EAT and YMYL: The New Slogan for Your Law Firm

For people to seek your services, they must have confidence in what you offer. A great website provides a few sections and breaks down information for the benefit of the clients. As clients have tight schedules, they need to see a proper tabled structure of information as they strive to choose. Using the EAT and YMYL algorithms, your law firm will rank well in search engines, translating traffic to your site as well as customers for your legal services.

How YMYL and EAT Combine for Better SEO Ranking

YMYL in digital marketing stands for (Your Money or Your Life) while EAT stands for (Expertise, Authority, and Trust). Both strategies work to enhance the productivity of your law firm. Our company provides these services so that your company will acquire more clients and drive heavy traffic to your website. A company without EAT strategy will not prosper without credibility because clients seek services that are worth their money. As a law firm, you will have to be authoritative, trustworthy, and an expert in your field if you want to increase your sales.

The YMYL strategy pushes for proper use of your finances in advertising to achieve results at a reasonable cost. Sometimes you can seek advertising, but when it comes to results, there are little to none. You find that you have lost money and you have no increase in sales. When you combine EAT and YMYL in advertising, your client number and sales will increase. The two strategies are fundamental, mainly because the first thing customers do is to search online for what they need.

How Google will Recognize the Credibility of Your Law Firm 

One of the most critical ways to make Google recognize your law firm as credible is through “link building.” Link building is the procedure of providing links to other sites for more information. When a client reads an article with a link to your site on, for example, Forbes, they can click that link from that article to your website, increasing traffic to it. When you are on the receiving end, your site’s link is called a backlink, which you can build by submitting your business information for free to online directories.

How to build credible links 

• Guest posting. You can reach out to authoritative websites and offer them a guest post. They can give you a topic to write about, or you can write on your topic. The company will let you have a link to your site from your author bio, and even other companies will allow you to have links to your site in the article you write.
• Online forums. As a lawyer, you can answer legal questions, and in the process, users of such sites might decide to look you up.
• Hosting events. Hosting community-focused events will drive a lot of traffic to your site as other authoritative companies not necessarily in the legal industry will provide links to your site. Such events can be through webinars or virtual conferences if in-person meetings are prohibited.
• Free directories. Strive to provide your business information for free to directories where customers seek information and clients will easily find you, whether new or existing ones.
• Paid directories. Sometimes you might pay a fee for your information to be posted but be careful to work with good sites such as Lawyers.com and Nolo.com.
• Outreach. When you do a lot of link building with no results, try outreach that reaches out to your competitors’ domains and asks for guest posting and a backlink to your site.
• Unlinked mentions. A site may mention your business name but with no backlink, so you can reach out and ask them to link back to your site.
• Linkable content. As a law firm, publishing content in demand for clients and other sites will link back to your content, increasing your credibility. The content includes; Infographics, E-books, videos, exclusive interviews, and online libraries, among others. 

How do I Improve EAT?

Industries such as health, law, finance, and politics fall under the category of YMYL, emphasizing the importance of such aspects in the economy and welfare of a nation. Lawyers need to enhance their expertise, authority, and trustworthiness in their clients and even potential ones to reap the EAT algorithm’s full benefits. 

Techniques to improve EAT.

• Customer testimonials
• Reviews
• Content such as videos and interviews of authoritative voices
• Guest posts 

Conclusion

The fact that the legal industry falls under the YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) category should implore an attorney to increase a law firm’s credibility. Clients might seek a referral from their friends, and therefore customer service is also a surefire bonus to get clients besides providing quality services. Following the EAT and YMYL strategies, your company will be at the top of the rankings when it comes to search engines.

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5 Legal Marketing Tactics that Will Grow Your Law Firm Fast in 2021

Marketing frills sacrifice honesty for followings and conversions. Today’s marketers push limits- adopting overly ‘salesy’ language. Some businesses can lose credibility over this kind of content. 

That’s why law firms keep off aggressive marketing campaigns. Words and impressions are serious business in the legal fraternity. Many law firms stick to referrals instead. They are more honest and trustworthy. 

 

But the legal market is crowded. Referrals won’t suffice in the stiffly competitive arena.  There are honest, tried tactics law firms unafraid to step out can employ. So which techniques should your law firm include in your marketing strategy? We’ll discuss 5 of the best here.

