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. 

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.

If a tree falls in the forest and no one can hear it, does it make a sound?  If your law firm Youtube video gets released and no one but you sees it, does it make an impact?  The first question has been debated for centuries, but the answer to the second one is clear: using Youtube for business requires viewers, no matter what.  Learning how to get more Youtube subscribers out of the current userbase of over 300,000,000 registered users can seem complicated—but it doesn't have to be.  Keep reading to find out how to use Youtube for business marketing and making your small firm's voice heard.

How to Get More Youtube Subscribers, Step 1: Find a Niche

Most small law firms today have gravitated away from the “general practitioner” mode that characterized a large number of small suburban and rural firms for decades.  Today, most attorneys and law firms specialize, and that specialization can actually help when you're learning how to get more Youtube subscribers.

If there's a niche that your practice excels at, you need to consider making your Youtube channel (or at least a series of videos) pertain to this niche.  Already, about 13 hours of video are uploaded to Youtube every minute—that's a whole lot of videos.  If you want yours to stand out, you can't talk about the topics that are already common knowledge to video viewers.  The first step in how to get more Youtube subscribers is doing something that no one else is.

Just because your Youtube for business channel is primarily about your niche won't mean that you can never post anything else.  You'll just have an easier time figuring out how to get more Youtube subscribers for one initial niche than if you make videos about a huge number of different things with different keywords.

How to Get More Youtube Subscribers, Step 2: Consistent Posting

Using Youtube for business isn't something you can just do a few times, then forget about it.  There's no way to learn how to get more Youtube subscribers unless you have an active channel that's constantly showing new content relating to your niche.

When you stop posting, people stop listening, and your plans to use Youtube for business can dry up in weeks or months.  No list of steps for how to get more Youtube subscribers is complete without that simple message—no matter why you stop posting videos, it doesn't matter.  It is much harder to rebuild your presence on Youtube for business marketing if you've scared away your followers once already.

How to Get More Youtube Subscribers, Step 3: Direct Advertising

Okay, let's say you didn't read this guide before you started learning how to get more Youtube subscribers, and you've been inconsistently posting content.  If you need a sudden jolt to get more out of Youtube for business marketing, you may be best served by directly advertising the contents of your Youtube channel.

Using Google AdWords, you can advertise either on or off Youtube for business based on keywords.  On Facebook and some other social media websites, you can target your ad using demographic data instead of keywords, which can be more useful for some businesses.

How to Get More Youtube Subscribers, Step 4: Shameless Self Promotion

There's no reason to be shy about what you've posted on Youtube.  This is the new age of Youtube for business, and so many businesses have Youtube pages that you shouldn't be reluctant to share everything you're posting with as many of your contacts as possible.

Use what you've already got.  Using Youtube for business marketing will be much easier if you already have a wide range of online contacts from email lists or social media websites who may be interested in what you have to say.  Tell people that you know in person, and have them tell their friends about your new video series—this is the way some of the best Youtube for business success stories have gotten started.

Blog posts also are a great way to cross-promote your Youtube for business video series. As ever, consider your desired audience: if this is a video primarily made for the benefit of other attorneys, use LinkedIn and your blog to market it.  If it's for consumers, use both LinkedIn and Facebook.  Consider branching out to several new social media services in order to get the best possible start for your Youtube channel.

How to Get More Youtube Subscribers, Step 5: Be an Authority

If you've ever had the chance to look at a lot of different Youtube videos, you will have noticed that not a lot of the people posting seem to be experts.  So far, Youtube is largely the realm of the amateur, which is actually great when you want to use Youtube for business yourself.

Because your firm has people on staff who are authorities about some matters of law, have them speak on camera.  Charisma matters more than just being photogenic—even if no one calls you easy on the eyes, you can be an engaging Youtube presenter by maintaining a level of informality and being direct.

How to Get More Youtube Subscribers, Step 6: Connect With Others

Odds are, other users on Youtube are already using the website to make videos that are at least somewhat similar to yours.  Since it's likely that these people aren't all in the same geographic region, they're not necessarily your competition—in fact, by connecting with them, you could boost referrals to your firm and get an even better return on investment from Youtube content.

Try leaving a comment on another video that's similar to yours and seeing if it elicits a response.  If not, you may want to make a video response that praises the video you watched or highlights certain aspects of it.  This kind of interaction shows that you're committed to your Youtube marketing, and if you keep it up, you'll be sure to expand your subscriber base.
 

