The Best Budget-friendly Way to Promote Your Small Law Firm

Key takeaways:

• Small law firms need a marketing budget to reach new prospective clients.
• You can promote your small law firm successfully without spending a fortune.
• Use a combination of free and cost-efficient marketing methods, including SEO, social media marketing, and free resources to help your firm grow on a budget.
• Array Digital provides an affordable foundation package for small law firms looking to start their digital marketing journey.

When you think about law firm advertising, your mind likely conjures up TV commercials and billboards. Unfortunately, those advertising methods are costly and only realistic for massive firms with immense marketing budgets.

So, what can a small law firm do to compete in a marketing landscape dominated by big names and national franchises? They can get creative.

Array Digital partners with several small law firms to create budget-friendly marketing plans that work. We’ve compiled some of our top techniques with small law firms that want to grow their business without breaking the bank.

Establish a Strong Online Presence

If you are asking, “How do I promote my small law firm?” you already know the importance of getting your name out there. The goal of your small law firm’s marketing strategy should be improving your online presence so prospective clients can find you when they are searching. Luckily, there are several ways to do this. You can start producing results by incorporating these techniques into your marketing strategy.

Google Business Profile

Claiming your Google Business Profile allows the search engine giant to find you and position you in front of new clients looking for answers to questions or an attorney within your area. It is 100% free to you. It has numerous key benefits for law firms as a component of your local SEO strategy:

• Your GBP contains information your prospective clients need to know to make the quick decision to contact you. That includes your phone number, office address, a link to your website, and information about the practice areas you service.
• It demonstrates your expertise and client satisfaction by showcasing what previous clients think of your firm.
• It’s on display in front of local prospective clients, who are most likely to want and need to work with a lawyer in your area.

Claim Your Legal Directory Listings

While your law firm website serves as a hub and destination for prospective clients looking for legal services, legal directories play a vital role as well. Some of the most common legal directories that provide a free link back to your website (helping with your backlinking goals) include:

• Avvo
• Justia
• LegalZoom
• Nolo
• FindLaw

Claiming your legal directory listings creates another way people can find you and learn about you online. It also helps boost your search engine optimization (SEO) strategy by creating valuable backlinks on other websites pointing to your own.

Professional Website

A high-quality, well-designed, and SEO-focused law firm website is crucial to building your online presence. It serves as the foundation for your legal marketing and pulls in prospective clients to your site. You can build your own website or create a customized plan with Array Digital that is designed around your budget. A professional website can help with:

• Your content marketing methods
• Legal generation efforts
• Landing page for your other marketing efforts and campaigns
• A location for people to learn who your law firm is and get answers to their questions
• A branding tool to ensure your prospective and existing clients keep your law firm top of mind

Linkedin

For social media marketing, one of the most important resources for law firms is LinkedIn, a professional networking site. While your target audience may be here for lead generation purposes, you also can achieve other benefits from your presence on this free social media site.

• Create high-quality content that helps build your brand.
• Gain referrals from other attorneys or professionals who learn about you and recommend you to their families.
• Of all of the social media platforms, LinkedIn is the most powerful for business connections, which are critical for business law attorneys.

Invest in Seo and Digital Marketing

SEO is a valuable tool for your law firm’s marketing strategy. It enables Google and other search engines to find your website, see its value, and then place that site on the search engine ranking pages whenever someone performs a Google search for the legal services you offer. SEO and digital marketing offer outstanding benefits, including:

• SEO is one of the most cost-effective models that produces long-lasting returns on investment, especially when compared to pay-per-click marketing.
• SEO helps with direct lead generation for your law practice.
• SEO and digital marketing represent a continual investment in your firm.

Network With Your Local Community

Your marketing campaigns should not just focus on online efforts. Small law firms can build their reputation and brand while affordably tapping into prospective leads through several local efforts. To connect with the community, consider opportunities such as:

• Create sponsorship opportunities with local youth groups or organizations to support their fundraising needs.
• Develop a local scholarship for students entering into the legal field or public service after high school.
• Be a part of the local chamber of commerce.
• Engage in local government by attending council meetings and being a voice for your clients.
• Participate in local charities that align with your law firm’s mission.
• Create valuable content to share to support local groups, nonprofit organizations, or other news organizations.
• Provide a free legal night every six months for those who need answers to key questions.
• Offer a free consultation to locals who need help within your practice area.
• Reach out to a new business immediately to support their efforts. A small business can benefit from a respectable attorney’s services and social media reach.

Network With Fellow Legal Professionals

Networking is a low-cost but high-value opportunity to build your practice and gain referrals. Don’t view other attorneys in your field as competition but as fellow professionals working towards the same goal. In that way, you can build relationships that lead to referrals.

• If you provide family law services, create a relationship with a business law attorney who may send referrals your way (and you can do the same for them).
• Build trust by being a part of local, regional, and state legal associations and groups within your region.
• Attend seminars and other activities for your field, such as personal injury, small business, or your related legal practice, to stay up to date in the industry.
• Find professional conferences and mixers that can help you learn and build a network.
• Consider speaking at industry events to build your in-person and online reputation (and share those talks through your LinkedIn and other social media).
• Host your own seminar or podcast to reach more of your prospective clients.

Create Free Resources for Prospective Clients

The best law firm is not necessarily one that heavily advertises. It is the organization that helps people get the legal support they need. One way to do that without too much time or monetary investment is to create free client resources. Within the guidelines of the ABA for providing legal services, consider strategies like the following to build up your practice.

Create Free Downloadable Resources

You can enhance your online marketing efforts by offering free downloads that also function as lead magnets. For example, if you are a personal injury attorney, create a downloadable guide about what to expect throughout the negotiation process or how not to be taken advantage of by insurance agents. Choose a topic that aligns with your target clients and their specific needs.

