The rising popularity of mobile devices has significantly changed the way attorneys attract new clients.
Prospective clients are no longer waiting until they’re at home at their desktops to begin their searches for legal help. Whether they need assistance with a divorce, a DUI arrest, or an injury claim following a car crash, they want answers right away—and they have access to those answers through their smartphones and tablets. They also want a wide array of options for contacting a firm beyond just calling or visiting the office—another outcome of the “get it now” mentality that has resulted from the shift toward mobile devices.
As an attorney in today’s digital age, it’s important to be aware of the powerful impact mobile has on the lives of your prospective clients and your firm. Here are 7 mobile digital marketing facts every modern law firm should know:
Fact #1:
77% of U.S. adults own a smartphone, up from 35% in 2011. (Pew Research Center)
What It Means: More than three-quarters of your audience is on smartphones, so it’s fair to say a significant portion of your marketing budget should be focused on digital and mobile media. If the majority of your marketing dollars are going toward offline marketing, you may need to reevaluate your strategy.
Fact #2:
81% of smartphone users say they keep their phones near them “almost all the time during waking hours.” (Gallup)
What It Means: Consumers have come to heavily rely on their smartphones. When they have a question or need for services, it only takes a matter of seconds to find the answers with their smartphones constantly within arm’s reach.
Fact #3:
Smartphone usage doubled from 2013 to 2016, serving as the key driver in growth for all time spent on digital media. (comScore)
What It Means: Smartphone usage is growing rapidly—eclipsing the growth of desktop and tablet usage. Law firms that aren’t taking a mobile-approach to their marketing will quickly fall behind.
Fact #4:
Mobile now represents nearly 7 of every 10 minutes spent on digital media. (comScore)
What It Means: Consumers are spending the majority of their digital media time on mobile devices, so your firm needs a strong mobile presence if you want to get noticed.
Fact #5:
More than half (53%) of all mobile website visitors will leave a website if it doesn’t load within 3 seconds. (Google)
What It Means: How your website performs on mobile matters. If the site is too slow or provides a poor user experience on a mobile device, your visitors won’t hesitate to leave—and that equates to the loss of potential business for your firm.
Fact #6:
Google searches on mobile devices now outpace desktop searches. (Search Engine Land)
What It Means: You shouldn’t overlook your law firm’s visibility in mobile search results, as this is where a greater portion of your search audience will end up. Make sure your website and online ads are optimized for mobile devices so you can maximize your firm’s exposure and leave the best impression.
Fact #7:
66% of smartphone users turn to their phones to look up something they saw in a TV commercial. (Google)
What It Means: Even if a client first hears about your firm through a more traditional marketing channel such as a TV ad, he or she will likely still turn to the Internet at some point in their research journey. It’s crucial for your firm to build a solid presence both offline and online so you’re prepared to draw in new clients at all stages.
Making Your Firm Mobile-Ready
Now that you know how vital it is to reach mobile audiences, the next step is to refine your law firm marketing strategy to give you better exposure on mobile devices. Start with these 3 tips:
- Ensure your website uses responsive design (make it mobile-friendly). This means your website design automatically adjusts to fit the size of the screen of the device being used, whether that’s a desktop, tablet, or smartphone. Your site should be fast to load and easy to navigate across all devices to create the best user experience.
- Use mobile-optimized digital ads. There are pay-per-click (PPC) ad extensions that help you better cater your ads to mobile users. These include call extensions (allowing users to call your firm just by clicking the call button), click-to-text extensions (allowing them to message your firm directly from the ad), and location extensions (pulling up directions to your office on their phone).
- Use live chat on your website. When you have live chat enabled on your site, the online visitor sees a chat box appear where they can immediately connect with a representative of your firm–whether that’s someone in the office or a customer support agent who is handling inquiries after-hours. While live chat isn’t specific to mobile, it’s a great way to give users instant access to your firm, which aligns with the level of immediacy mobile users have come to expect.
Need help with your mobile marketing strategy? Scorpion can assist you. Our law firm marketing experts have helped thousands of firms improve their visibility and capture new business on the Internet. For more information, contact our team today!