COVID19 has presented us all with a major curveball in how we live day-to-day, in business and in our personal lives. Yet I believe that lawyers have a unique opportunity during this pandemic. If firms can lean into the current situation and make swift changes to their marketing practices that adhere to our new reality, they may just come out of this time on top.

While socializing in person is definitely not happening, it doesn't mean people aren't communing … they're doing so online. According to the New York Times, web traffic has been up by nearly 30% since COVID19 hit the United States. With more eyes on screens, law firms would be wise to increase their digital marketing efforts at this time. Could your website use a refresh? Is your professional headshot a decade too old? Now is the time to make adjustments to your firm's web presence and think about increasing your (digital) marketing budget. Are there ways to assert the firm's executive team as thought leaders on the internet? Do you have a coronavirus-centric destination on your website that your clients can visit?

Get creative. Consider hiring an integrated marketing and public relations firm to help solidify your digital brand and the story you are telling across the media landscape right now. Be sure to remember to make your website smart-phone friendly on the backend.

Video is also a great tool to engage people. We see with our clients consistently that their video content performs the highest in terms of engagement, and that potential clients would prefer to watch a short video than read a page of information. Have fun with this! Think about creating a home film studio in your (home) office (you only need a white wall and an iPhone) and see what you can create.

From an SEO perspective, it is imperative that your website is up to date, includes engaging content, and is continuously augmented so that it is readily captured in search engines. If your website is a bit thin at the moment, you might want to consider adding any of the following pages to round it out:

  • A COVID19 Resource Center
  • FAQ Page
  • Client Showcase
  • Spotlight Cases
  • Blog that is continuously updated with new entries

You'll also want to create ancillary channels, like an Instagram account, to further engage with your audience.

It may seem reductive, but I'd also recommend bolstering your online reviews on third party websites like Yelp, and even Google and Facebook. All of these tactics will help individuals find you when they take to a search engine looking for legal counsel.

It truly has never been more important to make meaningful connections with people, and at the most basic human level, to check in. Are you checking in on your clients? Are you asking them how they are feeling? A sincere call of concern goes a long way. This is not about selling a service, but about bolstering your credibility as a firm that demonstrated care and tact during this challenging time.

Networking, in the traditional sense, is an obvious no-no right now. Again, get creative! Are there ways for you to meet new prospects that adhere to social distancing rules? See if your trade organizations have created digital programming that you can partake in at this time. Become savvy with digital tools like LinkedIn and Facebook and don't be afraid to "friend" prospective clients that you may not know, so long as you explain your reason for doing so (a mutual connection, etc). There are digital substitutes that exist and soon enough, become the standard for doing business during this time. Why not be ahead of the curve?

During COVID10, digital marketing is king, and you have everything you need to bolster your web presence, brand identity,and story as a law firm. Will you rise to the challenge?

Julie Talenfeld is the president of BoardroomPR, one of Florida's largest integrated marketing agencies. She can be reached at [email protected].