Start a Podcast

Become a thought leader in your field by starting a podcast (or even just being in one consistently). This is one of the ways the law firm can become a local or more prominent known provider without spending much money. It will help to increase website traffic and provide you with a way to educate and support your clients.

Consider Video Marketing

You can boost search engine results and make an impression on your prospective clients by creating a few educational videos. Google places a higher value on video content, positioning it higher in search engine results. For a small firm that wants to become known, video not only allows people to learn answers to their questions but also provides a way for prospective clients to feel more at ease with you, encouraging them to take action to contact you.

Create a video that answers some of the most common questions people ask attorneys in the legal industry, but more specifically in your practice area. This is one of the best marketing tactics that creates valuable resources and builds reputations.

Contribute to Legal Publications

We often talk a lot about marketing tools that boost your website’s performance. However, getting your name and link on other websites can help you, too. You can use many legal publications to do this, putting your contact information on every piece you submit so that people can easily find you.

Contributing to legal publications allows you to gain backlinks, which are links on other highly valuable websites (in the eyes of Google) that point to your site. Backlinks should be a considerable part of your law firm marketing plan. They help Google value your business’s website while serving other marketing goals, such as building your reputation and network. Some of the legal publications to consider include:

• Law360 Expert Analysis
• Bloomberg Law Contributor Network
• Washington Post Talent Network
• National Law Review
• LawNext

Encourage Client Referrals and Testimonials

Word-of-mouth advertising remains one of the most powerful tools for any law firm. As a small firm, you may think that the reach of your clients isn’t enough, but that’s not the case. Thanks to Google, there are simple ways that your prospective clients can learn about you through client reviews and testimonials right on Google’s search engine results page (as a part of your Google Business Profile).

When past clients provide a statement about the work you did for them, it alleviates prospective clients’ concerns about whether you are the best attorney for their needs. There is no cost to getting testimonials, either. You do not spend any money and very little time on this process. Simply communicate to your clients about the value that reviews can offer to you, show them where to put online reviews (even providing a link), and let them go to work for you.

Reviews on your Google Business Page reassure prospective clients, increasing the chance of conversation. Here are simple ways to encourage client reviews.

• Use email marketing after meeting with a client to book your next appointment. Then, include a link where they can leave a review for you.
• Simply ask your best clients for positive reviews. It’s certainly ideal when you help your clients achieve their desired outcomes.
• Incorporate a call to action on any correspondence sent to your clients where they can leave online reviews.
• Create a scannable QR code that directs clients to your review page. You can place the QR code by reception so all visiting clients can see the code and are encouraged to use it.

Why Law Firms Partner With Array Digital

Array Digital’s experience, expertise, and credibility make us one of the best resources for attorneys who want comprehensive website design, improved law firm SEO results, and the most up-to-date digital marketing strategies. We listen to our clients and create custom strategies that deliver far more than just the relevant keywords or a pay-per-click (PPC) campaign. Instead, we create a comprehensive plan that gives small law firms the tools they need to exceed their expectations.

We have worked with several small law firms with limited budgets. We know how important it is to use those budgets in the most effective and efficient way possible.

Testimonials and Case Studies

“We’ve been happy with Array. They have an operation that can help smaller businesses — and particularly law firms — with their legal marketing. […] Kevin Daisey took a hands-on approach bringing us in and maintains the relationship along with other helpful and knowledgeable team members. We’ve been really pleased.” — Jim C.

Frequently Asked Questions About Promoting a Small Law Firm on a Budget

Do you have questions about becoming a thought leader, how to use metrics to gauge your success, or reputation management to build up your position online? Let us help you directly during a consultation. In the meantime, consider these common questions and answers.

How Much Should a Small Law Firm Spend on Marketing?

Typically, we encourage our clients to spend 5 to 10% of their gross income on their marketing efforts. You cannot pull in new clients if you do not have an established marketing budget.

Is Paid Advertising Worth It on a Small Budget?

Paid advertising is less effective for most small business firms since you’re competing with large firms who can afford to spend more on their Google ads and PPC campaigns. It’s often better to choose another path, especially if you’re in a competitive field or a larger city with abundant competition.

Is Content Marketing Worth It on a Small Budget?

Yes, you can invest in content marketing on a small scale and see a significant return on investment. We encourage you to speak to the Array Digital team to learn more about the options we offer for affordable content marketing for law firms.

Remember, though, that the ROI on content marketing takes time and should be one component of a larger SEO strategy. Our marketing agency can help you align the most effective components to that strategy for your goals.

Which Is the Best Budget-friendly Marketing Idea?

There’s no single “best budget-friendly marketing idea.” The better plan is to start by determining what you can accomplish based on your budget, time, and goals. Some of the best methods do require some more time but no money. Others require very little time but are more expensive. Finding a balance here is what’s most important.

How Can I Maximize My Small Marketing Budget?

Use a combination of techniques ranging from free to low-cost methods. This helps you cast a wider net for clients. For example, while you are doing free or extremely low-cost marketing like volunteering, networking, and posting on LinkedIn, you can use a smaller amount of paid content marketing to expand your visibility — as long as you target the right demographic and build from strong keyword research.

Promote Your Law Firm Without Breaking the Bank

Array Digital can help you get the most out of your marketing budget. As a small law firm, partnering with an experienced, highly specialized digital marketing agency like ours ensures you get the most out of every dollar spent. We have affordably priced marketing solutions available for smaller law firms looking to scale. Let’s talk about it during an initial consultation. Call 757-333-3021 or fill out our contact form now to learn more about what you can achieve at your exact budget.