Bankruptcy Lawyer Marketing

Are leads few and far between? Do search engines never seem to list your law firm in their results? The internet is a busy place, so how do you break through the noise?

Targeted bankruptcy lawyer marketing could be the missing piece of your firm’s success.

At GAVL, our in-house marketing team knows what it takes to build a strong brand for bankruptcy firms. Our single focus on crafting digital marketing strategies within the legal industry has allowed us to hone our craft. We know there is no room for error in your digital marketing strategy because when clients can’t find your website—you lose.

Prioritizing Digital Marketing for Bankruptcy Lawyers

You already know that your bankruptcy services are among the best in your area. You’ve dedicated your legal and professional career to helping people experiencing acute financial distress. So where are your new clients?

If your firm is not prioritizing digital, online, or internet marketing, you’re losing out to the firms that are taking this seriously. In an online world, none of us have the luxury of being disconnected.

What Does Digital Marketing Encompass?

Digital marketing encompasses a wide range of tools and strategies intended to connect with prospective clients in an online setting. A strong digital or online marketing plan may include just some of the following:

• Optimizing on-page content
• Improving written and technical SEO
• Conducting topical keyword research
• Designing intuitive and easy-to-use websites
• Writing blog posts
• Creating a strong social media presence
• Securing backlinks to strengthen site authority
• Running email and newsletter campaigns
• Monitoring the impact of marketing efforts
• Making changes and adjusting approaches based on data

Performing the above tasks takes time, specialty knowledge, and dedication to the craft of online marketing. This is why many law firms choose to hire an outside group to spearhead and manage their marketing efforts.

Search Engine Optimization for Bankruptcy Law Firms

Search engine optimization is the practice of structuring a website’s content so that it ranks higher on Google’s search engine results page (SERP), leading to higher traffic and more potential clients.

But what’s that got to do with how you practice law? If you want that practice to involve gaining new paying clients, SEO is much more relevant than you think.

How To Build Content Around the Right Keywords and Phrases

It doesn’t matter if you have high search engine rankings for terms that no one is looking for. But how do you know which keywords and phrases to target and which to avoid?

An effective marketing strategy requires thorough, in-depth research into which keywords you should be targeting. The keywords you’ll be targeting on your bankruptcy practice area pages will be different than those you target anywhere else on your website.

Remember, these keywords are only worthwhile when people are actually searching for them. At GAVL, we utilize a variety of tools and resources when conducting keyword research to determine keyword volume, phrase matches, competition level, and ranking difficulty.

E-E-A-T To Improve SEO for Bankruptcy Lawyers

Google aims to reward relevant, helpful content by ranking it high on its SERP. Part of what determines whether Google views a specific piece of content as helpful and relevant is its E-E-A-T score. Before you publish any piece of content on your website, ask yourself, “Does it showcase E-E-A-T?”:

• E – Experience
• E – Expertise
• A – Authoritativeness
• T – Trustworthiness

If a piece of content doesn’t embody the principles of E-E-A-T, it shouldn’t be on your website.

SEO Versus Social Media Campaigns: What Will Work Better for Your Bankruptcy Law Firm?

One in three people begins the process of finding a lawyer through a Google search.

According to Google, nearly 40% of young people use social media for searching.

So which direction should you focus your marketing efforts? Is it better to improve your website’s SEO or to build a strong social media presence?

If there’s one thing we’ve learned during our years of crafting law firm marketing strategies, it’s that a strong plan should never rest solely on one thing or another. To successfully thrive in a busy, online world, you have to structure multiple marketing channels that build on one another, boosting your voice and brand recognition.

A strategic marketing plan will never require you to sacrifice SEO for a social media presence or vice versa.

Local SEO for Bankruptcy Attorneys

Local SEO is strongly influenced by the searcher’s location relevant to the location of your office. So why bother with worrying about something that is so heavily influenced by distance? Part of it comes back to E-A-T-T. Google wants to see that you are an experienced and authoritative presence within your local community. There are many strategies that a bankruptcy attorney can employ to boost their rankings within local search results.

If you’d like to…

Appear in Google’s Local Map Pack

When an individual conducts a local search, a list of businesses and a map with their respective locations will appear at the top of the page below sponsored ads. This is known as a “map pack” or “local pack.”

You can only show up in this portion of local search results if you have a verified Google Business Profile (formerly known as a Google My Business) account. Considering that approximately one out of every three mobile searches is related to the searcher’s location (and it’s not all about the best local pizza place), you’re missing clients if you’re not showing up in the map pack.

Bankruptcy clients are often dealing with some of the most intense financial distress of their lives, and they want to work with someone local who is well-known and respected within their local community. If you’re not showing up in the map pack, you’ll never be a law firm that generates consistent, quality leads.

Why Is It All About Google?

As of Jan. 2023, Google held approximately 93% of the worldwide search volume. Bing searches accounted for just over 3% of online queries, with DuckDuckGo making up just 0.58% of searches.

