Every December reporters at industry magazines and newsletters look at the year ending and summarize the highlights. Then, they look ahead to the trends and legal issues for the new year.

This is a great moment for you to look into the future and predict what the next 12 months will bring for your clients’ industries.

If you want to be the attorney that reporters call to get a clear view of the outlook in 2025, you have to introduce yourself to journalists in a professional manner and share your perspective.

Follow these steps to be considered an authoritative and reliable source for comment on topics that will affect business owners and corporate executives, per your area of practice. 

Begin by focusing on these hot topics:

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Competition
  • Consolidation
  • Legislation
  • Recent litigation
  • Regulation
  • Technology

Add other ideas that reflect developments in the industries where your clients operate.

These are the themes you will offer to the reporter when you introduce yourself as someone with their eye on the horizon and their finger on the pulse of the market.

You will be seen as a professional who is alert to the concerns of industry leaders and tuned into market trends. 

Remember, whether or not your predictions come to pass, it’s highly doubtful that anyone will remember precisely what you forecast. Still, a reporter will recall that you offered your thoughtful outlook and will seek you out for an update on the next year.

When you think about search engines, everyone quickly mentions Google, but YouTube is the world’s second-largest search engine. It has over 2 billion active users and deserves a place in your marketing plan. It’s a solid platform that allows you to create valuable, educational content that your past, current, and future clients can use. However, it is important to recognize that leveraging YouTube involves more than just uploading videos. Let’s talk about how to incorporate video content into your marketing strategy and how you can use it. 

YouTube’s Place in Your Marketing Plan 

YouTube fits perfectly into a content marketing strategy because it allows you and your firm to provide answers to your clients’ common questions. More people digest content in this format because it’s engaging and requires minimal effort. Nine out of every ten marketers who have videos are on YouTube, and some statistics show that video accounts for about a third of their budget. Think of it as a means of being in a place where people actively search for information and answers. In addition to educational content, you can also add client testimonials. 

Incorporating YouTube into your firm’s marketing plan involves more than creating videos; it consists of providing meaningful content that speaks to your audience. 

  • Build a visual presence for your brand by customizing your channel with a branded banner and professional-looking profile image.
  • Provide answers to common questions through educational videos that help explain complex subjects or legal concepts.
  • Increase your brand’s visibility, as YouTube videos are often featured in Google’s search results. This can drive additional traffic to your website, improve SEO, and help potential clients discover you more easily.

One of YouTube’s greatest strengths is its vast user base. Regardless of your target audience’s age, needs, or location, YouTube offers customizable targeting options. Marketers embrace the ROI of video content because, on YouTube, you can always reach your target audience if you create the right type of content. 

Create Consistent, High-Quality Content

Regularly uploading videos builds an audience, keeps your brand top of mind, and encourages viewers to subscribe. High-quality videos with good lighting, sound, and clear messaging are more likely to retain viewer attention and foster engagement. Consider creating content like:

  • How-To Guides: Explain legal processes or frequently asked questions.
  • Client Success Stories: Showcase satisfied clients and the results you’ve achieved for them.
  • Service Overviews: Detail what you offer and how you can help.

Once you have several videos uploaded, create playlists. Playlists organize your content and make it easier for potential clients to find the necessary information.  For example, you can create playlists for different practice areas like “Personal Injury,” “Business Law,” or “Estate Planning.” Playlists also encourage viewers to watch multiple videos in one session, increasing your watch time and improving your channel’s ranking in YouTube’s algorithm.

YouTube is also a social network. Engaging with your viewers in the comments section helps build relationships and trust. Like other social media platforms, answering questions from the comments section is essential. If they are kind enough to leave a review, thank them and ask them to share your content. The higher your interaction, the more likely YouTube will promote your videos. Even if you ignore this completely, you will still have a presence on a large platform. People will look you up on YouTube after they are referred to you. It reinforces your credibility and expertise. 

Making Videos Is Easier Than You Think 

If you’re interested in creating more video for your firm, Spotlight Branding can help! You’ll receive pre-written FAQs to answer, and their account manager will arrange for a videographer to film you at your office. These videos will be posted on your website and YouTube. Contact their business development manager to learn more about their video marketing services.

Nearly every business claims to provide great client service—maybe even you make that claim (though most consumers don’t rate law firms particularly high on that scale). However, the ability to provide that level of service versus just promising it depends on a number of factors. Foremost is a great client experience. Let’s take a closer look at 5 tips that can help your firm exceed expectations and thrive no matter how tight or competitive your market.

