Sep 29, 20213 min read

How Social Proof Works In Law Firm Marketing

Updated: Sep 27, 2022

3 Reasons Why Law Firms Need Social Proof As Part of Their Digital Marketing Strategy

Although online transactions have been used for years now, there's still a little bit of hesitation when people encounter paid products and services online. It's a recurring joke to talk about "expectation vs. reality" when talking about online services.

After all, when you buy from sites like eBay and Amazon, you're not there to hold the product and inspect it. In our case, browsing a law firm's website doesn't feel the same as walking into someone's physical law firm office. That said, you would need to reassure prospective clients that your firm is, in fact, legitimate and trustworthy.

The concept of social proof asserts that people make decisions depending on what other people do. For example, before people make purchases, they first look for reviews and customer photos. Likewise, before people decide on hiring lawyers based on their website and content, they need to be affirmed that they're making the right decision. So they look up law firm reviews.

Remember: Of course, social proof is just one of the many things affecting your Lawyer SEO. The point is, you need to build trust and credibility. People are less willing to hire you if your website is buggy, poorly designed, or suspicious.

Here's a list of how social proof addresses multiple digital marketing hurdles and how you can use that to help your Lawyer SEO:

1. Relieving Uncertainty

Legal fees cost a lot of money. Unfortunately, in many cases, people with legal troubles are also under a lot of financial and emotional stress, so most of them aren't too willing to freely give their money away.

Most people would try to overcome this uncertainty by looking for proof that their purchase is worth it. For example, before people make big purchases on electronics, they'll try to look for reviews and find photos sent by other customers. Similarly, when people are looking to hire a law firm to handle their case, they will look at lawyers' bios, achievements, photos of the law firm's office, past history with the state bar, and so on.

Remember: In today's online environment, most people won't hire you after seeing your homepage. Instead, they'll likely look for your social media, read Google reviews, and ask their friends about your firm.

2. Finding Similar Experiences

When people are looking for solutions to their problems, they'll want to find someone who's had the same concerns. Not only because they'll be able to relate, but it will give them a glimpse of the experience they will be having in the future.

For example, when you're looking for a brand new TV, you'll want to ask friends and family who have owned it before. You want to know their opinion and experience and make your decisions based on those testimonies.

Similarly, when you're looking to file employment claims in your state, you'll want to know how employment law clients faired with a law firm. You'll want to see how the case is typically handled, how it fits in with your preferred communication style, and how it might turn out for you in comparison to these similar concerns.

3. Making Decisions Based On The Numbers

Reviews, ratings, and past achievements provide quantifiable numbers for people to work with. Instead of just watching positive or negative testimonials, people are able to see numbers and compare those numbers with each other.

Think of it this way: when you're on Amazon, you'll look at the number of stars a product has. So if it hits below 3, you know to stay away from it. You might also want to compare the number of reviews and purchases each product has, denoting popularity amongst purchasers. You also want to look at product specs, like you would with smartphones and other devices, compare different products and make decisions based on that.

When you apply those examples to law firms, the numbers are still valid. When clients want to hire a law firm, they'll first find your Google Reviews and look at your ratings. Then, if you have any quantifiable achievements, like awards, recognitions, and past case settlements, people can use that data to compare with other firms or reviews.

Remember: People want something tangible. This is the struggle with digital marketing since people are a little hesitant when they aren't in an actual law firm office or speaking personally with you or your staff.