If you’re designing and building your SEO campaigns around Bing’s algorithm, you’re only going to be targeting 3% of your potential pool of future clients. Even if you have a different personal preference for search engines, the reality is that most of your target audience is on Google—and it’s your job to meet them there.

Get More Leads With a Professionally Designed Website

Your potential clients aren’t still using GeoCities or AltaVista, so your website shouldn’t look like it was designed in the late 1990s or early 2000s. A poorly-designed, out-of-date, or hard-to-navigate website is a sign that your legal practice is out of touch with modern life and modern problems.

A poorly designed website signals to visitors that they can’t rely on you. Even if your on-page SEO helps you rank higher on the SERP, the look and feel of your landing page can dissuade qualified leads from taking the final step of filling out your online form or calling your office.

A clean, professional website helps you put your best foot forward to potential bankruptcy clients. Every aspect of your design should encourage them to stay, read content, watch videos, and ultimately interact with your contact form. Check out some of our favorite designs to get a good idea of what we create for attorneys just like you.

What Is “Above the Fold” Content and Why Is It Important?

“Above the fold” is a term that originated in the newspaper industry, referring to headlines, stories, and pictures that appeared at the top of the page. This content didn’t require the reader to physically unfold the newspaper to access it and was, therefore, above the fold.

In the online world, the term “above the fold” has been redefined to refer to the content that appears at the top of the website. This is what users will see and interact with without ever having to scroll.

Above-the-fold content on landing pages should clearly tell visitors about what they should expect to interact with on that page. If a bankruptcy lawyer’s website doesn’t have anything above the fold that would indicate they handle bankruptcy cases, most potential clients won’t scroll to see if there’s anything worth checking out.

On-Page SEO Optimization

On-page SEO optimization should be an ongoing effort on attorney websites. That’s because Google’s search engine algorithm is constantly changing, moving the goal post farther and farther with every update.

While most lawyers typically adopt a “set it and forget it” mindset with on-page content, we know that you want more for your law firm website—and so do we.

Law firm marketing is not passive.

GAVL is unique in its approach to on-page optimization for bankruptcy attorney marketing. Our marketing team has an active hand in every page we design, constantly monitoring it for search engine rankings, traffic, click-through rates, and more. Our marketing strategy is an active one, as we constantly revamp content to exclude negative keywords and highlight our clients’ expertise and authority.

Showcasing Your Value Proposition To Drive Conversions

Bankruptcy clients consistently look for honest, compassionate, and experienced law firms that have the experience and drive to successfully handle their cases—and they shouldn’t have to scroll around to find out if that’s you.

Strong law firm website design showcases a firm’s value proposition front and center. A value proposition is the promise or guarantee that you stand by. It’s the easy-to-understand reason why you (and not your competitors) are the right choice for those experiencing financial distress.

You don’t necessarily have to put it above the fold, but whether laid out in text, video, or picture format, your website should highlight your value proposition, not hide it.

Who Are Your Clients, and What Do They Need?

Who are your clients? Are they looking for debt management strategies, or are they interested in legal assistance for filing for bankruptcy?

If you don’t know who your clients are, what they’re looking for, and why, then your law firm marketing strategy is sorely lacking. Even if you show up in their search results, one look at your website will tell them all they need to know—these lawyers don’t know what I need and can’t help.

It is essential to conduct market research into the path that clients take to bankruptcy law firms. As part of your own marketing plan, you should keep close tabs on what searches are bringing clients to your page. Which searches yield the greatest number of interactions with your contact form? Take a look at social media and see which posts are generating the greatest traffic.

Don’t craft a marketing plan and expect your potential clients to somehow find their way to you. Instead, be prepared to meet them where they are.

Create a Great User Experience and Watch Leads Grow

There are six components that influence whether a website’s user experience (UX) will be great or not:

• Usefulness
• Usability
• Desirability
• Accessibility
• Credibility
• Findability

These factors will all come together to determine whether users find any value in their experience on your bankruptcy website.

To improve your UX, you can:

Improve Page Loading Speed

The average mobile user will only wait around 3 seconds for a webpage to load. Considering that the typical load time for a webpage while on a 4G connection is 14 seconds, and 3G webpage load times are closer to 19 seconds, there’s a good chance page speed could be to blame if your bounce rate is especially high for mobile visitors.

Improving page load speed (especially on mobile sites) will decrease bounce rate and increase dwell time. Google determined that when a mobile webpage loads in five seconds, it’s associated with 70% longer sessions.

Whether on desktop or mobile, a fast-loading page isn’t optional—it’s a requirement. As bankruptcy attorneys, you have to put yourself in the shoes of someone who believes it is time to file bankruptcy. They are probably feeling scared and worried, uncertain of what the future will hold for their financial stability. Even if your law firm website shows up high on search engine results pages, someone who is looking for bankruptcy topics and help will be unlikely to wait more than a few seconds for a site to load.

