Why Online Reputation Management is Essential:
Online reputation management essentially means to control the message everyone sees online, whether it is related to you and your fellow attorneys or even that of your legal firm. Good online reputation management is important for everyone, but the stakes are even higher when you are an attorney and belong to a law firm. It can help establish trust in prospective clients, highlight your success and even aid in accomplishing goals.
Practicing law is one of the oldest professionals in the world. The need for attorneys can be traced way back to ancient Greece civilization. However, things change and evolve with time and while Greek lawyers may not have needed to worry about what other people were saying about him through online reviews- the practicing attorneys today certainly do! Whether your law firm deals with real estate, business, family law, personal injury or any other area of specialization- keeping contact with your audience is something you cannot afford to lose. In today’s digitally advanced world, even one comment can spread like wildfire in a forest. Bad commentary has more potential to do long-term damage as compared to any other nature of comments.
And much like other professions, the majority of leads are generated through the internet. Always expect a prospective client to research online what your family, friends, colleagues and past clients have to say before reaching out to you. In today world, the concept of ‘word of mouth’ has changed to online referrals and recommendations via social media and search engines.
What if we told you that there is a way you can guide the conversation around your law firm for the better?
A planned reputation management strategy for attorneys will save your online reputation from being at the mercy of the Internet. Moreover, it can make that most of the reviews, rankings, and testimonials work in your favor. A good reputation management strategy not only helps you gain new leads but also improves relationships with your existing clients.
Let’s take a look at why online reputation management strategy is a must-have for any legal professional today. And how can it make you and your law firm stand out among the crowd for all the right reasons:
1) Good SEO Helps Online Reputation Management:
Good SEO can help you to increase your online reputation management. If your business is not optimized according to search engine algorithms, then you are missing a massive amount of potential clients who are looking for a law firm like yours.
According to a recent survey by a website called Search Engine Land, keywords like ‘attorney,’ ‘lawyer’ and ‘law firm’ generate more than 60 million searches on Google every month. Moreover, this data indicates that search engines are the first step that many people take when it comes to finding a lawyer.
Here are some factors that can help you develop a strong SEO strategy:
- A well-maintained website
- Information and problem-solving content for your audience
- Up-to-date location tags and contact information for your business
- Mobile responsive website
According to a study from iLawyer Marketing, 57{22818c00a7b750be185f543993226ee9eb13263a9c1755b8c3f40ee3c0c01c64} of people use their smartphones to search for an attorney. This is why a mobile responsive is a very important step to attract potential clients.
So, if you are unable to optimize your online business, hire an SEO expert or SEO service company. As per as I know Rank Trends is one of the best SEO service provider company in Bangladesh. So, you can hire them for your online business.
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2) Be Proactive About Gaining Reviews:
Apart from maintaining a strong SEO strategy, another way to impress website visitors to include online reviews and testimonials of previous satisfied clients. According to recent research, customers are more likely to spend 31{22818c00a7b750be185f543993226ee9eb13263a9c1755b8c3f40ee3c0c01c64} more on businesses that have positive reviews.
So, set up a workflow which reaches out to clients via text messages or emails after you have completed your legalities with them, encouraging them to review your service on a variety of websites.
3) Listen to Your Clients:
One of the biggest mistakes attorneys make when it comes to responding to online messages or queries is that they ignore the comments they don’t like. This is one of the worst things you can do for your online reputation. By ignoring serious issues expressed by clients or other people, you are conveying the message that you couldn’t care less.
4) Manage Negative Reviews for Control Online Reputation Management:
Hopefully, you’ll never receive a negative review from a past client. But if you do, make sure your online reputation management strategy addresses all issues (especially negative feedback) head-on. Keep a balanced, amicable and respectful approach while talking to people who are not satisfied with your service. Don’t make excuses and keep it short and simple. And finally, counteract the effects of the negative review by encouraging old clients to leave a positive review on that platform.
5) Be Aware of What is Being Said about You:
Don’t forget to track the websites where you are the most leads from. Popular websites used by people who are looking for legal help include LinkedIn, Avvo, Yelp, LawyerRating, Yellow Pages, Google Places and Google business. Stay aware of what is being said online about your law firm as it can help you avert a crisis before it strikes.
Make sure you have a contingency plan in case an online emergency occurs. Remember, the internet moves at lightning speed. If things start to unravel, you won’t have much time to try and contain the damage.
Conclusion:
Online reputation management has the power to make or break careers and businesses. This is why start working actively towards planning a reputation management strategy to secure your future as an attorney or law firm.
Good online reputation management can help you grow and find new opportunities. Don’t be unaware and leave the fate of your online reputation up to anyone else.