Find your niche, define your strategy, and become a thought leader by starting your own legal blog.
For lawyers looking to get creative and publish their work in a more casual setting, starting your own legal blog confers many benefits.
Starting your own blog is a great way to establish your voice in the legal community, and it can be as flexible or time intensive as you want it to be. Having a well-established legal blog will enable you to be a leader in the space and will likely lead to other publishing or speaking opportunities. A legal blog can also help attract prospective clients.
Check out these five simple steps to start your own legal blog today.
1. Develop your strategy and define your niche.
The first step in creating a legal blog is figuring out what exactly you will cover. Are you an expert in a specific field? Do you have other hobbies that intersect with your career? Thinking about what you’re good at and what you’re interested in is a good place to start.
Then, consider your strategy at a high level. Content pillars allow you to understand your content and break down your posting schedule. Content pillars provide structure. Each one represents a key theme or asset you’re looking to promote, with primary and secondary pillars differentiating core and supporting messages.
Identifying 3-5 key themes is a great place to start. Once you determine your focus areas, you can define your tactics and establish a regular cadence for your communications. We’ll elaborate upon this in a future post.
2. Find a platform.
Starting your own blog does not have to be complicated or expensive. Many hosting sites are free or affordable, such as WordPress. If you have your own website already, you can leverage a subdomain as the home of your blog.
Explore different platforms to see which has the right feel, and research whether you need a domain name. Here’s a quick roundup of blog platforms available today from WPBeginner.
3. Leverage SEO (Search Engine Optimization).
An important component of any blog is Search Engine Optimization. Research similar blogs and find out what keywords or search terms drive traffic to their sites. You can also look for keywords or key phrases on topics or questions that few blogs or websites have written about.
There are plenty of tools out there to help you, such as SEMrush, AnswerThePublic or Ahrefs. While the quality of your blog is more important than hitting all the key SEO terms, it’s best to keep an eye to both.
4. Start writing!
Once you have a blog template set up and topic ideas in hand, you’re ready to start creating content. Make sure to double-check your work for any spelling or grammar mistakes, or you can even enlist a professional editor to make sure you’re putting your best pieces out there.
You should also determine your posting frequency, ensuring you can meet those timelines at least 70% of the time. You can always start out slow, such as one piece a month, and then post more frequently as you get the hang of it.
5. Promote your content.
Now that the product is ready, let’s get it in front of your ideal audience. Posting on your social media accounts, creating a subscription list, and reaching out to others in your field to share your work are all great ways to get your name out there. Use your network to gain exposure and solicit feedback. Leverage social media tools, such as Instagram Reels, to connect with new people and identify your target audience.
Starting a legal blog can be beneficial to any lawyer, whether you’re just starting out or have been practicing for decades. The beginning is often the most difficult part. We hope these tips help you take that first step.
Read more about topics relevant to lawyers and law firms on the DRI blog.