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Top Things to Consider When Your Law Firm Begins Podcasting

by Kevin Vermeulen • February 8th, 2023 • Content Marketing | Blog

Podcast Podcasting Services for Law FirmsMarketing your law firm in today’s noisy digital environment requires a layered strategy. Blogs, webinars, infographics, and videos, sending out newsletters, social media, organic and paid SEO – it all has value. But what about podcasting for law firms?

Podcasting is another great way to generate leads while providing value to your current and potential customers. But before you dive in, let’s look at what you need to do to be prepared. Hint – there’s a little bit more to it than simply having a topic!

Why Start a Podcast?

These days it seems like everyone has a podcast

There’s a simple reason for that- today’s users enjoy consuming content in audio format. If you or your firm aren’t airing a legal podcast, you’re likely missing out on opportunities to engage even more of your audience. In fact…

  • 65% of law firms have a podcast
  • 79% of people are aware of podcasts
  • 420 million people listen to podcasts
  • More than 80% of podcast listeners spend upwards of 7 hours listening to podcasts a week
  • 36% of law firms have multiple podcasts

Consider Your Brand

Before creating a podcast, first figure out the title of your show and what you’d like the branding to look like. Any logos, social media promotional graphics, header images, etc. should have the same branding across the board and look cohesive.

Know Your Audience

Before heading into the creation of your show, it’s important to understand your audience and their thoughts, needs, and desires. Wrap your head around what motivates your audience and what pressing questions they have. Then, use your podcast to answer those questions in an informative and entertaining way.

Try to start out by creating an ideal client profile so you can understand your audience better. Use this free guide to get started: A Law Firm’s Guide to Creating an Ideal Client Profile.

Choose the Right Timeline

Maybe you can commit to doing a podcast every week, or maybe you only have the time once a month. Whatever frequency you choose, make sure to commit to a timeline of how you’ll record and edit each episode. And don’t forget to allocate some time to promoting each episode as well.

It’s a Performance

Podcasts can include video, but most are in an audio-only format. This means that your host needs to be interesting enough that they can get through the topic without losing the audience along the way.

Your ultimate goal is to get people to listen to the end of the piece. Who is going to be the voice of your law firm’s podcast? Choose a person that is good on the microphone; someone who has passion about the topics you are going to cover; and someone who can tell a story or elicit excitement in others.

If you can achieve this and capture your audience’s attention, you will have gained their trust. This will make every other marketing effort you engage in that much more significant.

Be Relatable

A podcast that is filled with jargon and glossed-over information that you covered in a previous episode will alienate listeners quickly. Don’t assume that the audience will understand. Use metaphors and anecdotal storytelling to illustrate the point. Put your listeners in the driver’s seat while you navigate. Think of each episode as a journey.

Related: The Law Firm Guide to Podcasting eBook

Ask the Right Questions

If your podcast will include guests and interviews with subject matter expertise, be sure you are asking the right questions to ensure a compelling episode. Put your guest at ease, but shy away from generalities. Ask for examples, stories, details, and direct the discussion towards a climax. This will ensure that your listeners stay tuned in until the end of the show to discover the answers that you are so uniquely qualified to give.

Include a Call to Action

The primary purpose of a podcast is to attract an audience and educate them on topics that you’re an expert in. However, in order to ensure your podcasts are beneficial for your firm as well – include a call to action at the end of each interview. The goal of each type of content your law firm produces is to guide your prospects and clients through the buyer’s journey. Whether you ask listeners to subscribe to your law firm’s podcast, inform them on where to find more valuable information, or invite them to download additional content – always let them know what to do next.

Keep it Entertaining

Podcasts are supposed to be a form of entertainment, not just a means of learning information. Use anecdotes, jokes, side conversations, and your own personal input to keep episodes entertaining as you discuss legal issues.

Have a Plan for Promotion

Your podcast efforts will amount to little without a proper plan for promotion. Make sure to be ready to promote your show and each consecutive episode across channels like social media and email. Remember, you can also link to your episode/show in blog posts, on relevant practice area pages, in the header and footer of your website, or in email signatures.

Don’t Rely on Only Yourself

One of the great pluses of podcasts is that they’re a means of collaborating with others. Invite your colleagues, industry thought leaders, or experts on your show as guests. Their insights will prove valuable and will keep each episode fresh.

Leverage the Right Tools and Technologies

There are a number of easy to use tools out there that can help with podcasting. Gone are the days where users need a full sound booth set up to create a professional show. Now, users can create successful shows just about anywhere. You can use tools like Garageband or Stagelight to easily edit your show and you can even grab a quality microphone for under $100.

Promote Reviews

Make sure to promote the fact that your listeners can review your show on any of the platforms it’s hosted on. Getting a slew of solid reviews will help your podcast attract the listeners it needs.

Include Shownotes

Shownotes are pieces of written content that work to give an overview of what will be discussed in the episode. Include an introduction where you introduce the guest, host and topic, some excerpts of answers to the top questions of the episode, and a conclusion that includes key takeaways and links to anything mentioned in the episode.

Get Help When Necessary

Maybe you need assistance recording, maybe the actual publishing of the episode and shownotes are holding you back, or maybe simply promoting your episodes is too time consuming. No matter what’s holding you back, consider leveraging an agency or partner to help you get your show started.

Takeaway:

While these are just a handful of podcasting tips, they should get you thinking about what it will take to produce a compelling podcast series. A popular podcast can elevate your marketing efforts across a range of channels, so it’s a viable consideration.

Do you have someone in your organization who would make a great podcast host, but aren’t sure how to get started? Contact us for help with planning, producing, and promoting your law firm’s podcast.

This post has been edited and republished from Jul. 8, 2018.

Legal Podcasts Production and Promotion for Lawyers and Law Firms

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