An Important Marketing Tool for Lawyers: Digital Presence Management

Digital Presence Management Enhances SEO and Helps Clients Find Your Firm Online

The number of consumers looking for information online has grown exponentially each year. Consumers now turn to their phones and laptops when trying to find a lawyer who can help them in their time of need.

At the same time, the amount of data online is growing in unprecedented ways. In 2012, Google received over 2 million search queries per minute. Fast forward to today and that number has more than doubled. Google now receives over 4 million search queries per minute from 2.4 billion global internet users all looking for information within all that data.

That’s just one statistic from the story of the data explosion that we’re living through. Below are some key facts that might surprise you. Every minute:

• Facebook users share nearly 2.5 million pieces of content.

• Twitter users tweet nearly 300,000 times.

• Instagram users post nearly 220,000 new photos.

• YouTube users upload 72 hours of new video content.

• Apple users download nearly 50,000 apps.

• Email users send over 200 million messages.

• Amazon generates over $80,000 in online sales.

What does all this mean for lawyers who are trying to leverage online technology as a way to generate more leads and increase their number of clients? It means that lawyers need to be sure that they are easily found on search engines, internet directories, social networks and mobile apps. It also means that it takes an incredible amount of time and effort to ensure that the basic information about that lawyer’s (name, address, phone number, etc.…) is correct.

When that time comes for a consumer to search for legal services, will they be able to find your firm? The databases used to gather information concerning millions of local online businesses vary greatly from source to source. Because of this, a law firm can have multiple listings across many different platforms on the Internet. There is no regulating body that requires the information to be consistent or correct. Digital presence optimization is the responsibility of each law firm.

Enter digital presence management. According to Wikipedia, digital presence management is “the process of presenting and drawing traffic to a personal or professional brand online. This process combines web design and development, blogging, search engine optimization, pay per click marketing, reputation management, directory listings, social media, link sharing, and other avenues to create a long-term positive presence for a person, organization, or product in search engines and on the web in general.”

Digital presence management is a must for any lawyer serving local clients. Digital presence is the specific way your business appears online; it is like hanging a digital shingle or billboard for your practice. Lawyers often overlook the power of online listings and how they represent their firm to new and existing clients.  Digital presence management is the process by which a firm’s listing is monitored, updated and preserved for the best and most effective online visibility.

Law Firms Lose Clients Due to Wrong Information Every Day

Law firms are highly likely to suffer due to wrong information listed online. Law Firms often have inaccuracies in their directory listings that include outdated address information, business name errors, and even wrong map information. Lawyers cannot afford the cost of losing new clients due to avoidable mistakes like incorrect listings. While having a digital presence is imperative, it is also important that online presence management is used to assure Google and other search engines that the business listings are correct, consistent, and current.

Maintaining a digital presence is necessary on an ongoing basis. While it may seem that digital presence management can be easily accomplished by submitting business listings to the major search engines, the reality is that submission to search engines or online directories does not ensure that a law firm’s office listings will appear correctly online. It is important to understand that listings are free on major search engines and online directories; there is no obligation on their part to provide your firm a listing or keep it updated according to your specifications. It is therefore incumbent upon the firm to continually monitor and correct inaccurate listings and ensure that they remain accurate and constantly updated. Digital presence management also offers law firms the ability to add additional content to their listing including hours, practice areas, as well as attorney bios.

If you would like to learn more about digital presence management and how it can help to improve your online listings as well as enhance your SEO, begin by conducting a free location scan on our website. The search results will enable you to determine how your law firm’s name, address and phone number appears across more than 70 online directories and search engines.

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