The days of the country lawyer who knew a little about everything are behind us.  21st century legal problems tend to require specialists, and because of that, you need a profitable niche market to succeed.  With over 50,000 new bar passers every year, it's more important than ever to research profitable niche markets and become a market leader in your niche soon.  Keep reading to find out how to get access to a profitable niche market whether you're part of an established practice or are just hanging your shingle.

Do Profitable Niche Markets Still Really Exist?

Because niche marketing has become something of a buzz word among attorneys, you may be skeptical as to whether you can still take advantage of the craze.  The good news is that it's still totally possible to find a profitable niche market in your area.  The bad news is, it's no longer as easy as it was even a decade ago.

It's important to remember that profitable niche markets for most types of attorneys are strongly dependent on regional demographics.  What would be a profitable niche market for an attorney in Chicago won't necessarily work for lawyers at a small firm on the Oregon coast.  

In a few areas of the country (like Washington DC), the oversaturation of lawyers is so bad that it can be almost impossible to find profitable niche markets unless you've already made a big name for yourself.  If this is the situation that you find yourself in, you may want to consider a strategic move to another area.  Not every region presents great opportunities for attorneys, and you want to give yourself the best possible chance of developing a profitable niche market.

The Niche Market Advantage for Recent Law School Grads

Ten years ago, the idea of new law school graduates starting their own practices immediately after finishing law school was considered laughable.  Today, an increasing number of recent bar passers are hanging a shingle as a sluggish hiring climate reduces opportunities for traditional firm associate employment.

If you're considering becoming a solo practitioner or starting a law firm with some classmates or friends, you need a profitable niche market more than just about anyone.  Why?  Because profitable niche markets are the best way to advertise on the cheap.  No brand new firm of young, hungry lawyers can afford to advertise for expensive, high prestige keywords.  Instead, you'll want to find a profitable niche market that hasn't been tapped into by too many other lawyers in your area.

To find the most profitable niche markets in your area, consider the demographics that you're working with.  Who employs people in your town?  What are their problems?  Are there any aspects of your area that make particular legal problems more likely?  Take all of these things into account and you'll probably be able to brainstorm some profitable niche market ideas within a few hours or days.

Niche Marketing For Existing Practices

Niche marketing isn't just for young lawyers.  Even if your practice has been going strong, finding a profitable niche market and designing advertising around that niche market can be a great way to expand your reach.

Let's say that you're a family lawyer and have been successful at negotiating child custody agreements between parents.  Instead of just continuing to have a general family law practice, consider specializing in just child custody law, or even in custody law disputes of a particular type.  For instance, depending on your area, there may be a profitable niche market in father's rights types of cases.

You should also consider whether any particular demographics in your area are being underserved.  For instance, if you live in a state with gay marriage, are any family attorneys in your area specializing in gay and lesbian divorce, adoption, and custody issues?  Making yourself an expert in these areas can give you a profitable niche market that will only grow as more states adopt similar gay marriage laws.

Computer Software For Finding Profitable Niche Markets

If you're unable to find a profitable niche market on your own, some software already exists that can help you find the right market to sell to.  Since much of this software has only been developed in the last two or three years, it's very likely that significant advances will be made in niche market finding software in the near future—perhaps we can even expect to see a law firm oriented piece of niche marketing software soon.

Now, don't get the wrong idea about the computer software.  While it can help you find some niche marketing ideas based on your keywords, it's no substitute for your own brain.  You're the one who knows your community best, and law firm niche marketing is heavily regionally dependent.  Don't let the verdict of the software overrule your common sense about what will and won't work in your city.

Microtargeting for Niche Markets

Even if your firm handles a huge variety of cases, you can still take advantage of profitable niche markets.  Once you know about a profitable niche market in your area, if you already have attorneys who understand that area of law, make a website about it.  Specialized websites can help draw in much more overall traffic than just having one website with vague mentions of many different areas of law.

If your budget doesn't call for making whole new websites for each and every field that your firm works in, consider tapping into profitable niche markets with your landing pages.  By associating each landing page with microtargeted keywords, you'll be able to target exactly the right clients with relatively inexpensive click bids.

One of the advantages of using this strategy is that if one market you're experimenting with turns out not to be a profitable niche market, you can just delete the landing page with no harm done.  You can then focus your energy on profitable niche markets that are bringing in great returns according to your analytics software.

