11 major marketing mistakes ruining your law firm’s ROI

Lawyers, are you making the same mistakes 92% of law firms make with digital marketing? If so, now’s the time to fix them…before it’s too late.

Why do law firms fail at digital marketing? 📉

Ah, the age-old question…why isn’t my marketing campaign working?

There are dozens of reasons why law firms fail at digital marketing, but the vast majority of firms probably fall into one of the categories below.

Let’s delve into why firms fail at marketing — and how to fix floundering campaigns.

1. Poor website design 💻

Why do lawyers fail at web design? Many lawyers underestimate the importance of having a well-designed website that is both aesthetically pleasing and user-friendly.

This can have a significant impact on your ability to attract and convert potential customers, as users are more likely to leave a site if it looks outdated or doesn’t function properly.

Solution

The best lawyer website isn’t one that’s flashy, but one that’s built to convert visitors into leads. That means delivering your sales pitch in a way that naturally draws visitors from clicking on your site to clicking on the “contact” button.

2. Not optimizing for search engines 🤖

One of the most important aspects of digital marketing for any law firm is ensuring that their website is properly optimized for search engines. Why do lawyers fail at SEO?

Lawyers who don’t take the time to optimize their website for search engine algorithms risk falling behind in rankings, which can make it difficult (impossible) for potential clients to find them online.

Solution

Develop clear goals to achieve with search optimization. Your website and content must directly support your search goals.

3. Lack of content strategy 🖋️

Many lawyers fail to understand the importance of having an effective content strategy in place when it comes to digital marketing.

Without knowing what type of content will be most effective at reaching their target audience, lawyers may not be utilizing all possible channels such as social media, blogs, and email campaigns — which could lead to missed opportunities.

Solution

Having a clear goal in mind when it comes to content creation will help ensure that content is tailored towards achieving tangible results such as an increase in leads or sales conversions.

4. Failure to engage with your audience 🤝

Reaching out and engaging with customers through social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram can be extremely beneficial for law firms looking to build relationships with potential customers online.

However, many lawyers are failing to fully utilize these channels by either not responding quickly enough or by simply not providing meaningful interactions on these platforms.

Solution

It’s important that law firms prioritize engagement on social media as customer interaction through these outlets will help build brand loyalty and trust with potential clients over time.

5. Ignoring reviews ⭐

Reviews can make or break businesses online. Yet many law firms fail to respond to negative reviews professionally. Even worse, they don’t try to ensure a steady stream of positive reviews — a huge bonus for local search listings.

Solution

Respond promptly and professionally. Address any client grievances. These will go a long way in maintaining an overall positive reputation online among prospects who may be considering using your services.

Also, don’t be afraid to ask satisfied clients for positive reviews.

6. Not leveraging paid ads 💰

Many law firms are missing out on the potential that comes with paid advertising platforms Google Ads in order to generate leads.

Another reason lawyers fail with paid ads is lack of strategy — running paid ads, only to waste time and money due to poor planning.

Solution

Don’t just run paid ads — develop a search strategy just like you would for organic or local search before investing a significant sum into Google Paid.

7. Lack of local search 📍

You’ve probably noticed that local search results appear, in most cases, ahead of organic rankings. It’s no secret that Google likes local businesses — but what might seem like a secret is how to actually rank locally. And why do lawyers fail with Google Maps?

Failing to set up your Google My Business account properly (and map out your local search strategy) means losing out on a huge chunk of potential clicks.

Solution

If you haven’t already, go set up your Google My Business account. From there, we suggest following our guide.

8. Relying solely on referrals 📣

While referrals are certainly an important part of generating leads for law firms, relying solely on them can be a mistake in the long run as it limits their reach to those who already know about them.

Solution

It’s vital that law firms invest time and resources into making sure they have a strong online presence through digital marketing strategies such as SEO, content creation, social media outreach and email campaigns.

Referrals are great, but they can’t be your only source of new clients.

9. Failing to track metrics 📈

Tracking metrics is essential when it comes to assessing the success of digital marketing efforts for any business.

Many lawyers don’t take the time or understand how important tracking website visits, page views and conversions can be in helping determine what strategies are working best and where improvements should be made moving forward.

Without this data readily available, many law firms will struggle to make meaningful changes that result in real ROI from their digital marketing initiatives over time.

Solution

All of these metrics can easily be tracked with tools like Google Analytics or Google Search Console, which should offer enough data to satisfy most DIY marketers.

10. Not having a mobile-friendly website 📱

With more people accessing websites via smartphones than ever before, having a website that renders properly across all devices is crucial if you want your potential customers to have the best possible experience.

Google readily and regularly penalizes sites that don’t look great on phones — even sites that work well on desktop.

Solution

Make sure your site is coded responsively to load perfectly on every device. If web design isn’t your thing, we know someone who might be able to help.

11. Trying to do everything yourself 🤷‍♂️

The biggest reason law firms fail at digital marketing is by biting off more than they can chew. Law firm marketing is a full-time job — just like running your firm. No one wants to work two jobs, yet many lawyers fall into the trap of DIY marketing.

Solution

You shouldn’t have to choose between giving your clients incredible service and getting incredible marketing results.

Let Klicker handle the heavy lifting, and you focus on being an elite attorney. Contact us today, and let’s discuss how we’ll help you win online.