Everything About Facebook SEO

SEO on Facebook is critical if you want your social media pages to bring new visitors to your law firm from search engines like Google and Yahoo, and getting Facebook SEO tips can help.  Recent studies, however, show that over a third of law firms still don't have a Facebook page.  Even firms with Facebook pages often aren't looking for Facebook SEO tips that can help them get ahead.  That's why this guide can give you an edge.  Keep reading and you'll find out how to use SEO on Facebook before your competition does.

Does Facebook SEO Matter?

In a word: absolutely.  If you're doing a great job maintaining your Facebook page (or you plan to set up a new or redesigned Facebook page soon), you want as many people to see it as possible.  That means that the search indexers sponsored by the major search engines will need to see it, too.

Quality counts in today's Facebook SEO, like it does in all other search engine optimization efforts since companies started filtering out spam websites.  However, SEO on Facebook still depends more than you might think on traditional search engine optimization techniques like high keyword densities.

If you're not using Facebook SEO tips, odds are that your Facebook page won't be one of the first results when people search for your law firm.  That's unfortunate, because having a good Facebook page encourages new potential clients to not just research your firm, but interact and get involved in your social media marketing efforts.

Facebook SEO Tips #1: Don't Waste Your Time

Too many people, when starting out with SEO on Facebook, waste their time with several aspects of their new pages.  For instance, while it can be important to search engine optimize image titles and file names when you're working on your main website, Facebook SEO makes this a waste of time.

Why?  Because when you upload any image to Facebook, the website actually changes the URL to be one that involves only a long numerical sequence.  The same doesn't go for videos (more on that later), but make sure that before you post SEO on Facebook, you've read a lot of Facebook SEO tips and know exactly which places count and which don't.

Facebook SEO Tips #2: Get Linked

In order to have the best results with SEO on Facebook, you'll need to show that you have links coming in both from within Facebook itself and also from outside websites.  That's why it's important to cross promote your Facebook page with other social media pages and your main website—the more links, the merrier.

Generating links from within SEO on Facebook is also something you should strive for, and not just because that's the point of social marketing.  Facebook SEO depends largely on the number of links you're getting and how genuinely popular your page seems to be becoming.

Facebook SEO Tips #3: Titles Matter

SEO on Facebook, like all other kinds of search engine optimization, requires good, descriptive titles.  But with Facebook SEO, titles are actually weighted even more than they are for most other websites.

Does this mean that you should overload your titles with keywords, the way some early Facebook SEO tips would advise?  No—in fact, overuse of keywords, especially in your main page title, is likely to make your page look like spam and kill your SEO on Facebook.  Instead, you'll be more likely to get great Facebook SEO results when you keep your titles simple and descriptive with no trace of spam.

You'll also want to make sure that you're doing a great job with every article title you post.  Leaving titles and headers blank is the surest way to ignore a great opportunity for SEO on Facebook.  If you do Facebook SEO the right way, it won't be obvious to your visitors and will just make their experience on your page work better.

Facebook SEO Tips #4: Stay Public

In old lists of Facebook SEO tips, you may have seen advice about putting some (but not all) of your content behind “fan gates,” that is, making it impossible for someone to see some of your content unless they become a fan of your page.

While fan gates may sound good, most modern Facebook SEO tips recommend that you avoid fan gates at essentially all costs.  Great Facebook SEO depends on your public postings, and if a member of the general public can't see the amazing content you've got stashed behind a fan gate, neither can the indexers searching the web for the most relevant results pertaining to your firm.

Fan gates are problematic for other reasons that aren't related to SEO on Facebook, as well.  If you use a fan gate, you'll have the problem of “revolving door fans”: people who become fans of your page just to see the content, then stop “liking” your page after they've seen it.  That isn't the kind of attention you want to attract with your Facebook SEO—just keep your pages public and forget about fan gating.

Facebook SEO Tips #5: Use Video

If you're not already using video in your Facebook SEO strategies, you should.  No Facebook SEO tips guide would be complete without this one, and for lawyers, that's doubly true.  Law firm pages see the best conversion rates, by far, when they have great search engine optimized video.

SEO on Facebook is even easier when you use videos, because they give you even more ability to put keyword-dense text and titles into your Facebook page.  Again, pay close attention to titles for your video, because much like your other Facebook titles, they are weighted substantially more for Facebook SEO than any other portion of your text.

Don't look at video as just a way to search engine optimize—in order to get the best links, you're still going to need to pack your videos with informative, fun content.  But you can definitely still use video for SEO on Facebook, and this should always be at least one of your concerns when you're posting new video links.

Video Display Advertising and the Increasing Benefits

Benefits of Display Advertising

Video display advertising has continued to grow in popularity across the web and especially on mobile advertisements. 

According to a poll released by MediaPost, the biggest concerns with video display advertising are the following:

·         Difficult to measure return on investment (ROI): 41%

·         Lack of standard metrics: 33%

·         Not enough ROI: 27%

·         Difficult to get enough reach: 27%

·         Lack of original ads: 21%

·         Lack of ad placement: 20%

·         Company or client policies: 18%

·         Quality of content in connection to ads: 17%

·         Consumers won’t watch video ads: 16%

·         Lack of quality: 10%

·         Difficult to begin and continue campaigns: 10%

·         Lack of alternatives: 8%

Proven Benefits of Display Advertising with Videos

As you can see, several of the concerns listed above directly impact video display and attorneys.  However, according to the Association of Web Design Professionals, there are several proven benefits to video display—especially on websites like YouTube and social networking websites.  Some of the proven benefits of display advertising with videos are listed below:

#1 There are different forms of video display advertising

Video advertising is becoming easier and much cheaper that other types of advertising such as broadcast and print.  Attorneys can upload a whole

video to YouTube, or they can buy slots within videos using a varying degree of methods in order to encourage potential clients to watch the entire video. 