Tip #1: Develop a Client-Centric Culture

In a client-centric firm, everyone strives to provide an exceptional experience. This includes a friendly voice on the phone, quick responses (more on that below), and exceptional products or services. For law firms, this might include free consultations, complimentary ebooks, and a website that speaks to its intended audience. 

Tip #2: Easy Communication with Rapid Responses

When clients want to reach you to book an appointment, ask a question, or even express a concern, how easy do you make it for them? Are your contact details available on a clearly labeled section of your website or do visitors have to go looking for them? The easier they are to find, the more you’ll come across as a firm that cares.

Proactively offering different ways of communicating with your firm is also important, especially after hours. You can provide customers with options such as email, Facebook messenger, an FAQ page, chatbot, and telephone support during business hours. Whichever options you offer, make sure you respond by the next business day at the very latest. For some queries, you can use automation for immediate results.

Tip #3: Show You Value Feedback

Asking for feedback is essential to ensuring satisfaction. Not only does it show that you’re willing to listen, but the responses can help you better understand the experience people are having with your business. Just make sure you act on what you’re told: by learning more about their experiences, you can improve the strategies that serve you well while discontinuing the ones that don’t.

Tip #4: Personalize the Client Experience

One of the best ways to ensure customer satisfaction is to personalize the service experience. Analyze each client’s history with your firm and recommend solutions for their specific needs. You can even send them a personalized “Happy Birthday!” Little gestures like that can mean a lot.

Tip #5: Show Them How You’ll Help Them Succeed

Telling prospects how you will assist them along their journey (especially after the main job they hired you for is finished) while explaining the next steps is a surefire way to keep them satisfied. Your clients will know exactly what to expect from you and how to contact you for help if needed. For example, great family lawyers offer support and guidance on getting back into the dating scene after a divorce or tips for coparenting with a difficult ex–spouse.

Conclusion

Consumer expectations are higher than ever. As clients become more empowered, their experience becomes even more important. In fact, clients with the most positive experiences spend 140% more and stay loyal for up to six years. A great experience strategy on your part can make a positive impact on customer loyalty, retention, and revenue growth.

Hello Legal Marketing Blog reader!

Our friends over at Spotlight Branding are preparing for their 2025 Legal Marketing Trends Report (their 4th edition). This is one of the biggest reports in the legal industry, and they need your help.

Please click here to take the Trends Report survey and share your insight into several areas of law firm marketing from the kinds of marketing you’re doing to how you feel about all of it.

This data has been extremely helpful for law firm owners all over the country to see what marketing is working, what isn’t, and how law firms are actually marketing themselves.

Click here to take the survey, and you will have a chance to be entered into a drawing for one of several Amazon gift cards.

Word-of-mouth marketing is a timeless and powerful tool for influencing decisions and driving sales. In the past, this involved one person telling another or pointing them toward a product or service during face-to-face conversations. It has and will continue to be one of the most common ways law firms market their firms.

Today, the mentality behind word-of-mouth and the referral network remains the same, but platforms and reach have transformed dramatically. An online review or social media post influences hundreds or thousands. The transition from personal exchanges to digital dialogs has expanded the scope and impact of these recommendations.

The Relationship Between Word of Mouth & Content 

Online reviews and directories have become the new face of word-of-mouth marketing. Nearly half of consumers (46.5%) find attorneys through sites like Yelp, Avvo, Google, and others according to a Martindale-Avvo survey. These platforms allow users to share their experiences and opinions widely, significantly impacting the decision-making process of potential new clients. Instead of one-on-one conversations, these reviews are public and accessible to anyone anytime, increasing their influence. 

While many clients first become aware of a law firm because they got a referral from someone they trust, online research often validates it. As a law firm providing a service, your goal should be establishing credibility and expertise through your content. Why? This advances the prospective client from needing an attorney to booking a consultation. They are learning about you through the content you have put out.

Another interesting component of that survey was that less than half of those referred to a specific attorney hired them. Content plays a role in helping someone make their final decision. A referral brings them to you, but your content may keep them leaving. 

Engagement & Social Media (From a Law Firm’s Perspective)

Engagement is often seen as a confirmation that people are enjoying and appreciating your content. If a business posts on a wide range of platforms, they will look for likes, shares, and comments to see if their marketing is as effective as they want it to be. Social media is built around users posting reviews and sharing their experiences through stories, status updates, and videos. These posts then get shared, commented on, and liked.  

