Thinking about starting a blog for your law practice? There are numerous benefits of doing so, including making better connections with your audience and spreading the word about your services and expertise.

 

But because you’ve devoted your life to the law, you may not be adept in the latest SEO or online writing trends and best practices. That’s why we’re here to help with these 5 favorite blogging tips for lawyers.

 

 

1. Create an editorial calendar

Using an editorial calendar is especially helpful if you have a team of people working on your content. One great tool we’re proud to use for our own blog at NextChapter is Notion, a simple, convenient workspace that allows you to manage tasks with your team members. Notion provides:

• Calendar view so you can plan out the schedule and view key dates
• Task board (a kanban board of columns) helps you manage and keep track of assignment progress, with statuses like to-do, in-progress, and complete
• Invite guests easily
• Helps you stay organized
• All of your information is in one place

An editorial calendar will help you and your team stay on task so your blog doesn’t fall by the wayside.

 

 

2. Understand the importance of keywords

If one of your top priorities with blogging is lead generation, SEO is a must. SEO (search engine optimization) helps you improve your ranking on Google with certain keywords that your audience will be using in their searches.

 

To begin with SEO, put yourself in the shoes of your clients. Think about what they’ll be searching for when they’re looking for legal services or additional information. For example, “Do I qualify for a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy?”

 

Then, you can create an SEO campaign that will optimize your blog content around these keywords. There are many free sources out there that will help you find out what keywords to use, such as Google Adwords.

 

 

3. Hire a freelancer to help

Even though you recognize the importance of starting a blog, you may just not have enough time on your hands to give it all you’ve got. Hiring a freelance writer can be a huge help. These writers are experienced in producing content in a realm of industries and on many topics, and you can find some of the best on sites like Upwork.

 

This takes some of the blogging responsibility off of your plate, and using Notion, as mentioned above, will help you stay connected to your freelance team.

 

 

4. Quality over quantity

You may think that putting up any kind of content can help your rankings, no matter the quality of the writing. However, for SEO purposes, Google evaluates the quality of your content (and how well it achieves its purpose) and considers this factor when ranking.

 

This is why it’s crucial to hire a writer if you’re not comfortable taking the time to create good content. Your blog needs to have a clear purpose, not just keyword-packed words. Also, make sure that you’re not going into too much lawyer speak—use terms potential clients will understand.

 

 

5. Have fun with it!

Your blog doesn’t have to be stuffy and serious. Show your personality to your client base, which will help them connect with who you really are. While it’s smart to offer informative posts about legal terms and processes, making these concepts accessible to the average reader, make sure you throw in some fun posts, too, about your hobbies or your team members.

 

 

Ready to get started with that blog? Take these tips to heart and you’ll be on your way to attracting new leads and making stronger connections with your client base.