#2 Consumers are not reading anymore

Perhaps one of the largest benefits of display advertising with video is the fact that a large percentage of clients are relying on video for news and entertainment than print media.  Social media and news companies like the Washington Post along with multiple law firms have been to switch the way in which they announce updates and other information, and most of this information is coming through via video. 

#3 Video Display Advertising gives an edge over other with the same services

Clients in need of legal services are now less likely to click on banner ads and similar ads.  Although video display advertising comes in the form of banner advertising, videos that play within or between sites have shown better results. 

#4 Video Display Advertising encourages clients to stay on the site longer

Not only do videos encourage clients to stay, videos are a huge factor in lead-generation.  Clients are more likely to investigate your product or services if you have videos, especially if those videos are creative, informational, and short.  The shorter the video, the more likely the consumer will watch the video until the end. 

#5 Video Advertising shows that firms are willing to take a risk

A general rule in advertising is that new is better.  One of the largest benefits of display advertising with videos is that younger clients are drawn in with the new formats.  Additionally, older clients see that companies are willing to adjust to societal trends. 

Why does Google Recommend Video Display Advertising through YouTube?

In short, the biggest benefit of display advertising on YouTube is the fact that the service is the largest video sharing program in the world and shows evidence of exponential growth.  Google lists the following benefits of display advertising for benefits and marketers:

Benefits of Display Advertising with Videos for Clients

For one, clients have access to the largest database of professional videos in the world.  Additionally, the video display on YouTube also connects users to a large community that shares their feelings about the content on the website.  Lastly, clients can engage in multiple platforms. 

Benefits of Display Advertising with Videos for Marketers

Marketers have access to a community that engages in the products and services they are viewing.  Secondly, YouTube offers a way to protect your brand in a user-friendly and safe environment.  Marketers also have access to several different platforms for measuring the success of their advertising. 

Important Facts about YouTube Video Display Advertising

YouTube has over 400 million visitors every single month from around the world.  Also, there are several types of targeting that marketers can use:

·         keyword targeting

·         contextual targeting

·         age

·         gender

·         location

·         language preference

·         Interest category marketing

·         remarketing (which allows a marketer to target ads to only visitors to their website)

Most Common Types of Video Display Advertising

Although there are other forms of video display advertising, the largest benefits of display advertising with videos come with the following ads:

Pre-Roll and Post-Roll

A pre-roll video display advertisement is the most popular form available today.  When a clients wishes to watch a video, an advertisement will play before they can watch the video.  Also, post-roll videos will play in between videos if clients wish to watch multiple videos.

Branded Players

A branded player looks just like a video player but has a specific banner that advertises the firm’s logo. 

Overlay Bars

You’ve probably noticed these video display advertisements in the bottom or top part of a video you’re watching.  The client has the ability to close the advertisement or travel to the website, and the most common form of an overlay bar is the 350×250 square. 

Companion Banners

This type of video display advertisement usually occurs  alongside  a pre-roll advertisement.  The video advertisement can have another banner with an advertisement separate from the product being advertised.  One of the benefits of display advertising with this type is that products and services will often relate to each other. 

Conclusion

If you haven’t embraced the benefits of display advertising with videos, you’re behind the curve.  Although there is some risk involved with video display advertising, there are increasing amounts of measurable results over the last couple of years.  Video advertising is slowly taking over traditional types of advertising such as broadcast and print media because clients are less willing to read advertisements. 

Technical Guide to Placing Web Display Advertising on your Blog

Web Display Advertising on your Blog

One of the largest benefits of display advertising is that you may be able to make a significant amount of money off of the advertisements—especially if you have a large amount of readers every month. 

One of the disadvantages includes beings careful of  what type of advertising you place on your blog because it may actually take away business if competitors are posting ads.  The second disadvantage is actually setting up your display advertising blog, which this article aims to cover.

Setting up Web Display Advertising on your Blog

One of the hardest parts of web display advertising on your blog is actually setting up the ads in certain parts of the page.  The steps are different depending on what type of blog service you’re using as well.  One of the best ad servers to use on your display advertising blog is a service called AdSpeed.  The instructions listed within this section apply to steps for AdSpeed:

WordPress and Web Display Advertising

AdSpeed has a specific plugin for WordPress, but if you cannot install the display ads automatically, you can take the following steps:

1.       Open the Dashboard and chose Appearance > Widgets

2.       Then, drag the “text” widget from those available and drag them to the sidebar section

3.       Lastly, open up the “text” widget in the Sidebar and post the serving code within the content area

Although WordPress is a great option for an attorney and a display advertising blog, you have other options as well. 

Blogger and Web Display Advertising

Be sure to following these steps closely in order to ensure your display advertising blog is set up correctly:

1.       You’ll want to copy the serving code for the specific ad or zone depending on your setup

2.       Go the dashboard after you’ve copied what you need

3.       Click on the “layout” tab

4.       Click “add a gadget.”  You’ll have the option for either side or at the bottom of your blog

5.       Choose the HTML/JavaScript option under the “Basics” list

6.       Lastly, past the serving code within the content box and save your actions

TypePad and Web Display Advertising

Follow these steps very closely for your display advertising blog:

1.       Copy the serving code for the specific ad or the zone

2.       Select the display advertising blog you wish to create if you have several accounts

3.       At the top of the page, choose the “typelist” option

4.       On the right, choose the “create a new typelist” option

5.       Choose the notes option for the list type, and name the new list

6.       Paste the serving code

7.       Click “Publish” and then choose the blog

8.       Make sure to save and republish the material

Joomla and Web Display Advertising

AdSpeed offers a module for a display advertising blog on Joomla, or you can choose the manual option below:

