LinkedIn Advertising for Law Firms

A quality lead is more precious than silver these days and, in the right hands, can be more valuable than gold. When prospecting for new clients, advertising on LinkedIn is among the more effective methods. To be clear, LinkedIn doesn’t offer advertising in the traditional sense. In fact, the posts that appear on your LinkedIn activity stream are very similar to the posts you see from other people and companies. The only difference is a small piece of text at the top that lets the reader know the post is sponsored. It would be easy to dismiss LinkedIn as a viable growth tool considering the myriad other options out there. Still, the analytics demonstrate why not adopting this tool could be a critical mistake for your law practice. Here’s how to drive results with LinkedIn advertising for law firms:

By the Numbers

Membership on LinkedIn is careening towards one billion users strong. Their audience currently wields twice the buying power of twice the average web audience and counting. 4 out of 5 people on LinkedIn are decision-makers, driving their practices forward into the future. It’s hit or miss whether a post on Facebook or Instagram will provide that all-important instant gratification. However, LinkedIn users are 2-3x more likely to interact with a post and end up feeling positive and purposeful afterward. 

Facebook’s algorithm decides where to place ads based on users’ activity, such as their posts and the pages they join. LinkedIn uses personal information, business contacts, and other real-life personal data to steer its ship. Ask yourself: would you rather target an ad based on someone’s favorite band or by information that indicates they have strong potential to be a good client? Facebook can deliver impressions, but the conversion rate crown in this arena belongs to LinkedIn. Keep in mind that LinkedIn is accomplishing this feat with 80% less of an audience than the Silicon Valley juggernauts.

The Two-Headed Monster

How can you potentially benefit from LinkedIn advertising for law firms? It starts with a two-pronged strategic approach combining raising awareness via shared content and lead generation. Most law firms rely on one or the other, but a hybrid of the two has the most significant potential for success. This is not to say that simply implementing a dual strategy and letting it run on autopilot is the path to glory. This is where the element of strategy comes into play.

Step 1: Blog the Night Away and Collect That Data

An individual blog post or shared video may not provide much feedback to you or value to a client. In time, consistently offering valuable content keeps you in their feed. Seeing your posts pop up regularly leads to the curiosity that prompts an interaction recorded as data. Via that feedback, the form of what your ideal client looks like begins to take shape. Analyzing data from the users who interact with your posts is the window into expertly targeting your sponsored content to generate leads. A more focused approach gives way to a more precise advertising campaign. While this may not read as the most sophisticated approach, it effectively creates awareness while simultaneously culling valuable data for lead generation. It’s two birds with one stone.

Step 2: Generating That Lead Magnet

Once you create enough value with your content for a reader, the decision to provide you with their personal contact information is much easier for them and may result in a quality lead. Building trust with a prospective client breaks down barriers of doubt and establishes you as an authority. Whether it’s a guide, e-book, or, preferably, a webinar, you create a lead magnet capable of drawing ideal clients towards your company’s territory.

The Best of Both Worlds

These methods can indeed be effective independent of one another, assuming you’re willing to spend countless hours curating content or have a robust media budget with room for error. If either of those options caused you to flinch, then learning how to strike a balance between them, in the long run, might be your best bet. 

Combine this all together, and one thing is clear: LinkedIn has solidified its place as one of the premier advertising resources.

Takeaway:

Utilizing a “blended” approach for your LinkedIn advertising strategy is the best way to generate leads and raise awareness for your law practice. Begin by sharing blog posts and videos on LinkedIn to raise awareness for your practice before running “sponsored content.” The logic is that users are more inclined to interact with your “sponsored content” post if they know your practice instead of the content offered by an unknown party.

We’ve helped many clients utilize a “blended” approach with their LinkedIn Advertising, and strategizing sponsored content. If you’d like to learn more about how we’ll assist your firm, please contact us today.