Mobile marketing is the way of the future.
Why?
Because the average American checks their smartphone every 12 minutes.
Because smartphones are the first thing people turn to in a moment of need.
And because today, more online searches today are performed on mobile devices than desktops.
So, as long as your law firm has a mobile-friendly website and digital ads designed to reach and convert mobile users, you’re all set, right?
Not exactly.
There’s a new digital trend that’s transforming the way legal consumers engage with your law firm on mobile devices...
Voice search.
As artificial intelligence (AI)-based assistants like Siri and Alexa become more intelligent and more accessible through devices like smartphones, smartwatches, and smart speakers, it has become commonplace for people to use voice search for their everyday needs—from the weather forecast to information about local businesses.
In fact, voice search is projected to account for HALF of all online searches by 2020.
So what does this mean for your law firm?
It means the way legal consumers are searching for, finding, and evaluating your law firm is changing.
And your firm needs to be prepared.
If you’re not optimizing your online presence for voice search, you’re missing out on potential leads from a growing portion of your target audience—prospects who’ve grown accustomed to the convenience of having their questions answered by virtual assistants.
Not to mention, when you’re not visible in voice searches, you’re also failing to meet the expectations of the modern-day legal consumer, who has come to expect a seamless digital experience from beginning to end—regardless of where they are, what they’re doing, or which device they’re using to engage with your firm.
So if you haven’t already implemented a voice search optimization strategy into your legal marketing plan for 2019, now is the time to start.
But remember...appealing to voice searchers is different than appealing to your average online searcher.
You need to know these 3 things before you can get found in voice searches...
1. The lingo.
Keep in mind that people speak differently than they write. Your potential clients are more likely to use natural language in voice searches (“Who’s the best car accident lawyer in Dallas?” instead of “Dallas car accident lawyer ratings”), so you’ll need to add some long-tail search terms (longer terms that reflect everyday language) to your keyword list.
2. The preferred device.
Identify which devices your prospective clients are using to conduct voice searches, and then optimize your online presence for those devices. Research shows that most voice searches are performed on handheld devices like smartphones and smartwatches, though smart speakers are another popular option. The key is to focus on mobile, as that’s where your prospects spend most of their time.
3. The locale.
Be prepared with a solid local digital marketing strategy. Online searches are 3X more likely to incorporate the user’s location when they’re performed via mobile voice search as opposed to a traditional, text-based search. So you can maximize your firm’s visibility in voice search results by being intentional about marketing to local prospects.
In addition to the four points above, your firm could also benefit from implementing these 4 voice search optimization strategies
Strategy #1: FAQ pages
Think of the questions your ideal prospects are most likely to ask in a voice search (e.g. “What’s an uncontested divorce?” or “How much does a divorce attorney cost?”) and then provide answers through an FAQ page on your website. This makes it easier for AI-powered assistants like Siri, Alexa, Cortana, and Google Assistant to match your website content to searchers’ voice queries.
Just remember to keep your answers concise. The answer snippets Google pulls in voice searches tend to be about 29 words in length, so avoid long-winded answers.
Strategy #2: Easy-to-understand content
Your website is no place for legal jargon—especially if you want your web pages to get featured in voice search results. The average voice search results are written at a 9th-grade level, so remember to keep your digital content easy for the average reader to understand.
Strategy #3: Higher rankings in search engines
The higher your organic (unpaid) rankings are in search engines like Google and Bing, the better chance you have of being featured in voice search results. About 75% of all voice search results come from web pages that rank in the top three positions in “regular” searches. As a result, you should ensure your law firm’s website is always aligned with the latest search engine optimization (SEO) standards!
Strategy #4: Accessible business information
Voice search is all about convenience—which is why you need to make your law firm’s business information readily available online. Keep your website and online listings up to date with your correct firm name, address, and phone number, as this will make your firm and your digital content easier for AI-powered assistants to find.
Want to learn more about how to attract more clients to your law firm in today’s digital age?
In case you missed it, here are the other chapters from our blog series:
- Is Your Law Firm Appealing to the Modern Consumer?
- Why the Internet Is a Double-Edged Sword for Your Law Firm
- How to Attract New Clients to Your Law Firm in the Age of Constant Connectivity
If you have any questions about how you can improve your legal digital marketing strategy, call (866) 344-8852 or message us here.