1.       Copy the serving code for the ad or zone

2.       Sign in and go to the dashboard

3.       Click on “extensions” and then click the “module manager”

4.       Click “new”

5.       Choose the “custom HTML” option under “custom output”

6.       Click “HTML” and then paste the serving code to the source editor

7.       Make sure to save the material for your web display advertising on your blog

Drupal and Web Display Advertising

This type of display advertising blog has more steps than any other option, so be sure to follow the steps very closely:

1.       Copy the serving code for the ad or zone

2.       Sign in and go to the Administration part of the website

3.       Choose “administrator” and then click on “site building”

4.       Click “blocks” and then click on the “add block” option

5.       Input your information about the block description and block title

6.       Paste the serving code within the block body

7.       Make sure to delete the first and last lines of the code

8.       Under the block body, select the “input format”

9.       Click on “full HTML” and then save your operations

10.   You’ll find the added block under the “disabled section

11.   Choose the position of the block as it should appear and save your operations again

Mambo and Web Display Advertising

Be sure to follow the steps closely for your display advertising blog:

1.       Copy the serving code for the ad or zone

2.       Sign in and go to the dashboard

3.       Select “modules” and then click on “site modules”

4.       Select the “new” button

5.       Click “HTML” within the custom output section

6.       Paste the serving code within the HTM source editor

7.       Save your operations

Web Display Advertising

Make sure to following these steps for your display advertising blog:

1.       Copy the serving code for the ad or zone

2.       Sign in to your account

3.       Past the serving code with the page or the text box

4.       Click the HTML button if you’re using the text editor option.  The option will allow you to view and paste the HTML code directly

Potential Disadvantages for Attorneys and a Display Advertising Blog

Although the majority of attorneys have their own blogs on their website, some firm’s choose to use an outside source for their blog.  Any attorney should know that consumers may shy away from legal blogs that have web display advertising because the appearance can seem unprofessional.  If an attorney does decide to set up a display advertising blog, the ads should relate to their services and the content on their website, or the ads should represent a degree of professionalism as well.

Conclusion to Web Display Advertising

A display advertising blog is a great option if you want to turn profit with your legal blog apart from leads that have progressed to counsel.  You’ll have the best results if you have a large number of viewers every month.  Make sure the ads are relevant to your material and, most importantly, that the ads are not taking away from your business.

Beginner and Pro Tips for Email Marketing Blogs”

Email Marketing Blogs

A study done by the marketing software provider called Silverpop looked at email open rates between the last quarter in 2011 and the first quarter in 2012, and the results were not good for attorneys and an email marketing blog.  The study found that open rates were only around 20.1 percent, and the figure was down 22.2 percent from the same study performed in 2009. 

Implications

So what does this mean for an email marketing blog?  It means that unless strategic measures are taken in email marketing blogs for attorneys, the figures will continue to decline.  The tips within this article can help beginners and experienced attorneys improve their email marketing blog. 

Tips for Experienced Legal Publishers

The following tips can help improve the readability of your emails and the overall functionality of your email marketing blog. 

Tip #1: Give them Expectations Upfront

A large amount of email marketing blogs offer a free gift within the opt-in area and then send a massive amount of unrelated emails.  These emails are useless and can seriously hurt the reputation of your email marketing blog and your firm as well. 

Instead, make sure you state that the main purpose of the emails is to send updates about your legal blog.  This action may reduce the amount of people that actually opt-in, but it will increase the amount of permanent followers. 

Tip #2: Send your Emails around the Same Time Every Day

Too many email marketing blogs within the legal industry send emails sporadically.  You need to establish a time that increases open rates and clickthroughs to your email marketing blog.  Some of the best email marketing blogs send their emails in the early morning of Eastern Standard Time (EST) so the subscribers receive the emails in the morning.  Consider adjusting the time if you live on the west coast so subscribers on the east coast will receive the emails during peak hours. 

Tip #3: Remind the Subscribers why They’re Receiving the Emails

Every successful marketing email will provide a subheading that states why the subscriber is receiving the email.  For example, a good subheading might appear as follows:

This email is being sent to you because you subscribed on [firm’s name] blog at [website].

For legal reasons, you also need to provide a subsection that describes how they log onto your email marketing blog and cancel their subscription. 

Tip #4: Create your “Squeeze Page”

Apart from having opt-ins within places like a sidebar, header, or footer of a post, all successful email marketing blogs have a separate page that is solely used for letting subscribers sign up.  The advantage to using such a page is the fact that you and the other subscribers can provide the link to other potential subscribers. 

Tip #5: Adjust your Emails Lists Based on Certain Characteristics

Any successful email marketing blog created by a law firm will create different lists for certain kinds of subscribers.  For example you should create a list for the following categories and more:

·         weekly subscribers

·         occasional subscribers

·         paying customers

·         potential customers

Tip #6: Adjust your Emails for Mobile Devices

It’s likely that about 80% of the subscribers on email marketing blogs will view emails on their mobile phone.  In order to adjust your emails, you need

to keep them simple.  Emails for mobile devices should follow these tips:

·         use only a 1-column format

·         limit the pixel width to 600 pixels

·         avoid images that will take a long time to load

Additionally, does your email marketing blog offer a mobile site as well? Mobile followers are much more likely to click on a link to your page if there is a mobile format. 

Tip #7: Provide Tips within your Email Marketing Blog for Subscribers Only

The best email marketing blogs will state that readers can receive valuable legal tips if they subscribe.  If the email marketing blog knows that a viewer is a subscriber, the publisher can offer general tips, eBooks, coupons, free offers, a free course, and more. 

Tip #8: Get to Know your Subscribers

The most successful email marketing blogs will send an initial email that lets subscribers send in information about themselves.  For example, ask the subscriber about their interests or subjects they need help in.  Also ask them what they expect from the emails. 

