3 Common Law Firm Brand Myths Debunked

Competition in the legal industry is getting fiercer by the day. Thanks to technology, law firms are now investing in digital marketing more than ever in a bid to win the attention of clients.

Only the elite outshine the crowd, and that’s where branding comes in. Orbelo defines branding as the process of creating a positive perception of a firm. Proper branding distinguishes a law firm from the rest.

Both starting and experienced lawyers have equal branding opportunities and the potential to get their piece of the pie. No matter where you are on your marketing journey, you will be able to build your brand and gain the competitive edge you need to excel.

This article debunks the top law firm brand myths and discusses how you can discover your own law brand. Read on.

Myth 1: You Can Refine Your Brand

You would think your brand depends exclusively on the image you want to portray as a firm, but there’s truly so much more that goes into it! The brand-building process takes time, as well as awareness of what your clients think about you. 

Why? Well, your brand arguably depends more on your clients than on you! What your clients think about your services and your firm, is what determines your brand as a law firm and its place in the market. Building a positive reputation by continuously offering exemplary legal services and promoting your brand as such is what will make your brand shine all the brighter.

Myth 2: Your Business Assets Are Your Brand

As appealing as your company logo is, it won’t be the one thing that will influence your business brand. At least not on its own – the same applies to your other law firm assets. No matter how meticulously planned out and designed they are, what will ultimately give your brand the shine and polish you want and need is the added customer service package.

This is not to say the investments in your assets aren’t worth it – the more cohesive the individual elements of your brand are, the better! Just don’t forget to give the experience you offer your clients the same care and attention. 

Myth 3: People Constantly Think Of Your Brand

We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but, no, your brand is not constantly on your audience’s mind. Indeed, the average consumer tends to ignore marketing. To put this into perspective: When was the last time you thought about any specific brand for more than a few minutes at a time, except for when you are in the process of making a purchase?

With as much competition as there is in the legal industry, firms have to become increasingly inventive to make their brand shine through. In addition to the aesthetically pleasing aspects, the more social proof you have to offer, the better! 

Though your audience may not be daydreaming about you, if all of the puzzle pieces are in place when they need legal assistance, there is a higher chance that your name will pop up when it matters the most. 

How to Discover and Build Your Brand

Here are great strategies that you can apply to build your legal brand:

Talk to Your Clientele

The first step to knowing your brand as seen in the eyes of your potential clients is to get first-hand information from your current clients. They are the main players in the process of building your brand, and so, it’s imperative to understand what they think of you.

You can collect the information through surveys, questionnaires, or face-to-face communication. Some of the questions that you can ask them to include:

• Why did you choose to work with us and not our competitors?
• Is this the first time you are hiring a lawyer?
• Are you content with our services?
• Would you recommend our law firm to other people? If no/yes, why?

Get Everyone On Board

The more united you are as a firm, the more coherent and solid your brand will come across. This, in turn, also makes growing your brand a more fluid process. 

In order to ensure this firm unity, reinforce the law firm’s culture. Make sure all internal communications are shared transparently, your values as a firm are clearly defined and followed, and keep tabs on how the firm’s clients are cared for by all partners. 

Maintain Brand Consistency

The final step to put the brand of your law firm in place is to maintain consistency. Here are some sure-fire tips on how you can do so:

• Create an excellent website for your law firm
• Utilize social media for marketing
• Create an appealing logo for your law firm
• Create business cards and distribute them to your clients
• Tell your clients to give you feedback, and recommend your business to other people 
• Pick an appealing color scheme for your law firm
• Invest in marketing and promotions

The key here is to make sure you’ve got your vision for your brand decided on, to then build upon it through various marketing strategies and other activities. If your brand is already built from the get-go, you will be less likely to make changes to it in the mid-term and possibly confuse your audience.

Conclusion

The world is rapidly changing, and this also applies to legal marketing. The law firms that are willing to change and maintain brand consistency will always be on the winning end. (You’re already ahead of the game for taking the time to read this guide!) 

Do you need help with law firm branding? Feel free to reach out to us. Our team of digital marketing experts will assess your business needs and help you create the right strategies to grow your brand.

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Useful Insights into the Past, Present, and Future of Digital Marketing for Law Firms

Marketing for lawyers used to be the classic referral and handing out business cards. But the internet and technology disrupted everything. Suddenly, everybody had a website. The competition went from the law firm on the other side of town to a pool of them online.  But lawyers were still apprehensive about marketing and there’s a good reason why.

