Building Digital into Your Law Firm’s PR Strategy

Date: February 8, 2024

In the modern world, it’s almost impossible to go anywhere without utilizing the digital landscape. From our communication tactics to our advertising, going digital is the new norm, and has proven to be wildly successful in reaching new audiences. To ensure your firm isn’t left in the dust, it may be time to incorporate some of these same ideas into your PR strategy. Gone are the days of traditional media formats reigning supreme; while print still holds its merit (and is not one to be completely ignored) one of the best ways to boost your firm’s reach and reputation in 2024 is by taking advantage of a digital strategy. And with a few easy tweaks, adjustments, and additions, your law firm will become that much closer to mastering the digital PR field. 

Start With What You Know

Transitioning from traditional to digital PR doesn’t require a complete overhaul. Some of the most basic pieces of every PR strategy, such as your firm’s press releases, social media, and website, remain critical players in the digital sphere. By modernizing these components, you are simultaneously optimizing them for a better overall performance in today’s landscape.

Press Releases

Writing and sharing press releases to announce new hires, case wins, or big company successes is still a crucial part of enforcing your credibility and authority as a firm. An easy step to prime PRs for online consumption is to simply link out your firm’s name within the release itself. This small step will create backlinks to your website whenever the news is shared by other outlets. Any potential clients in these new audiences will now have a direct line to your website where they can learn more about your services. Plus, the more outlets linking back to your site, the more Google will trust your firm as a reputable source– and the higher you will rank on the search engine results pages! 

Social Media

Don’t discredit social media as a Gen-Z playground — when done right, it can make a big impact on your firm’s influence. Many firms may already have accounts made on popular sites like Instagram, X (previously Twitter), and LinkedIn. However these platforms offer you the most in return when you are posting consistently and intentionally. Work with your team to identify what content your firm already creates that can be repurposed for social media, such as blog posts, press releases, or media mentions. Brainstorming new content, like short thought leadership videos that share tips and advice, will also keep your feeds fresh and interesting for viewers.

Website

As the hub of your firm’s digital presence, your website should be refined and easy to navigate. This will not only keep viewers engaged and educated, but make a great first impression for anyone interested in your services. If your firm’s site is needing a refresh, there are a few key sections to focus on updating as part of your new digital PR strategy. Ensure all your services and practice areas have individual pages, going into detail on what the practice is, how your firm can help, and providing answers to any frequently asked questions. Incorporating a section that highlights positive reviews from past clients will also help boost your credibility with potential customers. Having an up-to-date blog is another great way to showcase your expertise and authority. Blogs allow you to share your firm’s unique insight, and go into deeper detail on trending legal topics that future customers may be looking into.     

Bring in Something New

Once you’ve updated your existing assets, it’s time to start incorporating new strategies into your campaign, and delving into the digital PR world. There are innumerable online opportunities that your firm can utilize to share knowledge and gain respect in the legal market. Rely on your PR team to pinpoint best-fit media and secure placements that amplify your firm’s reputation.     

Podcasts

If, like most consumers, you’re living life in the fast lane, podcasts are a great way to reach audiences who are constantly on the go. This form of media consumption has become a favorite of those whose schedules are too packed to accommodate a multi-page article on their topic of choice. There are many legal podcasts that cover everything from on-going cases to advice for current students, and luckily, most of these podcasts also welcome guest speakers to bring additional insight. Work with your PR team to identify and pitch a handful of podcast channels that align with your firm’s expertise, and call on your firm’s senior partners to act as guest speaker; they can pull on their years of experience and knowledge and be advocates for your firm’s authority. 

Guest Blogs

Like podcasts, guest blogs offer your firm the chance to identify itself as a leader in the industry while reaching a new, untapped audience. A guest blog or article will cover similar topics to the blogs your firm is likely already writing, like legal trends and analyses of specific practice areas. However, rather than sharing this content to your website, your firm will work with a trusted news source to get your guest blog in front of their readers. It’s the best of both worlds: your firm gets to share expert articles with a new audience, and readers get fresh advice from a source recommended by their favorite news outlet.  

SEO

For those transitioning from traditional to digital PR, SEO may be the most foreign addition to the new campaign. SEO, or search engine optimization, is the process of improving your site’s ranking on popular search engines such as Google or Bing. The good news is, if your firm is consistently updating its site and posting new content, you’re already on track to improving your SEO! Another tried and true tactic that any PR team, professional or DIY, can incorporate is backlinking. On your website, this looks like internally linking to other relevant pages on your site in blogs or service pages. In the digital world, backlinking also involves pitching your existing content to journalists or editors to use as sources in their recent or future articles. The more pages on the internet that link back to your firm’s site, the more reputable you appear, and the bigger chance you have of ranking high when someone searches for legal advice.
With all these strategies in mind, your firm’s campaign is sure to see an improved performance. However, if you’ve nailed down the traditional PR, but are still struggling with the digital, there are resources to help. Contact us today to learn more about how our law firm digital PR and SEO services can modernize your campaign and set your law firm apart from the competition.