Do lawyers still need to blog? Do I really need to spend time on Twitter? Let’s take a look at the common marketing trends in 2015, and what must have marketing trends we feel will carry through into 2016. Mark Homer, CEO of GNGF, a law firm marketing agency, and co-author of the best-selling book Online Law Practice Strategies (now in it’s 4th edition) will share the trends he and the GNGF team have seen this year, with a focus on digital.

1. Law Firm
“Digital” Marketing Trends
for 2015-2016
Mark Homer - mark@gngf.com

2. MARK HOMER

3. Where We Are

4. Our Book
AMAZON’S #1 BEST-SELLING LAW PRACTICE MARKETING BOOK
Jabez LeBret Mark Homer
How to Turn Clicks INTO CLIENTS
THIRD EDITION
ONLINE
PRACTICE
STRATEGIES
LAW
4th Edition just released last week
For the Lunch Hour Legal Marketing
community we are offering a free copy of
the new edition. If interested just fill out
this quick form with your Name, Firm, and
Address today.
https://gngf.com/lunch-hour/

5. @mark_homer | @gngfound
Trends for 2015-2016
• Mobile continues to grow in importance
• On-Demand Expectations
• We trust strangers
• Links still matter?

6. THE FUTURE IS MOBILE
*IDC Research Report 2013
have their phone on or near
them for all but up to 2
hours of their waking day.79%
reach for their smartphone
immediately after waking up62%
say they can't recall the last
time their smartphone
wasn't next to them.25%
Among smartphone owners age 18-44

7. Millenials
• 18-33 years old now
• Yes, they are adults and many are middle managers with
great income
• They grew up with mobile devices not phones
• On average send over 100 texts a day
• 2/3 rather text than speak to someone on the phone
• They knew Amazon the retailer before Amazon the river
• 75% are on social media (from a mobile device)

8. Gen Z
• <20 years old…. but
• Largest population in U.S.
• Prefer Images vs. text (snapchat, instagram, video)
• Can work multiple screens at once (iPad, computer,TV,
smartphone, games) and have only seen touchscreens
• Learn as much fromYouTube as school
• Low attention span - “Bite-size media”
• Leaving Facebook??

9. Are you ready?
• Mobile Responsive Website
• Make it easy to get a hold of you from mobile device
• Make sure your firm is setup correctly on mobile search

10. @mark_homer | @gngfound
Knowledge Graph

11. KNOWLEDGE GRAPH

13. @mark_homer | @gngfound
Trends for 2015-2016
• Mobile continues to grow in importance
• On-Demand Expectations
• We trust strangers
• Links still matter?

14. @mark_homer | @gngfound
On Demand Expectations

15. ONLINE CHAT

16. CLIENT PORTAL

17. TEXT MESSAGES

18. @mark_homer | @gngfound
Trends for 2015-2016
• Mobile continues to grow in importance
• On-Demand Expectations
• We trust strangers
• Links still matter?

19. WHY REVIEWS MATTER
67% OF
CONSUMERS
READ 6
REVIEWS OR
LESS TO MAKE
UP THEIR MIND
SAY POSITIVE REVIEWS
MAKE THEM TRUST
A BUSINESS MORE
OF CONSUMERS
TRUST ONLINE
REVIEWS AS
MUCH AS
P E R S O N A L
RECOMMENDATIONS
79% 73%

21. And that data is old…
2015 Survey:
• 92% of consumers now read online reviews (vs. 88% in 2014)
• 40% of consumers form an opinion by reading just 1-3 reviews
• Only 13% of consumers consider using a business that has a 1
or 2 star rating
• Star rating is #1 factor used by consumers to judge a business

22. Image of search result with stars

25. Reviews
Where to Get Reviews:

27. Reviews

28. @mark_homer | @gngfound
Trends for 2015-2016
• Mobile continues to grow in importance
• On-Demand Expectations
• We trust strangers
• Links still matter?

29. I Don’t Buy Links Often
But When I Do…

30. Social Content Links On/Off Site
Traffic + Conversions
Links Still Matter
Be Careful
Contextual v Link
Scholarships Rock
@jabezlebret

31. @mark_homer | @gngfound
Alternative Local Marketing Strategies
“OLD SCHOOL”
Take traditional
marketing strategies
and maximize search
and social value
Win – Win - Win

32. Social Content Links On/Off Site
Traffic + Conversions

33. Social Content Links On/Off Site
Traffic + Conversions
Instructions on Your Website
Infographic About Scholarship
Pre-Written Emails
Call Schools
Video v. Essay – Easy Choice

34. Social Content Links On/Off Site
Traffic + Conversions
Contextual Link from .edu

35. Content Links On/Off
Traffic + Conversions

36. @mark_homer | @gngfound
Press Outreach

37. @mark_homer | @gngfound

38. @mark_homer | @gngfound
Sponsorships

39. @mark_homer | @gngfound
Pay to Play
• Promote quality content via social media paid posts –
save money by targeting!
• Get some rich markup back by using Adwords
• Adwords is often 2/3 of mobile top of fold
• Figure out what directories are crushing it in your
area and spend $$ for premium placement

40. @mark_homer | @gngfound
Other Trends for 2015-2016
• Visual Marketing
• Social costs money?
• Security
• Technology Competence

41. Our Book
AMAZON’S #1 BEST-SELLING LAW PRACTICE MARKETING BOOK
Jabez LeBret Mark Homer
How to Turn Clicks INTO CLIENTS
THIRD EDITION
ONLINE
PRACTICE
STRATEGIES
LAW
4th Edition just released last week
For the Lunch Hour Legal Marketing
community we are offering a free copy of
the new edition. If interested just fill out
this quick form with your Name, Firm, and
Address today.
https://gngf.com/lunch-hour/

42. Law Firm
“Digital” Marketing Trends
for 2015-2016
Mark Homer - mark@gngf.com