Video Marketing for Lawyers: An Illustrative Guide with Real-Life Examples

According to the ABA's 2020 Legal Technology Survey Report, only about 24% of law firms use videos as part of their marketing strategy. Yet video reigns supreme on major social platforms. A November 2022 survey by Statista found 90% of marketers use YouTube for video marketing, 86% leverage Facebook, and over one-third tap into the TikTok phenomenon.

Clearly, law firm video marketing represents a massive missed opportunity in the legal industry. While PMs craft meticulous website copy and attorneys give eloquent pitches at networking events, your competitors are connecting with potential clients through authentic, engaging YouTube videos that demonstrate expertise and build trust. Integrating these videos into a law firm's website can attract prospective clients, engage with them, and even automate the legal intake process.

The time is now to get up to speed on video marketing for lawyers. In this post, we’ll explore best practices for creating compelling legal videos that convert prospects into clients. We’ll cover ideal platforms, production tips, optimization strategies, and real examples from law firms finding success.

Why Law Firm Video Marketing Matters?

Prior to diving into the best strategies for law firm video marketing campaigns, here are some benefits of opting for videos on law websites and law firm social media platforms.

• Increased law firm website traffic, leads, and conversions. Videos are more engaging and informative than text-based content, which can lead to more people visiting your website, contacting you, and hiring your legal services. For example, a study by Wyzowl found that 82% of consumers have watched a video about a product or service before making a purchase. A client testimonial video can showcase client experiences and build trust with potential clients.
• Improved search engine rankings (SEO). Videos are 53 times more likely to appear on the first page of Google search results than text-based content. This means that more potential clients will be able to find your law firm’s website and learn about your services.
• Building brand identity. Since explainer videos can sum up a topic and allow you to showcase your expertise, this is a great way to give your law firm’s brand a solid identity.

Attorney Video Marketing Ideas for 2024

Like your specialization, the audience also affects the selection of video content that will be the most or least popular amongst users on your platforms. Depending on your practice field, here are some marketing video examples to help get you started with your legal video marketing strategy.

Introductory Law Firm Video

When it comes to attorney profile videos or corporate videos, it's best to consider them a platform. There are several ways you can approach these lawyer videos. One of the tried-and-true approaches is interview-style videos where you explain more about yourself and your expertise. Additionally, ensure a call to action, such as a ‘contact me’ button, appears. This is the perfect content to host on your ‘About Me’ page.

Practice Area Page Video

A practice area page video can be a great way for potential clients to get an in-depth overview of your firm's services and how they can benefit from them. The video can help attorneys show their law firm’s partners and demonstrate their expertise. The video’s description should also include keywords relevant to your practice, like ‘criminal defense lawyers.’

Video Testimonials

Client testimonial videos are an extremely effective video marketing technique, as they allow current and former clients to share their positive experiences with your services and build trust with potential clients. You can use them to provide further evidence of the quality of service your law firm provides and provide potential clients with an understanding of how others have benefited from working with you.

FAQs

With this in mind, creating educational videos that answer specific legal questions relevant to your practice can further boost traffic. Begin by exploring three of the most common questions you run into with clients. These are likely the same questions prospective clients will have, so you can get ahead of them by answering with a brief video.

Case Studies

A key goal of lawyer video marketing is to build credibility, and case studies go a long way to support this mission.

Case studies are a wonderful way to show off your credentials, using the video format to share the case study in a digestible way with prospective clients. In these videos it's best to share your toughest cases, using them as an educational tool. Since you know the facts best, these law firm videos are about sharing that information.

Educational Legal Videos

With detailed explanations of the law and ‘how-to’ videos for different legal situations, attorneys can easily create informative and engaging videos to inform potential clients about their services. These videos can be shared on a social media platform like Facebook or LinkedIn and a video streaming platform like YouTube, increasing your visibility among potential clients. Educational legal videos can also be hosted on a law firm's website to increase visibility and engagement.

Law Firm Podcasts

Video marketing dominates the digital landscape, podcasts are getting increasingly popular in all industries, and the legal field is no exception. It gives you a platform and a mic to share legal opinions, educate viewers, and answer FAQs. You can even invite a guest speaker who is a professional in the field to share their thoughts on a topic: casual or trending. 

One such podcast worth checking out features Janet Falk, a public relations expert, who provides valuable insights on how to get more cases using public relations for lawyers. By incorporating public relations strategies and expert advice from professionals like Janet Falk in your podcast content, you can effectively expand your legal practice, reach a broader audience, and help more people navigate the complexities of the law with confidence.

Interviews With Other Lawyers

Interviews can provide an additional layer of insight into complex legal matters, allowing viewers to gain a better understanding of the law and how it affects them. These legal videos should be educational and can come in various forms, such as legal explanations, Ask me anything, and opinion series.

Social Media Videos

These videos appear on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. These videos can showcase a law firm’s expertise in the form of a live stream, animation, text overlay, one-to-one video, mixed media, interactive, whiteboard, etc.

Video Ads

You can use video ads in various ways to promote an attorney's services and connect with potential clients. From creating engaging videos that introduce the attorney's practice to using targeted ads on social media platforms, video advertising can effectively reach new leads and convert them into paying customers.