Nobody calls lawyers for fun. If anything, every call that goes through a law firm is a distress call. To many lawyers, marketing was equal to putting up a billboard on the Cross Bronx Expressway flaunting your skills. It’s almost like saying, “I’m waiting for your life to go south so I can make money out of you. “

But as the internet created infinite options for prospects, law firms slowly embraced digital marketing. Let’s talk about the past, present, and future of digital marketing to help you see what really counts.

The Past of Digital Marketing

 

There has been a long-standing tradition of upholding trust and the law above all else in the legal arena. Lawyers view themselves as thought leaders, trustworthy, expert, and caring-legal guardians who have clientele and not customers. From this standpoint, marketing seems like merchandising-nothing short of devaluing the legal profession.

Legal marketing in the 50s and 60s was unheard of. The law even banned some forms of marketing-with little resistance from lawyers. In the 70s a law firm called Bates from Arizona challenged the status quo. They put an ad in the local daily. It resulted in the disbarment of the lawyers and a suit against the State Bar of Arizona. The Supreme Court ruled that the restrictions of advertising and other forms of marketing were antiquated rules of etiquette. Law firms started marketing their services and even hired in-house marketing teams.

The newfound freedom later found its way into internet marketing in the early 90s. However, users could not share much with the Web 1.0 platform. In the same decade, the internet evolved, providing clickable banners. Yahoo and Google also launched along with search engines that enabled law firms to improve their rankings online.

The entry of Google, MSN, and Yahoo Web search engines blew up the internet in 2006. The year saw 6.4 billion in traffic in a month as a result of these engines.

However, legal digital marketing soon experienced hiccups in SEO ranking. Outsourced marketing companies sometimes played dirty to improve ranking including using black hat SEO.

By 2016, legal firms were not only creating websites but also actively pursuing digital marketing. In the same year, research by Bloomberg reported that 68% of lawyers and marketers bowed to internal pressure to grow revenue, 43 percent to the pressure of seeing other businesses succeed, and 41% to client pressure to get alternative billing methods.

Legal Digital Marketing Today

Legal digital marketing has evolved massively with AI making it easy to track ads and measure ROI. Ideally, law firms wrap their marketing strategies around value, content, analytics, multiple channels, SEO, and focusing on the client needs.

The value bit of the marketing strategy is meant to give clients value. The target of the value principle is to show clients that the firm understands their plight, has what it takes to help, and is trustworthy.

Websites are standard today with 86% of law firms reporting that they have a website.  Ideally, websites are the online representation of a law firm. They reflect its persona through the colors, text, and tone of the content found there.

This content is geared to improve SEO rankings with the help of keywords. Content could be blog posts, web content, videos, infographics, and text. CTAs with statements such as Get a Free Consultation or Find a Personal Injury lawyer is popular for generating leads that turn into clients.  56% of law firms with more than 100 employees use video marketing.

According to the American Bar Association, 41% of all firm sizes use email marketing and Facebook(30%)

With the pandemic restrictions, more law firms are cashing in on live stream features on social media. Lawyers hold live Q&As or hold webinars to discuss hot button topics or give advice.

The Future of Legal Marketing

If the COVID-19 crisis has taught us anything, businesses don’t seek legal services-people do. These people have needs and some have changed completely courtesy of the pandemic.

The pandemic may stretch longer than we think. Content will still be important. Current statistics are already hinting at just how important online content will be. The problem is creating content that your clients need versus what’s trending.

Users are putting more effort into content consumption, reading writings on thought leadership, getting advice from videos, and then listening to a podcast to learn more. People are consuming this content all at various stages of their content-funnel journeys.

To examine how well you’ve been doing on content ask yourself these questions.

•       What do my clients want?
•       Can they comfortably say my law firm is right for them?
•       Which content can help them stem their fears about an uncertain future?

A relevant attorney will not only be good at applying the law. They’ll also care for their clients.  Their marketing strategy will be largely built on content that solves their client’s problems.

For most attorneys, getting content marketing right starts by learning these crucial things about content marketing.

• Get a Podcast for Your Firm. Podcasts are in high demand. They add depth and personality to your content in a way that text cannot. It also makes you relatable. People have a habit of hiring people they think understand them.
• Leverage video Content. Video is an excellent way to show clients your personality. Thanks to tech, every video doesn’t require a video crew to hack. But you can hire a professional video production company to use on your ‘About Us’ section.
• Get to the Point. Make a habit of getting to the point at the top of your content funnel. Even with a higher demand for online content, attention spans are still extremely short.
• Be Crystal Clear. Target a niche group for your thought leadership content, and say who it’s meant for in the headline, opening, and whenever you share it.

