Video is becoming increasingly important to law firm web marketing. Website and YouTube video can help law firms with website stickiness, improve professionalism, optimize their law firm SEO and leverage social media marketing to carry their message to both their existing clients and prospective clients. Let’s consider a few YouTube statistics. YouTube, owned by Google since 2006, boasts some truly amazing metrics. For example, as of this writing, YouTube’s website states that it attracts over 800 billion unique users visits each month and over 3 billion hours of video are watched each month. 72 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute, and in 2011 YouTube had more than 1 trillion views or around 140 views for every person on Earth. Clearly web video is attracting and retaining a large following.
How can you optimize your law firm marketing content for YouTube? Strength is represented in numbers and variety. Once you have created a page (or space) on your law firm website, you should also create a YouTube channel. Optimize your channel for your target prospects and make sure your description and tags incorporate the long tail keywords germane to your target audience. Leverage your law firm logo and branding to make your YouTube channel look professional and current. Then, populate both your channel and your law firm website with compelling content across multiple video mediums. For example, you can use PowerPoint Vlogs, talking head recordings (using video from your own laptop), Skype recorded videos, professionally shot and edited videos and recorded webinars. There are pros and cons with each of these videos relating to your law firm web marketing.
- PowerPoint Vlogs:These are fast and easy to create and post. You will achieve better results if your slide deck has been created by a graphic artist. Vlogs are typically a more casual type of video, and can be used to rapidly convey changes in a specific industry.
- Recorded Webinars: Webinars can be recorded and posted to your law firm website or YouTube. Shorter is usually better, as patience can wear thin for even an interesting, albeit lengthy webinar recording. Webinars offer the advantage of looking and sounding “professional”, though quality can vary based on the vagaries of the internet throughput and recording devices used on the day of the webinar.
- Talking Head Recordings:Quality varies on the recording device used and the professionalism and experience of the speaker. For example, using a built in high def camera can work well with some laptops, I usually suggest multiple practice sessions across several devices, to compare and contrast the resulting video. Make sure your background looks professional, an office background, if not cluttered, often looks best. You can also record in an empty courtroom, or on a quiet weekend, in front of a court house. This can be done with a computer or other digital recording device.
- Skype Recorded Videos:Skype interviews are often easier for the speaker because they are responding to “interview” questions and don’t need to be as rehearsed when compared to Vlogs or talking head videos. Interviewers can utilize on camera or off camera (split screen) technologies. Skype does not offer recording capabilities, a third party software solution must be used.
- Professional Videographer Videos:There are two types of these videos, those which feature or include live speakers, and those which use photos or images which convey your value proposition. The former might include a message from the managing partner or other attorneys, the latter might include images of your offices and other related law firm materials, or images pertaining to your target market.
Once you’ve added videos to your YouTube channel and website, leverage these for your social media marketing campaigns. Post, Tweet, Pin, Like, Link, Blog and Vlog your content. Push your video out to your market using LinkedIn, Facebook, Tiwtter, Google, YouTube, Pinterest, Blogs, etc. Make sure your website links and call to action are prominently noted on both your channel and each video. Vary your video and vary your content for optimum efficacy. Educational videos typically work best. One of the fastest growing areas of YouTube relates to “How To” videos. Whether you’re discussing how to how to aggressively defend lawsuits, how to mitigate liability or how to ensure driver safety, video is a great way to reach your target markets.
Remember, all of your content does not need to specifically relate to law, as long as it is professional and interesting and results in quality traffic and interaction with your target market. Note that your content will vary drastically based on your practice. For example, attorneys specializing in family law will have a different approach, look and feel than those practicing corporate litigation. Your video content should “speak” to the audience you are targeting. And when in doubt, you can create your own informal focus group, sending your video links to trusted clients, friends and colleagues for their candid feedback. If your law firm has yet to begin your video law firm web marketing initiative, there is no time like the present. If you have already begun, remember to vary your video, your content and your web marketing distribution for optimum results.
Source by Alan Blume