Bardorf Legal Marketing

Google’s Local Service Ads For Lawyers – What You Need To Know

Google’s Local Services Ads are a new way for lawyers and law firms to reach potential clients. LSAs are sponsored listings that appear at the very top of a search engine results page (SERP). The pay per lead model is different than Google Adword’s traditional pay per click model which charges for each click on the ad. With LSAs, you only pay for qualified leads according to your defined practice category and geographic area. The product has been around for several years serving other professional services, but only recently made available to lawyers in certain practice areas including Bankruptcy, Criminal Defense, Estate Planning, Family Law, Immigration, Personal Injury, Real Estate, and Tax law. Local Service Ads Overview There are several requirements to complete before your LSAs can go live. Each LSA is associated with one Google My Business address. The address must have at least one review, and the average of the reviews must be at least 3.0. Each lawyer or law firm to be displayed will be screened before they are included in the LSAs. This screening involves a basic background check of the attorney or law firm owner by a reputable third party security company, confirmation that they have a license to practice law (bar number), and proof of insurance. These additional requirements differentiate LSAs from the traditional Google ads, and the feature benefits of the LSAs are meaningful. These include: Increased exposure at the very top of Google search results. Google’s endorsement via “Google Screened” check mark.

Are You Paying Too Much For FindLaw?

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You’ve been with FindLaw for so many years that you’ve lost count. You dutifully pay them month after month, year over year. Your practice is busy, thankfully and quite frankly, you don’t have the time to pay as much attention to FindLaw as perhaps you should considering the thousands you spend with them every year. Calculating the ROI and researching your marketing options is a continuous outstanding issue that remains a nagging constant in the back of your mind. But you’re busy taking care of clients and practicing law and just don’t have the time to delve into the details. Sound familiar? This is the story we regularly hear from past FindLaw clients. After years of paying a premium price, these attorneys realized they had indeed reached the margin of diminishing returns. The infamous point achieved when the value of what you receive is worth less than the continued cost moving forward. The simple question is; Are you paying too much for FindLaw? Since 2005 Bardorf Legal Marketing has helped attorneys and small law firms successfully and seamlessly transition from FindLaw. We typically save our clients up to 50% of their FindLaw costs while delivering better results. It’s not rocket science. It’s hard-nosed, innovative, data driven, hands-on digital marketing at a fair price. It’s never too early to develop your FindLaw exit plan. Take the time now to learn your options well before your FindLaw renewal date. Let us know if you’d like to chat.

The Attorney’s Covid-19 Communication Plan

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People respond differently to the news about the Coronavirus. Some folks shut down and isolate while others carry on and continue life without interruption. Most folks exist somewhere in between, taking precautionary and reasonable measures to keep themselves and their family safe. With that said, it’s important to acknowledge that your profession as an attorney carries a bit more responsibility at a time like this. Life will go on during this virus and so will the turning points in life when people need lawyers. In fact, with more potential downtime from work and school, people may be more inclined than ever to address longstanding legal concerns during this crisis. Market uncertainties, family dynamics, and even a reminder of one’s own mortality may make your clients anxious and motivated to look for solutions. So, what is your message? Attorneys should take this opportunity to demonstrate to clients and perspective clients that you are ready, resourceful and committed to the mission of serving them throughout this crisis and in their most difficult moments. We recommend preparing a statement highlighting your firm’s response to this crisis and emailing it to your clients as well as publishing it to your website and social media. Your statement should convey your commitment and readiness to address your clients’ needs through this time and offer practical ways to connect to discuss their legal issue. Take Action We have helped our clients craft appropriate Coronavirus messaging and have implemented processes that offer alternative ways to connect and meet