Who We Are

We focus on law firm marketing, providing strategies that fit the unique facets of the legal field in a competitive market. That way, you can focus on providing value to your clientele. Request a custom quote here today. 

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Core Web Vitals: Google’s Next Big Update

Are you ready for Google’s next update?

 

Come May 2021, the Google algorithm as we know it will change – again. Though the search engine undergoes near-constant updates, the vast majority go under the radar. The upcoming core update, however, is one that will potentially impact your SEO efforts if all of the boxes aren’t checked off. We have compiled a checklist for you to assess which areas you may need to optimize in order to avoid any negative effects. 

 

Before we dive into the nitty-gritty, however, let’s clear up the key terms. What exactly are the Google core web vitals, and how are they evaluated? 

What are Core Web Vitals?

Core web vitals are a set of metrics that quantify elements that make up the user experience. They’re there to ensure only websites that have both great content AND an awesome user experience rank in top positions, which, in turn, makes sure that: 

1. Ranking websites are more likely to have qualified traffic and, hence, converting visitors.
2. The search engine’s reputation as a reliable information provider is preserved. 

 

Specifically, the newest Google core web vitals update revolves around the new SEO ranking factors that focus on:

• How quickly the page loads
• Whether buttons or text move about on the page while it’s loading
• How quickly the user can interact with the page upon landing on it.

 

You can check how your site is doing on all of these metrics on Lighthouse, PageSpeed Insights, Chrome DevTools, web.dev’s measure tool, or Web Vitals Chrome extension.  

Page Load Speed (Largest Contentful Paint LCP) 

Have you ever landed on a purchase confirmation page, and as you went in to tap or click on that last Purchase button, it suddenly moved, and you ended up canceling the whole thing? 

Or while doing research and in the middle of reading a paragraph, everything shifted and you lost your spot… 

We’re willing to bet that if this has happened, you clicked right off and looked for a different site to do business with, or research your topic on – or at least vowed to never return once you’ve finished your task. 

Through this update, site owners are being pushed to improve on this specific issue – and for good reason! It’s true you want to evoke emotions when someone visits your site, but annoyance is definitely not one of them. 

So, what is considered a good CLS?

• Good: 0.1
• Poor: 0.25
• Bad: over 0.25

Making sure your page elements are maintained stable will grant you a lower CLS score and keep your site users from getting frustrated. On the flip side, having your users relearn where buttons, images, and fields are is a bad idea, and the more things move around on your page as it loads, the higher your CLS will be – and the more agitated your page visitors will be. (No bueno.) 

 

Page Interactivity Speed (First Input Delay FID)

Imagine walking up to someone you think is attractive, interesting, and worth your while, and you ask them a question. Now imagine them staring back at you, reactionless and responsible for a solid 5 seconds (or more!). Awkward, right? 

This is how visitors feel when they go onto your site and they try to interact with it (by clicking on a button or a link, accessing the menu bar, etc.) and nothing happens for milliseconds on end. 

What is considered a good FID score?

• Good: 100 milliseconds or less
• Poor: 300 milliseconds
• Bad: over 300 milliseconds

You would probably walk away from the reactionless person who only had a blank stare to offer, right? The same thing applies to visitors clicking off of unresponsive sites, so the crisper and faster the responsiveness of your page, the better for everyone involved!

Why are Core Web Vitals such a big deal?

Google has hundreds of different ranking signals, so whether you’re doing a little better or not that well on individual signals will likely not impact your performance dramatically. However (you knew there would be a caveat), when it comes to user experience, things like a slow loading time or an unstable page can have an outsized influence on the likelihood of capturing a user and guiding them down the buyer’s funnel. 

According to a Google study, websites that meet the minimum requirements for each of the 3 core web vitals have an abandonment rate 24% lower than those that don’t. Think of it as gaining 24% more traffic without doing much more than simply cleaning things up a bit on your site. So here’s to creating a delightful user experience to complement the great content you already have and go after those leads!

 

What can you do to prepare?

Optimize Largest Content Paint

• Remove any non-critical third-party scripts.
• Preload important assets, such as above-the-fold images, fonts, and critical path CSS/Javascript 
• Set up asynchronous loading so that media loads as a user scrolls down your page.
• Optimize and compress images. You can also convert them into lighter formats, like JPEG 2000, JPEG XR, or WebP

Optimize Cumulative Layout Shift

• Preload fonts so they have a higher priority in page rendering. 
• Include width and height attributes on media elements (video, images, GIFs, infographics etc.).
• Make sure ads elements have a reserved space.

