Video is one of the more widely overlooked opportunities in lawyer marketing. Video marketing and advertising is a powerful tool. However, it takes some knowledge and skill to do well, and sometimes it even scares attorneys off.
While it is true that video production is a technical process, you shouldn’t be intimidated. Just like other forms of marketing publications, there are plenty of ways to increase the chances that your videos will show a great return on your investment.
Let’s go over some of the basics of production, how to convert viewers to clients, and some of the benefits of video marketing for attorneys. This is what we’ll cover:
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Lawyers should have videos for quite a few reasons. Some are the same reasons that they have other forms of media, such as blogs, website copy, photos, and logos. Others are unique to the video format. Let’s look at some examples:
Videos give you an opportunity to share complete audiovisual experiences. With the addition of interactive elements, videos can be one of the most immersive forms of online marketing and advertising for law firms.
Again: Why do lawyers even have videos in the first place? It all comes down to one thing: generating leads and revenue for the firm. Here are some ways that videos do that:
Some types of businesses might be able to get away with informal or even improvised video contact. By and large, this still is not common practice for attorneys and law firms.
With the exception of lawyers who market aggressively to a younger demographic, professionalism in video marketing usually takes priority over other styles. However, you can still be personable and put an authentic representation of your business out into the world.
One of the best ways to do this is to maintain high production values for your videos. Essentially, this means using professional video production.
Professional planning, equipment, editing, and strategy all come together to impart a refined, trustworthy feeling to your videos. These factors also help you highlight the most desirable and important aspects of your firm.
If you hire professionals, it’s likely that they’ll develop scripts for you. However, if you would like to contribute, here are a few things you should keep in mind:
Marketing for lawyers can be slightly more involved than it is for other professions and industries. At the same time, it can be challenging to market or advertise something without a physical form while using a visual format like video. But remember that the goal is always simple: to get more clients for your firm.
The most basic solution for marketing a pure service with video is your typical “talking head” format. This consists of an attorney looking at the camera and, essentially, delivering a lecture. A step up from that would include informational text with computer graphic overlays or title cards.
The “talking head” works for some types of informational videos. If you’re publishing that type of longer-form content, you certainly shouldn’t shy away from this simple, straightforward style. However, it’s generally not highly engaging and therefore not ideal for more traditional advertising purposes.
A good lawyer advertising video commercial usually involves a montage: a rapid visual overview of the firm and its attorneys. Background music, smooth visual transitions, multiple types of shots, cohesive voiceovers, and (occasionally) stock footage are all hallmarks of this format.
These montage-based videos are typically visually interesting and short. They’re best suited for video ads, introductions to firms or attorneys, client testimonials, or highlights of your firm’s successes. You might also consider making quick video clips in this format to serve as standard introductions and conclusions to longer, informational videos.
Now that we know why marketing for lawyers can benefit from video, let’s look briefly at the technical side of how to make a good attorney video. Again, you probably do not want to do this by yourself — a professional team will have access to the equipment and expertise you need to make it work. In any case, here are some tips:
After you shoot all of the footage you need, there is still a lot of work to be done before your video is ready for the public. To reiterate, this is because simplistic, one-shot “talking head” videos don’t capture the attention we want for competitive lawyer marketing.
You will at least be editing in some title cards or overlays to provide contact information for your firm, context on the video’s content, and logos. It’s also likely that your video will need more involved post-production work, such as:
FORWARD Lawyer Marketing is here to help you create engaging, quality video content designed to give you a return on your investment with video marketing for your law firm. We have access to the skills, equipment, and knowledge you need to keep production costs low. We also know how to integrate video content seamlessly into your website, social media, and overall business development strategy. Contact us today at (888)590-9687 to learn more.
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