Does this extend to the legal industry? Not necessarily. Because many people will turn to an attorney during a difficult time, they may be less inclined to engage with a law firm’s content this way. As an attorney, your engagement may be low—which does not mean it is ineffective. Likes don’t translate to dollars. To have an idea if your content is working, ask the following questions: 

  1. Have I been getting more referrals? 
  2. Are the right kinds of clients contacting me?
  3. Has it been easier to get someone to become a paid client because they came in more educated and prepared to work with me? 

Even if the likes and shares aren’t there, your audience is still out there, albeit not as visible as you would likely want them to be. The Martindale-Avvo survey reinforced that, as a law firm, your audience is making decisions based on your digital footprint. People who contacted an attorney because of a website (36%) beat print advertising (10%) and TV/Radio ads (5%). 

The Pew Research Center also published data stating that more older people use smartphones and social media. Smartphone ownership has seen a marked increase across all age groups, with 96% of 18 to 29-year-olds and 61% of those 65 and older owning smartphones. Similarly, social media use has grown, especially among those 65 and older, who have quadrupled their usage since 2010, closing the gap with younger users.

Content Marketing Cannot be Overlooked

Word-of-mouth marketing has evolved, requiring law firms to adapt and thrive alongside it. The growth of online reviews and social media engagement has shifted how trust and credibility are built and maintained. Law firms must ensure their digital presence accurately reflects their expertise and reliability, leveraging content and client interactions to foster positive online word-of-mouth.

The digital divide is closing across age groups, and the opportunity to reach a broader audience is even more apparent now than a decade ago. Your digital footprint is a fundamental component of your marketing strategy, whether through detailed reviews, engaging social media content, or informative websites.

People want to work with the expert. If you run a general practice or are a door lawyer, then you are NOT an expert. It also means that you’re spending time doing things you don’t particularly enjoy doing just to keep business coming through the door. (We also realize you can’t explicitly call yourself an expert, but there are ways around that.)

However, if you’re reading this article, we’re going to assume that it means you’re ready to drop the dead weight and really pursue your passion. Here’s how to do it.

1. Figure out your true passion (and make sure there’s a need!)

You can’t niche down unless you truly know what it is you want to focus on. This could be a practice area or just a certain type of client or business you want to work with. Whatever it is, make sure you can answer these two questions:

  1. What do I truly enjoy doing? (Or, what am I really good at?)
  2. Are there enough people who need my specialized skills?

2. Adjust your marketing accordingly

When you niche down, you can concentrate your marketing message on your specialty and narrow your target on those people who need that specific kind of help. In doing so, you actually end up eliminating your competition.

Think about it like this: If you practice family law, estate planning, and criminal defense, niching down to just being a family lawyer eliminates the other firms in your area practicing estate planning and criminal defense because you’re no longer competing with them for clients.

3. Shore up your referral network

Eliminating service offerings from your firm won’t be an overnight change. People may still come to you looking for help in areas you no longer provide. Resist the urge to just take care of it and instead refer that work over to another firm. Remember: you made a choice to drop certain practice areas because you didn’t enjoy them, so resolve to stop taking any other type of case that isn’t your specified niche.

Niching down is a big step and one that can be scary. But when you stick to it and concentrate your marketing message to make sure people know what your expertise is and how you can help, it will elevate your status in your community as THE expert. From there, the possibilities are endless.

Need help with the marketing side of things? Spotlight Branding can help with that. Contact them today to learn more.

Social media is a place where you can post whatever is on your mind and whenever the mood strikes you. While that might be the case for your personal Facebook or Instagram, your business accounts need a more strategic approach.

One part of that strategy is creating informative and relevant content that showcases your expertise and encourages people to click through to your website. The other part of that strategy is a publishing schedule that gets posts out there at times when they’re most likely to be seen. Like a lot of things in business, timing can make all the difference between a good post being seen or disappearing unnoticed.

How to Tell When It’s Time

There’s no “magic hour” for publishing social media. It all depends on when your target audience is active, and that can vary from one platform to the next. You can find some visitor insights within the analytics tools in the various social apps, but you’ll need to experiment to determine when your posts get the most engagement. Specifically, you’ll want to pay attention to:

  • When your users are most active
  • When they pay the most attention to your content
  • What type of content you’re posting or sharing

Let’s take a closer look at the trends for all of the popular social media platforms.

