Copyright LitigatorEdge Marketing, 2009.
All rights reserved
Frequently Asked Questions
How will I know that the online marketing efforts are working?
We recommend that you measure the cost of your online marketing program against the value of the leads/clients that come in as a result. Our U.S. legal marketing consultants can help clients set up a process for tracking and measuring online and traditional marketing return on investment. If you listen to the top legal marketing experts, a well designed online marketing program can generate some of the highest possible returns for plaintiff's firms' marketing dollars.
With search engine optimization/ natural search results, the impact can be profound but usually takes time. Other marketing efforts, such as pay per click, are more immediate, but may not offer the same return on investment potential that search engine optimization does. Before we start working with a client, we explain the online marketing tactics available and candidly review the pros and cons. In addition, we will provide regular performance reports, where you can gauge improvements in your keyword rankings and other marketing results.
What assurance do I have that your firm will truly help me maximize my business, not just sell me services?
First, start with the reputation of the individuals. At LitigatorEdge, we offer a history of legal marketing expertise, with a track record of obtaining the lead generation results clients expect. LitigatorEdge's President & CEO started managing plaintiff law firm SEO programs in the 1990s, at a time when most large law firms did not participate in online marketing and was extremely successful bringing in sustained daily leads for multi-million dollar birth trauma cases. We know what works and what doesn't and how to outsmart the competition. Our delivery resources are top notch. They are regularly trained and individually stay apprised of the latest online marketing trends. They compete for leads in online markets that are even more contested than plaintiff's litigation. This makes them highly competitive with the best online marketers you will find in the legal domain today. The difference is, you get this high skill level for a fraction of the cost that your competitors do.
Ultimately, when a firm achieves considerable results through its online marketing programs, it will grow and increase its online marketing budget. We partner with the objective of generate more revenue together. We do not want hundreds of law firm clients - as a consultative online marketing firm, we cannot adequately serve the interests of this quantity of law firms. It may be OK to have this many clients when designing Web sites, not for competitive SEO and PPC. This is about your firm, plus our team, at the detriment of less effective programs - period. The more business we take away from OUR competition together, the more work for all of us.
Lastly, your account is VERY important to our offshore delivery team. Despite the fact that they are among the best in their industry, their salaries are still only a fraction of what comparable U.S. marketers would receive. As a result, they are typically extremely determined to keep your business by helping you grow yours.
What is the difference between search engine optimization and pay per click?
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of improving the volume or quality of traffic to a Web site from search engines via "natural" search results. Typically, the earlier a site appears in the search results list, the more visitors it will receive from the search engine. Pay Per Click (PPC) is an Internet advertising model used on search engines, advertising networks, and content sites, such as blogs, in which advertisers pay their host only when their ad is clicked. With search engines, advertisers typically bid on keyword phrases relevant to their target market.
Search engine optimization can deliver tremendous return on investment for plaintiff's firms, but the time required to see meaningful lead results varies and is typically as long as 6-12 months. Pay per click leads to immediate results, but highly desired search engine pay per click terms (think "New York Asbestos Lawyer") are contested by the top law firms, or legal advertisers. Most companies and law firms prefer coupling SEO with PPC, to drive short term lead results, while establishing a consistent program that will yield higher returns.
Do you guarantee search engine rankings?
No. What we do guarantee are frequent accountability reports that show the results of your online marketing program efforts and the sustained increase in your visibility. Meaningful lead generation results require a deep understanding of your objectives, a high level of delivery expertise and considerable legwork to drive maximum online exposure.
Be wary of firms guaranteeing search engine rankings. It's simple logic that this does not work. If it were possible for a law firm to achieve top rankings on meaningful keywords in Google and Yahoo overnight, by paying a college student a few hundred bucks, don't you think every law firm and legal advertiser in the country would be taking advantage of this? Yes, many firms can rapidly obtain a high ranking for a seemingly appealing term like "best dog bite lawyer Wakauasa Wisconsin", but how many potential clients will actually input this exact combination of key words when searching for this service? Most relevant key words are highly contested today and to win top rankings on contested key words, you will need better online marketers than your competitors, putting in greater efforts. The bottom line is that you need business leads, not meaningless search result outcomes and LitigatorEdge programs are designed to be sustainable and to maximize your firm's financial results. We prefer to underpromise and overperform, than the alternative. This is how we retain clients for the long haul and this is how we maintain our reputation.