How Attorneys Get Glowing Client Reviews on Google

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As an attorney, you don’t have a lot of spare time. You are busy representing your clients, poring over the details of legal precedents, and looking for an edge in each of your cases. The last thing you have time for is marketing. And even if you choose to be proactive and implement some small, DIY marketing initiatives, it’s often very difficult to turn these efforts into effective results. Take Google reviews, for example. Consumers increasingly rely on Google reviews for guidance in almost all purchasing decisions. In fact, research has shown that “63.6 percent of consumers say they are likely to check online reviews on Google before visiting a business.” That’s huge! So maybe you decide to ask each of your satisfied clients to leave a review on Google for your law firm. Simple, right? But how many of those who agree to write a review will actually publish it? And would you really have time to follow up with them to ensure that they do? Wouldn’t it be great if there was some simple process to follow that would maximize the number of positive Google reviews for your law firm? We’ve compiled a streamlined, 10 step process that you can follow to boost your positive reviews on Google, and ultimately convert more potential customers into clients. The 10 Step Process Okay, here it is: Locate and claim your verified Google business listing. Find the box to the right that says “Write a Review,” and click on that box.

Branding Your Law Firm: How Client Reviews Tell Your Story, Establish Trust and Improve SEO

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Welcome to the trust economy, where potential customers rely more on online customer reviews than they do on personal referrals. At least, that’s what recent data indicates. According to BrightLocal’s Local Consumer Survey, “Ninety-one percent of 18 to 34-year-old consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.” Across all surveyed age groups, eighty-six percent of potential customers read local online reviews prior to making a purchase decision. Are you regularly getting positive online reviews from your clients? If not, you’re ignoring an important means of generating new business through building brand trust and boosting search engine optimization. Brand awareness from the search engine’s point-of-view You want your potential clients to associate your firm with a particular niche, OUI defense or car accident injury for example. If your concentration is Massachusetts family law, there’s little point in targeting your Google ads in content optimized for real estate or estate planning. Likewise, search engines want to make sure your website and business have a legitimate claim to the content and keywords you’re using. In the world of search engine optimization (SEO), bona fides come in the form of citations. A citation is a mention of your firm’s identifying information—name, address, phone number, website, or industry, for example—on another active site with related content. Citations validate your business’ relevancy to associated search engine queries, especially when they can anchor you to your specialty and locale. Review platforms like Google, Avvo, and the Better Business Bureau that are location-based, are excellent resources for

The Transformation of Law Practice – From Personal Referrals to Online Reviews

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There was a time when people had “their lawyer”. The reliable, trusted, go-to person who would handle all legal matters that life presented. Things are quite different today as most folks no longer rely on just one lawyer to handle all the legal issues that arise in life, whether it be negotiation of a prenuptial agreement, purchase of a home, reviewing a business contract, filing for bankruptcy, mediating a divorce, or drafting a will. There are two reasons for this transformation. First, as the law has gotten increasingly complex, consumers are searching for lawyers who specialize in specific areas of the law. Today, most immigration attorneys would think twice before representing a client in a complex divorce case, at least if they wanted to keep their malpractice insurance premiums reasonable. Second, our mobile and techie society means that people don’t form the same kind of professional relationship with their attorney as they did in the past, resulting in less loyalty. Now when a legal problem comes up, clients open their computers to search for information about their legal issue and for lawyers who could handle it competently. Accordingly, people don’t ask each other as often any more if they know of a good lawyer. Instead, they rely on online reviews to identify those lawyers who zealously represent their clients and avoid any lawyer who does not present well online and may be seen as less than attentive, whether that assessment is fair or not. Personal Recommendations Are Now Client Reviews

