There are many ways to get your law firm noticed by potential clients — from billboards to online ads to social media. But it stands true that video is one of the most engaging mediums for digital marketing, garnering views, clicks, and leads.
How do you get more visibility and legal clients with video? Learn the fundamentals of video marketing for attorneys, plus bonus tips to get as many views as possible!
Benefits of Video Marketing for Attorneys
Video marketing is more than just recording videos and posting them online. It’s really about creating content that appeals to the needs and interests of your audience, advertising the value and expertise of your business, and driving user action — resulting in calls, leads, etc.
In fact, there are many benefits to video marketing for legal professionals:
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO): SEO refers to the practice of optimizing your online content to drive more traffic from search engines (namely, Google). Video can help you rank higher in Google and other search engines, like YouTube, to grow your audience and generate leads.
- Authority Building: Video allows you to humanize your brand and build a connection with your audience (i.e. potential clients). This builds trust, increasing the chances of a viewer reaching out to you for legal services.
- Ad Content: Video content can be the basis of your online ad campaigns. You can run video ads on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and similar channels, driving more traffic to your website and drumming up more leads.
- Bolster Your Blog: Increase engagement on your website and blog with video content. Adding media to your content helps you stand out and keeps people on your site for longer.
- Highlight Your Team: Video can be a great way to introduce your team and share company updates. You can share attorney accolades and even highlight recent wins accomplished for your clients.
- Grow on YouTube: YouTube is its own search engine and a great platform for generating traffic and engagement. With video, you can grow your channel, increase client inquiries, and even grow your email list by promoting your subscription form or newsletter.
Types of Video Marketing Examples & Channels
Video marketing isn’t limited to YouTube (though that is certainly the largest video channel). There are many types of video content and channels by which you can promote them. Here are a few examples:
- YouTube videos: These are your typical YouTube videos, posted directly on your channel. These are pre-recorded, uploaded, and then you can add a title, description, and thumbnail image.
- YouTube Shorts: These are short (up to 3 minutes long) videos posted to the YouTube home screen. They are more prone to going “viral” and can be accelerated with hashtags.
- YouTube Ads: These are pre-recorded videos where you set certain targeting parameters and ad budget to increase the visibility of your ad/video.
- YouTube Live: YouTube’s live streaming option allows you to log into your channel and share with your audience in real-time.
- Instagram videos: Instagram is a social media channel known for visual, creative content. You can pre-record and upload videos directly to your profile.
- Instagram Stories: Instagram also allows you to upload short videos to “Stories,” essentially a highlight reel on your profile.
- Instagram Reels: Reels are either pre-recorded or recorded directly within the Instagram app. You can add text overlay, images, music, and more.
- Facebook videos: Facebook allows you to share pre-recorded videos as Posts. You can share your own videos (uploaded from a file), a video link from your YouTube channel, or the link to someone else’s video.
- Facebook Live: This is Facebook’s live video option, allowing you to log in and talk to your audience in real time. People typically use this for Q&As or announcements.
- LinkedIn videos: Similar to Facebook, LinkedIn lets you upload video files, share video links, or share videos from other users.
- LinkedIn Live: Eligible LinkedIn users can stream videos live, providing business updates, interviews, tutorials, and more.
- TikTok videos: A popular video app for younger users, TikTok allows you to upload pre-recorded videos or record videos in the app. You can also add text, voiceovers, and music.
- TikTok Live: You can livestream on TikTok to share business updates, tips, testimonials, interviews, and more.
- Embed videos: “Embed” content on your website or blog by pre-recording a video, creating a live link, and then adding it to the page code. This will display as a clickable video on your website.
Get Started with Video Marketing
Video marketing can seem intimidating if it’s your first time creating and publishing videos, but it’s easier than you might think! We aim to make this process simple, providing you with the essential steps to planning, filming, editing, publishing, and sharing your video content.
Brainstorm Engaging Video Topics
The first step to a successful video marketing strategy is to plan your videos according to the interests of your target audience and the goals for your business. You don’t want to just “wing it” — that’s a good way to waste a lot of time creating videos that won’t drive any results…
Instead, consider the subjects and questions your prospective clients would be interested in.
For example, if you represent a Criminal Defense law firm, some related video topics could be:
- “What to Do if You’re Arrested (Tips from an Attorney)”
- “Can You (Legally) Refuse a Police Search?”
- “What are Miranda Rights – and What Do They Mean?”
- “5 Things to Consider When Choosing a Criminal Defense Lawyer”
- “What Happens at a Criminal Defense ‘Arraignment’?”
- “Do’s and Don’ts When Interacting with Police”
- “Can a Criminal Record Be Expunged?”
