One means of marketing online that family lawyers should consider is podcasting. If you are unsure what podcasting is, the easiest explanation is that a podcast is an audio recording on a specific subject published online for others to listen to. Those listening to podcasts will do so on their PC, laptop, tablet, or mobile phone like they would music.
The difference with the podcast is that it is primarily the spoken word used for the content. It follows, therefore, that the reasons that people listen to podcasts include to be educated, to consume information about a subject they are interested in, to discover the latest trends and developments within a given niche, and on many occasions, it can be entertained by what they are listening to.
Talk About What And To Whom?
We must point out that the possible niches and subjects upon which a podcast or series of podcasts can be based are virtually limitless. If an audience is interested in a subject, then there is the opportunity to create podcasts. Also, note that members of that audience can be located anywhere in the world.
While your family law practice may target new clients in your local area, having an audience worldwide can help boost your podcast’s popularity and, importantly, bring it to the attention of search engines, which can help boost your SEO and other online marketing endeavors. As for what else a podcast can do, it can boost your reputation and help you be seen as a trusted, expert family lawyer, which we assume will help with client acquisition.
Creating A Podcast
Setting up a podcast is much easier than you might think, but it must be done correctly to be effective. For a start, you do not need to hire a recording studio or purchase broadcast-quality audio equipment such as those used in radio stations. Provided you have a quality microphone, you have more or less all the equipment you need. As for going from wanting to create a podcast to publishing your first recording, here are five simple steps that will get you there.
Step #1 – Assess Your Audience And What Topics They Will Want To Listen To
This is crucial. Using research on other legal podcasts and from your experience with the clients you have represented, decide which topics you will speak about. You can stay broad and talk about several family law matters or keep to a narrow subject, such as divorce.
Step #2 – Decide What Formats Your Podcasts Are Going To Follow
You can choose one or several formats. The most popular include a simple talk where you explain the topic of the day, a group discussion, an interview with a guest expert, or a Q and A where you have someone asking you questions.
Step #3 – Acquire The Equipment And Software You Will Need
As we have mentioned, provided you have a PC or laptop, you only need a decent microphone. As for software, to start, you can use free recording software, which you can find online, such as Skype, and free editing software, such as Audacity. You need graphics or a logo for your podcast channel.
Step #4 – Start Recording Your First Episode (And Future Episodes Too)
Here, you record your podcast. Two important points are: do not spend hours trying to be perfect, as you can edit it, plus online audiences mainly forgive the occasional stumble over words provided there are not too many. Also, if you value your time, you should record some future episodes in advance.
Step #5 – Edit And Publish Your Podcast
To complete the process, edit your recording to make it error-free without worrying too much if it is not 100% perfect. When complete, upload the audio file and set a publishing time on popular podcast platforms, including Pandora, Google Podcast, Spotify, Audible, and Apple Podcast.
