6 Tips on How to Market Your Criminal Defense Attorney Practice

Jessica Moore
Wed, 07 Apr 2021 10:25:42 +0000
Law Firm Marketing, law firm marketing

Every day, countless people search for criminal defense lawyers. While that sounds great on paper, competition for clients can be vicious. If your legal practice doesn’t appear near the top of the first page of search results online, you’re not very likely to be noticed. So, how do you ensure that you’re reaching potential new clients?

You need a solid marketing strategy to acquire clients. Not only do you need your name to appear at the top of online search results pages, you also want your name getting out to prospects via word of mouth. Potential clients need to see you and be able to trust you before they contact you.

Here, we’ll cover some strategies for criminal defense attorney marketing that will help you get noticed and turn more prospects into real clients.

1. Build a User-Friendly Website

The internet is generally the first place people go when they need a criminal defense attorney. Your website becomes the first impression you leave with potential clients.

You want to present the right image and deliver a compelling message. It’s no different than when you step in front of the jury. An aesthetically pleasing, user-friendly website that provides valuable information will make all the difference.

2. Create Quality Content

Creating high-quality content that provides visitors to your website with useful, relevant information helps to boost your authority as a criminal defense attorney. Create blog posts or videos that answer some of your most frequently asked questions, discuss factors that could affect court proceedings, or cover changes in the law. Be sure to update content regularly.

3. Optimize for Organic Searches

Just having a website and a blog isn’t enough to help you rank higher in the search engine results pages. You also need to rely on search engine optimization (SEO) strategies.

To boost your SEO using digital content:

Research keywords related to your practice and incorporate them naturally into your content.

Include location-based keywords to boost organic local searches.

Place keywords strategically within your webpages, title tags, metadata, and blog content.

Write blog posts that expand upon specific search queries.

Your website’s user friendliness will also affect traffic; make sure it loads quickly and is mobile-friendly. Also be sure to update your Google Business Profile (GBP) page; verify your listings, accurately fill out the information, and include images of your practice, yourself, and anyone else who works with you to humanize your law firm — completing GBP will also make you more likely to show up on Google Maps.

4. Encourage Reviews

Never be afraid to ask your current and previous clients to leave reviews on Google or other review sites such as Yelp. When searching for lawyers, people base their decisions on what other people have to say. While not everyone will leave a glowing review, garnering mostly positive feedback helps to build trust. How you respond to negative reviews will also make a difference in how potential clients view your practice.

5. Generate Word-of-Mouth Recommendations

People talk. Even in the digital age, sometimes word-of-mouth recommendations are the most effective.

Suppose someone needs legal advice about a DUI. They talk to one of your previous clients. The previous client had an excellent experience working with you, so they recommend you — earning you new business.

There are other old-fashioned ways of getting your name out there:

Attend free networking events and bring your business card to hand out.

Host a free lecture or series of lectures.

Take on pro-bono work or volunteer your services.

Participate in community events, which can also help to get backlinks and improve your SEO.

6. Get on Social Media

Social media offers a powerful way for businesses to establish and build their reputations. Using platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter helps you share information with a broad audience and attract potential clients to your website.

Posts don’t have to be directly promotional; you can share snippets from your blog or video posts, ask questions to encourage engagement, or share something related to criminal defense law. Be sure to post regular updates and interact with your followers.

Get Your Criminal Defense Practice Noticed

When it comes to marketing for criminal defense lawyers, having a website and maintaining active social media profiles are excellent places to start. But competition for legal clients is stiff, and a solid, ongoing marketing strategy is a must if you want potential clients to find and contact you.

To up your game and learn more tips on how to successfully market your criminal defense practice, visit our services page today.