Does My Law Firm Need Marketing?

The quick answer is –Yes! Marketing allows you to cast your nets wider. You only have to know what to say. Most importantly, you have to coin the message around the specifics of what your firm stands for. 

People detest quacks. Nobody wants to hire a lawyer who loses most of their cases. It’s worse when people can’t trust you to give sound advice. So your message has to profess reliability, security, and professionalism wherever it’s seen. 

The 5 Essential Steps to Facilitating Growth through Marketing

The ‘how to grow’ question affects all law firms. For most of them, the challenges that stunt growth can be solved or reduced through marketing.  Here’s how you can ride on marketing to grow your firm.

1. Understand and Own your Brand

It’s easy to get lost in the sea of businesses thronging a single marketplace. That’s why branding is important.  The simple definition of branding is a name and logo that distinguishes your firm from others. 

Branding in today’s global village goes beyond logos and names. It breaks down to the following aspects.

• A set of beliefs that prospects hold about your firm. 

This could be the services you choose (like criminal law, personal injury, etc.) or a certain track record that precedes you. 

• The promise you make to prospects

Many businesses often hang themselves with this one. It forms the basis of what clients expect from you. They will call you out the moment you don’t keep our promise. So only promise what you can deliver. 

• Aspects that are unique to you. 

This could be a unique way of service delivery for some. For others, it’s delivering what you swore you would when you were in law school, for example, going out of your way to help specific people groups.

2. Engage in Continuous Lead Generation

Content is the gist of online marketing. But rarely do people watch or read entire content pages. Blame the 8 seconds long attention spans! 

Sadly, lead generation hinges on content. Leads are potential clients or prospects. Lead generation is about acquiring new leads. Marketers consciously take new leads through sales funnels to turn them from potential clients to actual clients.

You can’t afford poorly done content. Your lead generation depends on it. Telling stories, sharing helpful written and info-graphics content is prevalent and works. Just study your audience needs to make it worthwhile. Follow these sales funnel steps to generate leads.

• Awareness: Make them know you exist and tell them what you’re offering.
• Interest: Get them interested. You must have a hook(subtle call to action) on your website’s landing page
• Decision: Get them to find out more about you or decide to enlist your services. You must make a believable case for why your services are beneficial to them.
• Action: Which ultimate action do you want them to make? Share their contact info, pay for a service, sign up for newsletters, etc.

3. Have a Website Designed for Great UX

 94% of consumers say company websites must be easy to navigate for them to return or engage. It makes sense, then, that a hard-to-navigate website sends leads to the competition.

Things online are supposed to be easier, faster, and more fun. A hard-to-navigate website beats the essence of having one in the first place.

Present your services in an orderly and easy-to-understand format. Big words make you look good in court. Online, big words are a ticket for losing prospects. Ensure you give the following info plainly:

• Law firm specialization
• Locations where you serve
• Contact information

4. Use Smart SEO Practices

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) (SEO) helps businesses to appear in people’s searches on Google or other internet sites. 

A Google My Business Page leverages SEO to put your business at the top of search results. It also includes your contact info and location. Sign up for one to improve your SEO ranking.  Remember to do these things when filling it out.

• Include a detailed description of your firm and all the services you provide
• First impressions are important. Upload many quality photos
• Choose the categories that fit your firm’s specifications
• Add a local phone number
• Add a link to your website
• Include your address in the same format and order as your website 
• Share accurate and up-to-date info

5. Develop Marketing Systems That Work for Your Firm. 

Experts predict that the legal marketplace size will grow into a $767.1 billion size market this year. So it’s hardly the time to slack in marketing your firm. 

This calls for a pursuit of higher marketing goals. However, it’s dangerous to drop what you know works for something new. If you’re riding high on referrals, don’t drop them for social media. If social media has been working out, don’t drop it for another method. The idea is to pursue complementary marketing.

It may be time to measure your marketing strategies too. Referrals are easier to calculate. People rarely ask for rewards to refer you to someone else. Social media and paid marketing are different. Here are 3 ways to measure your current paid marketing campaigns. The results will help you decide the way forward.