Tips for Every Legal Publisher of Email Marketing Blogs

The following tips should be used from the beginning to enhance the image and appeal of the legal email marketing blog:

Tip #1: Don’t Use a Standard Opt-In Form

Design can go a long way with email marketing blogs, even for a blog in law and government.  Potential subscribers like visual appeal, and you’ll want to use language that connects to the reader on a personal level instead of just offering a sales pitch.

Tip #2: Use Personal Language within the Email

The best email marketing blogs use everyday language within an email instead of professional language filled with jargon.

Tip #3: Keep the Emails Short

Every email sent from a legal email marketing blog should be short and to the point.  If you want to add a creative side, add a quote.  Encourage the reader to find out more by clicking on the link to your blog. 

Tip #4: Track your Results

There is a large amount of software that email marketing blogs can use to see if subscribers are opening emails, whether they’re clicking on links within emails, and more. 

Tip #5: Use Software for Auto Responding

If you send an email out using auto response, make sure you use software that tracks what days and to whom the emails were sent.  You don’t want to send an auto response twice. 

Conclusion: Email Marketing Blogs

All of the tips within the article can increase the functionality and appeal of your email marketing blog.  Make sure you track your results so you can adjust your blog to bring in more subscribers. 

Important Considerations for a Twitter Advertisement

How to Advertise on Twitter

According to SBW Advertising, the revenue that Twitter makes off of advertising is expected to equal $540 million by 2014. 

Strategies will likely adjust on how to advertise on Twitter because of increased usage on mobile phones because, for example, the number of people signing up for Twitter all but tripled after the iOS 5 was released. 

General Twitter Advertising Costs

There has been a large amount of discussion over Twitter advertising costs after an email from Twitter to a prospective advertiser was leaked in December of 2011.  Some of the general Twitter advertising costs found within the email are listed below:

·         Cost per Follower (CPF)= $2.50 to $4

·         Cost per Engagement (CPE)= $0.75 to $2.50

There was additional information leaked about Twitter advertising costs as well.  According to the email sent by Twitter, an approved advertiser, including law firms, must commit to a three-month campaign, and the Twitter advertising costs for such a campaign can range from $15,000 to $25,000.  Twitter advertisement is mainly geared toward small businesses firms, and the current costs are still reasonable for a small firm looking to expand.

Twitter Advertising Costs for Mobile Advertising

Many small firms have begun to learn how to advertise on Twitter and the mobile device platform because over half of all active users are accessing Twitter through their phone.  The Twitter advertising costs are typically much less and present the following advantages as well:

·         payment is only required when a user engages

·         cost per engagement is cheaper than cost per follower

·         the price is determined by a minimum bid auction

How to Advertise on Twitter: The Three Main Platforms

While deciding how to advertise on Twitter, your firm has three options.  You can choose a Twitter advertisement that appears as a promoted tweet, a promoted trend, or a promoted account.  Each type of Twitter advertisement has its own advantages, and the Twitter advertising costs will range for each.  Each type of Twitter advertisement is described below:

1. How to Advertise on Twitter: Promoted Tweets

A promoted tweet is a great way to make sure the tweet is seen by a large amount of users and prospective clients on Twitter.  Creating this kind of Twitter advertisement is quite easy too.  All you have to do is send a tweet and promote it.  However, promoted tweets can appear elsewhere. 

This kind of Twitter advertisement can appear when a user searches for a keyword on which your firm placed a bid.  The Twitter advertising costs for this type of ad are determined by amounts for cost per engagement. 

According to Twitter, engagement qualifies as a retweet, a reply, a click or adding the promoted tweet to favorites.  Learning how to advertise on Twitter in this way can save your firm money because additional engagements are free. 

2. How to Advertise on Twitter: Promoted Trends

This type of Twitter advertisement lets a firm center their efforts around a theme or a hashtag.  Many firms prefer to learn how to advertise on Twitter with a promoted trend because it automatically appears at the top of the trending conversation.  

The main advantage of using this type of Twitter advertisement is the fact that firm can receive a huge amount of attention on popular topics.  The Twitter advertising costs for a promoted trend will range and may add up in a more popular topic. 

3. How to Advertise on Twitter: Promoted Accounts

This type of Twitter advertisement is the easiest to understand the hardest to obtain.  First of all, your account and firm needs to be popular and you need a solid base of constant followers.  This type of Twitter advertisement is particularly beneficial to a firm because the profile will be posted in the “Who to follow” section once the account is promoted. 

The Twitter advertising costs for a promoted account will range as well.  You’ll need to contact Twitter directly and fill out an advertising survey before Twitter will consider promoting your account. 

Advantages of Using a Twitter Advertisement

There are three main advantages to using an advertisement on Twitter, and the reasons are listed below:

1.       You can customize your landing page and in order to target certain keywords and certain followers. 

2.       Twitter advertising costs are usually cheaper than other Pay per Click options.  For example, if you want to advertise the firm through Google, you’ll bid a large amount of money for each pay per click in order to drive your advertisement to more targeted zones.  Learning how to advertise on Twitter won’t always be cheaper, but it can offer better options in some cases.

3.       You can center your advertising to the prospective clients you choose!  Other services don’t offer this option.  Once you start recruiting followers, their followers will likely travel to your tweets if they have similar interests. 

Disadvantages of Using a Twitter Advertisement

There are three main disadvantages with using a Twitter advertisement as well:

1.       The tools used for tracking on Twitter are not that advanced to analytics tools such as AdWords.  You can learn how to advertise on Twitter and track your results with outside analytics software, but these services will require monthly fees in most cases.

2.       Twitter doesn’t offer services to automatically let firms place a Twitter advertisement during a certain time of the day or during certain days.

