Law firms are producing unparalleled amounts of content in response to COVID-19. Some say they've generated more in the past several weeks than they had in the past several years. Given the need for insight in these extraordinary times, that's probably the right idea. Unfortunately, in-house counsel tell us the execution is falling flat.

After Corporate Counsel revealed how in-house attorneys felt overwhelmed by the content law firms are producing, we decided to dig a bit deeper into the quality of that content. We found that general counsel aren't getting the value they're seeking in the most commonly viewed types of COVID-19 content: email alerts and webinars. And while general counsel find research reports and podcasts about COVID-19 highly valuable, law firms aren't distributing many of either.

More broadly, the 20 GCs surveyed (representing diverse industries) weren't overly enthusiastic about the overall quality of law firm COVID-19 content, rating it at 5.9 out of 10. If law firms continue creating content at this volume, they should begin to rethink their approach.

Connected Yet Disengaged

All survey respondents had received COVID-19 content from law firms via email and 65% said it was their preferred medium. But when we asked general counsel about common mistakes in COVID-19 content, email was a frequent target.

"I am on mailing lists from a dozen law firms—meaning I am seeing dozens of updates," one respondent said. "If something is too long and doesn't grab my attention quickly, I delete."

Many GCs lamented the quality of subject lines; one said they fail to "give me any idea why I should care."

Most respondents have consumed webinars, likely reflecting stay-at-home orders and general counsel's need for answers. But while 90% said they received law firm content via webinars, only 39% found them valuable. "They might be scheduled two weeks out," one GC said, "by which time the topic seems outdated."

An Opening for Research and Podcasts

Law firms have the opposite problem with research reports and podcasts: GCs find content from them valuable—but they're not receiving it.

Seventy-one percent of respondents found research reports related to COVID-19 valuable, the highest score among all types of content. Yet only 35% had received pandemic-related information that way. Half of respondents found podcasts valuable while just 20% had listened to law firm COVID-19 content.

One type of content's perceived value was essentially on track with consumption. Sixty-five percent of respondents had accessed articles from law firms about COVID-19 and 69% found them valuable. Interestingly, blog posts had been consumed by 40% of respondents but only 25% found them valuable.

Need for Focus and Utility

A common complaint about professional services content—that it explains issues without offering targeted solutions—continues. "The content is generic," one GC said. Another said content is "without specific actions or recommendations."

GCs also want forward-looking perspective. "We're getting into a time period now where we could use some back-to-business guidance. And nothing relevant comes my way."

Five Ways to Improve Law Firm Content

While our findings point to a dim view of law firms' COVID-19 content among GCs, they depict an opportunity. In-house lawyers need insights and analysis during this extraordinary period. Firms that can deliver the right content in the right place in the right way can rise above the noise, establish their authority and burnish their reputations. Here are five ways law firms can refocus their content efforts:

1. Do Better with Email: GCs want law firm content via email, but they want it to be timely and useful, with subject lines that convey the value they'll get from it. Firm marketers should start with subject lines. Make each one as compelling and descriptive as possible (at no more than 80 characters). Then think about the email itself—is it easy for a stressed-out GC to find what they need? Do the article summaries quickly tell them what they'll get out of reading the whole thing?
2. Focus on Utility: Above all, in-house attorneys and other executives want actionable, useful insights. "Tell us something meaningful we might not know, that will make me want to see additional help from you," one respondent said. Delivering not just what's newsworthy but how to respond and adapt is more important than ever. Another respondent said most COVID-19 content is "too general without specific actions or recommendations."
3. Explore New Mediums: The fact that GCs value research reports related to COVID-19 but haven't consumed many is likely related to the time it takes to produce those reports. But flash surveys can be fielded quickly and deliver brief, compelling data for firms to augment with crisp analysis. Podcasts are something else to explore, especially if you can book guests for remote recordings who previously may have been hard to reach but are now stuck at home.
4. Don't Forget Old Reliable—Articles: Our survey shows GCs highly value articles about COVID-19. The written word, of course, works well for meaty content and articles can be easily shared or distributed using paid promotion. So, keep writing—provided you're delivering timely insights with an emphasis on utility.
5. Build in Feedback Mechanisms: Law firms need to know what their audiences are consuming and where they're finding value to determine whether the content push has been worth it. Analytics are crucial, but so is calling a client to ask, "How are we doing?" Content creation should not be viewed as your only client outreach.

With COVID-19 part of our lives for the foreseeable future, law firms can play important roles, providing clarity amid enormous uncertainty. Now is the time to refine strategies and approaches, especially if the sheer volume of content continues.

Paul Wilson is senior editor and Betsy Hoag is director of research and planning at Greentarget, a public relations firm that helps professional services organizations establish positions of authority.