Achieving high rankings on quality keywords through natural search is in fact attainable and the return can be exceptional when you get there. However, it does not happen overnight. It did not happen overnight 10 years ago, when the online market was considerably less competitive. Today, the firms reaping the enormous lead rewards from natural search engine rankings are those who were patient and invested in smart, sustained programs. The good news is that search engine algorithms (the code that determines which Web sites rank higher) are in constant flux, creating great opportunities for firms looking to get in the game. They key is hiring delivery experts who are up to speed on the latest trends and getting the quality delivery at a lower price than the competition to get more quality efforts for a lower investment.
What are your fees?
Our fees are extremely competitive and typically half or less of what providers offering comparable delivery expertise charge. We offer a broad range of pricing alternatives around your specific objectives. First, we seek to understand your firm's unique needs, then we provide you with a proposal based on what you are looking to accomplish. One point to note is to make sure that you compare apples to apples when evaluating online marketing companies. You may find less expensive offshore firms, but not ones that prescreen delivery experts for quality and performance and experience in highly competitive markets. With LitigatorEdge, you receive best in class delivery capabilities that will help you maximize your new business results.
I hear the buzz around online social networks. How can I incorporate this into my firm's marketing strategy?
The first thing you should know is that despite the social network hype, search is still king, as far as Internet marketing goes and that goes double in the plaintiff's trial business. There is no better way to reach prospective claimants directly today than through search. However, there are many emerging opportunities that can facilitate business that you should be aware of. For a plaintiff's litigation firm, the real value in social networking is tied to referrals and client communication. Look to use social networks to expand others' awareness of your expertise and build relationships through regular communication. DO NOT sell yourself to your network groups, instead share periodic information that may be valuable to them. As a busy lawyer, you probably do not have much time to play around with online networks. For this reason, a managed online social networking presence may be an inexpensive and highly beneficial alternative for you. Ask us about how we can help you increase your online exposure through our social network marketing capabilities.
I hear that offshore resources can be 15%-20% of the cost of U.S. resources. Is this accurate?
Yes salaries are often considerably lower offshore. It is very important to note the quality of the resource in question also. As in the U.S., an SEO marketing expert with many years of experience will demand a completely different salary than an entry level data entry position. In all, after you factor in management, and the deliery firm's overhead fees, you can expect to pay anywhere from 30%-50% for comparable services, depending on the quantity and type of work. There is usually less of a markup on redundant work and more on skilled expert services, as this is not a commodity and top talent is in higher demand. If you see other offshore firms offering seemingly comparable services at a lower costs - save your time and money - these bottom dweller firms are neither comparable in skill, nor expertise. We work with professional organizations that have a track record of attaining top lead results for leading U.S. companies, using best practices and leverage patent pending technologies for search engine key word management.
Do I ever have to deal with anyone offshore?
Never. One of the advantages to working with LitigatorEdge is that your programs are driven by U.S. legal marketing experts and executed by offshore staff. LitigatorEdge analyzes your firm's requirements, helps you structure a program and is here to represent your interests and to answer all of your account related questions. You never have to deal with contracts and payments to an offshore firm, but still receive the associated savings benefits and expertise.
What other plaintiff's firms do you work with?
LitigatorEdge does not provide client names, in order to preserve confidentiality interests. We are selective in how we choose to market our services to prospective clients and may, on occasion choose to not work with a new firm, if we feel that doing so may create a direct conflict with the interests of an existing client.
If my firm leverages content writing capabilities (blogs, article authoring) how is this monitored for accuracy?