3.       You’ll have to know how to advertise on Twitter without relying on much technical support.  Twitter does offer some technical support, but the efforts may be directed to larger campaigns in some cases. 

How to Advertise on Twitter: Conclusion

You need to consider the Twitter advertising costs, as well as the advantages and disadvantages before setting up a Twitter advertisement for your firm.  However, with the right techniques, you can form a great advertising campaign on Twitter. 

Youtube videos that are seen as advertisements for law firms are only trusted by 14 percent of viewers.  This means that in order to have a good strategy for marketing with Youtube, you need something better than an ad.  Keep reading to find out which marketing style you have, and what other marketing styles your law firm could take advantage of with its Youtube videos.

Marketing With Youtube, Style #1: The Informer

Of all the types of people who start marketing with Youtube, The Informer is probably the type that you're most likely to start out being.  Because lawyers have so much education, they've already absorbed a great deal of information by the time they've passed the bar.  It's a natural fit, then, to start sharing that information as part of your Youtube marketing strategy.

When The Informer starts marketing with Youtube, he needs to pick a topic that he's a genuine expert about.  It's always bad Youtube marketing strategy to talk about issues you only have a partial understanding of, because there's always someone who knows better and will be more than happy to hijack your comments section to tell you how you're wrong.

The biggest problem with being The Informer is that this Youtube marketing strategy can sometimes leave you with a bored, unengaged audience.  Marketing with Youtube doesn't have to be boring, even if you're being informative.  If you're The Informer, consider ways to make your delivery and presentation more exciting so people keep watching.

Marketing With Youtube, Style #2: The Comedian

A second type of person starts their Youtube marketing strategy by being funny and unique.  Being The Comedian isn't necessarily a bad idea when you're marketing with Youtube.  Studies show that people are very likely to respond to funny video content, taking actions like sharing a video via email or a social networking website.

Unlike The Informer, The Comedian doesn't have problems engaging his or her audience.  Instead, The Comedian deftly handles questions by making jokes, then giving a more serious answer.  The only problem with using this Youtube marketing strategy is that it can be harder for The Comedian to be taken seriously if he uses comedy too much.  Never be unprofessional when you're making comedy, and you can be The Comedian without turning people off.

Marketing With Youtube, Style #3: The Cross Promoter

The Cross Promoter is never content to just stop with Youtube marketing strategy.  As soon as he's posted a video, he's already talking about it on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and his blog.  “How does he have all that time for marketing with Youtube?” you may wonder.

Many times, people who use this Youtube marketing strategy are actually using software packages that allow them to post to multiple websites from a single dashboard.  This can save you a lot of time if you're using the strategy of The Cross Promoter to get your voice heard across several different social media platforms.

Being The Cross Promoter is a great Youtube marketing strategy from a search engine optimization standpoint.  More links to and from your website will always help you look better to searches.  Be careful, though, that you're not overhyping your marketing with Youtube.  Too much hype can turn people off and make them less likely to appreciate your Youtube videos for what they are.

Marketing With Youtube, Style #4: The Direct Advertiser

If you're impatient about implementing a Youtube marketing strategy, you may be The Direct Advertiser.  When The Direct Advertiser wants to start marketing with Youtube, he thinks about the options for actually advertising his videos elsewhere on the web.

There are a number of ways for The Direct Advertiser to make this Youtube marketing strategy work to his advantage.  You can use the demographic microtargeting abilities of LinkedIn or Facebook to create direct ads that link to your videos and are targeted at just the right audience.  You may also want to include the web address of your Youtube channel on business cards and in any direct email marketing materials you are using.

Marketing With Youtube, Style #5: The Answerer

One easy Youtube marketing strategy that almost any attorney can implement is the strategy of The Answerer.  Instead of having to come up with his own topics for marketing on Youtube, The Answerer starts by looking for questions that real people have about his specialty area of the law.  Once he finds one of those questions, The Answerer puts his legal knowledge to work by recording a video that answers the question in a helpful, informative way.

If you're having trouble getting enough people interested in your Youtube channel because you've been The Informer, transitioning to being The Answerer may get you more traffic.  People like having their questions answered, and are more likely to share this kind of content on their news feeds.

The Answerer needs to avoid potential ethical or liability issues by refraining from giving specific legal advice.  He should also try not to make his answers too long—regardless of how you're marketing with Youtube, the most viewed videos are all under five minutes long.

Marketing With Youtube, Style #6: The News Feed Junkie

Legal news is happening constantly, and The News Feed Junkie knows it all.  If you're always the first to know what has happened, being The News Feed Junkie can be a great Youtube marketing strategy.  Try marketing with Youtube by talking about the latest legal news events and court cases—you'll be able to draw people in without needing to resort to comedy stylings or question and answer sessions.

This can be a strategy used by nearly any type of attorney, and the best part is, it frees you from having to come up with a lot of ideas totally on your own.  You can instead set Google News to send you alerts whenever relevant legal news articles are posted, then just make Youtube videos that give your opinion on the case and where that area of law is heading next.

In just a few years, Youtube has grown from a small startup to one of the web's biggest companies.  Today, 25 percent of all bandwidth on the mobile web is consumed by streaming Youtube videos.  The website, with its famous “Youtube: Broadcast Yourself” slogan, serves 52 percent of all videos streamed worldwide.  How can you make Youtube videos work for your law firm?  Keep reading to find out.

The Problem With Videos—And How Youtube Videos Solve It

Study after study shows that videos are a great tool for legal marketing professionals.  Videos increase conversion rates significantly, and it's usually a good idea to have multiple videos on your law firm's website to increase the likelihood of visitors staying and eventually becoming paying clients.

