Law Firm’s Guide to Native Advertising

Native advertising has become a valuable asset in the marketer’s toolbox, and for good reason! In the modern-day business landscape, merely knowing your audience is no longer enough to capture their attention. Native advertising, no matter how important, is only effective when utilized correctly. In order for lawyers to work to polish up their advertising tactics, we have created a law firm guide to native advertising. 

Cater to the native user’s mindset

It’s crucial to understand that those who browse social media and online platforms have a far different mindset than those who actually click on native advertising. For starters, users on search channels have a predetermined objective. Whether that objective is a product, more information, or an answer to a question, those users search with a purpose. This is also the case for users on social media and other social channels. 

However, when it comes to native advertising, people are typically in a different headspace. Users click on native advertising to explore their options or to stumble upon something new and refreshing. This is important to keep in mind, especially as a creative, in order to make sure your content aligns with these motives. 

Choose the right content type

In order to engage your audience, consider their motives and interests, and keep in mind these four content types:

1. Text-based
2. Photo Galleries
3. Video
4. All other

Use different content to qualify your audience

Don’t bore your audience with the same type of content- switch it up! Your advertisements and additional content should tie into the user’s journey so that it is both relevant and attractive to them. While the content will be different for each practice, the purpose remains the same. Vary your content to maintain the support of your audience. 

Build effective ads

Frankly, the aforementioned tips won’t really help you unless you nail this step. Advertisements are all about grabbing the attention of the user in a unique, creative manner. The biggest question remains: “Well, how do I do that?”

What your users desire varies based upon industry and practice, but a good place to start is with a headline and thumbnail (or video). Whichever medium you choose, it’s crucial that you stay honest with your native advertising. If your audience doesn’t find your ads to be genuine, they won’t do well. 

To construct a proper headline, include effective keywords so that your native ads will have a higher CTR or click-through rate. Taking the time to go through keyword research and figuring out the search intent for your target audience is an essential step that law firms shouldn’t miss. 

When it comes to picking an image, trends often shift in the world of advertising. People develop different tastes and perceptions of what “works” and what doesn’t. In today’s world, black-and-white pictures, photos without a text overlay, and photographs over illustrations are trending. 

Target like you’ve never targeted before

The biggest mistake law firms make is assuming that they know their target audience. Regardless of how much you think you know, don’t rush – look at the stats! More often than not, your user data will show you the patterns your users possess, and how exactly to target your native advertising. Some different ways to target include:

• By device
• Day of week
• The time of day

Measure and test

The only way to actually see whether or not your ad is effective is to test it. When running a test on your native ad, consider these rules:

• Keep your headlines at 40 characters or fewer.
• Test nine creatives with each campaign – mix and match three headlines and three images.
• Keep videos to less than 60 seconds.

As mentioned previously, make sure to keep an eye on the user statistics associated with your native ad. Is it not producing successful results?  Fear not! It’s all about trial and error.

Takeaway

Taking a risk and creating a native ad that resonates with your target audience can be a tricky game to play. However, we created this law firm guide to native advertising to be able to ease the process and help your firm create ads that are not only informative but creative and unique as well. Need further assistance with your online  advertising? Contact us!