Why Social Proof Matters to You as a Lawyer
By Attorney Taylor Lake
Trust is the foundation of any relationship, whether personal or professional. To have confidence in someone, you must first have a certain level of trust in that person. This applies to all businesses, and due to the potential legal consequences for clients, attorneys must follow these guidelines.
If a potential client has no previous experience with you, you can build trust in two ways: through factual proof and social proof.
Factual proof establishes your competence and expertise as a lawyer. Factual proof is how you tell your own story, on your website and in your advertising.
Factual proof is valuable, but by itself, it does not distinguish you from your competition. Prospective clients expect you to understand the law. If your presentation of factual proof primarily involves showing them what you know, such as firm web pages and blog posts that outline what constitutes a cause of action, possible civil and criminal liabilities and penalties, and defenses, this may still leave the prospect with some uncertainty about whether to commit to you.
What that potential client wants to see, the distinguishing difference, is social proof. Proof that you not only know your profession but also can be trusted on a personal level.
The best way to create this kind of trust is through the related experiences of others, specifically people who have put their trust in you and had a successful outcome.
Social proof means stepping aside and letting your clients tell their stories.
Common Types of Social Proof
The most effective social proof vehicles for attorneys are well-known. Three of the most common are:
- Client testimonials, reviews, and case studies.
- Certifications, awards, and expert endorsements from well-known and trusted sources.
- Data that shows successful client outcomes.
Client Testimonials, Reviews, and Case Studies
Nothing beats a good client testimonial or review as a confidence builder. This is because multiple studies have shown that when people have doubts about whether to proceed with you, they will almost always first look for others you have served to validate their decision.
Up to 90% of individuals evaluating your services are likely to trust a positive testimonial or review over advertisements or any evidence you offer. The greater the detail in the testimonial or review, the more impactful it is.
The best testimonials don’t just provide a five-star rating; they narrate the client’s experience of entrusting you with a legal issue and how you assisted them in resolving it. This is why, when seeking testimonials or reviews, you should ask clients questions that elicit important information:
- What was the legal problem?
- What persuaded the client to choose you? If the client considered someone else, what made the difference in selecting you?
- How did you solve the problem? Did your solution exceed expectations?
- What was it like to work with you? Was it a pleasant experience?
- Would the client recommend you to others?
Use the client’s name in the testimonial if the client consents to it. If the client is willing, a video testimonial can be highly effective. Why not display client testimonials on your website? You can also share them on social media platforms like LinkedIn, Meta, and X (formerly Twitter), and showcase those wonderful client reviews on search engines such as Google and Yelp!
When Should You Use Case Studies?
A case study is a detailed account, typically one or two pages long. It outlines the client, highlights the legal issue they faced, and allows the reader to follow the client’s journey – how you helped overcome the problem and the outcomes you achieved.
Case studies are most effective if you work with business clients who have more complex legal matters than individuals. Many individual clients may be reluctant to go into much detail about their legal problems. Still, business prospects read case studies, especially if they tell a story that resonates with the challenges those prospects face.
Another helpful feature of case studies is that you can repurpose them into testimonials for use on your firm’s website and social media platforms.
Certifications, Awards, and Expert Endorsements
Not all social proof requires clients to speak on your behalf through testimonials. Positive feedback from your professional peers and relevant associations is also effective in alleviating doubts about choosing you over the competition.
One strategy is to ensure that your firm appears in as many relevant legal peer-level directories as possible. These include:
- Avvo
- Best Lawyers
- FindLaw
- Justia
- Lawyers.com
- Martindale-Hubbell
- Nolo
- SuperLawyers
What are Trust Badges?
Another type of social proof indicator is commonly referred to as a “trust badge.” Trust badges are digital icons that indicate the distinctions your firm has earned, such as awards from local, regional, or national bar associations and other reputable organizations.
Trust badges for lawyers are digital icons or seals that enhance a law firm’s credibility and trustworthiness to potential clients. These badges can be earned through various means, such as being selected for Super Lawyers or Rising Stars lists, achieving special milestones like anniversaries with Super Lawyers,
or receiving awards from reputable organizations, including the American Bar Association and local bar associations.
Some examples of trust badges include:
- Avvo website badges
- Better Business Bureau
- Ethical Lawyers of America
- Million Dollar Trial Lawyers awards
- Sponsorships of associations and charities
- TRUSTe Privacy certification seal
You can feature trust badges on your websites, blogs, emails, and other online platforms.
Data Evidencing Successful Client Outcomes
For many years, McDonald’s franchise signs featured a phrase highlighting the number of hamburgers (ultimately billions) the brand had served. Social proof implied that if so many people around the world purchased those meals, then the restaurant brand must be doing something right.
You can achieve similar results by highlighting facts about your firm that enhance confidence in your track record, such as case results, the number of clients you have served, the number of jury trials you have conducted, and high-profile settlement payouts or jury awards.
Do You Need Help to Enhance Your Firm’s Social Proof?
Effective law firm digital marketing is a comprehensive endeavor that involves search optimization, factual proof, and social proof. You must indeed be able to get people to find you on the Internet: approximately 90 percent of people today rely on online searches when looking for business services, and an equal percentage never look past the first page of search results.
Search engine optimization (SEO) is crucial; however, it is merely the beginning. You need to be able to close the deal once you appear on that first page. This is where factual and social proof come into play. Many law firms prioritize SEO and factual evidence but neglect social proof. This is an avoidable mistake that can cost you.
At KPC Marketing Services, our team, consisting exclusively of marketing professionals and consultants who have JDs and attorney practice experience, can help you build a complete marketing system that includes all three of the firm marketing elements you need:
- We optimize your website to rank you highly in online search results.
- We make sure that your factual proof qualifications stand out clearly to site visitors.
- We partner with you to connect with your clients, maximizing the value of social proof in your marketing strategy.
We automate your review collection process, ensuring that your client reviews and testimonials reach the types of prospects you seek. We assist you in gathering and managing testimonials and reviews, including monitoring review sites to respond appropriately if someone leaves a less-than-favorable review.
Especially if you are a solo practitioner or manage a small to medium-sized firm, finding time to run an efficient and effective digital marketing campaign can be challenging. KPC Marketing Solutions serves as your force multiplier: we not only build your marketing campaign but also manage it, all at a rate you can afford, maximizing your return on marketing investment.
Schedule a consultation with us today to discover how we can drive new client business to your law practice, helping your firm grow and thrive.
