There are over 47,000 law firms currently serving the U.S. population. This statistic alone indicates the competitive nature of the legal industry.

People may always need legal assistance for all sorts of matters, both criminal and civil. But high demand does not always guarantee a consistent client base.

If you manage a law firm, it's important to market your services to prospective clients. What's more, it's vital to do so often.

Lawyers just launching their careers may be unsure about how to market themselves. In this post, we discuss how to market your law firm online.

Read on for insight!

1. Generate a Professional Website

Your website is the foundation of your online presence.

In this digital age, websites act like business cards. They can give your clients an immediate first impression, and you want that impression to be solid.

Make sure your law firm is represented by a professional, client-driven website. A professional website is seamless, easy to navigate, and authoritative. It should also be informative and free of spelling errors!

A client-driven website is designed with prospective clients in mind. It will be organized according to what clients will be looking for when they visit your law firm's site. It should also be user-friendly from a technical perspective.

If you have the resources, we recommend investing in professional web development and design services. This can guarantee an authentic, client-driven site that resonates with your firm's mission and focus.

2. Use Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a digital marketing method available to everyone. SEO takes advantage of search engine traffic.

Think about the typical Google search you perform. You likely enter a few words into Google and browse the first page of results, right?

Google organizes these results according to specific ranking factors. You can use SEO to rank highly for searches your ideal clients are likely to put into Google's search bar.

A simple SEO campaign involves doing some research for those popular keywords. Some example keywords include "wrongful death attorney," "how to file for bankruptcy," or "will-writing assistance."

We have some great tips for researching keywords here!

Once you've built a list of keywords that suit your industry, it's time to integrate them into your online content.

At Search Engine Guide, we know the SEO world inside and out. We've got plenty of tools to assist you in developing your own SEO campaigns.

Otherwise, we recommend dropping by Google's SEO Starter Guide for more information.

3. Implement Pay-Per-Click Advertising

Much like SEO, Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ads take advantage of search engine traffic.

PPC ads are paid content that surface in relevant search results. Marketers pay per click these ads earn from visitors.

If your marketing budget permits, consider investing in a PPC campaign. PPC ads can leverage existing SEO campaigns and catch prospective clients' eyes with intriguing wording.

Legal cases of any kind can be emotional. Law firms can cater to potential clients' emotions by generating simple ad content, and potentially drive traffic to their sites in the meantime.

Learn more about launching a Google AdWords campaign here.

You can also generate PPC ads on social media sites, like Facebook.

4. Maintain a Blog

Blogs are a powerful digital marketing channel.

For one thing, they give you a chance to educate your clients, which can also demonstrate your authority in the field.

Blogs can help clients learn more about legal issues and processes like wrongful death claims. They can act as key guides in a complex and often confusing industry.

They can also give you content for an SEO campaign. The more content you have for optimizing, the better.

Maintain a blog as a key part of your law firm marketing strategy. Make sure your blog posts are concise--no more than 1,000 words--and helpful. Write about the issues that your prospective clients are going to care about the most.

Having trouble coming up with topics? Visit online forums like Quora to see what types of legal issues people are talking about. Generate your blog post topics accordingly.

(Hint: you can also respond to Quora questions with links to relevant blog posts from your site!)

5. Use LinkedIn

As a lawyer, you already have a fairly large professional network. Use this network to establish an online presence if you haven't done so already.

LinkedIn offers all professionals an excellent means of doing exactly this. Make sure you (and all of your staff) have a profile on LinkedIn, listing full credentials.

Most importantly, use LinkedIn to build authority. Publish relevant articles and blog posts using its publishing platform. Share these articles across other social media channels to drum up interest and display your authority.

One of the best ways to reach clients is through education, after all.

What other social media platforms are appropriate for law firms? Don't forget about Facebook and Instagram. You can set up business profiles on either of these platforms and build effective campaigns accordingly.

6. Leverage Reviews

Your clients are going to want to know what other clients have to say about your firm's legal services.

Give them a chance to do so by providing client testimonials on your website (within privacy guidelines). You may also be able to set up reviews through platforms like Yelp or Google Reviews.

Reviews are powerful tools, especially when you can gather multiple positive ones. Even a few solid testimonials can influence a decision from a prospective client.

How to Market Your Law Firm

Wondering how to market your law firm effectively? Begin by building a professional, client-driven website. Optimize your online content for keywords your clients are likely to search for.

Consider PPC advertising to drive online visibility. Don't forget to start a blog on your website. Blogs give marketers more material for SEO purposes. Plus, they can show off your legal authority.

Lastly, leverage online reviews and use LinkedIn to widen your professional circles.

Search Engine Guide is your ultimate resource for digital marketing solutions. We have plenty of ideas when it comes to law firm marketing. Check out the rest of these here!