Facebook

Analysis suggests that the best times to post on Facebook are:

  • Weekdays at 3:00 a.m.
  • Tuesdays between 10:00 a.m. and 12 noon

With a 3:00 am post time, you may face less competition for engagement and attract attraction from users in other time zones, which means your post will live longer on a timeline and more likely be seen by early morning scrollers. You can also experiment between 9:00 am and noon, which is when Facebook users are most active, and see what response you get. 

Weekends, on the other hand, don’t see a lot of engagement with business posts on Facebook. Fewer people may be logging in, or they could be prioritizing personal content from friends and family. Whatever the reason, statistics suggest that your posts might not perform as well on Saturday and Sunday.

Instagram

With Instagram, posts made during the following time frames get the best results:

  • Mondays at 11:00 am
  • Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
  • Thursdays and Fridays between 10:00 and 11:00 am 

It seems like mid-morning is Instagram’s Happy Hour, which could help you plan and maximize‌ ‌engagement. IG activity is apparently highest on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, while Sundays are less active.

Twitter/X

Every weekday (except Thursday!) at 9:00 am appears to be the best time to tweet. Tuesday and Wednesday are the best days ‌while‌ ‌Sunday‌ ‌should‌ ‌be‌ ‌avoided.

These recommendations might be related to how people use Twitter/X to keep up with the latest news. Those using social media for business are more likely to log in at the start of the day. Between 9:00 am and noon is the peak time for tweet consumption, so if you use X, try posting during those hours.

LinkedIn

Research suggests that LinkedIn posts are most effective between 10:00 am and noon on Tuesdays. Weekdays between 7:00 am and 3:00 pm are active times on LinkedIn, so try different posting schedules to see what works for you.

Conclusion

There’s no one perfect time for all businesses to post to any social media platform. You’ll need to test and experiment to find what works best for your brand and audience. Nevertheless, these recommended schedules could be a useful guide, and it is worth adjusting your posting strategy to see if your numbers increase.

One final note: These recommendations should be for that given day. You should be posting content every day and, if possible, multiple times per day. These windows, however, give you guidance on when to post on any given day.

Marketing is as broad of a term as legal counseling. Under both umbrellas, there are a multitude of disciplines that apply to different types of problems, yet many lawyers seem unaware of the alternative view and solutions to them. All four marketing misconceptions we outline here can be traced back to this thought process. 

Misconception #1: Blogs are for SEO

Some marketing companies view blogs as a means of packing keywords, providing backlinks, and serving as a platform for internal linking. The theory is that the blog provides a landing spot for a Google algorithm to find. Though there have been leaks, Google has never outright told people what its algorithm is. 

Rather than writing for Google, provide valuable information to your clients through your blogs. When someone is referred to you, they will look you up. (This is the easiest way to ensure you land on the first page of Google.) You want them to access a blog that provides the much-needed solutions to their problems when they visit your website. When they see pages of blogs, they’ll view you as a credible expert in your field. This brings a prospect one step closer to choosing you as their attorney. 

Misconception #2: Only Large Firms Can Market Themselves

Larger firms have a bigger budget, more attorneys, and may even have an entire marketing department. Here’s one thing that they don’t have: your network. How many people have you helped throughout your career? These same people are the ones who will strongly recommend you to others. A referral from a friend, family member, or trusted colleague is infinitely more substantial than any billboard or SEO result. 

Stay in contact with your network by sending them email newsletters and asking them to follow you on social media. The idea is that they won’t forget you, especially when someone asks them if they know any good attorneys. If you have been in practice for several years and have built up your network, then you possess a massive source of new business. Instead of competing with larger firms for cold leads, utilize your network. 

Misconception #3: “I Am Great at Generating Referrals” 

Yes, you will get referrals without marketing your firm. However, the mistake people make is assuming that avenue is covered simply because they are getting some referrals. They then consider marketing tools for lead generation and hunting down cold leads. The problem is that they only get a fraction of the referrals they could get if they simply marketed to their existing network. 

We have had clients triple their referrals by having a newsletter and a presence on social media. Before shifting your attention to lead generation (people who have never heard of you), figure out where you top out on referrals. You may find that you will never need to spend money on other marketing initiatives. 

Misconception #4: Email Marketing Is Dead

By the end of 2024, email marketing is expected to generate over $12 billion in revenue. Though the numbers show that email marketing isn’t dead, people assume it has been replaced with social media.