4 Tips to Create Compelling Content for Attorney Websites

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Creating compelling content is important. Well crafted content has the ability to generate interest and bring in potential clients, as well as establish and maintain trust with your existing client base. But’s it’s not as simple as writing an article and posting it to your website. When you create online content, there are two audiences that you need to keep in mind. The first audience and the one you are likely most familiar with is your website visitor. This is anyone who views your content, including current clients and potential clients, other lawyers, potential employees, and casual visitors. The second audience is the search engine (ie Google, Yahoo, etc.). These search engines use algorithms to rank the relevancy and validity of web pages. Both audiences have specific needs and ignoring either can be detrimental to your marketing efforts. So what’s the secret to creating content that will catch the attention of your visitors and search engines? Create a compelling headline and use keywords The headline is the first thing both your visitors and the search engines will see. So it’s critically important to create a headline that gets the attention of both. When it comes to search engines, the key is short and direct. Choose a headline that is between six and nine words and includes relevant keywords. If you’re lucky, your reader will scroll through the first page or two of search results looking for the most relevant match (91% of readers won’t go beyond the first page). If

Why Attorneys Should Have A Live Chat Receptionist On Their Website

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One of the primary ways people research and select attorneys nowadays is through the Internet. The attorney’s “front door” is no longer the physical door to his law office, but rather the home page to his website. And as in other business interactions, the first impression made upon the customer is of vital importance. That being the case, it only makes sense that the marketing-savvy attorney needs an online “receptionist” to welcome any and all visitors who come through that virtual front door. And that is where Live Chat comes into the picture. The Benefits of Using A Live Chat Receptionist Live Chat has been proven to increase conversion rates and customer engagement. For instance, one study found that “live chat is the most preferred engagement channel today with over 92% being satisfied with it, as compared to other traditional channels like phone calls or email.” Why do prospective customers love the Live Chat option so much? Here are some reasons: Live Chat is often a quick way to find answers to simple questions. Many website visitors who want to get information and at the same time avoid the hassle of phoning or emailing your office will view Live Chat as a preferred alternative. A skilled Live Chat receptionist can personalize the potential client experience in a non-intrusive way. This personalized and responsive attention helps potential clients differentiate and favor your services over your competitors. For many users, Live Chat eliminates some of the communication difficulties in phone conversations by

How Attorneys May Unknowingly Put Their Reputation and Website Visitors at Risk

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So you succeeded in creating and launching your law firm website —it’s polished, professional, and providing your firm with that online presence we all understand these days is of such importance…and is growing more and more crucial. What many attorneys don’t understand, however, can be truly detrimental to their website and in the long run detrimental to their legal practice–not just financially but also to the attorney’s professional reputation. Think of the website you so carefully built as a home or perhaps more appropriately for attorneys, your office space. Your clients and welcomed visitors should feel safe as they browse helpful information from your site and learn more about you and your legal services. They expect a level of professional responsibility while visiting your website and surely a secure environment while communicating with you through your site. Undoubtedly there is a level of trust clients expect from their attorney and it’s not unreasonable to expect that trust to extend to the attorney’s website. Given this fact, would you ever consider just walking away and leaving the front door to your office wide open exposing important folders and files to anyone who wanders by? In effect that’s what happens if you don’t secure and maintain your website after it’s been constructed. Unfortunately, many attorneys do just this, unknowingly putting their potential clients and their own professional reputation at risk. What happens when attorneys don’t secure and maintain their website? The first thing that’s essential to understand is that no website is

Attorneys Beware – Top 4 Internet Scams Busy Lawyers Need To Know

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Attorneys are busy professionals with a lot on their minds; primarily clients and their cases and they don’t have time to get caught up in Internet scams targeting their vulnerabilities; mainly their need to be visible on the Internet and their lack of time to properly research Internet and marketing services. Below are four of the top Internet scams all attorneys need to watch out for and avoid. Domain Renewal Scams Before you launch a website on the Internet, you select and register a domain name. An example would be (mylawfirm.com). There are hundreds of domain registration companies, but some of the most notable are GoDaddy, Network Solutions and Register.com where you purchase a domain for usually under $20, and you typically renew the domain with the same company until you no longer want it. Domain renewal scams are very common and have been propagated throughout the Internet for many years. The initial contact from the scam company may come in the form of a paper document or an email noting your domain’s upcoming renewal date – which is often public record. It looks very official, and they use language such as “This is the final billing notice. Failure to renew your domain will remove your website from the Internet.” These notices use forceful terms such as “due now,” “act immediately” or “ final notice” making busy attorneys feel like they have forgotten to renew their domain and are at risk of losing it. When in fact, they don’t even

