That Monday morning, John was nervous—very nervous. The previous Saturday night, he’d been pulled over by the police and charged with a DUI.
That morning, as he considered the possibility of losing his license and being hit with a substantial fine, John needed to speak with someone who could tell him what was likely to happen next. He needed someone to reassure him that everything would be all right. Most of all, John needed sound legal advice from a law firm he could trust.
INSTAGRAM TO THE RESCUE
Like most people with legal problems, John’s first move was to the internet. His first Google searches took him to a bunch of law firms touting their ability to help him. They all seemed pretty much the same, and none of them gave him the specific answers he needed.
Then, John saw a search result that looked different. It featured a link to a video in which a woman talked about her DUI. Like John, she was initially scared and intimidated by what she read about the possible legal consequences of her actions.
But then, she talked about the lawyer who took her case and helped her avoid the direst of those consequences. The video finished with a brief statement from that lawyer, telling John that DUIs were a principal focus of his firm, assuring him that what his firm did for her, it could do for him, and offering a free consultation. John left his laptop, picked up the phone and scheduled an appointment.
WHY INSTAGRAM FOR LAW FIRMS?
Although he didn’t know it, John found the answers he needed through that law firm’s inbound marketing campaign. Inbound marketing, instead of pushing glitzy ads at consumers, pulls them in by offering helpful content that answers their most pressing questions and solves their most protracted problems. In this way, brands build the trust necessary to sell their products and services.
Inbound marketing leverages this useful content through a variety of media, including website blogs, eBooks, white papers and (as in John’s case) videos. Inbound positions that content in places where it’s most likely to get noticed—places like social media sites. Increasingly, inbound marketers across a wide swath of industries (including law firms) are using Instagram and its powerful visual appeal to recruit talent and acquire new clients.
As Business notes, the powerful marketing benefits of Instagram are making it the go-to site for experienced marketing professionals:
“Since its inception, Instagram has proven to be a powerful marketing tool for businesses looking to expand their presence and the visibility of their products. While advertisement and sponsorship opportunities exist, getting started with Instagram is free and businesses can establish a significant following without spending a dime. If you have not jumped on the Instagram bandwagon yet, you may be doing your business a great disservice.”
Consider, for example, these Instagram marketing metrics from Hootsuite:
- Instagram is the 6th-most visited website in the world and is used by more than 1 billon people every month
- Instagram boasts 140 million users in the US
- More than 200 million people visit at least one Instagram business profile every day
- More than half of users have purchased products or services after seeing them on Instagram
- 90% of Instagram users follow at least one business on the site
HOW CAN YOUR LAW FIRM LEVERAGE THE POWER OF INSTAGRAM?
Thousands of law firms have acquired new clients and added to their bottom-line marketing their services on Instagram. The most successful follow best practice inbound marketing strategies on the site, including the following 5:
- Create your Instagram Bio: use your account Bio to show prospective clients your major practice areas and polish your brand. Be sure to include your logo and a professional photograph.
- Show your law firm’s human side: Instagram is a great place to give clients a look inside your firm, everything from who your employees are to what you care about. In other words, with Instagram you can show the human side of your law firm.
- Bring your firm to life with Instagram videos: videos have an unparalleled ability to create an emotional connection with your viewers. Make sure your videos are polished and professional, but also approachable and reassuring.
- Let former clients tell your story: consumers instinctively relate to former clients who’ve benefited from using your services. Let former clients tell your firm’s story through both text and video.
- Make your posts about your audience: prospective clients who go to your Instagram pages are looking for help. Offer that help by addressing the specific legal questions prospective clients are most likely to have. One important caveat: the advice you give should be accurate but general—avoid directly answering legal questions on the site.
IN CONCLUSION
The bottom line is that Instagram, when effectively leveraged, can be a powerful tool in your law firm’s marketing arsenal, but it can also be both complicated and confusing, especially if this is your first go at social media marketing. That’s where we can help.
At VIP Marketing we specialize in law firm marketing services. We have helped many law firms like yours achieve their major marketing goals, acquire new clients and increase profits. To learn more about the ways our digital marketing strategy, video production, content and social media marketing and website design services can be a game changer for your law firm, contact us today.