In the supersaturated legal market, it can feel impossible to stand out. Many of the huge law firms with massive budgets buy out the billboards, radio, and tv ads, and have dominating awareness campaigns. However, with a little creativity and a modest budget, you can still capture a large share of the attention. You simply have to do what nobody else is doing. Just how do you do that? Simple: video.
2020 Websites and Marketing Trends
According to the 2020 Websites and Marketing Report on ABA (Allison C. Shields Johs), law firms have been more than a little sluggish in the adoption of video as a marketing tool. Shields Johs reports that only 24% or firms use video as part of their marketing, most of whom are the giant law firms. Of all of the firms who do use video, 67% simply store them on their firm’s website. Some 32% just slap them up on YouTube. While this is OK, that isn’t going to be enough to make you stand out.
Shields Johs asserts,
Lawyers are missing a huge opportunity by not incorporating video into their marketing strategy, especially if that strategy includes social media. Studies have shown that video posts get the most organic reach of any other type of post on Facebook, and even more importantly for most lawyers, LinkedIn’s algorithm favors video over other content, which means video content is more likely to be seen by your network than other types of content. But even if you do not participate on social media, video content is consumed more than any other type of content on the internet. Video is an excellent opportunity to build the “know, like and trust” factor with your audience before they ever pick up the phone or send you an email for that first consultation.
How to Go Viral on TikTok
While it might be intimidating to learn a new digital media skill and promote it on a new platform, it is important to go where information is trending. Meet people where they are. Provide something that is valuable to them while finding creative ways to entertain.
Michael Mandell, Esq., an injury lawyer in Woodland Hills, CA has generated a 4.2M viewer TikTok following (@lawbymike) by creating engaging videos that serve to educate people about the law and their rights. Not only did viewers watch his videos, but in seven weeks he received 4,000 Instagram direct messages and hundreds of texts. He reports that at least 50% of these messages are potential clients facing legal challenges. Amazingly enough, he responds to every message he receives.
As Mandell shared legal information with his followers, he also provided some excellent advice for those seeking to use video on TikTok and other video-based platforms.
Mandell advises,
My account grew so quickly because of the combination of three things: videography, transitions, and video topics. Videography for TikTok has to be fast-paced, engaging, and valuable. Make sure that your content educates, entertains, or inspires. If you can hit all three then you’re onto something…Make sure that your content is about something you like. Focus on something that is so prevalent in your everyday life that it comes naturally to you and you have no problem identifying with it.
What Equipment Do You Need to Shoot Your Videos?
It has been established that it is important to 1. use video in your marketing portfolio and 2. have the video center around something that is interesting to both you and your viewers. But even the most interesting, valuable, engaging video will fall flat if the video production is crap.
We recently spoke with legal video production expert, Martin Schlesinger and he shared the three most important equipment pieces required to make high-quality videos:
Lighting
Lighting is one of those things we sometimes take for granted. It’s seemingly everywhere, except on our face, when recording in front of a camera. More often than not, people find themselves in a dark corner of the room, or in a spot where overhead lighting creates some unpleasant shadows on your face. The easy fix here is to always record facing a window with sunlight, or to purchase an external light. Either of these options will make sure you look your best.
Audio
For proper audio, there are again two option. Most people prefer to just use the built-in microphone on their phone or camera. This is fine, but make sure you’re close enough to the phone when speaking. I’d say no more than 2 feet away. Any further and it sounds like your talking from across the room. The other option is to purchase an external microphone.
Tripod
Get a tripod. I can’t stress this enough. Smartphone tripods are cheap, but make all the difference. Even if it’s using your encyclopedias to prop up your phone, it’s still a huge improvement over a shaky recording.
Use video. Make it engaging and valuable. Make it look good. Get more clients.
