Lawyers are always looking for ways to set themselves apart from the competition. Many have found value and success in creating digital content that provides value to their prospective clients. 

Instead of advertising directly to clients, thought leadership demonstrates value and provides a practical service. This is often more meaningful to would-be clients than a simple ad. 

Blogs on relevant topics, educational videos and webinars are some examples of digital thought leadership that provides value. By building thought leadership the right way, lawyers can drastically cut their advertising cost and reach more clients. 

Thought leadership for construction attorneys

One recurring thing we hear from people in the construction industry who visit Levelset is that they want legal counsel from someone who knows the laws and regulations in their area. They also want someone they can trust. As an attorney, creating thought leadership content offers a chance to demonstrate both. 

If a contractor is dealing with a lien issue for example, they may turn to the internet for some guidance on how best to proceed. Ensuring that your content shows up in the search results gets you in front of a potential customer.

Content should be informative and helpful, sharing your experience and offering solutions. This shows the person looking for help that you know your stuff and are on their side. 

In the same way that you might offer information and insight in a free consultation, creating online content fulfills the same goal–by demonstrating your knowledge and understanding of the situation and how you can offer help. But because it’s online, your expertise will be able to reach a much wider audience. 

Pro-tip: Create content around what you know. Are you an expert on construction contracts? Do you often help people deal with mechanic’s liens? Share your knowledge on the topics you know best. You’ll not only make better content, you’ll be more likely to attract the kind of customers you’re looking for!

How to bring in clients with digital thought leadership

Making your content stand out can seem like a tall order on the internet. It’s all well and good if a potential customer gets something from your video or blog post, but how do you get it in front of them in the first place?

SEO, or search engine optimization, refers to the power of a piece of digital content to rank on search engine results. A blog post with good SEO will rank in the top results or on the first page when someone searches for relevant topics. Articles with good SEO are built around keywords or phrases that a person might search, for example “mechanic’s lien texas.” They should include short sentences and paragraphs, subheadings, and tags. 

There’s lots of other tips for creating content with powerful SEO, depending on who you ask. And while building SEO content can be a powerful strategy, it can take some time. The best ranking sites have multiple optimized pages that cross link with one another. Building a site with good SEO requires patience and a snowball effect over time. 

For more expedited results, thought leaders often turn to sites that already have access to their desired audiences. For construction lawyers, that might be a construction association blog or newsletter that accepts pitches. 

Other sites like Avvo or Levelset’s own Payment Help Center allow users to post questions that attorneys can then answer. Such platforms connect attorneys directly with potential clients, and allow them to provide quick useful guidance with a low lift. Attorneys that use the Payment Help Center at Levelset regularly convert these interactions to clients.  

Digital thought leadership allows attorneys around the country to connect with potential clients more easily than ever before–while spending next to nothing. Before you cut that next marketing check, consider instead investing a bit of time in sharing your expertise with potential clients, demonstrating concrete value rather than advertising. 

Share thought leadership with construction clients on Levelset

At Levelset’s Attorney Network, we make it our mission to champion construction lawyers and help them build thought leadership to be successful and win clients. We have a number of ways to get involved, and they’re all free! 

  • Answer legal questions online from construction professionals in your area
  • Pitch us a blog post. We’ll work with you to make it powerful content and share it on our site!
  • Host a webinar to a construction audience 

If you’re interested in contributing, email our Community Content Coordinator to get started! Don’t know what to write about or can’t think of a webinar topic? No sweat, we’ll help you come up with powerful content optimized for SEO and sure to get you clicks.