However, videos have a problem: they're big.  A video file takes up much more room than an audio file, and that makes it difficult for many law firms to host videos on their own.  If you decide to host your own videos, you could easily end up on the hook for huge bandwidth charges from whoever is providing your web hosting services.

When you use Youtube to broadcast yourself, though, you'll be able to have video without using your own bandwidth.  Because Youtube is ad supported, the individual uploaders of Youtube videos don't have to pay for their own hosting or the bandwidth used.  In fact, if you're successful enough at using Youtube to broadcast yourself, you can actually make money from advertisements displayed next to your Youtube videos.

The Importance of Professional Production

It seems like practically every device today contains a camera, and many of those cameras are set up to quickly record and share video.  However, when your law firm uses Youtube to broadcast yourself, you shouldn't just use consumer video equipment to record your Youtube videos.

Why not?  Because these consumer devices simply don't give you the kind of video quality that most Youtube viewers are looking for, especially from a law firm.  You may be able to use Youtube to broadcast yourself with a cheap camera if you're just recording personal video blog entries, but professionals should stick to professional equipment.

If you don't have professional video recording equipment, you should consider hiring a professional company to help you produce Youtube videos.  Professionals can help you script your videos and display them on Youtube appropriately.  You'll be much better able to use Youtube to broadcast yourself if people see a professional, great looking video.

What Should My First Youtube Videos Be About?

Given the famous slogan, “Youtube: Broadcast Yourself,” it can be really tempting to make your first video all about you—a Youtube introduction, of sorts.  What you may not know is that when potential clients see Youtube videos where all you talk about is you or your law firm, they tune out—fast.

Attention spans on the internet are short, and most people don't trust or have time for a video that turns out to just be a self-serving advertisement.  Instead of using Youtube to broadcast yourself saying the same things that you might say in a thirty second television spot, consider making your Youtube videos about answers to common legal questions in a legal field you're an expert in.

When you're first starting to use Youtube to broadcast yourself, it's a good idea to keep the vast majority of your videos very short—usually just 2 or 3 minutes long.  Don't try to cram too much into those few minutes in your Youtube videos.  If you need more time for a topic, try to divide the topic into two or three different sub-topics, and make a unique Youtube video for each one.

The Importance of Titles

When you use Youtube to broadcast yourself, your Youtube videos will also be indexed by search engines like Google and Bing.  If you're already used to search engine optimization, videos work very similarly to websites, except that their titles are even more important.

You'll want to make sure that your Youtube videos have titles that are clear, direct, and contain a relevant keyword or keyword phrase that people may search for.  You'll also want to search engine optimize the description that Youtube will place underneath the video.  This description field is also a good place to use Youtube to broadcast yourself by linking to your firm's website.

Channels, Comments, and More

The more of your Youtube videos a visitor clicks on, the more likely they are to eventually become a client.  That's why it's best to create a Youtube channel so you can better use Youtube to broadcast yourself.  With a Youtube channel, you can create custom playlists so that your videos play automatically, one right after another.

You should also familiarize yourself with the comments system for Youtube videos.  Turning comments off on your Youtube content makes it much more difficult for your channel visitors to interact with your or ask questions.  

While it's true that not all comments for Youtube videos are positive, just let the occasional negative comment roll off your back—many of these comments are left by people who wouldn't make a positive comment no matter what.  Consistent negative comments may be cause for concern, and you should look at these comments as good feedback for your future videos.

Getting the Word Out

To make the most of your Youtube videos, you'll need to do more than making them highly search engine optimized.  Consider including your Youtube channel's web address on your business cards so that potential clients can check out your video content and get a feel for how you answer questions.

You should also try to use Youtube to broadcast yourself to a wider audience on social media websites.  Because Youtube videos can so easily be embedded in other content, it's easy to share this content with as many people as you're connected to on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter.  You could even try submitting your Youtube content to news aggregator or social bookmarking sites like Reddit or Digg.
 

Video views on Youtube are expected to increase by 50 percent this year alone.  With statistics like that,  it's clear that law firms need to develop a Youtube strategy that takes into account the increasing popularity of videos and video marketing.  But how can you be sure that your strategy will work?  Here are five Youtube marketing tips for law firms that you can begin to implement right away—and some tips on what to do if your strategy fails.

Youtube Strategy #1: Find a Niche

Every minute of every day, about 13 hours of video is added to Youtube.  That number is only increasing, which means that you're going to need to stand out if you want to be noticed in the vast video wilderness.

One of the best ways to make sure that you stand out is to use niche marketing.  Of all the Youtube marketing tips you'll get, this is likely to be one of the most common and also one of the most useful.  Consider the areas your firm does best in, and what your best cases and clients tend to have in common.  This can become your niche area, and you can focus your Youtube strategy on catering to that niche.

The biggest reason that you'll see niche building in most lists of Youtube marketing tips is simple: niches are the best way, bar none, to make sure that you're getting traffic from search engine optimization efforts.  Without building a niche, you'll be competing with firms who have a much bigger web presence, and your Youtube strategy may fail even if your content is creative and unique.

Youtube Strategy #2: Promote Yourself

Don't be shy about showing off your Youtube videos.  It doesn't matter if you follow a hundred Youtube marketing tips—if you don't bother promoting your videos afterward, odds are they'll be seen by only a few people.  Consider using more than one Youtube strategy for promotion.  Maybe you want to link to your videos from your Facebook feed or LinkedIn page, or perhaps you'd like to embed them in your blog with an already-established readership.

You should also promote your videos by search engine optimizing them.  There are lists of specific Youtube marketing tips that can help you with SEO for Youtube videos, but in general, make sure that you have a title and description for each video that contains keyword phrases.  As part of this Youtube strategy, you should also search engine optimize your channel page, using a keyword phrase like “Denver car accident lawyer” or “family lawyer in Dallas” as part of your channel title to help you get more hits.

