Introduction
When it comes to finding more business, reputation has a bigger bearing on attorneys than it has on other professionals. People are looking for attorneys who they can trust with their time and money. This is why online reputation management for attorneys is so important in today’s day and age. It is more so important, but today more aspects of our lives are impacted by the internet than they ever have been in the past. Hence this piece has been put together to serve as a guide on the many nuances and necessities of online reputation management services for attorneys. Let’s get started!
The many benefits of ORM
Online reputation management is about controlling the narrative surrounding your practice online. If and when executed well, ORM can bring forth a lot of benefits for your business. With ORM, one becomes able to influence the way the public at large perceives one’s practice. ORM is also a pretty effective tool for countering live lawyer’s online reviews that may be beyond one’s ability to control. ORM helps in improving online visibility which can build a law practice. Further with the help of ORM, one can establish oneself as an authority in a certain field or industry.
Here’s how ORM can help you in ways defamation lawsuits can’t
No matter how expertly you run your business operations, there is no way of being immune to negative reviews all the time. If some false information is posted about your firm on the internet, you may be driven to rectify the situation with a defamation lawsuit. In more situations than one, however, online law firm reputation management has shaped up to be a better answer to such problems, as it brings forth a better solution to issues that defamation law cannot.
- ORM Can Provide Support When Content Is Negative, But Not Illegal:
Defamation law is quite effective when it comes to handling negative content posted about you on the internet. But then again, its impact and scope are pretty limited. Such situations may be when negative content has been posted about you but the statement can’t be proven. Or it can also be a situation when the negative statement made about you is true. Hence, this is why investing in ORM makes so much sense. The stronger is your online reputation then less impact bad press will have on your search results.
- ORM Won’t Be Bad Press Like a Defamation Suit:
In certain cases, even when you are morally and ethically in the right, your fight against online defamation can turn into the bad press and dominate your search results. More attention will be drawn to the negative content than it would have received otherwise. But when you invest in ORM, it won’t have bad press as a defamation suit. This is because when you invest in ORM, you can quietly take control of what people are likely to discover about you, without it snowballing into something bigger than the original content itself.
Here’s How You Can Get Started with ORM Right Away
The most common ORM issues faced by law firms are negative reviews and articles about attorneys. Overcoming the damage done through such content may take some time, but all is not without hope. There will be instances where you will need to hire services of experts, but even without them, there is a lot that you can do on your own. Here are some steps that any attorney can take toward building his or her online reputation with immediate effect.
- Claiming Profiles On Legal Review Sites:
You need to claim your profiles on legal review sites because Google ranks them very highly. Even one bad review can also do a lot of damage to your online reputation. There are many review sites in today’s day and age and you need to be aware of how these sites are advertising you. Many review sites allow avenues for attorneys to claim their profiles and add content to demonstrate their expertise. If and when you claim your profiles on such sites, you are able to manage the impact of negative reviews rather effectively.
- Publish Content On Law Topics:
Setting up a blog or contributing to other blogs is a good way to show your expertise and take a position in search results. If you blog effectively and regularly, you can establish yourself as an authority in your industry and within your niche in your industry. It is common knowledge that law firms who maintain blogs generate more leads than firms who don’t do so. You can also consider posting links to content you have written on social media platforms as that will not only increase traffic to your site but also consolidate your search results.
- Encourage Reviews from Clients:
You need to proactively look for ways in which you can encourage reviews from your clients. You should do so in a number of different ways, but no matter what approach you choose, it is imperative that you do so. It is because a lot of people check the attorney’s reputation before making up their mind about the attorneys they wish to hire. Most reviews that you encourage are likely to be positive, which will help you in a lot of different ways. Even if you get negative reviews on odd occasions, you can address the issues which will take you across as sincere and honest.
The Bottom Line
The most effective way to get the best result out of ORM is to begin early and cultivate a positive online presence. This will stop any unflattering content from gaining traction. In case you have missed the bus and it is already too late, then you need to hire expert brand reputation management services of an online reputation management agency to manage the crisis that you are dealing with.