I’ve run into quite a few lawyers recently asking for advice about getting an online video produced and up on their site. They want to know the benefits of video and what they can expect with the investment. I want to share what, in my humble opinion, you can expect an online video will do for your website.
What Online Video Can Do:
1. Increase Conversion: A professionally produced video may help with conversion on your site. If the video is informative, well-done, and includes calls to action, it has the potential to help the traffic coming to your site convert into a lead for the firm. This is not a guarantee and does require testing to prove out the value.
2. Add Professionalism To Your Site: Let’s face it, a well-done video will make your site appear that much more professional. People coming to your site understand that you’ve made an investment and that you care about how you present and market your firm.
Some Things To Keep In Mind
There are some companies that push web video very hard with their website packages. The profit margins for these companies can be very good with video and sales guys receive better commissions on selling larger packages to you. Just be aware of this so that you are purchasing web video for the right reasons, not because it is being sold as the holy grail to getting new clients online. Videos can help generate some more leads from your traffic, but most likely will not bring a huge influx of new clients in the door on it’s own. Often web video appeals to our egos, it’s exciting to see ourselves in a little movie on the web. But we need to be aware of exactly what all those extra thousands of dollars are doing for us. As I always say, what is your return on the investment?
The truth is that while web video can be a nice addition to your website, there are other important things that should be a priority first. You need to make sure that you are properly allocating money and resources towards getting your site found, producing new content, etc. so that people can actually watch your video. An awesome video on a site no one goes to doesn’t do you much good. I think of it like buying a new car and spending a ton of extra money on fancy rims with no consideration, or money left over, to put gas in the tank.
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Free Guide: How To Get Your Law Firm Videos Found In YouTubeWant to learn how to get your law firm videos in front of more potential clients? Download AttorneySync’s Free Guide On Getting Your Law Firm Videos Found On YouTube. |
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Hi Jeff,
You are correct that if your website cannot be found, creating video may not be right for that lawyer.
However, assuming the lawyer has a website that is being search-optimized or a blog that is also being search optimized, I can tell you from personal experience that video clearly works in many ways.
Video is the best way to market your legal message, short of a potential client sitting in your office next to you. Video is the best way to get an online viewer to see you; hear you and trust you with your message.
The real truth is that most attorneys use video to try and sell themselves online. This is a huge mistake. Why? Because nobody cares about you online, and nobody wants to listen to a sales pitch. Instead, they want information. Most lawyers don’t offer information that their viewers want.
That happens to be why I created a company to help other lawyers, like myself, get onto video. The Lawyers’ Video Studio is the ideal place to learn how to create compelling video that your ideal client wants to watch.
For lawyers who are looking for a simple turn-key system where everything is done for you, you must know the key questions to ask the video production company in order to know whether you’re getting the best bang for your buck. You can find tons of information and blog posts on my blog that answers these questions and more. http://lawyersvideostudio.com
Gerry
Gerry-
Great points. I know you do terrific work and your videos are some of the better ones I’ve seen out there. Unfortunately, I think the expectations of lawyers who do not have all their “ducks in a row” are not reasonable when it comes to what online video will achieve.
Online video viewers is one of the fastest growing audiences–Neilsen reported at the end of ‘09 that year-over-year, unique viewers, total streams, streams per viewer and time per viewer were up, led by a 26 percent growth in total streams. That said, your video producer needs to understand how to deliver your story to your target audience in a way that is compelling in an online viewing environment. A quality, well-planned piece can put a human face on the topic of justice–at the heart of every good law practice. Bad video can actually degrade your brand. Tread cautiously but enthusiastically!
Amy,
You also raise a good point; that your video producer needs to know how to pull out your story. Most video production companies can create good quality video. However, I know of no other video production company, except my own, where there is a veteran medical malpractice & personal injury trial lawyer as your video producer.
This is an important distinction for any lawyer to realize. You need to ask any video producer if they know who your ideal client is. If they do, then they’ll have a much easier time helping you create your video content that viewers will want to watch.
As an experienced attorney, I know what a potential client wants to know and learn in an attorney video, and I will tell you that it doesn’t involve the attorney talking about himself.
Gerry