There are changes you can make to your existing website to improve load speed, reduce bounce rate, and improve interaction with your online form:

• Use U.S.-based servers
• Eliminate or reduce the size of flash files where possible
• Reduce the number of files needed to load a webpage
• Clean up dense code
• Ensure the content management system (CMS) is up-to-date

A strong attorney website should be optimized for both desktop and mobile use. Even tweaking just a few components can drastically improve load time on your bankruptcy website landing page, improving the user experience for both new and existing clients.

Break up Big Pieces of Text

No one wants to read a wall of text. As the internet becomes a busier place, demanding more and more attention from users, attention spans are growing shorter and shorter. Don’t bank on users reading through every word on a page.

Internet users interact most positively when text is broken up into smaller chunks that are easier to skim and digest.

Take a look at the landing pages on your current website. If you notice any big walls of text, you can easily break it down into something much more manageable by:

• Using H2s and H3s to compartmentalize topics
• Adding images throughout the text
• Creating helpful infographics
• Using bullet points and numbered lists
• Eliminating long paragraphs
• Using hyperlink differentiation

The Components of High-Converting Practice Area Pages

A high-converting practice area page will:

• Have an accurate and strong title tag
• Use images and videos wisely
• Be written for humans, not an algorithm
• Have a professional and trustworthy design
• Load quickly
• Be easy to navigate
• Function as expected
• Contain an easy-to-use contact form

These elements yield high conversion rates by improving user experience and improving your E-E-A-T rating with Google.

Video Production Marketing for Bankruptcy Attorneys

Google rewards content that is informative, valuable, and credible. The search engine also rewards content that is easy to understand and readily accessible to a wide range of individuals. For this reason, bankruptcy attorneys who use videos on their law firm websites are more likely to have their content seen as valuable, therefore ranking higher.

High-quality video production is non-negotiable. No one wants to watch a video that looks like it was shot on an iPhone 4.

At GAVL, our in-house video production team helps tell a meaningful, cinematic story about your bankruptcy firm. We capture client testimonials on film and give you an opportunity to share the story of your law firm directly with prospective clients.

In ways that other strategies simply can’t match, professional videos give you an opportunity to speak directly to your audience. With video, the return on investment (ROI) for your marketing dollars is unmatched.

4 More Marketing Ideas To Increase Your Number of Client Leads

Marketing for bankruptcy attorneys requires a multi-faceted approach that incorporates more than the latest in SEO best practices, a professional website, and a great user experience.

If you are ready to increase brand awareness for your law firm and position yourself as reliable and a trustworthy expert in your local community, there are a number of other strategies you can employ.

Building Backlinks

A backlink is an incoming hyperlink directing traffic from another website back to yours. Link building should be a focal point of every digital marketing strategy.

So what do backlinks do? They can:

• Improve your trustworthiness and authority (crucial components of E-E-A-T)
• Increase traffic to your website
• Boost your rankings

In Google’s eyes, backlinks are one of the most important signals for how to rank content. A link from a credible website is like a seal of approval for your page and content. It’s like telling Google, “This is a good website, and I recommend it.”

Strategies for link building include:

• Conducting link gap analysis
• Using the Skyscraper Technique
• Guest blogging
• Submitting your website to directories

Email and Newsletter Marketing

You have a lot to share—so why aren’t you? Not every person struggling with debt starts their journey by speaking with a bankruptcy lawyer about whether they should file for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13.

Even in a world dominated by social media, targeted email and newsletter marketing is still a strong contender that should not be overlooked or discounted. As a bankruptcy attorney, you have a unique opportunity to increase brand awareness and increase website traffic by sharing helpful, topical content via email or newsletter.

Client Testimonials

When was the last time you bought a product with no reviews or visited a restaurant with only one or two stars? Like most people today, you probably rely on reviews and testimonials for everything from online purchases to car rentals.

Your clients are no different.

Before meeting with a bankruptcy attorney, people want to see what past clients have to say about you. Showcasing positive reviews and testimonials is an excellent way to build trust with prospective clients.

Showcase Awards and Other Measures of Credibility

The legal industry holds many opportunities for lawyers to be recognized for their accomplishments and contributions to the field. Never shy away from hyping up the things that make your law firm stand out!

No one wants to pay money to an attorney that doesn’t have the experience, knowledge, or know-how to handle their case successfully. Any time that a bankruptcy lawyer at your firm wins an award, is invited to speak at an event, or is otherwise acknowledged by their peers, be sure to share it.

Write blog posts, mention them in your email newsletter, and share it on social media. Bit by bit, you’ll build a strong foundation of credibility within your community.

Why Work With a Bankruptcy Lawyer Marketing Team?

Law firm marketing is a complex practice involving the interlinking of multiple strategies and channels to increase brand awareness, drive traffic, and generate a new and growing client base. This requires time, dedication, and a rich history of SEO marketing—three things that most law firms simply don’t have.

We want your law office to succeed.

At GAVL, we are solely dedicated to helping lawyers accomplish their marketing goals, building upward growth and expanding brand recognition within a notoriously saturated field—and we don’t work with any other industry.

Our marketing team can’t wait to talk with you about how we can support your goals.