Do you ever feel like you’re spending more time looking for new clients than actually practicing law? You’re not alone.

According to a recent study, law firms spend 33% of their time searching for new clients, which is almost as much time as they spend on billable work. That’s a lot of lost revenue.

Law firms spend a lot of time looking for new business primarily because many use ineffective lead-generation strategies.

Instead of using modern strategies like ”blended search” that integrate various channels into a single search, many firms still use outdated lead generation strategies.

This comprehensive guide will provide proven strategies to generate a steady stream of high-quality leads so you can prioritize what matters most: providing exceptional legal services.

Common Misconceptions of Where Law Firm Leads Come From

Most lawyers understand the power of marketing and advertising. In fact, some law firms spend up to 20% of their annual revenue on legal advertising. 

Unfortunately, many law firms don’t attract high-quality leads despite their considerable spend on legal advertising.

Why? Many firms still use traditional and ineffective channels that don’t drive a ton of traffic.

Let’s explore two channels many attorneys mistakenly overvalue.

Outdoor Advertising

Sure, towering billboards and bus bench ads might catch a potential client’s eye, but do they really convert into qualified leads? We hate to break it to you, but they often don’t.

While having your face plastered with a big smile and your contact on a massive billboard might seem like an excellent idea, people walking past or driving by your billboard only have a few seconds to see your advert.

Worse still, outdoor advertising comes at a hefty cost, with billboard ads in major metropolitan areas costing up to $14,000 a month. 

That’s a staggering ad spend for a medium that doesn’t attract high-quality leads.

Social Media

Most law firms use social media to promote their services. Yet, social media isn’t as effective as many lawyers think.

In the early days of social media, you could post business content, and most of your followers would see your posts. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case anymore.

Organic reach (the number of followers who see unpaid posts) has steadily declined on most social media platforms for several years now.

Why? As business content began to saturate social media, most platforms started prioritizing content from users’ friends and family to enhance the user experience.

Additionally, as social media platforms grew in popularity, social media execs realized there was an opportunity to generate revenue from advertising.

So, to get your content in front of more eyeballs on social media, you’ll have to invest in social media ads.

However, this is probably something you’ll want to do later after you gain traction on other channels that attract more high-quality leads.

Where Leading Law Firms Leads Really Come From

So, where do the top law firms get qualified leads? Here are lead generation strategies leading law firms swear by:

Search Engines

What’s the first thing most people do when the y have a legal issue? They whip out their phones or laptops and hit Google.

In fact, over nine out of ten people turn to search engines like Google for legal advice. That means you can’t go wrong with using search engines to generate leads.

And the best part? Search engines connect you with potential clients at the exact moment they’re seeking legal help.

For instance, if you’re a personal injury lawyer with a practice in Atlanta, a client who performs a search query like ”personal injury lawyer Atlanta” might discover your website or Google listing and contact you.

So, by investing in search engine marketing, you can significantly increase your online visibility and attract leads actively searching for the legal services you provide.

Referrals

Think referrals are outdated in the digital age? They aren’t.

Even with the proliferation of various digital marketing channels, word-of-mouth marketing is still effective.

In fact, over nine out of ten people trust recommendations from friends and family over other forms of advertising, meaning referrals are more likely to convert.

And best of all? Referred clients are more likely to become long-term clients than non-referred ones, guaranteeing your law firm recurrent income.

So, how can you maximize referrals? Here’s how:

• Make it easy to refer: Happy clients are your biggest advocates. So, make it hassle-free for them to leave reviews by claiming free profiles on review sites like Yelp, Google, Justia, FindLaw, and Avvo.
• Foster relationships with other professionals: Connect with professionals offering complementary services like financial advisors or real estate agents. These professionals might encounter potential clients in need of your services.

Professional Networks

LinkedIn is the most popular social network among attorneys. And with good reason.

Networking with other professionals on LinkedIn by answering their legal questions or sharing valuable legal advice can position you as a thought leader, encouraging professionals on the platform to contact you for legal representation.

Besides networking on LinkedIn, some other great ways to network with other professionals offline include:

• Attending legal conferences like Legalweek, ILTACON, and The Summit
• Joining industry associations like The American Law Institute, the DUI Defense Lawyers Association, or the National Lawyers Guild
• Hosting educational seminars or clients

By actively participating in these networks and providing invaluable advice, you can position yourself as a knowledgeable and reputable attorney, making yourself the go-to lawyer for clients seeking legal services.

“Blended Search”: Unlocking More Cases with Fewer Time-Wasters

Are you often flooded with queries from potential clients, but many of them are irrelevant?

Perhaps they’re queries about legal services you don’t provide or from clients outside your service area. Frustrating, right?

Well, that’s where blended search (also called universal or enhanced search) comes to the rescue. Forget the days of using a spray-and-pray approach to attract every Tom, Dick, and Harry.

Introduced in 2007 by Google, blended search provides users with more relevant search results.

It is a strategic approach that combines different marketing channels to attract a highly targeted audience of potential clients who are more likely to convert into paying users.