Things such as spam filters forced email marketers to spend more time creating engaging and relevant content. Even though the average person receives about 121 emails daily, it doesn’t detract from email marketing. Why? People have become diligent about what comes in their inboxes. Anyone who stays subscribed to your email newsletter wants to be in your circle. Your job is to create the newsletter that they will want to read. If you provide value, then people will invite you in. 

Focus on What Actually Works

Marketing your law firm doesn’t have to be complicated, but it must be intentional. The key is staying top of mind, providing value, and nurturing relationships. Whether through blogs, email newsletters, or social media, your efforts should highlight your expertise and connect with your audience in a meaningful way.

By avoiding these common misconceptions and focusing on what truly works, you’ll see more referrals, attract better clients, and build a stronger reputation—without chasing every new marketing trend. Keep it simple and stay consistent.

Need help with your marketing strategy? Spotlight Branding can help. Contact them today!

People get weird around election season, especially when it comes to how they spend money on their business development. Marketing (and new marketing investments) come to a screeching halt. People have their eyes on the economy and a “wait and see” approach to what happens with the election.

But why? There’s an odd misconception that the presidential election negatively impacts consumer spending. It doesn’t.

So why do so many law firms stop spending on marketing around this time every four years? Logically speaking, regardless of the outcome, the election isn’t going to negatively impact your business. For those who practice hot-button areas like tax or immigration, you could pounce on the uncertainty of it all and push your marketing into overdrive.

The truth is that your firm can’t afford for you to take your foot off the gas pedal when it comes to your marketing and generating new business. Even if you have a full caseload right now, you’ll get through that work eventually and have to replace it with…less? Nothing at all?

Lawyers classically get themselves into these peaks and valleys where they alternate between the stress of having more business than they can handle to the panic of not having enough to make payroll. It starts here, by reducing (or eliminating) your marketing spend, only to fire it back up full throat after the election, only to drown in work, only to stop marketing until you can breathe, only to panic when you have to pick your marketing back up again because you don’t have any work.

While other industries may have valid reasons to worry during an election cycle, lawyers do not. Your services will ALWAYS be in need. Invest in your marketing TODAY. The world will keep spinning on November 6th, regardless of who won the election.

In February 2021, a high-profile law firm with brand-name clients was hit by an especially aggressive piece of ransomware. In a statement on its website, the firm said that hackers had gotten into a system containing sensitive personal information, although it did not specify how much of the actual data was accessed or taken. While this happened 3 years ago, it continues to happen every couple of months or so.

This is every firm’s worst nightmare. A data breach can damage your reputation, erode client trust, and create a PR nightmare that can take months or even years to recover from. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to protect confidential client data and reduce the likelihood of a cyber disaster.

1. Monitor all Devices on Your Network

In recent years, BYOD (bring your own device) has become the norm for employees. Staff members bring their own laptops, tablets, and smartphones to the office and connect to the company network. Unless monitored and controlled, this can leave your network extremely vulnerable to cyber-attacks.

According to this study, nearly 90% of organizations rely on staff to use personal devices, but not all of them have a strong BYOD policy in place. Several apps allow your law firm to monitor devices on your network and provide additional benefits such as remotely wiping data in case a device is lost or stolen. 

2. Look into Managed Security Providers

There are many benefits to working with a reliable security services provider, namely:

  • A cost-effective solution for your data security needs
  • Access to a team of experts
  • No need to worry about adopting the latest security technology

Your firm’s security budget is not going to compare to that of a fully protected and monitored facility with layers of physical and digital security, encryption, and redundancy. While data centers offer a premium level of security, they remain affordable because you only pay for what you use.

3. Be Aware of the Latest Threats

Knowing the threats that are out there can help you protect the confidential information at your law firm from cyber attacks. Even if your cybersecurity system is secure right now, it may no longer be the case a week, a month, or a year from now. Hackers are becoming increasingly adept at bypassing security systems, which is all the more reason to regularly reevaluate security and awareness strategies.

The resources below can help you stay current on new and evolving threats.

4. Create an Informed Workforce

Although you are aware of the importance of security, your colleagues may not be as informed. Data protection for an entire firm isn’t a one-person job: good cybersecurity and privacy policies result from the collective efforts of all employees at a company.

Many security and privacy breaches are unintentional and the result of employee error. Creating a security culture in the workplace is an excellent way to reduce the likelihood of breaches. By adopting solid cybersecurity practices, you’ll be ready when someone tries their luck and, in all likelihood, thwart their efforts, keeping the integrity of your data intact.