The world of content marketing promotes diversity. Every industry is welcome – but that’s not to say that you can just speak (or write) and people will listen.
Most of the time, if people are not prepared to give you due attention there’s a good reason why. While I’m not a fan of the ‘boring’ tag that some marketers insist on levelling at certain industries, there’s plenty of boring content out there.
Admittedly, it is harder to stray away from the boring end of the content spectrum for some sectors than it is others. But even firms in the super creative industries are guilty of dull content on occasion.
Take the legal services sector, for example. It’s not an industry you’d associate with endlessly interesting content, when in fact it has huge potential from a content marketing point of view.
Let’s take a look at how legal firms can start to make more of the hand dealt to them:
Look to the news for inspiration
Type ‘personal injury’ into Google News and you will find an endless supply of stories on the subject. While some might be on too small a scale to be of any use, there will be plenty of stories that could benefit from some expert insight.
That’s where you come in, offering some comment on a recent case and explaining how the court came to a particular decision. If you have knowledge to impart on a high-profile case, do so (within reason). It might just help someone realise that they have a case, or they know somebody who does.
Limit the use of legalese
What makes some industries less accessible or engaging than others? For some people, it might be the amount of jargon, or legalese, used by individuals in that sector.
Put yourself in the shoes of your customer for a minute. They’ve all got their own lives to lead, working hard in their own chosen industry, so the last thing they want to be doing is studying something that’s filled with words and acronyms they don’t understand.
Sure, they’ll be occasions where you’ll have no choice but to use the correct term, but more often than not jargon is unnecessary. Write for your customers, rather than if you were speaking to your colleagues.
Demystify inaccessible subject matter
That brings us on nicely onto complex subject matter. If all your customers are au fait with how a certain legal process works, having been through it before themselves, then it’s well and good. However, for the majority, they might not have had to think about employment law or family law before.
Divorce is unpalatable at any time, of course, but if it’s necessary, then a good lawyer is what someone needs. By presenting your business as approachable and uncomplicated – in the form of well-written, accessible content – those that feel they have no choice but to separate from their partner might well make you the first port of call.
Incorporate case studies
Nothing engages people more than a real-life story. Now, I’m not saying that you should ‘spill the beans’ on an interesting case, but cherry picking the details from a fascinating encounter from the past does hold some value.
The reasons for doing so are obvious: it will give your business some colour, shows readers that you can get results and helps enlighten potential customers how they can prosper from the law.
Real-life examples are inherently more enticing and readable than made up cases or theory, meaning readers are more likely to give your post their undivided attention – all the way to the call to action with a bit of luck.
Planning and producing engaging content on a regular basis is obviously a challenge for any busy marketing department. Here at M2 Bespoke we work with businesses from all sectors, helping them put together a sustainable content plan and assisting with the production as and when external assistance is required. We’re always happy to chat if you’d like to explore the possibilities.