they need. Today’s multi-tasking consumers depend on their trusty smartphones for so many important activities. And to stay in front of these phone-dependent clients, savvy attorneys who want to advance their businesses and leverage technology are jumping into mobile. It’s like the first days of the Internet when early adopters launched websites for their law practices – got ahead of their competitors – and have reaped the benefits ever since.

Mobile Apps Are Exploding

Contact pageOne way to connect with on-the-go clients is through a mobile app. A mobile application (or mobile app) is software designed to run on smartphones, tablet computers and other mobile devices. The term “app” has become so popular that it was listed as “Word of the Year” in 2010. Mobile applications are the next frontier and the industry is predicted to skyrocket over 1,000% in the next three years to a $56 billion market (Gartner Group).

The popularity of mobile applications has continued to rise, as their usage has become increasingly prevalent across mobile phone users. Last year, comScore, an Internet analytics company, reported that more mobile subscribers used apps than browsed the web on their devices. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Attorney Marketing, Attorney Mobile Apps, Lawyer Marketing, Legal Marketing, Newsletter - Feature Articles Tagged With:

How can lawyers reach prospects who are using smartphones and iPads?

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Here in the Northeast we’re “on the go” and tend to be early adopters, rushing out to buy the latest thing. We’re using all kinds of mobile phones and tablets more than ever. What’s interesting is that as the demand for mobile devices grows so does the need for local business information like your firm’s name, address, and phone number. According to a recent study, search for local business information on mobile phones continues to grow with nearly 86 million people accessing this info on their mobile phones last year, a 63% increase since 2010.

Two things lawyers can do now to make sure prospects can find you via their mobile phone are 1) make sure your website is readable on a mobile phone and 2) make sure your local listings are up-to-date on sites like Google Local, Google Maps, CitySearch and Internet Yellow Page sites. With more people searching for information on their mobile phones, you need to make sure clients and prospects can find you quickly and easily and that they’re getting the most accurate information about your firm.

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Is Your Legal Directory Profile & Advertising Worth the Cost?

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A directory listing is one of the most traditional ways to promote your services. It used to be that attorneys would be listed so that other attorneys could find them for referrals. Now that most directories have moved online, more and more consumers are using them to find the legal representation they need. Some of the biggest providers include FindLaw (a part of Westlaw) and Martindale Hubble. These are established companies that once produced only print directories and have since moved into the world of online attorney directories and marketing. Many of you have paid to appear in their listings and have hired these venerable firms to create and host your websites, and advertise your practice in their online directories.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Attorney Marketing, Lawyer Marketing, Legal Marketing, Newsletter - Feature Articles

Is FindLaw or Martindale Hubble Worth The Cost?

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If you don’t have a website or your website is simply a business card online without video, testimonials, articles, or Q&As, you may benefit from investing in these services for a year or two to jump start your marketing efforts. Then you should harvest your investment by transitioning your site to a more affordable option and invest the money you saved in even more marketing opportunities.

The point is that you don’t have to pay just one company a premium rate year over year. Once you decide to take your Internet marketing to the next level, it’s time to move on to an agency that’s dedicated to your success.

Filed Under: Questions & Answers

Google Authorship – Personalizing Your Online Image

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Just a few months ago the search engine giant Google launched a new feature called Google Authorship. Google Authorship lets you link any content you publish on a specific domain (such as www.yourwebsite.com) to your Google+ profile.

This means that every time someone searches for your name or someone with your expertise, anything you have written with your byline (by Jack Smith, for example) will show up on the Google results page with your name and your photo. It will also include a link to a page with any other articles, blog posts, or even Q&As with your name on them!

For example, Googling the phrase “Greater Boston litigation attorneys” produces:

Appearing on the results page with a photo and byline adds credibility, which builds up your reputation as an authoritative source on the topics you cover. Plus, search results with profile images attract a higher click through rate than those that do not have an image. Remember, three out of four people seeking an attorney search online and almost 70% of all searchers use Google. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Lawyer Marketing, Legal Marketing, Massachusetts Legal Marketing, Newsletter - Feature Articles

Attorney Reviews Boost Business

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Client reviews are one of the most valuable factors for building your business. Asking a happy client to write a few words about the quality of your work and the help you provided shows prospects that you are a knowledgeable, credible and trustworthy attorney. Ratings and reviews are the digital equivalent of “word of mouth” referrals and are critical for raising your profile online and helping you stand out from the competition. In fact, 70 percent of consumers say reviews are important to them.

The three best places for attorneys to ask for reviews are on Google, LinkedIn, and Avvo. These sites are committed to including only legitimate reviews, which in turn raises their value to you. On Google, for example, you must write a review from an active established Google account. Someone can’t create an account simply for the purpose of writing a review. These reviews are listed initially, but don’t stay up for long once Google checks the account’s history.

A good review is a valuable gift that just keeps giving. Each time a client writes a review you can republish it on your website and add links to it from your Facebook and Twitter accounts. Legitimately earned client reviews are vital for your firm to gain visibility on search engines and directories. Don’t miss out on this great business booster. Ask your clients to write a favorable review for you.

Filed Under: Did you know ?

Today’s Seasoned Solo Practitioner: How to Market Your Experience, Reputation and Value

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The business of law is at a turning point. A recent article in the ABA Journal reported, “The legal profession is undergoing a massive structural shift—one that will leave it dramatically transformed in the coming years.” The shift stems from a combination of events including new laws and changes in enforcement, the mobility of businesses and individuals, as well as new competition from non-legal firms such as accounting and real estate and the availability of legal documents online.  The average person today requires more legal representation than ever before and how they choose their legal representation has changed too. The attorneys who have the most to gain are probably those like you: a mid-career solo practitioner or a lawyer at a small firm. Why? Because consumers want you!

You, the mid-career solo practitioner, are quite literally the core of the legal profession. On one side are those young attorneys who have recently passed the bar and are trying to make their way. What they lack in experience they make up for with web savvy, technology skills, and aggressive online marketing tactics, but it is your experience the consumer wants. On the other side are large firms with significant marketing and advertising budgets, a small army of junior attorneys and paralegals pushing a high volume of work, and a team of technical experts to help them advance online, but consumers are wary of high costs, inattentive or indifferent care, and marginal results.

So why do consumers want you? Here are a few reasons why today’s consumer seeks the seasoned solo practitioner.

Experience
At this point in your career you have a solid base of experience in your area of expertise. You have over twenty years dedicated to the practice of law, both at big firms and as a solo practitioner. You are as accomplished and seasoned as the big firm partners with a proven track record and a solid reputation to bank on.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Attorney Marketing, Internet Marketing, Lawyer Marketing, Legal Marketing, Massachusetts Legal Marketing, Newsletter - Feature Articles

Question – Is YouTube something attorneys should use?

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YouTube is an excellent place for attorneys to promote themselves with short online videos. Videos hosted on YouTube may be embedded or link to your website, and other online profiles like LinkedIn, AttorneyConnect, Avvo, and Justia. A short intro video of yourself can help break the ice for potential clients who may be hesitant to call your office to discuss a legal matter. Videos give folks a glimpse of who you are and can be an effective way to present yourself when you can’t.

Filed Under: Questions & Answers
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