They can promote law firm services in various ways, including through social media platforms, email campaigns, and more. Additionally, Video Ads can help attorneys target specific audiences based on their interests and demographics.

American Bar Association Rules for Law Firms’ Marketing Videos

The American Bar Association (ABA) has set advertising rules for lawyers that you must follow within each video. A lawyer is permitted to share information about their services via any media, including video. Still, they are not authorized to pay, provide, or guarantee anything of value in exchange for a referral. They should also:

• pay acceptable advertising or communication expenses,
• pay a legal service plan or referral service's standard fees,
• pay for legal practice as specified in Rule 1.17. 

If the contractual agreement is not exclusive and the client is informed, refer them to another attorney or nonlegal expert. Furthermore, you must include the name and contact information of at least one attorney or law firm responsible for the video content in every communication.

Video Platforms to Consider for Attorney Video Marketing

When developing your law firm video marketing strategy, selecting the right video platform to help you maximize your reach and engagement is important - from major platforms like YouTube and Facebook to professional networks like LinkedIn. Additionally, a law firm's website is a crucial platform for publishing various types of videos, including corporate videos, educational videos, and video testimonials.

YouTube 

• YouTube has long served as the go-to video platform for businesses, and it is an ideal platform for your law firm video marketing content.
• Provides a vast viewer base.
• Can create a variety of video types, including ad campaigns, tutorials, reviews, and infographics on legal issues.

Facebook

• The most used social platform for legal marketing videos with around 2.9 billion users.
• Videos can be accessed on feeds and stories.
• Interact with past and prospective clients within specific demographics based on age, gender, language, relationship status, and education level.

To learn more about Facebook marketing for lawyers, check our guide.

LinkedIn

• Professional platform for law firms to utilize for video marketing.
• Can include relevant information and background on yourself.
• Different formats like animation and infographics can be used.

Check our guide on LinkedIn marketing for lawyers to learn more.

Twitter 

• Keep videos short and cover topics that encourage comments, shares, quotes, and retweets.
• Utilize hashtags relevant to your practice area to expand engagement and generate leads.

TikTok

• Ideal for posting short video clips.
• Can share quick insights into legal issues in a simple yet interesting manner.

You can also check our TikTok for lawyers' guide.

Vimeo

• Vimeo is a popular video platform known for its high-quality video hosting and sharing capabilities.
• It offers a more professional and artistic community, making it a great platform for showcasing your law firm's videos with a creative touch.
• Vimeo also provides privacy features that allow you to control who can access your videos and embed them on your website.

Instagram

• Instagram is a visually-focused social media platform that allows you to share both photos and videos.
• The platform is particularly popular among younger audiences, making it a great choice for reaching a millennial demographic.
• Instagram Stories and IGTV are features that can be effectively utilized for sharing law firm video content.

Lawyers have been slow to adopt video marketing, but times are changing. Sasha Berson presents compelling reasons why lawyers should now incorporate video as part of their marketing strategy.

If you're a lawyer still on the fence about embarking on this journey, this comprehensive guide makes the case for why video marketing is critical and shows you exactly how to implement it in your law practice.

Digital Marketing Techniques That Boost your Attorney Videos

With the help of digital marketing techniques, attorneys can create videos that will help them stand out from the competition and attract more clients. This part of the article will discuss some of the most effective digital marketing techniques you can use to increase the visibility of your attorney videos and get more leads.

Your Attorney Videos Also Need SEO

It is important to ensure that your law firm videos are SEO-optimized to stand out from other online videos. When it comes to optimizing your YouTube videos for SEO, there are a few key areas that you need to focus on. 

1. Keywords: The first step is to identify important keywords related to your video content. You should include these keywords in the title, description, and tags of your videos, as well as in any transcripts or closed captions.
2. Thumbnails: These small images appear in search results next to your video title. They should be eye-catching, visually appealing, and accurately depict the video's content. It is important to create unique custom thumbnails since they help users decide whether they want to watch it or not.
3. Tags: Tags are a great way to optimize your videos for search engines. YouTube allows you to include up to 400 characters of tags, so make sure to use relevant keywords that describe the content of the video. 
4. Video Length: Depending on the content you are working on, curate the length of your videos. The ideal video length should be one to five minutes to maximize viewer interest. 
5. Promotion: Lastly, promote your videos on other social media platforms and websites to broaden their reach. Encourage viewers to like and comment on your videos, subscribe, share, and use relevant hashtags.

Tools like TubeBuddy and YT Cockpit help make the optimization process even easier. YT Cockpit helps search keywords on YouTube, finding those that have proven most profitable so you can incorporate them to drive traffic, meanwhile TubeBuddy helps to expand your audience and optimize videos, by utilizing the best tags.

Use a Call to Action in Legal Video Marketing

All video marketing for lawyers aims to achieve an ROI, ideally driving clients to pursue your services. In order to reach your goals from your law video content, it's essential to include a call to action at the end of videos.