Youtube Strategy #3: …But Not Too Much

Promoting yourself is great, but before you go overboard with Youtube marketing tips, keep this in mind: no one likes a person who talks about themselves all the time.  Studies have shown that when people perceive that a Youtube video is an advertisement, they usually won't stay tuned in.  This means that your Youtube strategy should be to avoid too many mentions of yourself, your qualifications, or your firm.  You can mention all of these things, in a limited fashion, but going on about your firm's combined years of experience probably won't go over well.

Youtube Strategy #4: Channel Customization

When you begin to use Youtube marketing tips, you may just be uploading individual videos.  However, your Youtube strategy is likely to be significantly more effective if you also make sure that your channel is fully customized.

Channel customization appears in lists of Youtube marketing tips for several reasons.  First, it's a great way to make sure that your Youtube strategy has a similar visual appeal to your homepage and other places where you have a web presence.  Second, you'll do much better using Youtube marketing tips when visitors are becoming your followers, watching more than one of your videos at a time.  Channel customization makes it easier to turn a one-time viewer into a follower.

Youtube Strategy #5: Start a Dialogue

Another great way to turn viewers to followers is to start really conversing with the people who comment on or ask questions about your videos.  Having a video reply to a question is a great Youtube strategy, as is replying to a comment with a helpful comment of your own.

No matter what, you should keep your conversations with any visitors extremely polite and professional.  Even if someone says something rude or incorrect, try to respond gently and with patience.  You may be able to correct a common misconception while showing yourself to be a patient and understanding attorney.

It's sometimes easier to implement these Youtube marketing tips on your Facebook or LinkedIn page.  These websites, because they include contact lists of people you already know, provide you with an audience of the people who are most likely to want to engage in a dialogue with you.

What if My Youtube Strategy Isn't Working?

While Youtube marketing tips can take you a long way on your video marketing journey, every business is different.  Not every law firm will be successful with the same Youtube strategy.  If your Youtube videos aren't attracting the kind of attention you want, there could be several causes.

If you are having a hard time even getting viewers to see your Youtube videos, this may be because the videos aren't about topics that people find interesting.  It's also possible that they're not labeled or search engine optimized well enough for people to find them.

If you're drawing in plenty of viewers but can't drive conversions, perhaps you're putting your videos in front of the wrong viewers.  Try making your keywords more based in your geographic location, so that you get more viewers who are local and could more easily use your firm's services.  You can also work on putting direct ads for your Youtube channel on websites that are relevant to the topics you're covering.

Today, more companies than ever are using behavioral targeting techniques to find the best leads and the page views that are most likely to convert.  Making behavioral target marketing part of your marketing strategy can seem tough to start with, but it's also one of the best ways to get a great return on investment online.  Case studies have shown increases of 20 to nearly 200 percent in clicks and conversions when companies start using behavioral targeting.

How Does Behavioral Target Marketing Work?

Sometimes, the ads that people see when they visit a website are contextual—that is, they're based on the keywords on the page that they're looking at.  Contextual ads, like the ones that you can purchase on a per click basis with Google AdWords, are used by attorneys all over the United States.

However, the sheer number of contextual ads for attorneys online today can make them seem overwhelming.  Another way to target customers is to track their behavior on a lot of websites—to see what they're looking for and how they're shopping.  Ad networks put “cookies” onto people's computers that detect their behavior whenever they're viewing any of thousands of different websites.

Behavioral targeting lets you use that data to decide who sees your advertisements.  Not all potential clients can be reached with contextual or demographic targeting.  Behavioral target marketing lets you get to the exact clients you're looking for.

Is Behavioral Target Marketing Ethical?

Some people have been concerned about the potential for abuse of behavioral targeting data.  While it's true that a major security breach of ad network information could be very problematic, as long as you're using the most major providers of behavioral target marketing, security should be very tight.

The other ethics concern that can be problematic is tying your advertisements to the behavior of people when it suggests they're seeking someone else's website.  If your ad network detects that a web visitor is doing research on a competitor's law firm, advertising to them may be in violation of your state's ethics rules.  It's always a good idea to talk to your state bar association about their policies on advertising before you start a new type of campaign, including behavioral targeting.

What Does Behavioral Targeting Look Like?

Behavioral target marketing is something you've probably already seen online, even if you didn't have the words to describe exactly what it was before.  For example, have you ever been shopping at an online store for the first time, then saw advertisements for the same store a day or two later?  That's what behavioral target marketing looks like for many companies.

You can also see behavioral marketing on Amazon.com, which recommends products based on what you've looked at before.  These kinds of behavioral targeting have led retailers to make big gains, because not everyone behaves in the way that their demographic data suggests that they would.  Even, say, a 23 woman who is interested in motorcycle parts or a 58 year old man who loves to bake cupcakes would be served well by behavioral target marketing, but not demographically based marketing.

How Do Law Firms Use Behavioral Target Marketing?

Not all companies that use behavioral targeting are retailers.  Providers of services, like law firms, can often use the same kinds of “remarketing” capabilities that retailers are using.  Let's say someone had already looked at your law firm's website earlier in the day.  By joining an ad network and doing behavioral target marketing, you can get your logo back in front of them the next time they're shopping online or reading their favorite web forums.

You can also use ad networks to do behavioral targeting on people who are shopping for services similar to the ones you're providing.  This can be a great way to identify people who are ready to convert and are already doing research on law firms.

You may also want to use behavioral target marketing on your website.  Behavioral targeting on websites has as its aim giving each visitor a personalized experience based on their previous behavior on your site or on someone else's website.  

Do I Have To Do Behavioral Target Marketing Myself?

