Times are changing fast and so are marketing and advertising strategies for law firms and attorneys. Podcasts have become a popular way for lawyers to get their messages across to thousands of listeners. What attorney’s blogs have done for written thought leadership, podcasts are doing for audio thought leadership and there’s no time like the present to be on the ground floor of this incredible marketing vehicle. Here’s how to launch your legal podcast and get it in front of an audience looking for your services.
Establish Your Focus
No matter how much you love law, you simply can’t cover everything about that vast field in a single podcast. There just isn’t enough time. Plus, narrowing your focus to what you’re an expert in will increase the number of qualified leads you get from your podcast. After all, if you are a personal injury attorney, you don’t want clients contacting you for criminal representation. Your goal is to create a following of dedicated listeners who can increase your client base through referrals. It’s not necessarily to get the largest audience possible.
For this reason, take the time to really find your niche. Maybe it’s telling stories of past clients (anonymously, of course) or perhaps it’s answering legal questions in your area of practice. Whatever you decide to do, keep your content tight and follow a set content schedule to ensure you don’t get too far from your focus. This will open doors to advertisers who are looking to sponsor specific segments and could even lead to syndication.
Create a Content Calendar
Once you’ve narrowed down your focus for your law podcast, you’ll want to come up with topics for at least the first five episodes. If you’re considering a podcast, you probably already have some ideas to work with, but if you don’t visit Facebook groups or search Instagram and Twitter hashtags to find out what your audience is talking about. You want to keep your podcast timely and relevant, so capitalizing on major issues in the legal world will help you do that.
Determine Your Format and Cadence
Next, decide how you’re going to present your material. Maybe you’re going to interview guests or have someone else interview you. Or perhaps you’re going to be the only host of the show and will be telling stories without another host. The format you choose is important, but you can always change it up if something isn’t working. Be aware that being the only host of a podcast is difficult, especially when you’re just starting out. Consider having a co-host or assistant for at least your first few episodes.
Also of great importance is how often you’re going to release an episode. Weekly is popular, but monthly might be a better cadence for beginners because you can spend more time polishing each episode. Try to stick to one length per podcast (ideally 30 minutes to start with) so people can know what to expect from each episode. Remember that people like predictability, especially in their personal routines, so you want to fit your podcast into that.
Conclusion
From this point, you can purchase your podcast equipment, choose a hosting site, and get started. As your legal podcast audience grows, you’ll find plenty of opportunities for further marketing and branding. Before you know it, your podcast will be a must-listen for an entire audience and your efforts will pay off with more clients and more revenue.