Expert commentary in digital PR for law firms involves obtaining insights and opinions from industry experts to add credibility and depth to a firm's content or public relations efforts. This commentary can be in the form of quotes, interviews, contributions to articles, blog posts, or press releases. By incorporating expert opinions, digital PR initiatives can enhance their authority, provide valuable information to their audience, and build relationships with influential figures in their respective fields. This can ultimately boost the brand's reputation and visibility.
Memorable and quotable lines of dialogue or assertions of knowledge have a good chance of sticking in a person’s mind, especially if they provide some clarity on complex laws or a murky situation. And the more space you take up in someone's mind, the better, as they’ll naturally form associations between their own lived experience and your firm as having the expert knowledge and confidence that can solve their problems.
Familiarity and friendship can indeed be built before the client even reaches out. If you have a reputation for friendly and approachable text full of expertise, then you can start to represent a wider presence alongside the topics you specialise in— you will stand as a source of confidence, comfort, and stability. Not only will this bring clients to you, but it may inspire people to have more patience and trust with their lawyers and solicitors as they undertake casework with you.
What are the benefits of expert commentary for law firms?
Credibility
By featuring insights from legal experts, law firms can establish credibility and authority in their field, which can enhance their reputation and trustworthiness. They can become the trusted source for commentary on future news stories and may even be where people go to learn and educate themselves. It will be a natural transition for a client to look up the problem they are facing and ask for help from the firm that can most effectively explain it to them. It allows your firm to introduce itself with a knowledge-leading approach from the start.
Thought leadership
Providing expert commentary allows law firms to showcase their knowledge and thought leadership in specific legal areas, positioning them as go-to sources for industry insights. Not to mention that good, quotable material stands a chance at being redistributed with credit to your firm. This will build a reputation for your excellence and bring you to mind when people encounter a problem that a law firm might fix.
Media coverage
Media outlets also often seek expert opinions for their articles and reports. By offering expert commentary, law firms can increase their chances of being featured in relevant publications, gaining exposure and potential clients. This will also establish recognisable figures within your firm, much like the specialists who head departments, who can stand for a core value in your community much as they do in your firm.
You also stand to be featured in publications that could provide you with backlinks or you could refer back to your website directly with a link from their own page. This gives you a massive boost and increases your chance of being found through a whole new arena, without potential clients feeling like they’re being advertised too.
A lot of people agree that direct advertisement is off-putting. Having media coverage however is a much more seamless and natural way of getting your firm out there.
SEO and visibility
Including expert commentary in digital content can improve search engine optimisation (SEO) and increase the firm's visibility online, attracting potential clients seeking legal expertise. Visibility also improves your client-company relationships, sometimes without even having to immediately involve a potential case. Instead, you and your brand leave an impression in the mind of the potential consumer, one that will make them think of you when they next encounter a problem.
Client education
Expert commentary can help educate clients and the public on complex legal matters, demonstrating the firm's commitment to transparency and client empowerment.
Find out more about four types of Digital PR in this blog post.
Furthermore, when a client isn’t sure how to categorise or name the issue they face, they’ll often look up key terms online to find out about their circumstance. With a digital PR strategy that focuses on education and the distribution of knowledge, they may come across your pages and begin to associate you with outreach, help, and support. For a vulnerable client, this is an invaluable bond to form, and at the core of every digital PR for solicitors strategy is the drive to connect to clients.