Legal blogging can be an extremely effective marketing and content strategy for law firms looking to establish themselves as thought leaders and connect with potential clients. However, there are several dos and don’ts that legal bloggers should keep in mind to ensure they are providing value to readers while avoiding potential issues. This article outlines some best practices for law firm blogging in the UK.
Do Provide Value to Readers
The number one rule of blogging is to provide high-quality content that delivers real value to your audience. According to a survey, 44% of internet users consume anywhere from 3 to 5 content pieces prior to engaging with a service.
As a legal blogger, focus on educating and informing readers on relevant legal issues and developments in your field of expertise. Write posts that address common questions and pain points your target clients are likely to have.
For personal injury lawyers, this could include posts on how the claims process works, what to do after an accident, compensation amounts for different types of injuries, what to look for when choosing a lawyer, and busting myths about making injury claims. Support your advice with facts, statistics, and examples.
Do Maintain a Professional Tone
Legal blogs should maintain a professional, authoritative tone at all times. Avoid overly promotional language and focus on objective analysis and commentary instead of subjective opinions. You want to position yourself as a thought leader, not a salesperson.
At the same time, don’t be afraid to let your personality come through in your writing. Blogs that are too dry and impersonal can be off-putting to readers. Find a balance between professionalism and approachability.
Do Provide Original Analysis
Regurgitating content and news that already exists will not provide much value to readers. Focus on providing original analysis, insights, and perspectives on legal issues in your blog content. Comment on new court judgements, changes in legislation, or noteworthy cases and explain what they mean for your field of law.
You can also compile and analyse trends and statistics related to your practice area to create interesting and useful posts. For example, a personal injury lawyer could analyse trends in the most common causes of injury claims over the past 5 years, or statistics on compensation payout amounts for different injury types.
Do Promote Your Blog
Creating great content is only half the battle. You also need to actively promote your blog to build awareness and traffic. Leverage social media platforms like X, LinkedIn, and Facebook to share blog posts and engage with readers. Look for opportunities to contribute guest posts to reputable legal blogs to expand your reach.
Monitor comments on your blog and respond promptly. Commenting helps build community and encourages return visitors. Make sure to track traffic and engagement metrics using tools like Google Analytics to inform your content strategy.
Don’t Ignore Ethics Rules
There are certain professional ethics rules lawyers must abide by even when blogging. Avoid discussing details of client cases and confidential information. Don’t use real client names or situations without explicit permission. Also, avoid giving specific legal advice. You can discuss legal issues generally, but make it clear you are not establishing a lawyer-client relationship.
Proactively address any potential conflicts of interest you may have and be transparent about any content partnerships. The Solicitors Regulation Authority provides guidance on legal blogging you should familiarise yourself with.
Don’t Be Inconsistent
Posting quality content on a consistent basis is far more effective than infrequent long posts. Set a blogging schedule you can realistically commit to, such as one post per week. 50% of bloggers will publish weekly or even several times per month. Consistency also applies to your blog’s tone, visual branding and quality over time.
Don’t Forget to Link Internal and External Content
Referencing existing content on your own blog and linking out to external authority sources gives your content more depth and positions you as an interconnected thought leader. For example, if you reference a past blog post or legal concept, link to your own post to enable readers to further explore the topic.
Legal blogging comes with some unique benefits and challenges. However, following best practices can help UK personal injury lawyers leverage blogging to enhance their brand and reach more potential clients.
Consistency and high-quality writing focused on your audience’s needs are key to building a successful law blog. If you’re struggling to create the content you require, contact us today. We’re happy to help.