In the last six months of 2011, the hours of video being streamed online grew by 93 percent.  Using Youtube for marketing your videos can help you save money and get seen by more viewers.  If you're considering using Youtube video marketing, you need to read this guide.  You'll get an overview of the basics of Youtube marketing, including what a “viral video” is and how to start using Youtube for marketing campaigns.  At the end, you'll also find out how to share your Youtube video marketing with social media and social bookmarking sites.

How Youtube Video Marketing Works

While some attorneys buy direct video advertising on Youtube, many law firms prefer to have Youtube be a free marketing tool.  Using Youtube for marketing doesn't have to cost very much, because you don't actually pay for the bandwidth that gets used when people play your video online.  Instead, Youtube pays these costs.

How does Youtube make money?  By selling ads all over the website, from the nearly half million dollar per day front page display ad to small text ads when you make searches.  The ad supported nature of Youtube marketing does mean that ads are going to appear next to your videos, which you should keep in mind.

In addition to paying for the bandwidth, Youtube for marketing is great because it gives you a stable, easy to use interface for uploading new content.  If you've ever had any difficulties with a web hosting provider, you know how frustrating it can be to wait for a system to come back online so you can do your uploading.  Using Youtube for marketing takes these frustrations away, because Youtube video marketing takes only a few minutes to set up.

What's a Viral Video?

On the internet, you don't always have to be the person to tell other people about your Youtube video marketing.  Your Youtube marketing can actually spread all on its own, through the power of viral video.  When a video “goes viral,” it's spread by hundreds or thousands or even millions of people to their friends and family.

Because Youtube offers such great ways to interface with other social media networks, you may want to use Youtube for marketing your first viral video.  Keep in mind that it's fairly likely that your first attempts at Youtube video marketing will be watched by only a few people.  By looking at other examples of Youtube marketing that have recently gone viral, you can get a good idea of what works and what doesn't.

Often, viral Youtube video marketing relies on humor or unexpected situations.  While you can certainly use both of these when using Youtube for marketing, law firms should also be careful to protect their professional reputations and images.  Clowning around is fine, but if it makes potential clients think that you don't take the law seriously, your Youtube marketing will have backfired.

Youtube Video Marketing Packages

Even though it's relatively easy to start using Youtube for marketing, doing it successfully often requires some experience and know-how.  Because of this, you may want to ask a Youtube video marketing company to help you put together your first set of videos and search engine optimize your content.

Often, Youtube marketing packages will include a number of short 2 or 3 minute videos (sometimes as many as a hundred or more), all recorded in a relatively short amount of time.  It's always a good idea to have a large number of Youtube video marketing campaigns made up in advance, so that you can steadily use Youtube for marketing without getting sidetracked by other firm business.

Rules For Great Youtube Video Marketing

The best Youtube marketing won't look like an advertisement for you or for your firm.  Do you really want to watch video of someone bragging to you about their accomplishments or their job?  Then why would your clients?  Avoid Youtube video marketing that sounds like a rehash of your “About Us” page or your lawyer bios on the firm website.

Your Youtube marketing videos should all be relatively short.  Don't make any of your Youtube video marketing longer than about three minutes, at least not when you've got a new Youtube channel.  If you later want to have that amazing 20 minute question and answer session, you can do it after you have a huge following already.

Any time you get a great follow-up question as a comment to one of your Youtube marketing videos, you should record a video response.  Keep your response concise, and don't give specific legal advice, but you can talk about what a person can do in typical situations.

Finding Your Youtube Video Marketing Niche

Odds are, you're not the first lawyer who works in your practice area to think of using Youtube.  To stand out from that crowd, you'll need a niche or a gimmick.  Since coming up with a gimmick can often feel unprofessional for attorneys, you can instead think of a very small niche area of the law where you can show off your expertise and draw in closely targeted clients.

Once you've decided on a targeted niche for your Youtube marketing, you can start developing topic ideas.  Try using recent cases in the news, or common misconceptions that people have about the area of law you're specializing in.

Sharing Your Youtube Video Marketing

Using Youtube for marketing is even better when you use it to showcase videos on multiple social media platforms.  Linking your Youtube videos to Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter couldn't be easier, and you'll be able to quickly see whether your existing social networking connections are sharing your posts.  This is a great way to gauge the quality of your Youtube videos—you'll want to make more videos like the ones that get shared frequently.

Keep in mind that often, your best “marketing” personnel in today's social media world can be the people closest to you.  If some of your friends or family members are very influential in social media circles, ask them to share some of your content!

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.