Written by Market My Market’s content team, with contributions from Katie McLoughlin, Tyesha Ferron, Hannah Kernal, Kenzie Fox, and Lindsay Bennett
When searching for a blog, page, or article online, do you pause to read long blocks of text with dense legal jargon? If you answered no, you are not alone. According to a study by Nielsen Norman Group, websites have between 10 and 20 seconds to grab a user’s attention, leaving no room for a poor first impression. Fortunately, compelling content with headers, images, and a personable tone can all help capture attention and keep your readers engaged.
At Market My Market, our writers make quality content their number one priority. We understand what makes quality, attention-grabbing legal blog posts and are ready to apply our expertise to your unique marketing needs. When you partner with us, we will create a comprehensive marketing strategy, including content and other critical elements that will help you generate qualified leads and long-term growth.
Contributed by Lindsay Bennett, Content Writer
Before the Click: Crafting an Engaging Header and Meta Description
When interacting with your content, users often see the title, headers, and meta description first. These elements of a page do a lot of heavy lifting in telling the reader what the content is about and grabbing their attention. Having quality headers and meta descriptions betters your chances of users clicking on your website.
Writing an Engaging Header
Headers are amongst the most important elements of a webpage. They tell readers and search engines about your content and its information. Users see these titles in the search result pages and their browser tabs when they click on the page. To better your chances of capturing users’ attention with your headers, use the following tips:
- Keep it short: With all forms of content, headers should be short and easily digestible. Search engines often cut titles off after a certain character count, so keeping your titles short can ensure users get the entire scope of the content.
- Hook them in: With content like blogs and articles, you should have a compelling title that piques readers’ interests. For example, the title could suggest you are sharing information the readers may not know while naturally incorporating keywords.
- Get specific: When looking for legal content, users often look for information about their area. Therefore, including relevant keywords like a city or state name in your headers make them more engaging and far-reaching.
It’s also important to keep your headers simple so they are easy for users to read. If they are too complicated, readers may not bother engaging in your content.
Crafting an Effective Meta Description
In addition to the title, your content’s meta description provides users with information about your content before they click. Readers see these descriptions below the title on search result pages, and each piece of content you produce should have one. These descriptions are typically one to two sentences, and they are most effective when you implement the following strategies:
- Use full sentences: When writing a meta description, use complete sentences with keywords naturally mixed in so readers get the best idea of the content.
- Remember character count: If the description’s character count is too low, Google may fill in the extra space for you, and if it’s too long, it could get cut off. Keeping your descriptions between 140-160 characters should give readers the most optimal results.
- Put key information first: Because many users skim search result pages, it’s essential to put the most important information at the beginning of the description.
- Focus on the main message: In addition to being concise, meta descriptions should also focus exclusively on summarizing the central message of the content while drawing readers in to read further.
In addition to these tips, it’s also important to keep in mind that while meta descriptions are not a Google ranking factor, optimizing keywords could further encourage users to interact with your content. With strong and engaging headers and meta descriptions, you are on your way to capturing your audience before they click.
Contributed by Katie McLoughlin, Content Writer
Keeping Your Visitor’s Attention: The Importance of an Attractive Introduction, Layout, and Image
You cannot underestimate the importance of an attractive introduction, layout, and image. When readers first click a link, they don’t examine every inch of the page from top to bottom. They take in your content all at once, examining it as a whole before deciding if they want to delve deeper to find the answers they need. Visually appealing content will draw in your target audience, and the visual aspect of each element plays a key role in holding your reader’s interest.
The Introduction
It’s well known that the introduction of your content should hook your reader, and it can do this visually. Your introduction sets expectations for the rest of your piece and guides the reader to the value your content offers.
Visually, your introduction should appear short, ideally no longer than two paragraphs. A short introduction tells your reader that your content is concise and makes its point without any fluff.
The Layout
Content with an attractive layout aids user retention by being visually appealing and easy to consume. When readers are presented with walls of text, it can be immediately overwhelming, leading them to click off without considering the quality of the text inside. Content on pages that have been laid out in a professional, appealing manner isn’t text-heavy and is more accommodating to images and other visual elements.
Also, legal content has to convey dense information to an audience that may not be familiar with it. When content has an attractive layout, it allows it to be more readable and easier to digest. Visual elements like mindful spacing, bulleted lists, and subsections tell the readers what to expect and create a smoother reading experience.
The Image
People can recall visual information more thoroughly and for longer than written or spoken information. Including compelling images in your legal content can help readers retain your content longer than they would have otherwise. Attractive images can also arouse the reader’s emotions, which can work in your favor if you want to evoke a particular emotion in your audience.
Contributed by Tyesha Ferron, Content Writer
How to Write a Clear and Captivating Call to Action
A call to action (CTA) is often at the end of your content and provides the reader with information on how to seek out your services. For example, telling potential clients to “call now” provides them with the tools and incentive they need to seek out your services. However, writing a persuasive CTA requires some of the following:
Understanding Your Target Audience
Your target audience changes depending on the type of law you practice, the location of your firm, and many other factors. It’s essential to understand who you want to focus your marketing efforts on and what information they need to seek your services.
Giving Readers a Reason to Act
Without an incentive to contact your office, many potential clients will hold off on contacting you or taking action. You’ll need to provide information that makes the reader feel they must contact you as soon as possible.
Providing Numbers and Links
Having your contact information and website linked within a piece of content provides clients with the necessary tools to take action. Numbers and links are also easily accessible and viewable for readers if they decide to quickly scroll through the piece.
Using Commanding Keywords
A solid call to action is concise and to the point. Using keywords like “contact us” or “visit our website” provides a feeling of urgency that persuades readers to immediately take action, or they may miss out on the opportunity.
Getting Creative
Keeping your CTAs unique and engaging increases the likelihood that your message will resonate with your audience. If everyone uses similar phrases and words, consumers may disregard your call to action.
There’s more to content writing than simply putting words on a piece of paper. The purpose of well-constructed legal content is to persuade a client to seek your legal representation and counsel. A charismatic call to action is essential when you want a potential client to call or click on your website.
Contributed by Kenzie Fox, Content Writer
Grow Your Conversions With Content Specialists at Market My Market
If you are interested in creating high-quality and attention-grabbing content for your law firm or legal business, we at Market My Market may be able to help. We have a strong and diverse team of content writers and SEO specialists, and we pride ourselves on creating pieces that convert, inform, and perform well for each client.
At Market My Market, we specialize in marketing for law firms across the United States. We are dedicated to supporting and communicating with our clients through the entire writing and planning process. From creating a long-term plan to allowing clients to approve topics, we know how to tailor material based on individual preferences. If this sounds interesting and helpful to you, please call us at (866) 270-2250 or complete our contact form for more information.
Contributed by Hannah Kernal, Content Writer