Optimize First Input Delay

• Remove any non-critical third-party scripts.
• Minimize (or defer) JavaScript so that it is only executed when needed.
• Break down long-running Javascript code into smaller, asynchronous tasks.

 

 

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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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How the New iOS Update Disrupts Facebook ads

Social media advertisement is the backbone of the modern ad landscape. Over 9 million businesses are currently advertising on Facebook alone, and almost every business (big and small) is active in the social media “ad scape” in one way or another. So, what happens when the way social media ads work changes substantially? Recently, Apple and Facebook have been in a war of words surrounding privacy. Apple’s latest iOS update 14, which includes the controversial App Tracking Transparency feature, due to be rolled out in Spring 2021, is threatening to disrupt many Facebook ad campaigns.

What’s going on? And how can you prepare your business?

Facebook vs. Apple: A Privacy War

Tech giants waging battles in boardrooms, courts, and media isn’t unusual. Amazon and Oracle are going toe-to-toe to secure a multi-billion-dollar government cloud contract, Microsoft and Apple butted heads over the ban of popular video game Fortnite, and Uber and Lyft have regularly accused each other of poaching drivers and stealing business ideas. But most of these feuds happen largely outside the media, and most are warring over financial frictions stemming from a competitive appetite.

Facebook and Apple are having a different kind of battle — one that’s more about philosophy and privacy than money. On January 28th at the CPDP virtual event, Tim Cook — CEO of Apple — thundered, “An interconnected ecosystem of companies and data brokers, of purveys of fake news and peddlers of division, of trackers and hucksters looking to make a quick buck, is more present in our lives than it’s ever been.” He followed this by discussing how data privacy is more important than ever, and data collection and attribution are polarizing and monetizing humans. Finally, he added, “A social dilemma cannot be allowed to become a social catastrophe.”  — a brazen jab at Facebook.

This speech — which seems to be a response to Facebook’s recent advertisement campaign against Apple and its potential upcoming lawsuit — all centers around a new Apple feature rolling out in Spring of 2021. Apple’s AppTracking Transparency Policy will ask users if they want apps like Facebook to track their data across the web — allowing users to immediately opt-out of data tracking.

Understanding Apple’s AppTracking Transparency Policy

The Apple AppTracking Transparency Policy update — originally announced at WWDC back in June 2020 — will force developers to ask permission before their apps can track/share user data for advertising purposes. To be clear, this is different from Apple’s current iOS, which allows users to opt-out of data tracking. This is an opt-in that displays after users open an app for the first time. In other words, every app will have to explicitly ask permission before sharing your Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA) — a unique identifying number that Apple puts on each device to allow advertisers to track data to deliver personalized advertisements.

In addition to the opt-in, Apple will allow users to turn off a new “Allow apps to request to track” feature to permanently deny apps (no pop-up will even appear) from sharing their IDFA.

This is a massive change. Eighty-one percent of Americans already believe that the risks of personalized ads outweigh the benefits. So, we fully expect the vast majority of users to opt-out of data collection. But what does that mean for businesses?

How Will AppTracking Transparency Impact Your Business?

Apple’s privacy-centric business model (which started around 2010) is at direct odds with Silicon Valley’s ad-dependent financial structure. Apple doesn’t need ads to generate revenue: Facebook does. By association, most businesses that advertise on social media platforms depend on data tracking. It’s the juice that energizes targeting campaigns, re-engagement, and re-targeting. So, what happens when that juice spills out on the counter?

According to Facebook, “As more people, opt-out of tracking on iOS 14 devices, ads personalization, and performance reporting will be limited for both app and web conversion events.” And that’s true. The effectiveness of advertising campaigns is about to take a hit, especially for firms that rely on pixel data for personalization and targeting.

Google is warning advertisers that they will “see performance fluctuations” once Apple releases its new update, and Facebook is predicting that this update will make it “much harder for small businesses to reach their target audience.” If no preparations for the upcoming privacy feature are made, you should expect drops in performance on targeted ads, increased ad spend waste, and reduced ad potency. Preparation and attentiveness are key!

Facebook recently released a blog post that suggests that the iOS 14 changes will impact the following in campaigns that rely heavily on the use of pixels:

• Your ability to deliver effective ads
• Your ability to measure and report on conversions
• Your ad relevancy
• Your budget prediction capabilities

And Apple’s recent update isn’t the only privacy-centric update that will impact your ability to serve up hyper-relevant ads. Google has plans to eliminate third-party cookies by 2022. Tech giants (at least some of them) are rallying around privacy as a new pillar of customer-centricity and change. And we fully expect updates like this to continue to be the norm in the ad space.

