Understanding Client's Search Behavior as an Attorney

Having a profound knowledge of your prospective client’s patterns of search behavior is essential in multiple aspects for increased business of your law practice. If you know the search behavior of your clients, you will not only be able to target them in better ways but also be able to help them with tailored and customized services.

So, let’s have a peek into the search behavior of clients looking to hire an attorney:

3 Step Search Pattern

Your prospective clients are searching for you in three basic steps. Firstly, they are searching for you in online and offline sources. Secondly, they are evaluating prospective attorneys found from the sources. Thirdly, they are selecting the best one after meeting some of the attorneys they have shortlisted after evaluation. Now let’s look at the sources your clients are searching in while finding and attorney.

Offline Sources

Offline sources mostly include friends and family, people your prospective clients may know and other professional referrals. It is a natural search behavior from the part of your client to ask the people around them about their needs. So, it is natural that they will ask their friends and family while searching for a lawyer or attorney. On the other hand, professional referrals occur when your clients are asking for you to another professional.

Online Sources

Online sources include Google local searches, online lawyer referrals services, NetProReferral and LinkedIn, and other social media platforms. Among all these online sources, research shows that the prospective clients’ search for an attorney is more likely to begin with Google local business listings. Then they will move on to evaluating the attorney from other online sources like their social profiles, NetProReferral, LinkedIn or online reviews.

Attorney Evaluation Pattern

Your prospective clients are considering a lot of aspects while evaluating you as an attorney before making the final decision.  They are evaluating your online presence, popularity in social profiles, your blog, availability of your previous track record and much more. Another aspect is the proximity of your office from them.

So, to improve the number of clients coming your way you have to take actions regarding the search behavior of your clients. Based on the search behavior of your clients as an attorney you will have to optimize your practice and online–offline networking.

Firstly, you have to be available in sources they are searching for you. For reaching out to your clients offline, you should expand your professional referral network.

Secondly, you have to make the information they are searching for you available in relevant sources. You must get yourself listed in various local business listings like Google, Yahoo, Bing and make the most relevant information about your business prominently visible there.

Thirdly, you should build a strong presence on all the social media and professional networking sites. You must run a blog on your website and share updates on your social channels regularly.

So, these are the search patterns of clients looking for an attorney. Have a grip on these information and start changing your strategies in line with them