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AdminJan 14, 2021 7:52:33 AM4 min read

Why National Marketing Agencies Miss The Mark

In a day and age where mass amounts of information can be found online, having a strong internet presence is essential for your law firm. With most of your attention placed on your clients, it can be hard to understand how to increase your online marketing to find new clients, increase your engagement, and so much more. Many businesses hire a reputable marketing agency to fulfill their marketing plan in hopes of exceptional results and increased engagement. However, bigger does not always mean better.  

Many law firms turn to companies such as Martindale-Hubbell and FindLaw to help execute their marketing strategy. In the beginning, these companies solely focused on a print directory for attorneys to seek publications in to gain attention from readers. Once internet marketing became a booming business, both companies took their printing services to the web. They have been helping clients increase their online presence by offering various online marketing services ever since. 

Hiring a large company that has been around for many years might seem like the right thing to do, especially if you want to see results. Unfortunately, the “bigger is better” mindset often gets firms stuck in contracts that show little results and have large monthly fees. Let’s take a closer look into why Martindale-Hubbell and FindLaw should be a last resort for your marketing plan. 

Is It About Your Business or Sales? 

When you choose to work with a company with a thousand or more other clients at one time, it can be tough to feel like you’re nothing more than a paycheck. These companies have stayed in business for so long because they know how to make a large profit with many clients using generic marketing strategies. As a business owner, you want to know what is happening with your marketing plan and ensure that every aspect stays up to date as it should.

Unfortunately, larger companies such as these often miss the mark in personability. With so many other clients to worry about, an effective and personal marketing strategy might not always be on the top of their priority list. Leaving you stuck in a never-ending contract paying for results that aren’t there.  

On the other hand, a local marketing agency takes the time to understand your business and who you are as a business owner. There is no specific template that they will use to fulfill your marketing strategy because they know just how different each business is. Instead of feeling like you are being sold into a new service during each encounter, a local agency will communicate issues, roadblocks, and a unique plan for your business’s future success.  

Ending Your Contract 

When you become dissatisfied with the results leaving might feel like your only option. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when you decide to end your contract. The first thing is that many people are not aware that FindLaw owns their business’s website and, in most cases, their domain. This means that you will lose your website when you go to end your contract and can potentially lose your domain name. Although there are ways of getting around this situation by paying hefty fees, it might not be worth it. 

In the end, you could be left with little to no online presence and have to start the process all over again. Not only is this time-consuming, but if you’re not knowledgeable in online marketing, you could be setting yourself back instead of forward.  

SEO and Backlinks 

After going through the stress of ending your contract, you might be in one of two situations. You either lost access to your entire website, or they have granted you ownership of the site, yet your images, design, and SEO have been wiped clean.  

SEO, also known as Search Engine Optimization, is an integral part of your online marketing presence. In short, it comprises many different aspects of online marketing. Combined, this helps to increase your presence in search results on sites such as Google and Bing. 

An essential aspect of SEO is backlinks. When your website uses backlinks to higher authority sites, it will improve your overall organic rankings. To increase your domain authority, FindLaw and Martindale-Hubbell will use backlinks to their directory on your website. Since their domain authority is much higher, it will ultimately help to increase your SEO. When these companies remove their links from your website, your domain authority will decrease, and along with it, your organic SEO. Pushing you further down the ranks in search engine results.  

Local Vs. National 

When you are looking to build your online presence, you want to make sure that you are reaching the right audience. For many businesses, this means reaching people within a specific city, county, or state. Getting local business means more than advertising to people in another state across the country.

When you use Google, you are automatically given search results in your local area. This feature is so crucial for many businesses, especially law firms. When you claim your Google, My Business listing, you help to increase the chances of being seen in the local search results. 

Unfortunately, companies such as Martindale-Hubbell and FindLaw run on a more national scale, leaving little to no room for location-specific marketing. As a client, your business will miss out on tremendous opportunities for obtaining new local clients. Instead, a local agency will be able to help you target your online marketing to the right audience and residents for maximum results.

In the end, it is you who decides will be handling your online marketing strategy. You might think that going with a larger company is better, but there are many situations this can place you in, which can cause issues with your marketing strategy as a whole. Instead, look to a local marketing agency. 

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