Few law firms remember to include this essential element of law firm video marketing, leading them to miss the mark on their goals. Calls to action to use to boost awareness of your business include:

• Click the link below for more information
• Visit our website to find out more about XYZ

To take it to the next level and incorporate a call to action that shifts to the decision stage, try:

• Need help now? Give us a call at xxxxxxxxxx
• Book a free consultation today. Call us at xxxxxxxxxx

Social Media Advertising

With the right strategy, you can increase views and engagement on your videos, bringing more people to your website and raising brand awareness. Here are some ways to use social media advertising effectively: 

1. Use targeted ads to reach your target demographic. This will help ensure that the people who see your video are more likely to be interested. 
2. Create engaging content to ensure viewers stay engaged with the video. This could include interesting visuals, compelling stories, and informative information. 
3. Utilize analytics tools to measure the performance of your campaigns and make data-driven decisions about how to optimize them for better results. This will help you get the most out of your budget. 
4. Leverage influencers to promote your videos on their channels by partnering with popular figures in the legal industry to promote them. This can create further awareness and engagement from a larger audience. 
5. Utilize video ad formats. Video ads are a great way to grab viewers’ attention and get them to click through to your website or landing page. 
6. Set up retargeting campaigns. Retargeting lets you target users who have interacted with your content, helping you stay top-of-mind and increase conversions. 
7. Think beyond simple clicks. A successful social media ad campaign isn’t just about clicks; it focuses on creating engaging content to drive brand loyalty and trust.

How to Start a Law Firm Video Production

Whether you are starting a law firm video production on your own or relying on the help of a crew, there are some things to consider before diving into the task.

• Launch a YouTube Channel. A YouTube channel is free and easy to set up. Consider the content you want to feature and how to reach a wide audience. Videos should revolve around your niche to drive traffic.
• Ensure Effective Editing of Videos. Have a clear idea of the final video before recording to avoid wasting time. Use a storyboard to shoot to edit. Pay close attention to framing, music, and effects.
• Opt for a Video Introduction. Start with a 30-60 second intro explaining your legal firm. Include a call to action like "subscribe." Give a brief overview of the video topic.
• Write a Script. Create a concept and write a script before filming lawyer video content. Consider the tone based on your message and audience. Revise the script multiple times.
• Ask two questions when writing scripts: What is the audience looking for? What goal do you hope to reach?
• Keep videos 2-5 minutes long to avoid losing viewer attention.

Lawyer Video Production Starting Kit

In order to dive into producing lawyer videos, you need equipment and elements to do the job. They are:

• Camera: You have to make use of a higher-resolution camera. If it isn’t available, a smartphone, hand-held, or computer webcam will suffice. Regardless of the camera, use a tripod or a stabilizing device to keep the camera from shaking while recording. 
• Lighting: You need to ensure that the room you are shooting within has good light and isn't backlit to avoid some parts of the video appearing dark. Also, get proper lighting. It doesn't necessarily require high-end equipment; a ring light used by influencers will suffice.
• Sound: Ensuring that the sound on your video is clear is a must. Limit any background noise and purchase a mic from Amazon or your local e-commerce store. 
• Editing: It's highly unlikely that you will manage to shoot a video straight through with one perfect take even if you use the storyboard or script, so you need to edit it. Use video editing tools to cut and combine clips to shorten the video and create the best sequence using your greatest takes.

Measuring Your Law Firm Video Production Results

Free tools, like Google Analytics, show you what's happening on your site, including the location of users, redirecting sites, the length of the views, and more. This tool is free and easy to use, making it a staple for lawyer video marketing.

LinkedIn Analytics, Facebook Analytics, YouTube Analytics, and Twitter Analytics are all available tools for social media channels. These can further help track the performance of your videos on each respective channel.

The main YouTube ranking factors for your law firm video marketing are:

• Quantity of views: A video's number of views directly correlates with how well it will rank on YouTube. It’s important to create content that viewers will watch and engage with. 
• Engagement from viewers: When determining rankings, YouTube looks at metrics like likes/dislikes, comments, and shares. This means you should create content that viewers will enjoy and be encouraged to share. 
• Number of subscribers: Building an engaged subscriber base is key to long-term success on YouTube. Aim to produce content encouraging viewers to subscribe and stay engaged with your channel. 
• Video length: Video marketers report that videos longer than 10 minutes have been proven to have higher engagement rates and better rankings on YouTube. However, keep videos as concise as possible while providing value to viewers.
• View count: High view count indicates a video’s popularity and can be achieved by promoting videos on social media and other channels.

Conclusion

A lawyer's online presence can be greatly enhanced by having informative, engaging videos on your website and social media channels, increasing your online visibility and credibility in prospective clients' eyes. Furthermore, you can also use law firm marketing videos to provide educational content to clients and help them better understand legal issues. 

This guide discussed many legal video marketing strategies you can incorporate into your firm. If you want to save time so you can use it in other aspects of your law firm, choose a professional law firm marketing agency like Grow Law Firm.

At Grow Law Firm, we specialize in law firm SEO services, growing your practice with tried and true marketing strategies. Contact us for a professional marketing service focused on lawyers and get a free consultation with our expert video marketing team today.