How many times have you heard us (or read on our blog) talk about the value of content? We’ve also explored the importance of community outreach and community awareness. What about combining these concepts? 

In previous articles, we uncovered the value of unique and original content in multiple formats. One of them is educational content. Articles, videos, or even podcasts can provide your prospective clients and/or your community with valuable insights that have roots in your experience as an attorney. Today, we’ll uncover the potential we’ve spotted here and give you actionable tips and ideas on how to start creating educational content that you can leverage to enhance your community awareness and give back to your local audiences.

  • How you can create educational content, and how to distribute it.
  1. Articles. That’s probably the first thing you think about when considering original, educational content. Unique articles can include bits and pieces of your personal experiences as an attorney handling specific cases. For example, instead of creating a general blog regarding an uninsured individuals’ involvement in car accidents, make it straightforward to your audiences. Provide your local community with highly relevant information about the regulations, steps, and procedures specific to your city or county. Enrich it with personal experiences about how you’ve handled a particular case, how you’ve helped your client, and what others can expect if they (or a relative) are involved in such an unpleasant situation. When it comes to promoting and distributing the article, you can use your website, share it on your social media, and use it as newsletter material.
  2. Q&As and FAQs. These are one of the most critical and potentially beneficial methods. You can use several tools, so let’s break it down. Firstly, you can gather the most common, recurring questions you’ve received as an attorney and create your personalized answers. A creative way to do this is through videos. You can split the questions by practice area, and, with the help of a colleague and your script, record your Q&As/FAQs in several different sessions. You can then promote your content through your social media, especially on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube and give them a further boost by creating ads. Additionally, you can use the power of social network platforms to create interactive sessions. On Instagram, for example, you can collect questions from your followers through stories and then reply to them through video-stories. That is giving back to the community. It can help raise brand awareness through outreach using non-traditional tools compliant with the current restrictions and social distancing. Finally, don’t forget to transcribe this content and use it for your website. Your community outreach activities can eventually help you with way more than you initially thought. One of them is your organic presence and, potentially, your SERP results.
  3. Podcasts. In most of our conversations with attorneys that happen to bring up podcasts, we notice an initial hesitation. It might indeed sound like a lot of work and something out of the strictly ordinary, but it’s not as difficult as it sounds. Podcasts allow you to discuss hot topics with other partners of your law firm, people you’ve collaborated with externally, or other individuals of interest for your prospective clients and community. By covering a list of educational topics and adding hints of your, your co-host’s, or your guest speaker’s personal experiences, you can add tremendous value to the listener. You can then add your podcast episodes on your website, list them on the most prominent apps (Apple Podcast, for example), and (again) transcribe them. Similar to what we mentioned above, they can provide you with an additional piece of original content.
  4. Ebook or physical book publication. Starting with the first step, you can gather all your experiences on a particular matter and create an ebook. For example, you can explain how you’ve helped injured workers in your state, including particular complications you overcame. You can then promote your ebook and distribute it to your existing and previous clients, your social media followers, and make it available to the general public through a PR release. It sure requires work and effort, but it can boost your personal branding while giving back to the community. If you’d decide to take it a step further and look into a physical publication, you have to be prepared for an extensive process, but it can do wonders for your reputation.
  • What can you expect as a return?

2020 has been a year that changed the world as we know it, and it affected law firms in ways that nobody could have predicted. Among the various aspects that the COVID-19 pandemic has left its mark on, it had a huge impact on community outreach. 2021, at least part of it, is expected to flow in a reality where social distancing and limited physical interactions are still in place. That means you have to find alternative ways to give back to your community. Outreach through digital media is the way to go and following our tips can maximize your chances of retaining the bonds you’ve created throughout the year with offline efforts. Developing and providing educational content with a personalized touch can work wonders for your law firm’s reputation. You can listen to your community,  offer solutions, discuss their concerns and needs (through live events or Q&As on social networks, for example), and ultimately stay top of mind if they need your services in the future.

What are our takeaways:

  • Community outreach has changed in 2020 as most in-person events and gatherings have been canceled or restricted.
  • Educational content is a great way to ensure that you keep in touch with your local audiences while giving back to the community.
  • Written content, videos, podcasts, and Ebooks can contribute to your community outreach strategy through educational content.
  • Don’t overlook the value of social platforms. Their usage is skyrocketing, and you can use their various tools to promote your content and stay relevant in these unprecedented times.