An online search is a great way to attract new clients. Thus, the image your Visalia legal practice portrays online is critical.
Clients today are internet-savvy. They use their smartphones, tablets, and computers to search for you, discover more about you, and study reviews about your practice. With every online channel used, your legal practice can draw in possible clients, improving the likelihood of converting those site visits into brand-new clients and cases.
What Do I Do if My Online Legal Practice Information is Inaccurate?
Is your address wrong? What about your phone and hours of operation? Even worse, what if the areas of practice are missing?
Local Directory Marketing (aka Digital Knowledge Management) is the process of identifying, updating, and synchronizing your practice details across all online channels ("publishers"). This includes generic directories like Yellow Pages and Google Maps to more industry-specific legal directories like this one.
By synchronizing your practice's information throughout the various business directories, you create additional opportunities to reach a new client by maximizing your online details. Your legal practice areas (family law, bankruptcy, criminal law, etc.) should be included in your online directory profile. Additionally, your profile should detail your practice location and hours, as well as background for you and other practicing partners. As a personal touch, you should include photos or video clips so clients can better get to know you.
All of the custom content you provide within these professional directories helps portray your legal practice's image to the public.
As reported by Google, online searches based on the person's location ("near me") have seen a 146% growth in popularity year-over-year.
Both desktop and mobile searches will return location-based results. Think about it. If you search for an "injury lawyer," the populated results will reflect those close to your location. A client doesn't need to remember your advertisement to click through the search results to find your legal practice's phone number, especially when an injury lawyer is necessary.
The objective is to turn a site visitor into a new client by being the first call.
Google continued to analyze these "near me" searches and determined that local searches directly influence companies' earnings. Over 75% of consumers visit a local business within a day of performing the location-based search.
Better yet - 28% of these visits result in new business for that local company!
New clients are in Visalia looking for a Visalia lawyer using their mobile devices. Helping these new clients locate your legal practice first is a great way to secure 28% more potential clients.
Definitely.
Before dining out, diners tend to look at Yelp reviews. Before hiring a contractor, homeowners and business owners tend to look at directories such as the Yellow Pages or Angie's List. The same is true for legal assistance.
Local directories have an average of 174% higher search traffic than web pages, indicating business listings within those local directories have a higher percentage of visibility.
It is essential to have an accurate online business listing. Look at your client's comments:
That is nearly 3x more than competing firms.
This statistic shouldn't be too surprising. While perception isn't reality, in this instance, perception is very much the only reality.
If presented with something perceived as "better" from the start (like a comprehensive business listing), the majority will accept that "better" option even though it might not actually be better.
This boost in potential client visits shouldn't be too surprising either. We already determined that these companies appear more reputable than companies with incomplete online listings, and now your legal practice can be easily found.
Initial impressions are crucial, especially to potential clients.
How can you care for a client if you cannot care for your office (providing comprehensive online details and an accurate location)? Why are ABC Lawyers acquiring more clients? Because they are taking advantage of an accurate and complete business listing.
Would you want to go into a legal practice that has boards covering every window? Unless you are in Florida during a hurricane, I highly doubt it.
It is essential to instill confidence. Trust from your client is required to market any service. Clients desire to work with an experienced lawyer who can help them in the best way.