- “What to Expect During Your Criminal Trial”
Have fun with it! Brainstorm potential topics, ask your team for ideas, and search the internet for related topics or videos. You don’t have to turn ALL of these topics into videos, but this activity will get the creative juices flowing!
Create a Script (optional)
If you’re confident enough to jump into recording without a script, you can skip this step. But if you need a little more direction, writing a script in advance can be incredibly helpful.
For longer videos, consider writing a “hook” to grab viewers’ attention at the start of the video. Add an introduction, outline the main points you want to hit, add in examples or case studies (if applicable), include a call-to-action (CTA) like “Visit our website for more information”, and end it with a summarizing conclusion.
For shorter videos, like YouTube Shorts or Instagram Reels, consider how short your video needs to be, outline your main talking points, and practice your script a few times to ensure the final recording will be under the time limit.
Set Up Your Recording “Studio”
You don’t need any fancy equipment to get started with video marketing. If you have a smartphone or tablet with a camera, a digital camera, or even a computer camera, you’re able to capture video. Of course, the quality of your videos may be improved if you opt for a more high-end camera or choose to hire a videographer.
If you’re taking the DIY route, here are a few tips for setting up your camera and recording your first video:
- Stabilize Your Camera: Use a tripod or rest your camera on a stable surface to avoid shaky footage.
- Find Good Lighting: Natural light is ideal, so try recording near a window or outside if possible. Avoid harsh shadows by positioning the light source in front of you rather than behind you.
- Choose a Quiet Space: Record in a quiet area to avoid background noise. If you’re indoors, turn off fans, air conditioning, or anything that might hum in the background.
- Frame Yourself Properly: Position the camera so your face is centered, with your eyes about one-third from the top of the frame, and make sure your shoulders are visible.
- Test Your Audio: You can use your camera or phone’s built-in audio recording or purchase a simple clip-on or phone microphone for clearer audio. Test your audio before you start recording your take.
- Practice Speaking Naturally: Look directly at the camera (not at the screen) to connect with viewers. Practice your script a few times to sound more conversational, rather than read word-for-word from a script.
- Record Multiple Takes: It may take a few attempts to get your video clips just right (and they probably won’t be perfect). It can be helpful to record in several, shorter takes rather than one continuous take. You can edit them together later.
Edit Your Video
There are many free video editing tools, like iMovie, anyone can use to edit videos, add text, trim clips, adjust audio, and more. There is a bit of a learning curve, but it’s pretty user-friendly even for beginners!
There are a few steps to consider when editing a video:
- Import the Footage: Open your chosen video editing tool and import your video files. Drag the clips you want to use into the editing “timeline” at the bottom.
- Trim and Arrange Clips: Use the trim tool to cut out unnecessary parts. Arrange your clips in the desired order by dragging them within the timeline.
- Add Transitions: For smoother scene changes, add transitions between clips. Select the style you want (like Fade In, Bounce, etc.) and drag it between clips in the timeline.
- Adjust Audio Levels: Select each clip and adjust the audio levels to ensure consistent volume throughout. You can also mute background noise and add music by dragging an audio file into the timeline. There are many websites that offer royalty free background music available for download.
- Add Text and Titles: Add titles, captions, or credits to your video. This helps emphasize your points and makes your video more “digestible” for viewers.
- Apply Filters and Effects: iMovie offers basic filters and video effects. You can add these by selecting a clip, clicking the “Filters” button, and choosing an effect to enhance your video’s look.
- Export Your Video: Once satisfied, export your video and save it to your device (smartphone, tablet, or computer). Later, you can upload the video to your desired platform, like YouTube or Instagram.
Upload and Add the Final Details
Upload your video to the platform you wish to publish to, whether that’s YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, or the like. Each platform will have its own process for uploading your video, adding the final details, and publishing.
Below are a few elements to consider when adding the final details to your video on the respective platforms.
YouTube
Make sure to add a clear, engaging title to your video. If you are publishing on YouTube for SEO purposes, add keywords for better searchability.
Write a description that summarizes the video and includes relevant keywords and links. Then, add “tags” that relate to your content to improve discoverability.
Create or choose a visually appealing thumbnail (i.e. the cover image for your video). This can significantly increase clicks.
Before you publish, set your video as Public instead of Private or Unlisted, as this will ensure that your video is viewable by other users.
Write a concise and engaging caption that relates to the content of your video. You don’t need to provide a summary exactly, but may want to emphasize additional points, include a CTA, or tell a story. Add relevant hashtags for discoverability.
