The Law Firm Guide to Video Marketing on Social Media

Video presents the most opportunity for today’s marketers. Need some proof? 94% of video marketers say video has helped increase user understanding of their product or service, and 84% of marketers say video has helped them generate leads. There are many ways to leverage video on social media to increase your law firm’s engagement, boost traffic to your website, and support thought leadership efforts. 

We’re going to dive into some proven tactics that can help you cut through the noise and improve the odds of people seeing and watching your video content on social media. Below, we’ll take a look at the 10 types of videos that work best on social media, plus some best practices to keep in mind.

Why Video Marketing?

Video is essential in today’s social media landscape. Now, consumers are more partial to watching videos rather than looking at images. In fact, according to Oberlo:

• “91% of consumers want to see more online video content from brands.” 
• “86% of marketing professionals use video as a marketing tool.” 
• “66% of consumers find short-form videos to be the most engaging type of content on social media.” 
• “92% of video marketers say they’ve gotten a good ROI from video marketing.”

The Best Videos for Social Media

Here are 10 types of videos your law firm can create and promote on the major social media channels. Remember, what one audience likes won’t work for another, so mix it up and try different things to see what your audience responds to.

1. Events

Post videos from your own events or events that you attend. You can record and edit together recaps or try live streaming using Facebook or LinkedIn Live.

Offer viewers an exclusive look at your event by showing what attendees don’t get to see. Think special interviews with speakers or a peek at what’s going on backstage.

2. Interview/ Q&A

Informative interviews or Q&As are a great way to engage your audience and answer their burning questions. Sit down with one of your lawyers, another team member, a client, or a thought leader for an on-screen chat. You can prepare questions in advance, interview-style, or gather questions from your social media followers. For instance, if your firm is looking to recruit top talent, sit down with a new hire and ask them questions about what it’s like to work at the firm.

Let followers know ahead of time when and where you’ll post the video, and encourage them to submit questions on social platforms.

3. Live Video

Most platforms now offer native live streaming features, including Facebook and LinkedIn, and audiences are truly loving it. Live streams are a great way to make your law firm seem more transparent while boosting engagement and fostering a connection with your social media followers.

4. Tutorials/ How-To’s

Tutorial videos have mass appeal and are among the most frequently shared on social media. The videos can relate to your services or can be broader topics that relate to your audience and industry.

Tutorial videos need to be clear and educational, as well as entertaining. Don’t make them too detailed. Tutorial videos should be long enough to show every step and short enough to be engaging. The most important information needs to appear in the first minute, while the total video shouldn’t be longer than a few minutes. 

5. Share Behind-the-Scenes Content

People enjoy peeking behind the curtain! These types of videos can highlight your law firm’s culture and build trust and connection with your audience. For instance, you can give an office tour, go backstage at an event you’re involved in, or showcase your team spending time at a charity event or other team-building event.

6. Trending News

Breaking news and trending topics are a great opportunity to jump into the conversation. Especially seeing that more than two-thirds of adults get at least some of their news from social media these days. Whether it’s your law firm’s own news or a reaction to a significant event or legal proceeding, a video is the perfect way to share your take. 

These types of videos perform particularly well on Twitter since it’s where many people look first when news breaks, or a live event is going on.

7. User-Generated Content

Creating video content is time-consuming. Let your social media fans do some of the work by sharing some of their own content. You can hold a contest to gather user-generated content, reach out to influencers, or look out for videos your fans have posted organically.

8. Announcements

Announcing some big news like an expansion or a new practice area? Maybe you’re launching a new website, or your firm won an award? Social media is the place to announce it, and an entertaining video is the perfect way to build excitement!

Related: A Legal Marketer’s Guide to Writing Successful Marketing Video Scripts

9. Testimonials

Nothing beats the power of a testimonial. Testimonials are a great way to showcase that those who worked with you are satisfied. And better yet, including a video testimonial also makes it more realistic. 

10. Animated Videos

You can easily turn your blog content into animated videos by using Canva or by outsourcing it to a service provider like Videoblast. These animated videos are both informative and captivating.

Social Media Video Tips

All good social media videos have a few things in common that legal marketers can learn from to create better videos on any social media platform.

• Aim to entertain, inspire or educate.
• Be attention-grabbing right away. Add an eye-catching title card and aim to grab viewers’ attention in the first 3 seconds.
• Make sure your video works well without sound (most videos on social media are muted until the user chooses to turn on sound).
• If dialogue is a must, add closed captions so viewers can follow along.
• Short videos tend to perform best on social media. We’re talking 1-2 minutes.

Check out our past post, 10 Video Marketing Techniques To Drive Success, for more tips.

Takeaway

Video is an incredible way to engage your law firm’s followers – both old and new – and these video ideas should inspire you to get started. Don’t forget to keep an eye on your reports and analytics to see which types of videos are garnering the most clicks and engagement.

Do you need help planning, scripting, or producing compelling social media videos? We help lawyers and law firms drive engagement, grow their brands, and generate leads through strategic video marketing. Contact us today to discuss your video marketing objectives and the ways in which we can help.