The use of press releases is prominent in law firm marketing. Many law firms routinely submit press releases for various reasons. Press releases can be used to make announcements for the law firm.
The announcements can involve new employees at the law firm. Press releases might involve new office locations. It could also include continuing legal education seminars that lawyers will speak at in the future, books that have been written, or awards that lawyers and the law firm receive.
Are Press Releases Helpful for a Law Firm?
Press releases can be effective for law firms in many ways. When a law firm wants the public or legal community to be aware of a new development, a press release can effectively communicate the message.
Theoretically, news outlets could choose to pick up the press release. When a news outlet picks up the press release, they could share it on their news site. In other instances, a news outlet could write an organic story on the information in the press release.
From a search engine optimization standpoint, press releases can be somewhat beneficial. A press release can result in links back to the law firm’s web page if those are included in the press release itself.
Individuals could also come across the press release organically and read it online. When this occurs, the law firm gains some exposure, and individuals may reach out to the firm if they need their legal services.
Are There Any Downsides of Press Releases?
There are some potential drawbacks of press releases. First, depending on who you use to release the press release, they can be expensive. Some press release services can charge many hundreds of dollars or more for their release.
Second, from a search engine standpoint, the back link value of press releases is minimal. Links from press releases are often no-follow links. Even if they are do-follow links, the trust flow and link juice from these backlinks is typically minimal. Even if the press release is on a major news site, link juice value from press releases is minimal.
Third, while a news outlet could pick up the press release by writing a separate story, unless the press release is unusually unique, it is rare that anything significant will come from it beyond the press release itself. With so many press releases released each day, most news sources do not utilize them.
What’s The Verdict on Press Releases?
If a law firm has important news to share, a press release can be an effective way to communicate it. A law firm must understand that press releases typically cost money, and there may be alternative ways to make these announcements.
For example, another effective way to announce something significant is for a law firm to blog about it on their website or share the news on social media. By blogging and making announcements on social media, there is no cost to the law firm. There are some free press release services that law firms can utilize, but these typically do not yield significant exposure.