For a Reel, be sure to add a cover image that’s visually appealing. This will be what users see on your profile before they click on the video.
Decide if you’re posting to your feed, Reels, or Stories, as each has a different format and audience reach.
Add a catchy description that explains the video’s content, emphasizes additional points, and includes relevant links (like to your website or blog). Add a call-to-action (e.g., “Learn More,” “Shop Now”) if it fits your goals.
If you are posting the video as an ad, use Facebook’s targeting options to reach specific demographics.
Similar to Facebook, you’ll want to add a professional, engaging description to your LinkedIn video. Use a few targeted hashtags to reach a broader audience. Use tags to mention any collaborators, companies, or people involved to increase engagement.
TikTok
On TikTok, keep your caption short and engaging (TikTok has a character limit). Use emojis if relevant to your audience. Next, add trending and relevant hashtags to help your video reach a wider audience.
Add a trending or appropriate sound, as TikTok prioritizes videos with popular audio. Select a frame for the cover and add text if needed to attract viewers in your profile grid.
Publish and Promote!
Once your video is edited, optimized, and published, it’s time to promote it! You may naturally get some organic visibility, but you’ll see better results if you take it a step further and promote your video to other channels.
There are a few different ways to promote your video for additional reach and leads.
Share your video across all your social media channels, like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and even Pinterest. Update your caption and hashtags for each platform for the best results.
If you have a blog, embed the video within a relevant post to provide additional content for readers. This can also help improve your blog’s SEO and encourage longer on-page time.
Add the video in your next email newsletter to engage your subscribers and drive more traffic. Add a short description and a clear CTA (like “Check out this video” or “Learn more about our firm…”).
Consider running paid ads on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or LinkedIn to get more views and clicks on your videos. Many platforms allow you to target by demographics, location, and user interests. This is recommended only if you have the budget to spend and have strategically planned your videos to drive leads.
Publish and Promote!
Once your video is edited, optimized, and published, it’s time to promote it! You may naturally get some organic visibility, but you’ll see better results if you take it a step further and promote your video to other channels.
There are a few different ways to promote your video for additional reach and leads.
Share your video across all your social media channels, like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and even Pinterest. Update your caption and hashtags for each platform for the best results.
If you have a blog, embed the video within a relevant post to provide additional content for readers. This can also help improve your blog’s SEO and encourage longer on-page time.
Add the video in your next email newsletter to engage your subscribers and drive more traffic. Add a short description and a clear CTA (like “Check out this video” or “Learn more about our firm…”).
Consider running paid ads on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or LinkedIn to get more views and clicks on your videos. Many platforms allow you to target by demographics, location, and user interests. This is recommended only if you have the budget to spend and have strategically planned your videos to drive leads.
What About Live Videos?
Above, we talked mostly about pre-recorded videos for YouTube and social media, but the process for sharing live videos is a little different.
The main live video platforms are Facebook Live, YouTube Live, LinkedIn Live, Instagram Live, and TikTok Live. Each has its own slightly different process for logging in and starting a live video.
That said, here are a few best practices for live video:
- Plan and outline your key points first to help you stay on track while you’re streaming
- Promote your live session in advance to build anticipation and increase viewership
- Make sure you have a stable internet connection to avoid interruptions
- Test your audio, video, and lighting before going live (this is where most hiccups occur!)
- Engage with viewers by responding to comments and questions in real-time
- Use a clear CTA at the end to guide viewers on what to do next after the broadcast
- Keep it authentic and conversational to connect with your audience on a personal level
Best Video Marketing Tools for Law Firms
Video marketing for attorneys is made easier when you have the right tools in your arsenal! Video marketing tools can save you time when it comes to planning, editing, and promoting your videos. Here are a few of our favorites:
TubeBuddy is a browser extension that helps optimize your videos for YouTube. It offers keyword research, tag suggestions, and even advanced testing for thumbnails. This helps your videos rank higher in search results and reach a wider audience.
Camtasia is a simple video editing tool perfect for creating polished videos. With screen recording, drag-and-drop editing, and pre-built template features, Camtasia helps attorneys create professional-quality videos in minutes.
Hootsuite is a social media management tool that’s great for scheduling posts and promoting your videos across multiple platforms. With scheduled and automated sharing, plus analytics tools, you can reach your audience at optimal times and track your video’s performance on various channels.
At Hennessey Digital, we specialize in helping attorneys drive better results from their marketing. With SEO, social media marketing, video marketing, and more, we offer a range of digital marketing services to elevate your business.
We can help you plan, execute, and optimize your video content for more views, clicks, and leads. Want more traffic? Contact us today to learn more about our law firm digital marketing services.