• ROI. Return on Investment measures how much every cent you spent brought in. For example, if you spent $500 on a campaign that brought in $1000, your ROI is $500.
• Cost Per Lead. Cost per Lead measures the effects of your lead generation. If you get 5 clients from 5 leads on a $500 budget, your leads cost $100 each. 
• Conversion Rate. This is measured in percentage. It tells you the percentage of visitors to your social sites who became leads or clients. A campaign that brought in 1000 visitors from which you got 10 leads has a 1% conversion rate. 

Who We Are

At Consultwebs, we have a 2-decade track record of providing measurable online marketing strategies for law firms. Contact us today to get any of our services, and we’ll be happy to help. 

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How to Use 6 Cognitive Biases to Maximize your Firm’s Place in the Market

You will find this hard to believe, but it’s the truth: you can actually influence someone else’s decision through psychology.

Sounds like a script plucked straight from an episode of Suits, right?

Believe it or not, that is what marketing psychology is all about—and understanding your audience’s cognitive biases is crucial in maximizing your law firm’s influence in the market.

What Are Cognitive Biases?

The human brain is incredibly powerful. It can crunch hard numbers, recall dated information, and store up to 2,500,000 gigabytes of raw data (for your information, the best iPhone 12 has 512 GB)!

 

 

But despite all its awesomeness, the brain does have flaws and limitations that prevent it from being 100% rational. In their 1970s’ ground-breaking research, Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky referred to these glitches as cognitive biases.

Think of them as systematic errors in thinking that impact the sort of decisions and judgments humans make.

Cognitive biases happen when our brains work against us because of the shortcuts they’ve created. While these shortcuts are meant to help us understand our environments better, they often backfire. They lead us to behave or act irrationally.

The worst bit is, most (read: almost all) attorney partners are largely unaware of these cognitive biases and their use in marketing. 

However, the few who are aware of them hold immense power over their prospects and clients’ decisions. And it starts with understanding these tricky thought processes.

Here are a few examples of some of the more common cognitive biases:

• Bandwagon Effect- Humans tend to prioritize ideas, information, or products that are popular with the majority.
• Sunk-Cost Bias- As soon as we invest money, energy, or time into something, we persevere with it because we hate to lose our investment, even if we might never get it back.
• Confirmation Bias- We tend to search for or overvalue information that supports our existing beliefs or expectations over new ones.
• Ambiguity Effect- People tend to avoid choices or decisions that bear a doubtful outcome.
• Parkinson’s Law Of Triviality- This law states that individuals tend to choose instant gratification over something with a greater value later on time. 
• Anchoring Bias- We have an ingrained tendency to depend too much on the first bit of information we find when making decisions.

How Are Cognitive Biases Important In the World Of Sales & Marketing?

There’s no doubt that the online space is awash with limitless information and endless choices.

So, how exactly do customers arrive at a purchasing decision? That’s right- they employ some of the aforementioned cognitive biases.

As a recent Google research found out, buyers manage to navigate and alter the “messy middle” using various cognitive shortcuts. 

Just in case you were wondering, “messy middle” is the complicated space between triggers and purchase where clients are either won or lost. 

All things considered, here’s what you can learn from the study:

• Customers think highly of brands. They’re likely to remain loyal to their favorite brand even if rival brands offer them a superior product or service.
• But that doesn’t necessarily mean that little-known brands can’t disrupt the “messy middle.” Every firm has a fair chance of success in the online market as long as they target the right cognitive biases.
• Presence might be just what you need to sway buyers’ decisions. Just show up. 

Read more about this eye-opening research here.

The key takeaway? With a few well-timed, accurate, and powerful cognitive cues, your law firm can indeed win buyer preference.

How Can I Use Cognitive Biases To My Advantage When Preparing My Marketing Strategy?

1. Cognitive Bias Type #1: Anchoring

As far as the anchoring bias goes, first impressions are really vital.

The very first thing you say to prospects, no matter the mode of communication, matters a lot. It acts as the “anchor,” you know, the thing that lures them to sign with your firm and no other.

That’s why it’s important to plan how you are going to introduce yourself and your products. Please make sure the first piece of information they receive paints your firm in the best possible light.

