"Web Marketing Today"

Published on: January 21, 2013

WMT: The importance of monitoring your online reputation, and reverse SEO

I address an important internet marketing topic in this month’s Web Marketing Today column on “Monitoring your online reputation in 2013.” We spend a lot of money to “get found” on the web with various search engine optimization techniques. But what about the stuff you don’t want getting found? Or what I refer to as “reverse SEO”?

As the web ages and matures, it becomes more and more important to be vigilant about protecting your good name. And the first step towards staying one step ahead is to effectively monitor what I call an attorney’s online portfolio. It is far more expansive than what your law firm posts or what might show up from LinkedIn or Martindale. And it only takes one bad apple in an orchard full of good ones to feel like your name, reputation and business might be harmed.

In an interesting comment posted on my WMT column page is a website developer frustrated that he has encountered situations where a top result on a Google search is “ancient history.” Something 5+ years old that is “totally irrelevant.” This points out the downside about some online reputation “fixers” where a problem is fixed today but could float back to the top after an algorithm change.

Published on: December 19, 2012

WMT: Law Firm Sites Move to Mobile

by Micah Buchdahl

In this month’s Web Marketing Today column, I address the importance of having a proper mobile marketing plan to accompany your law firm’s Internet marketing efforts. Regardless of a law firm’s audience, practice groups, size or location–“mobile” is a critical component.

Some law firms are still at stage one–trying to get some sort of compatibility for an iPhone or Android device. Others have moved well past that toward development of applications that serve purposes ranging from “marketing” to uses for partner retreats, recruiting and access to files and billing.

The strategies, however, do differ based on a law firms’ audience and clientele. As is the case with a typical website–what you develop for a Baker McKenzie is going to differ from what you develop for Sokolove Law. Although as of today, a quick look at both of those websites on my Droid were not online presences built for mobile. This column features firms that built a solid online mobile presence. It also addresses related issues tied to SEO and online advertising considerations as well.

Published on: November 14, 2012

WMT: Blogging for Lawyers – Lessons Learned

by Micah Buchdahl

This month’s Web Marketing Today column discusses the good, bad and ugly in the world of law firm blogging. As the bumper sticker says, “If you can read this, you must be on my blog.” Anyway, that in itself highlights one valuable element of blogging–in cross-promoting other marketing and publishing efforts.

I’ve selected successful blogs in the small, medium and large law firm categories to highlight approaches and styles–from Silverberg Zalantis, Young Conaway and Reed Smith. In the world of blogs, they are all operating on an even playing field.

One of the ways I know that blogging is still “where it’s at” in cyberspace is simply following the steps of my long-time web collaborator Pavel Ushakov. Between Pavel and Justia’s Tim Stanley, much of the direction and advice I give myself (and others) comes from following their paths. Tim practically shamed me into getting back on the blog bandwagon. Pavel played a pivotal role in my original transformation from “marketing attorney” to an “internet marketing attorney.” We worked together on original website projects for law firms like Morgan Lewis and Simpson Thacher back in the 90s. Remember the 90s man? He was then instrumental in creating the Internet Marketing Attorney website, IMA reviews and Nifty Fifty awards for me. And in developing my original business website and blog. Of course, as one of the true web pioneers, he has bigger fish to fry than helping me–but always responds quickly whenever I shout out for help. But his focus now is on blog development and consulting with Blogconsulting.com–with “little” clients like Adobe, Time Magazine and the Harvard Business School. But he is one of the go-to guys for blogging, and knowing what will come next.

Published on: October 16, 2012

The Value of a Website Video – or how not to do one

by Micah Buchdahl

In an upcoming column for Web Marketing Today, I am going to discuss the value of videos in law firm marketing, focused on internet marketing efforts. I’ve had the opportunity to work with people that know how to do them, such as my friends at TheLaw.TV. Last year, as chair of the American Bar Association’s Law Firm Marketing Strategies Conference, we held the first Golden Gavel Awards, recognizing the best law firm and legal industry videos. Nick Gaffney of Infinite PR organized the video awards and panel, with the end result being some phenomenal videos used by law firms on web sites.

This brings me to my own recent work on redevelopment of the HTMLawyers website. I wanted an effective welcome message, but ended up with something that looks like a bad local business ad on cable television. You won’t see this on the business site, but I did marvel at how my eight year old daughter Lily watched me sweat, flub lines and deliver a mediocre performance–only to have her show me how it is done. I’m not sure if she is showing me the way or mocking me, but I enjoyed her performance far better than mine. Lily first appeared on this blog–in the fourth post–when she was born in May 2004, so this is her triumphant return.

Published on: August 14, 2012

Lawyers Are Big Players in the SEO Game

by Micah Buchdahl

This month’s Web Marketing Today column focuses on the impact, cost and level of sophistication that search engine optimization (SEO) has had on law firms–primarily in regard to the plaintiffs’ bar. It is a dog-eat-dog world out there when it comes to finding your next client online…or really the opposite, the next client finding you. And if you are in a “high rent” space – geographically or practice-wise–the cost of competing can be ridiculous.

The impetus for this column topic came from re-reading “The Plaintiffs’ Bar Goes Digital: An Analysis of the Digital Marketing Efforts of Plaintiffs’ Attorneys & Litigation Firms,” prepared by the Institute for Legal Reform, a politically-motivated think tank, which begins its nearly forty page report by stating that the U.S. tort system costs $265 billion in 2010. Personally, I was fascinated by the report–not in regard to whether the system is right or wrong–but more as to the various digital media techniques that have changed the marketing landscape for many of these law firms.

I was impressed by the sophistication of some law firms. I was appalled by the questionable ethics issues by others. And I found the three top spenders to be interesting as well. While I would have expected Sokolove Law to be number one, they were number two in spending (at $6 million-plus) to Danizer & De Llano, who blows away every other law firm in spending north of $16 million annually in online spending (according to the report). I had never heard of them. Third in spending was The Lanier Law Firm at nearly $5 million. In this case, I certainly know who Mark Lanier is, and was surprised to see him spending at this level. Of course, I always remind other law firms of two things. First, they have the money to spend; and second, if these efforts were not paying off, they would not likely be investing this heavily in these initiatives. When you get some big hits, there is no reason not to reinvest additional dollars in channels that might deliver the next huge award and fee.