Okay, so you're not a behavioral targeting wizard yet, but there's good news: you don't have to try to handle it all by yourself.  In addition to a number of free web resources, like blogs about behavioral target marketing, you can also hire a targeting company to help you use this new type of advertising.  Even a single consultation can help you get your behavioral targeting strategy on track.

You can assign as much or as little responsibility as you want to a behavioral target marketing company.  However, you may want to try to arrange a deal in which you keep access to any data that is collected about your company.  This lets you be sure of your security even if you decide later to stop doing business with the behavioral targeting company you're using, and lets you use the data for later behavioral marketing campaigns.

Behavioral Target Marketing For Mobile

As more of the web goes mobile, it's important to use at least one big form of behavioral targeting.  You want to make sure that the user experience for your mobile users is geared toward their devices, rather than offering them a poorly functioning version of your desktop site.

As you begin to customize your website for mobile users, consider expanding your behavioral target marketing so that you're advertising to these users.  They're uniquely positioned to call your firm quickly after starting to research your site, and you need to attract these customers fast: studies show they're less likely to go to even the second page of search results before finding a lawyer they want to call.

How is Behavioral Target Marketing Changing?

Some of the biggest advances in behavioral targeting right now are being made in the area of analytics.  Being able to understand why some people will click on an ad but others won't can help you to identify even narrower target markets with an excellent value per click.  If you hire a behavioral targeting company to help with your new marketing campaign, they can help you arrange split tests so that you can figure out whether behavioral target marketing is working for your company.

Okay, so there's no surefire method for how to become famous on Youtube.  There are, however, a lot of ways to get more Youtube views—some faster than others.  Every month, Youtube viewers are watching over 4 billion hours of video, and you need to get in on the action.  This guide will give you step by step lessons to get more Youtube views to increase your chances of hitting real Youtube fame for yourself or your law firm.

How to Become Famous on Youtube, Step #1: Be Professional

It's just a fact: not all Youtube videos look very professional.  For a lot of people, that's just how they like it, but law firms are different.  Because law firms are staffed by professionals, it's absolutely critical for you to make sure that your professionalism never appears to be compromised in your Youtube videos.

That doesn't mean you can't be spirited, creative, or funny (more on that later), but it does mean that you shouldn't do anything that you'd be embarrassed for your closest friends or colleagues to see.  Remember, you're trying to learn how to become famous on Youtube—if you succeed, you don't want to have to spend the next several months explaining yourself to the people you're closest to.

Overall, lawyers will get more Youtube views when they make professionally produced videos that show a high level of knowledge and professionalism.  Don't just try to make your video with a handheld camera if you've never recorded a Youtube video before.  It's okay to make jokes to get more Youtube views—it's just not okay to be a joke.

How to Become Famous on Youtube, Step #2: Be Unique

Stop me if you've heard this one before: a lawyer talks about a common legal issue while looking at the camera and using a lot of jargon.  Yawn, right?  That's what Youtube viewers think, too.  If your videos look like everyone else's, you'll never get more Youtube views.  In order to get a consistent following, you should be unique.

Try to make your Youtube videos about something where you have more to say than just the basics.  If you have an unorthodox opinion, or one that may go contrary to “common knowledge,” that will help you get more Youtube views.

To know how to become famous on Youtube, you'll need to know yourself well.  What can you do or talk about that no one else can do?  What are you the best at?  Highlighting these strengths is a surefire way to get more Youtube views.

How to Become Famous on Youtube, Step #3: Be Active

Most people don't figure out how to become famous on Youtube with their very first video upload.  The truth is, most viral stars don't just show up on the internet with an instant sensation.  The best way to have the next big viral video is to keep producing good, creative content and keep it coming.  As you get more Youtube views, you'll expand your audience and start reaping the benefits of video marketing.

How to Become Famous on Youtube, Step #4: Be Funny

Remember that part about being professional?  Just because you're professional doesn't mean you can't tell a joke, or use storytelling to talk about a concept in an engaging, fun way.  That's not unprofessional, it's just good marketing, and it will get more Youtube views than any other piece of advice in this guide.

Before you post anything you think is funny on Youtube, do a gut check—and a check with some other people who will be honest critics.  You don't want to learn how to become famous on Youtube for the wrong reasons.  It may be possible to go viral if people are laughing at you, but you'll get more Youtube views and conversions if people are laughing with you.

How to Become Famous on Youtube, Step #5: Be Polite

Everyone knows it: the Youtube comments sections are like a cosmic joke about the underbelly of the internet.  It's easy to get discouraged if you're seeing “troll” comments designed to provoke, or spam comments that have nothing to do with your content.  It can be tempting to just shut down comments altogether—who wants to worry about it?

Try a different approach instead.  Flag inappropriate comments, and try to engage with commenters who really have something to say about your video.  You may want to direct those commenters to your  channel so that you can get more Youtube views, or have them visit your blog or firm website.

How to Become Famous on Youtube, Step #6: Be Helpful

It's likely that sometime before you figure out how to become famous on Youtube with the next viral sensation, you'll be asked some questions by your audience.  Be prepared to answer questions about the law, and if you can do it in a clever or unique way, so much the better.

Being helpful and responsive shows your audience that you're not just in this for yourself.  One of the easiest ways to get more Youtube views is to answer other people's questions directly and without too much doubletalk.  You should make sure to add a disclaimer about not being someone's lawyer and making sure that they consult with their own lawyer, but you can also show yourself as an attorney who's easy to talk to.

How to Become Famous on Youtube, Step #7: Be Yourself

None of these other steps are going to work if you're just putting on a persona.  If you're being fake or are judged as being too much of a corporate shill, you'll be dismissed by most Youtube viewers.  Try to step out of your courtroom self and into something a little more comfortable.

Your personality is one of the biggest unique features you have to showcase.  Put it on display, and you'll get more Youtube views than your competitors who look or sound too generic.