How Attorneys Can Protect Their Online Reputation

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You never get a second chance to make a first impression. That is why your online reputation and Google results are so important. Competition among attorneys is fierce and to make sure that what your potential clients are seeing and reading about you is accurate; you need to be proactive in managing your online search results. Busy lawyers often neglect how they appear on the Internet when someone Google’s their name. It’s important to understand that the Internet is now the primary research source to find attorneys. Managing your online presence is critically important to growing your law practice and maintaining your good reputation. Why Your Online Reputation is Important We live in a modern, technical world and the first place people turn when they need help is the Internet. If what they see is a bunch of empty profiles, sparse information from unreputable sources and a couple of unfavorable reviews could be enough to turn prospective clients away. Potential clients, unsure of how to navigate tricky and complicated legal waters want to know exactly who they are trusting to help resolve their problem. Attorneys need to make sure the first thing prospective clients see when researching them is professional profiles, consistent messaging, positive reviews, and endorsements. Managing your online reputation is crucial when turning leads into clients. Due to the nature of the legal profession, in just about every case, there are winners and losers. These days anybody can publish an online review. Therefore a proactive approach to managing

8 Critical Website Elements Attorneys Need to Convert Visitors to Clients

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We are living in a technological era. All you have to do is survey the landscape of Google, YouTube, social media, and of course the ever-expanding universe of websites, and it becomes all too clear just how critical it is not only to have a website, but also to ensure it delivers all you need. If you follow some simple guidelines, your website will provide potential clients who land fresh on your page, the information and confidence they need to contact you to discuss their legal issues. The bottom line—your website needs to be a stunning reflection of you and your legal services, providing the information and credibility needed to convert visitors into paying clients. We all know how important time is, and as our world speeds up, people are willing to devote less and less of this diminishing commodity. What does this mean in terms of your website? The reality–you have approximately three seconds to capture the attention of your visitor. This may seem daunting, but what you should keep in mind is your website visitors need to navigate with simple ease and clearly presented information that establishes your credibility, experience, and value. This information is known as your content—the text and images that tell your story. You can quickly capture their attention with content that answers three basic questions: Who are you, where are you, and how can you help? Think of this content as a strong handshake upon meeting. The content on your website is often the

Is Your Website Secure? What Attorneys Need To Know About Upgrading to SSL.

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Trust plays a critical role in lawyer/client relationships and a lawyer’s ability to acquire and retain clients. The same holds true in the online world as well. Visitors to your website need to trust that your site is safe and secure to browse. Additionally, search engines like Google place greater value on websites that make the extra effort to ensure their visitors are viewing a safe site. In today’s age of Internet hackers, spammers, spoofing, and phony sites, it is not only responsible to secure your website but it is a distinct advantage as well. A Brief History of SSL SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer, but don’t let technical jargon get in the way of knowing what goes into making your HTTPS site secure. A site’s SSL certificate plays a critical role in site security. An SSL certificate authenticates a website’s identity and it’s the technology that encrypts the data sent to the server. Many website hosts compare the SSL certificate to an electronic passport that certifies one’s online identity. A few years back, SSL vaulted onto the tech scene after a virus capable of reading sensitive information on third-party sites became public. The virus allowed individuals–many with nefarious intent–to observe traffic over non-encrypted connections and hijack the data. Fortunately, the virus was eliminated and the world wide web relaxed…but only momentarily. The virus served as a wake up call. Properly encrypting user information and securing a website has become a factor for search engine rankings and visibility. Search