So how can your business prepare itself for the apocalypse?

Preparing for AppTracking

Note: There are a variety of changes app developers should make such as upgrading their Google’s SDKs and updating their app to include the new opt-in. You can see a full list of those changes from Facebook and Google.

Currently, most material surrounding preparation for this change is targeted towards developers who run the back-end of websites leveraging event triggers and pixels. But what about businesses? How can marketers and businesses prepare for this chaotic change? We’ve identified 7 core preparation messages that will help you digest these changes:

1. Diversify: The single most important approach to this change is diversification. To be honest, no one really knows how this is going to play out. Facebook is in the midst of working on new APIs, and they will likely roll out a variety of updates surrounding this change. For now, prepare your campaigns and try out different campaign types and strategies before the ATT rollout is finalized. One alternative you could try is encouraging users that interact with your ads to give you personal information early on. Names, email addresses, and the sort can all retroactively be uploaded back onto Facebook to create custom audiences for retargeting purposes. 
2. Consider the new limitations: If nothing is done in preparation for the upcoming privacy feature of the update to roll out, Facebook estimates that this update could cause 50% revenue drops for publishers. That’s insane! Imagine halving your ad effectiveness. That’s obviously not ideal. There are real, tangible limitations surrounding this new Apple update. And you need to be fully prepared in order to counter these possible effects as much as possible. 
3. Re-think targeting campaigns: For years, targeting has been the key to minimizing ad spend waste. After this update, the overall efficiency of this targeting will tank if you rely on pixel targeting. If this is the case, re-think your buyers’ personas and ideal audience. You may need to broaden your horizons and consider new, interesting ways of targeting that don’t rely so heavily on Facebook’s pixel tracking, such as by creating web visit campaigns and using your site’s internal tracking to discern whether a conversion occurred. Facebook lead ads are another effective way for law firms to get leads that do not rely on the Facebook pixel. 
4. Reconfigure your funnel: You have to reconfigure your funnel. We’re working closely with our law clients to ensure that their entire end-to-end marketing funnel is configured in a way that minimizes the impact of this update. Often, this means re-thinking where Facebook belongs in this funnel, and how we can still use Facebook effectively without relying too heavily on targeting (at least until we see some real-time metrics).
5. Prepare your benchmarking arm: Metrics are about to get out-of-whack. Your marketing department or agency should be preparing you thoroughly for these changes. It’s important to set realistic expectations. Your retargeting, lookalikes based on website data and seeds are about to get messy. Carefully examine your campaigns and analyze your KPIs to establish benchmarks that make sense in the context of these adscape changes. Pay close attention, specifically, to the metrics and results that are tied to iOS devices.
6. Diversify re-engagement: This is the perfect time to test drive new email, SMS, and push notification strategies. Paid retargeting isn’t going to work as well as it did before in the traditional sense, and even Consultwebs is testing a strategy that involves using video view time and website data as retargeting metrics, so it is safe to say that the more creative you can get with your new strategies, the better. The sky’s the limit, but it would also help to implement tactics outside of the PPC realm. 
7. Keep watch: Your monetization and revenue metrics are going to be crazy during the first few weeks. The key to winning these changes is reacting early. Keep your eyes glued to the data, and you can quickly pull-back and push-forward on things that are working or not working.
8. Prepare your developers: There are tons of back-end changes that need to be made to accommodate this update. You should consult with your developers or website development agency to help you prepare (on an infrastructure level) for this update.

The Privacy Wars Are Taking Shape

As a brand, we’re very conscious of user privacy. Not only is privacy a fundamental right, but privacy-centric practices help brands grow into meaningful and customer-centric centerpieces of their industry. We’re positive that we’ll find a way to continue to bring tangible results to our clients, regardless of these privacy changes. But businesses need to be prepared. This isn’t the time for false promises. There’s a good chance this update is going to wreak havoc on some campaigns that rely on Facebook’s website pixel while others will be largely unaffected. Companies and firms that understand this and have a partner that’s prepared to make both premeditated and nanosecond changes to their campaigns to keep efficiency up are well poised to handle this new privacy landscape.

Are you looking for a boutique marketing and web development agency to help you build effective campaigns in a privacy-forward ad ecosystem? Contact us.

 

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