What Attorneys Need to Know About Online Reputation Management

September 14, 2019

Seeking an edge in law firm marketing begins with your online identity. Since the Internet is practically everyone’s first stop for products and services — including attorney representation — your online reputation must allow prospective clients to make informed decisions when choosing your law firm over a competitor. Here’s why:

• When searching for a local business, 97% of people read online reviews
• 2 out of 3 people see the Internet as the most reliable source of information about a person or a business

When you search your law firm’s name on Google, are you represented fairly in the search engine results?

How Can Online Reviews Help Boost My Law Firm’s Brand Identity?

Online reviews are a valuable asset for law firms across the country. Since most people want to know what others are saying about your attorney skillset, professionalism, and results, it isn’t just the number of online reviews your firm has, but the content inside those reviews.

• 68% of prospective legal clients consider “reviews from former clients” as one of the most important pieces of additional information when considering an attorney

Conversely, negative reviews on Google, Facebook, or Yelp have substantial real-time consequences:

• Four negative search results can cost your law firm 70% of its potential business

Online review management (ORM) requires consistent monitoring to ensure that negative reviews are responded to and rectified immediately to force negative content off of the search engine result page. ORM also protects your search profile against future incidents. At the Attorney Marketing Network, our review management services are designed specifically for lawyers, which allows our staff to professionally respond to negative and untruthful claims to protect your law firm and establish an ongoing positive, accurate online presence. Our consistently evolving strategies are designed to elicit positive testimonials that boost your local visibility and expand your online reputation as a trusted legal expert to produce the results you desire: Getting prospective clients to choose your firm over the competition.

Is There More To Online Reputation Management Than Positive Reviews?

Reviews may be a large part of your online reputation, but other components provide essential value when managing your law firm’s overall Internet identity. Prioritizing your online reputation continues with:

• Design, creation, and optimization of your website
• Inclusion of high-quality links to boost your legal authority
• Proficient content strategies to increase your firm’s knowledge and value
• Leveraging specific online phrases to develop a personalized content marketing
• Intelligent competitor analysis reports
• Customized client surveys to advance the law firm’s local reach
• Influential online relationships and community involvement to build trust and credibility

Your Prospective Clients Want Proof That Your Law Firm Can Help Them Achieve Success

Whether you are a personal injury, bankruptcy, or criminal defense attorney, prospective clients are seeking your counsel because they need legal help. This places them in a very vulnerable position where they can be easily swayed in their decision to choose your law firm over a competitor. A single blemish to your online reputation can change their minds in seconds, which can jeopardize your practice’s overall success going forward. At the Attorney Marketing Network, we use proven reputation management techniques to identify opportunities and create actionable recommendations that allow your firm to gain more reviews while diversifying your reach. Contact us today to learn how we can help you boost your online identity while burying burdening content quickly and effectively.