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| Russell Alexander |
It’s touted as one of the greatest technological advancements in the modern age. It’s capable of thinking, learning and fostering innovation. It can automate tasks. It can analyze data and make informed decisions. It can answer common questions and deliver user-requested content. It can even be the driving force behind machines and robots that take on a plethora of tasks while increasing accuracy and reducing risk at the same time.
The list goes on.
So how does the average tech-unsavvy lawyer harness AI to help with their marketing? The key word is “personalization.”
Personalized lawyer marketing
Social media and other digital platforms bombard us all with marketing messages. The sheer volume makes it hard to capture anyone’s attention for long. This is where AI can come into play.
Marketing “personalization,” as the name suggests, involves tailoring the messages and content so that it matches the interests and preferences of the individual clients being targeted.
This can mean everything from recommending services based on past website engagement all the way up to customizing email newsletters based on the client’s browsing history. Personalization helps to increase engagement, drives up sales, and builds loyalty to the lawyer and firm.
This is where AI comes in. Lawyers can use it to customize their marketing messages and content, based on the specific needs and interests of their clients. For example, AI-driven systems can be used to analyze client data and preferences to create tailored content that speaks directly to their clients’ and potential clients’ needs, in the form of:
- Targeted email newsletters
- Social media posts
- Blog content
Since AI excels at analyzing vast amounts of data — in this case, data on client behaviour, preferences, patterns and trends — it can also help law firms and lawyers understand their clients and potential clients better, and then respond through corresponding personalized services.
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New content creation
Personalization can also be achieved through the ongoing creation of new content. AI-supported analysis can determine which existing blog posts or social media updates have been most popular with a firm’s clients in the past, and then suggest topics or angles for the future. This means any new content will be more likely to resonate with the target audience, and optimally generate engagement and interest.
This saves the lawyer both time and effort in conceiving new content ideas, while also increasing the effectiveness of ongoing marketing campaigns.
AI-assisted writing
Another way lawyers can use AI is by having it assist with the actual writing process. For example, some AI-powered writing tools can generate headlines or even write entire articles based on data analysis and natural language processing. While the content may still need some editing or refinement, lawyers can freely use these tools to help generate ideas and get the initial writing process started.
AI can also help lawyers optimize the way their written content is accessed by search engines and social media platforms. By analyzing data on keyword searches and user behaviour, AI-powered tools can suggest changes to headlines, tags, and content structure that improves the visibility and reach of a firm’s content.
With that said, there’s nothing like the personal touch. Rather than take over writing tasks entirely, AI tools should simply be leveraged. They can generate worthy ideas and fine-tune content that is more likely to resonate with clients while improving business results along the way.
It may feel efficient to prolifically churn out machine-generated content but lawyers must maintain a consistent “voice” in their written marketing materials and maintain a human touch in all their marketing efforts. The most effective content will still be the type that’s engaging, informative and relevant to the specific needs of the firm’s target audience.
Marketing and social media monitoring
There’s at least one other way that lawyers can harness the strengths of AI and use it to stay ahead of the game. It’s called social media monitoring.
As everyone knows, social media has become a powerful tool in all sectors. Platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram are widely accessible corners of the Internet where lawyers can:
- Market their services
- Monitor their online reputation
- Connect and build relationships with clients and potential clients
- Stay up to date on industry trends.
However, with the vast amount of information available on social media, it can be challenging for lawyers to keep on top of things. Effectively monitoring and managing an online presence takes a lot of time and effort. This is where AI comes in.
At it simplest, social media monitoring involves AI-driven tracking of any mention of a brand, organization, or individual — or in this case, a lawyer/law firm — on social media channels. The results can be analyzed to gain insight and to identify opportunities to engage with potential clients. It also provides lawyers with the chance to respond to any negative commentary or feedback.
Some of the specific parameters of social media monitoring include:
- Sentiment analysis: AI can analyze social media posts and determine whether the sentiment is positive, negative or neutral. The additional assistance of the AI allows lawyers to identify potential issues and respond quickly to negative feedback.
- Trend analysis: AI can analyze social media trends and identify popular topics or conversations related to their practice areas. This can help lawyers identify potential clients or topics to engage with on social media.
- Competitor analysis: AI can analyze social media conversations related to competitors and provide insight to inform their own marketing strategies. This can help lawyers identify areas where they can improve their online presence and differentiate themselves from the competition.
The takeaway
For lawyers, AI’s ability to personalize client experience, create effective and engaging marketing content and monitor social media is a truly ground-breaking leap forward. They can use it to not only build stronger relationships with clients but also get an edge over the competition.
Yet even the most marketing-savvy lawyers have not tapped into the full potential of AI. If you’re one of those many reticent lawyers who’s curious, but still on the fence: What are you waiting for?
Russell Alexander is founder of Russell Alexander Collaborative Family Lawyers, which focuses exclusively on family law in Ontario dealing with all aspects of divorce, including separation, child custody and access, spousal support, child support, and division of family property. The firm has offices in Lindsay, Whitby, Oshawa, Markham, Peterborough and Toronto. For more information, visit: http://www.russellalexander.com.
The opinions expressed are those of the author and do not reflect the views of the author’s firm, its clients, Law360 Canada, LexisNexis Canada, or any of its or their respective affiliates. This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal advice.
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