How to Get Potential Clients to Engage with Your Website Content
If you’ve done any research, read any articles, had any conversations with your web marketing vendor, then you’ve probably heard the phrase “Content is King”. You may have asked yourself – What does that mean?
To answer that question, let’s spend a few minutes talking about content, why it is important and how you can get website visitors, aka potential clients, to engage with your content.
First, let’s address why content is king. The relationship between website owners and Google is an interesting one. Website owners try desperately to rank on the first page of Google and Google is extremely protective of the set of rules that determine who ranks on the first page of any given search. Website owners are constantly working on ways to meet Google’s requirements, without actually knowing what those requirements are. But, to Google’s credit, they do provide insight into their Search Algorithm and offer tools like Webmaster Guidelines and other tools to assist website owners with ranking. Google has shared with the website community that robust, relevant content is important to ranking.
Now that we know adding a steady stream of good, quality content to our website is important, how do we get potential clients to read it? I know that we all believe that our content is the best. You think, “I am a great author and if I write an article and post it, people will come”. Sort of like the scene from Field of Dreams, “Write it and they will come”. Unfortunately, that is rarely the case. Now, don’t get me wrong, you still have to author content worth reading, content that answers a question or addresses a need. But, how do you get website visitors to your content, get them started reading your content and remain engaged with your content? Think Interactive Content.
What is interactive content? In order to define or describe interactive content, let’s first discuss what interactive content is not. Most content on the web is static. Think about your website – your homepage, your attorney’s biography pages, blog articles. It is all static content that requires a website visitor to invest time to mindlessly read. People today are very busy and need constant stimulation. In order to capture the attention of a website visitor, you may have to, at least occasionally, challenge them. Get them to think. That is what interactive content will do for you. Interactive content is content that solicits participation. Content that requires a website visitor to engage in order to digest the offered content.
Here are a few examples of interactive content:
• Video – Video has already established its power in engagement and conversion. Now it can be interactive and include experiences such as assessments, quizzes, polls, and surveys.
• Quizzes – Quizzes have proven to be extremely effective at capturing attention. Users get highly engaged in the Q&A format, and they learn something in the process. People often share the results across social media channels.
• Interactive whitepapers and e-books – Long documents such as whitepapers and e-books can be made interactive giving readers navigation options to quickly get to the sections they want. Quizzes and assessments can be built into the design.
• Polls and surveys – Polls and surveys can take many forms and fulfill a wide variety of needs for both the creator and the user. Better understanding what potential clients are thinking and what they are looking for can help your marketing efforts.
• Contests - Contests continue to evolve online and across the social sphere. Creative contests have proven to engage clients and inspire engagement. They will allow you to collect potential client data through the application process.
• Calculators: Why not answer a legal question interactively? A question like “What would my Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) if I drank 3 beers?” could be answered with a BAC calculator.
• Interactive infographics – Your static infographic can become more interactive when viewers can navigate how they like. What’s more, the infographic can feature interactive components, such as polls and surveys.
• Assessments – The best-practices offered in your current, static content can be transformed into informative and engaging self-assessments. The responses collected can invoke personalized recommendations and insights for a potential client.
As stated by ion interactive, interactive content is more effective than static content at:
• Engaging your audience - 70% vs. 36%
• Effective at educating the client - 93% vs. 70%
• Effective at differentiating you from competitors - 88% vs. 55%
• Somewhat or very effective at being shared - 38% vs. 17%
Not only could interactive content be used on your website, but you could distribute interactive content via your social media profiles – Facebook/Twitter/LinkedIn, through paid social media ads and e-mail campaigns/newsletters.
Content may be king, but law firms can no longer differentiate themselves merely by having content marketing initiatives. Some law firms are quick to admit their content efforts are lagging and potential clients are growing tired of the traditional law firm website and blog content. Interactive content is more effective in helping differentiate a law firm from its competitors: 88% of people report interactive content is somewhat or very effective at differentiating. As a law firm marketer vying for attention and engagement of overwhelmed website searchers, you will want to consider developing new forms of interactive content. Interactive content offers an opportunity to differentiate your firm, engage potential clients, and secure a client meeting.
Implementing an interactive content initiative can be overwhelming. Schedule a 1 on 1 meeting with one of our content marketing consultants to discuss how we can assist you integrating interactive content into your content marketing strategy. Contact Sundown Legal Marketing at (800) 649-1764 or through our online contact form.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Rob Rosasco
Rob Rosasco is a Principal at Sundown Legal Marketing. He has worked with law firms for nearly 20 years, helping them find their voice and to better understand their firm culture. He works with the firm to create an effective, comprehensive online presence in order to generate more new clients, improve the quality of new clients and maximize their time, allowing them to focus on the practice of law.
Copyright Sundown Legal Marketing
Disclaimer: While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this publication, it is not intended to provide legal advice as individual situations will differ and should be discussed with an expert and/or lawyer.For specific technical or legal advice on the information provided and related topics, please contact the author.