6 Things Every Attorney Should Know To Rank Well On Google

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Have you ever “Googled” yourself? What did you see? If you searched specifically for your name, your website is probably listed right at the top of the results page. But if you typed in a more general term related to your practice, you may find your website on the second page or even lower. That’s because Google – the search engine giant – rank results according to a complex algorithm. This mathematical formula takes into account hundreds of different criteria when deciding which websites are the best match for a searcher’s query. There are many factors, but in general, Google is looking for credible websites with high quality, relevant and recent content. But ranking well is challenging so it’s important to have reasonable expectations and understand how to get the best overall visibility. Understanding how Google ranks websites isn’t easy. The company does not readily disclose the parameters of its algorithm. Even professional search engine experts don’t know exactly how it works. And Google changes its formula 300 to 500 times a year, sometimes with a major release that can have a significant impact on your rankings.

What to Look For When Hiring a Marketing Firm For Your Law Practice

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To survive and thrive in this competitive economy, your firm needs a well-designed and well-executed marketing plan. An effective marketing plan will raise your profile, establish your reputation, and generate leads that can be turned into new clients. Most attorneys understand the need for a strategic marketing plan, but few have the time or expertise to implement one. The rise of the Internet, Google search, social media and mobile phones have changed the way attorneys reach and engage their clients. Traditional tactics such as yellow page ads and face-to-face networking used to drive prospects. Now people expect real-time access to information about your firm on their phones and make decisions by reading reviews – the online equivalent of word of mouth. This means that attorneys need to ensure that their message is well crafted and that it can be found on the web easily. Because the stakes are so high, more attorneys than ever before are outsourcing marketing to firms of all sizes and abilities. Many of my clients find us after a disappointing experience with FindLaw or Martindale-Hubbell. They are looking for alternatives to the big firms’ high prices, poor customer service, and lackluster results.

How can I be sure I’m making the most of my marketing budget?

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If you would like to get more out of your marketing budget, you may want to consider hiring a firm to help. Here are some questions attorneys and law firms should be asking themselves and thier potential marketing partner. Questions to ask yourself: Can you meet with a local account representative who can make immediate changes to your marketing campaign? Is it a long-term relationship or is it always a new rep? Are you getting the results you expected? Do you feel you’re getting your money’s worth? Can you be spending your monthly budget better or more effectively? Have you considered taking your budget and reallocating it across more opportunities? If so, how? Who will help you manage all these different relationships? Questions for your marketing partner: How big is your marketing firm? How many clients do you have? Where is your headquarters? Who will work with me and what are their qualifications? Who do contact if I need to make immediate changes? What kind of clients do you work with? What is your marketing expertise? How do you measure success and track and report results? Do you require longterm contracts? What do I get when/ if I decide to leave? Do I have easy access to my site, content, analytics, etc.?

Using the Law to Protect Your Online Reputation

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Reviews are very important these days. Eighty-five percent of consumers say that they read online reviews for local businesses to determine whether these businesses are good or not. But with more people reading and posting reviews, you need to make sure you are protecting your good reputation. Part of reputation management is monitoring review sites and your search engine ranking. You want to make sure that when someone searches for “your name” that the positive reviews outweigh any negative ones. We encourage our clients to be proactive and obtain favorable reviews on selective review sites. But more and more we are hearing from clients who get inaccurate, misleading, or defamatory reviews and are unable to get them corrected or removed entirely from online properties, namely Yelp, Google, and Yahoo. The good news is that there are additional steps you can take to get illegitimate reviews removed from these sites. Many businesses and professionals have turned to legal action to combat defamatory reviews and get resolution. As an attorney, you can use your legal expertise to expedite the process and see it through completion.

