We all know FAQ sections. If you have an iPhone problem, for example, you will soon get to know the questions and answers on the Apple website. Even if you ask Google for a solution, you'll end up in this support section relatively quickly. Websites of law firms and other companies in the legal industry hardly make use of this tool so far. This article analyzes the potential of FAQs in law firm marketing.
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The name says it all: "Frequently Asked Questions" are frequently asked questions that a company answers on a website. As a rule, these are short answers in a few sentences. These contain the most likely answer to the question as well as further links to more in-depth information or contact options.
As explained at the beginning, FAQs help to reduce the support effort. Ideally, the collection of FAQs is structured in a meaningful way so that users can quickly find the answers they are looking for. If customers can solve their problems themselves, this relieves the burden on employees who would otherwise have to answer questions by telephone or e-mail.
However, FAQ do not always need their own page on the website:
FAQ können bspw. auch in einen Blogpost verpackt werden. Auch die in diesem Artikel enthaltenen Inhalte sind teilweise im Frage-Antwort-Format wiedergegeben.
You quickly realize: This "classic" approach does not fit the way law firms do business. Legal advice is rarely a mass business in which lawyers are regularly confronted with exactly the same questions. Also, the business model of law firms is not designed for clients to help themselves. The value of legal advice lies in the competent analysis of the individual case.
Nevertheless, we are seeing more and more law firm websites that include frequently asked questions. The importance of this format today goes well beyond reducing support overhead. As a lawyer, you should not forgo the value of this format. There are numerous opportunities for exciting FAQ formats in all areas of law.
FAQ and law firms go well together. See also: "Lawyers and digital marketing? It's a Match!"
The answer is simple: hardly any so far. While the format is already more widespread in Germany, a look at the large (commercial) law firms in Switzerland shows that FAQs on the website are rare finds. Two categories of FAQ are currently recognizable:
These are mainly devoted to the company's own operations and working methods. The law firms address organizational issues (e.g. costs, billing, cooperation, etc.). These FAQs are very helpful for clients. With regard to SEO, however, they only offer a low added value.
Example: FAQ from Burckhardt Law.
This FAQ answers substantive questions. This is not about cooperation, but technical answers to the legal questions relevant to the target groups. They serve to impart knowledge. Users are offered added value here. Google also recognizes this and rewards your website with additional visibility. This informative type of FAQ is better suited for your search engine optimization.
Examples: Graduate website of Baker McKenzie (target group: talent) or the construction law firm Wirz Advokatur.
All businesses fight on Google for good rankings in search results - this is also true for law firms. Search engine optimization (SEO) has long since become an important and ongoing marketing task.
Here are 9 tips for SEO-friendly content.
Search engines like Google optimize the search results they display. They want to answer users' questions as quickly, directly and correctly as possible. FAQ play an important role in this respect - also in areas relevant to law firms.
FAQs therefore appear both at "position zero", i.e. at the top of the list of search results, and under the item "Similar questions".
If you ask Google, for example, whether you can exclude the warranty, you will find this (or a similar) image.
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Search results show the answer to the question asked in the first position in the form of a FAQ
Google shows here directly under the search bar a content from a web page that answers this question. The web page that lands on this position will get many clicks. The highlighted position is the beginning of an answer, but it is far from complete. Users who want to solve their warranty problem will click to get more information.
How do you end up in this "position zero"? That depends on many factors. But: If your texts are formulated as answers, this increases the chance that they will land there for the appropriate question. FAQ formats - on specific pages or in blogposts - are very suitable for this.
A large part of the search queries on Google are nowadays also made via mobile devices. In this display format, the FAQ takes up even more space on the results list and can additionally increase your own visibility.
In many cases, we now also find "similar questions" (or: "people also ask") in our Google searches. These are FAQs that Google has determined are related to the initial question. So here, too, users can quickly find their way around.
The answers to the questions also come from websites (and not from Google itself). Even though the visibility for these websites is already not as great as it was in the first place, this is still an attractive position. These similar questions are also frequently consulted and receive numerous clicks.
FAQ reduce the support effort for companies. Users are guided through frequently asked questions so that they can find the answers themselves. Employees do not have to repeat the answers several times, but only have to write them down once.
For law firms, however, other benefits are paramount.
Google is reading. FAQ complement your website with valuable content. The question-and-answer format conveys topics in digestible portions and in a understandable way. This helps you with your SEO.
FAQ you can usually enter in addition to the "normal" offer descriptions. Even if you have already explained a topic in the offer: In a question-and-answer format, you choose different formatting. Therefore, the content usually does not become a "duplicate content" problem.
It is important that you structure your FAQ clearly, build the blogposts neatly and link the content of your pages correctly among each other. In addition to the amount and wording of the content, these are also important elements for search engine optimization (SEO).
Important: Content structured in this way is not only liked by Google, but also by your flesh-and-blood target group.
Frequently asked questions are answered directly on the website. This corresponds to the behavior of today's users. We have become accustomed to searching for information on the Internet. The coming generations will be even more trained to help themselves with digital sources instead of calling.
Good FAQ sections and question-and-answer formats in blog posts help your target audience recognize your specialization. This conveys credible expertise, sharpens your positioning and increases the market's trust in your competence. Maybe your FAQ strikes you as too basic. However, your target audience is often not a specialist and uses this content as an entry point. It allows your targets to learn a little more about you and differentiate you from the competition. No user expects a complex legal problem to be solved in the FAQ section.
Capturing content for the website is time-consuming. Especially in a lawyer's calendar, we find few free slots for non-billable work. A continuously updatable library of FAQs is a good tool here. Writing a short answer to a frequently asked question is done faster than writing a comprehensive blog post.
So choose a system that you can continuously expand and take some time for it in between. This way you can fill small gaps in your calendar in a meaningful way.
The advantages shown make it clear how sensible it is to deal with the topic of FAQs.
The most important points are highlighted once again below.
A FAQ is a collection of frequently asked questions with the corresponding answers. These are reproduced on separate pages or in the form of blog posts. Users find the answers on their own, which reduces the company's effort and saves valuable resources.
Moreover, well-structured FAQ are valuable in search engine optimization (SEO). FAQ increase the information content of the website, which makes the page more interesting for human and machine targets (Google). Thus, the reputation of the page increases.
With the human target groups, this leads to increased trust in the competence. On Google, you are rewarded with a better ranking and more traffic.
FAQ should be short and concise and deal with the most important questions.
In terms of content, FAQs should not only deal with your own law firm, but above all with specialist topics. This is helpful and interesting for the target group.
We support law firms, companies and individuals in the development of a FAQ concept for sustainable optimization of visibility. SEO is one of our core competencies, which we do not consider in isolation. Acquiring as many users as possible is of no use if these are not subsequently converted into useful leads on the website. We work holistically: Think, Design, Develop - Legal Marketing.
If you are interested, please feel free to contact us at any point in time: hello@headstarterz.com
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