How Digital is Affecting the Legal Sector

Every sector has evolved in recent years with a digital approach becoming the new normal. Searching for information online has replaced calling up businesses for details, and word of mouth has seen a significant boost through online testimonials and recommendations.

The legal industry has a reputation for being stuck in its ways, but more and more law firms are seeing the true value that digital has. As legal marketing experts, Strawberry Forge has seen a significant shift in dynamics. Content creation, SEO, web design, branding and social media are some of the vital techniques we implement for our clients.

Even outside of marketing, the digital world is making an impact in the sector. Harvard Law School recently digitised over 330 years of legal history by scanning its entire case law library. Cloud services are taking over paper documents and filing cabinets, and departments can quickly send messages to each other for immediate updates.

But what’s sparked this change, and what results are being seen? We answer those very questions below.

A New Generation

All across the world, there are countless teenagers and young adults who look towards legal as a career choice. These are people who have grown up with smartphones, social media and the entire internet at their disposal. They have a different way of thinking to previous generations, and being able to prove that digital marketing works gives them the scope they need to keep exploring new ways to generate leads.

And if it works, why not carry on? Networking can be very time-consuming, print ads have a very limited shelf life and cold calling can come across as tactless depending on the nature of your department.

Digital marketing takes out the need to chase instructions, it lasts for years, and only requires the occasional tweak when you have a sound strategy in place. The new generation of solicitors and barristers can see this. Slowly but surely, the previous generation is catching on, too.

Digital Aspects Transforming the Legal Sector

Looking for new ways to improve your firm through digital? There are many tried and tested techniques out there such as:

Optimised Websites

5.6 billion searches are made online every single day, which shows just how important having a website is. Individuals will always have problems they need to find a solution to, and your website should hold the answers.

Taking a recent Strawberry Forge website project as an example, we were approached to create a brand new site that reflected our client’s ethos and delivered useful information without overloading website visitors. To meet these needs, we provided them with:

• Brand Development
• UX Design
• Content Creation
• Technical SEO
• Website Building Services 

Once all was complete, we tested the site to make sure everything was in working order and set it to go live.

Our client now has a website that delivers true value to visitors. The branding is slick and professional to provide an air of reassurance, and we trained the team so they can keep it updated and well maintained for years to come.

Social Media

Social media might seem like a strange place to find a law firm, but with 4.48 billion people worldwide having at least one social media account, the audience is definitely there.

Each platform can be used for different reasons. LinkedIn is great for building your list of connections and finding leads whereas Facebook can be an excellent place to share information with your target demographics. Even Twitter has its uses as a means of establishing your brand.

We recommend exercising caution, though; being on every platform can make social media management a nightmare, and some just are suited to law firms at all.

As an example, Tik Tok has really taken off and there are solicitors and legal businesses adding content on there. However, popular clips seem to cover topics such as:

• Questions I Get Asked as a Pretty Girl in Law
• Rating Outfits From Law School
• Meme Reviews

Not all platforms advocate building a professional image, which can make establishing credibility a hard task. Ultimately, the type of clientele you’re looking to attract will help you find the right social media sites to join.

Tech Improvements

Technology means we’re arguably the most well connected humanity has ever been. At the push of a few buttons you can send messages, take calls and even have a “face-to-face” meeting thanks to integrated cameras.

This revolutionised the way individuals seek legal aid. People no longer have to stick within their local area to find the right representation, meaning it doesn’t matter where you’re based anymore. Meetings can easily be arranged with your clients via video call to cut travel time, and updates can be relayed as soon as possible.

A digital database is another useful tool for saving countless hours. Search functions make it easy to find the exact piece of information you’re looking for, which is why Harvard digitised their case law library. 

And with cloud capabilities, the idea of carrying a briefcase full of notes is becoming outdated. Now, all you need is a laptop to have all your notes at hand as and when you need them.

Step Into the World of Digital

Before long, all the traditional aspects law firms have grown accustomed to will completely fall out of favour. Every industry must move with the times, and the legal sector is ripe for a full digital revolution.

Many firms have already made the switch, and plenty of others are in the process. To make sure you don’t get left behind, get in touch with the team at Strawberry Forge and bring your marketing right up to date.