How exactly do you set a positive aura with your target audience? Easy—roll out your product in stages. If you’re giving out discounts, quote the full price first, then follow it up with the discounted value.

You can also play to the anchoring bias by pitting your price against a rival’s price that’s much higher. When prospective clients see the second price (which is now your price), they’re likely to view it positively as they still have the competitor’s quote in mind.

Vouch for your firm and products even more by sharing testimonials, reviews, or anything else that depicts how clients have saved more than they have spent on your offerings.

2. Cognitive Bias Type #2: Confirmation 

The gist surrounding confirmation bias is that prospects already have ideas or beliefs in their head—and these are almost impossible to change. 

This simply means that if you have a strong brand image, all you have to do is “confirm” this with them when you get in touch or when they first arrive on your landing page. 

Make sure your mission, tag line, content, or anything on your website “reassures” prospects that you’re indeed what they think you are.

3. Cognitive Bias Type #3: Parkinson’s Law Of Triviality

You can use this bias to your advantage by speaking in a language that suggests urgency. Make your prospects think that there’s greater value in acquiring your products now than later.

• “Download our Ebook to solve your divorce issues instantly.”
• “Schedule an online consultation session now and get a 50% discount on attorney fees.”

Another way Parkinson’s Law can be used by savvy marketing directors like you is by delaying the payment process. 

When prospects realize that they can purchase now and pay at a later date, the cost of the item becomes less important. 

They don’t think about spending money, and if they do, they rationalize the product costs per hour or per day until they have to pay. This way, you’ll actually be able to raise your rates.

4. Cognitive Bias Type #4: Bandwagon Effect

Like we mentioned, the human brain craves to be part of a group. To feel socially important.

Make the most of this bias by giving your products some kind of social proof. Tell your prospects that they stand to gain with your firm, just like your current customers or those you’ve worked together with in the past. 

• “The new Ebook is what everyone is talking about.”
• “Over 1,000 people rely on our firm for legal advice every month.”

“Want a successful merger? Join 50 companies that signed up with us last month for customized acquisition services!”

You can also play to this bias by sharing testimonials, badges, awards, or reviews that portray your brand as a “fan favorite.”

5. Cognitive Bias Type #5: Ambiguity

Although unknowingly, prospects tend to favor a choice with a known outcome rather than a chance on an option with doubtful possibilities.

Counter this flaw in human behavior by incorporating a “FAQS Section” on your landing page. Make sure that you clarify any lingering uncertainties regarding your product or service. 

If prospects insist on calling you, don’t overload them with unnecessary information. Focus on what you’re offering. Avoid using legalese or any technical jargon. Else prospects will hand your firm a thumbs down.

6. Cognitive Bias Type #6: Sunk-Cost Bias

Maximize this bias by continually reminding customers of their ongoing relationship with your law firm. This particularly works wonders with loyalty programs. For instance, using phrases such as “an esteemed client since 2005” can go a long way in cementing the relationship between you and your clientele.

Another way to play to this fallacy is to suggest to prospects that there’s only minimal effort required to complete a call, purchase, or any other monetary investment.

• “Finalize your online consultation session with just one more click.”
• “Finish your Ebook purchase with just two more clicks.”

Keep in mind that sunk cost bias is hard-hitting, and your clients will jump at the first chance to turn things around. Use that to your advantage. Make sure your product experience never falls short of expectations, or if it does, you’re quick to make amends.

Wrapping Up

Now that you’re familiar with the six key cognitive biases, you can go back and answer the main question: How do you use these mental shortcuts to influence prospects, retain clients, and grow your reach?

The more you are aware of the brain’s flaws and glitches, the more of a marketing expert you’ll be. 

Just keep these three takeaways in mind:

• Invest in your brand presence so that your product/service is strategically top of mind when your prospects continue to scour the online market space.
• Invest in the quality and messaging of your law firm. Then push out your brand to the community as vigorously as possible. Remember, we’re all competing for the same piece of the pie.
• Those who sustain market share are those who have honed their ability to minimize friction and ultimately drive more business.

Need more nuggets on running an effective legal marketing department, outwitting competitors, and attaining tangible results? Visit our blog today.

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