Google Penalizes Non-mobile Responsive Websites

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On April 21, 2015 having a mobile-friendly website will become more important than ever. That’s the date Google has picked to start penalizing non-mobile responsive sites. Google is going to start lowering the rankings of any site that isn’t mobile ready. Google wants to give searchers the best results possible, and sending someone to a site that’s difficult or impossible to read via mobile is not a good experience. Mobile-responsive sites are those that “respond” to a user’s screen size. According to a recent study, 60% of U.S. adults now choose smartphones or tablets over PCs to find information before buying products and services offline. With more people spending more time on their mobile devices, the pressure is on to make sure your website is mobile friendly. This means having a site that looks good no matter what kind of device someone is using – smartphone, tablet, laptop or desktop computer. The good news is that mobile friendly sites will most likely get a boost in their ranking that will ultimately lead to more traffic. So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to make sure your website is ready for mobile.

Legal Marketing Year in Review

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2014 was a big year in Internet marketing. Some of the hottest trends – the rise of mobile and the explosion of apps – were plain to see. But many of the biggest changes happened behind the scenes. These affected Internet marketing dramatically but were invisible to the average Internet user. Staying up to date in this evolving landscape is a challenge. In this issue, find out about the big changes in 2014, five lessons for 2015, and how we work very hard to keep you safe, secure, and visible. 5 Factors That Influenced Your Online Visibility It seems like every year there is big news in Internet marketing. The tools and techniques continue to evolve. This forces attorneys who market themselves online to get more sophisticated and to step up their game – or get a good partner who can help them. 2014 kept this streak rolling. There were many important events from Google algorithm updates like Panda, Penguin, Pigeon to natural language searches, the impact of client reviews, the retirement of Google authorship, and malware attacks on big-name companies as well as millions of websites just like yours. Let’s take a look back at the biggest changes last year and see how these “behind the scenes” factors will impact your Internet marketing in 2015. Factor #1: Google Algorithm Updates Search engine marketing is becoming more important every year. Having your website listed at or near the top of Google, Yahoo, and other search engines boosts your visibility, differentiates

Yelp For Attorneys: Marketing Opportunity or Reputation Nightmare?

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Good reviews are a great way to connect with new clients and build your business. Avvo and LinkedIn are preferred places for attorneys to share reviews. But last spring, an online survey claimed that Yelp is the most popular and trusted website for legal reviews. I read the report shortly after it was published and didn’t give it much merit. However, it received recognition from industry influencers who re-published the findings on their blogs. Yelp starting pushing the positive claims to my clients who in turn asked me about the benefits of advertising their legal services on Yelp. Yelp is undoubtedly a well-liked site, with reviews on everything from hotels and restaurants to barbers and mechanics, and even some attorneys. But is Yelp really the go-to site for consumers in search of legal representation and, more importantly, is it a good venue for attorneys to market their services? Read this month’s newsletter to learn whether Yelp carries its weight in the legal market.

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Legal Marketing Blog

Author: Bardorf Legal Marketing

Google’s Local Service Ads For Lawyers – What You Need To Know

Are You Paying Too Much For FindLaw?

How Attorneys Get Glowing Client Reviews on Google

Branding Your Law Firm: How Client Reviews Tell Your Story, Establish Trust and Improve SEO

The Transformation of Law Practice – From Personal Referrals to Online Reviews

Why Attorneys Should Have A Live Chat Receptionist On Their Website

How Attorneys May Unknowingly Put Their Reputation and Website Visitors at Risk

Attorneys Beware – Top 4 Internet Scams Busy Lawyers Need To Know

How Attorneys Can Protect Their Online Reputation

8 Critical Website Elements Attorneys Need to Convert Visitors to Clients

Is Your Website Secure? What Attorneys Need To Know About Upgrading to SSL.

6 Things Every Attorney Should Know To Rank Well On Google

What to Look For When Hiring a Marketing Firm For Your Law Practice

How can I be sure I’m making the most of my marketing budget?

Using the Law to Protect Your Online Reputation

Google Penalizes Non-mobile Responsive Websites

Legal Marketing Year in Review

Yelp For Attorneys: Marketing Opportunity or Reputation Nightmare?

Bardorf Legal Marketing

Supreme Internet Marketing for Attorneys

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