Here are the marketing channels enhanced search combines:

Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising

PPC offers the unique advantage of placing your firm directly in front of potential clients actively searching for legal services.

It drives rapid results, sometimes even within a few hours, and you can target ads to reach specific demographics, interests, geographical locations, and so on.

For instance, if you run a law firm specializing in DUI cases in Miami, you can create PPC click ads that appear when potential clients Google the term ”dui lawyer Miami.”

And the best part? You only pay when prospects click on your ad, making PPC ads a cost-effective way to reach high-quality leads.

Local SEO

PPC ads can help you attract clients interested in your services.

However, you can’t neglect local SEO if you want to attract nearby clients.

To attract high-quality leads, you must appear in the Google Map Pack or 3-Pack. As the name suggests, the 3-Pack displays the top three results for a local business search.

To appear in the 3-Pack, you must have a comprehensive Google Business Profile. We can help you rank in the Map Pack by helping you craft a compelling Google Business Profile.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

PPC advertising provides quick results. In fact, some law firms receive calls and walk-in clients within just a few hours after they start running PPC ads.

SEO isn’t the same. It’s a long-term strategy that takes time to yield results.

However, while SEO requires a significant time investment, it can generate high-quality leads for your law firm for years to come.

Here’s how we can help you improve your SEO and boost your online visibility:

• Audit your site for technical SEO issues like mobile-friendliness, load times, and crawlability
• Craft engaging content targeting your popular keywords
• Get high-quality backlinks to drive qualified leads to your site

Content Marketing

Ever wondered how some law firms get FAQ snippets like the one below?

Simple. Content marketing.

You can get FAQ snippets if you create comprehensive blog posts that include frequently asked questions with concise answers and relevant keywords.

Note: Google announced it’s downgrading FAQ snippets, reserving them solely for well-known, authoritative, and government websites. However, your site may still be eligible to appear.

Why Blended Search Works EVERY time

The power of blended search lies not just in its reach but also in its precision. With blended search, you’re not just casting a wider net but refining your approach.

The result? Blended search reduces the number of unqualified inquiries you receive, allowing you to focus on the core aspects of your business.

Here’s why blended search is incredibly effective:

• Location targeting: Through PPC ads, blended search enables you to target clients within your geographical service area. So, you can say goodbye to pesky inquiries from people outside your service area!
• Speciality targeting: With SEO, content marketing, and PPC ads, you can target keywords related to your specific legal expertise. This allows you to attract leads searching for your services, increasing the likelihood of conversion.

Top Class Actions

Top Class Actions wanted to appear in the search engine results pages (SERPs) for various high-value keywords. 

The firm was already ranking for thousands of keywords but wanted to secure the top spot for more competitive keywords. 

To rank for more keywords, the firm implemented various blended strategies, such as technical SEO, content marketing, and more. 

The result? The firm went from ranking for 96,000 keywords to a staggering 500,000 keywords, resulting in more traffic, leads, and cases.

No matter your legal field, you can use blended search to create awareness, attract prospects and convert them to clients.

Why Law Firm Marketing Should be Handled by Law (Only) Marketers

Let’s say you specialize in personal injury law. You wouldn’t take on an intellectual property case without the necessary training, would you?  

Probably not. You would let an intellectual property lawyer handle the case.

Similarly, you’re better off leaving law firm marketing to legal marketing experts. 

Here’s why:

Marketing Is Multi-Faceted

Gone are the days when you could simply distribute flyers, place an ad in your local newspaper or get a Yellow Pages listing and call it a day.

Nowadays, legal marketing requires a deep understanding of SEO, search engine marketing, content marketing, email marketing, and social media marketing.

Learning all these types of marketing takes time and dedication, and there’s a steep learning curve.

Professional marketers and agencies can handle the heavy lifting, allowing you to prioritize practicing law.

Legal Expertise

Understanding various marketing tools and strategies is just one piece of the puzzle. 

Legal marketing experts understand the nuances of the legal industry, the specific challenges attorneys face, and the online behavior of potential clients searching for legal services.

As a result, they can help you create effective strategies that resonate with your target audience and adhere to industry regulations.

For instance, legal marketers know the stringent advertising regulations lawyers must comply with so they can protect you from violating them.

Long-Term Growth

Investing in professional legal marketing isn’t a quick fix. It’s a long-term strategy. 

Legal marketers can stick with you for the long haul and help you develop effective strategies that build brand awareness, attract qualified leads, and ultimately grow your bottom line.

They’ll use data-driven insights to optimize your marketing efforts, ensuring you get the most bang for your buck.

So, when you partner with a legal marketing specialist, you’re not hiring a myopic partner interested in short-term gains.

You’re hiring a visionary committed to your firm’s long-term growth and success.

Attract High-Quality Leads With Blended Search

Tired of wasting time on dead-end leads and outdated marketing tactics? Implementing blended search strategies can allow you to attract a steady stream of clients interested in your legal services.

Contact us today to schedule a consultation and discover how blended search strategies can help you attract the right clients and grow your practice.