Civil Rights
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I have a pet peeve: I hate it when a website has a really interesting link in a post, something that SCREAMS "Click me! CLICK ME!" like the "Exorcist" girl, and then when I do, it's a standalone video.
A video. A video that I can't watch in public unless I have headphones, a video that will take a ton of my monthly data allotment on my phone, a video that I can't watch at work because that would totally be unprofessional.
But not everybody is me. Some people like videos. Some people would rather watch a three-minute video than read a 900-word article. And if that sounds like your target clientele, you might be wondering: Should your law firm website have videos?
See that intro? There are a lot of good reasons why you shouldn't have videos: They take a lot of data, they are hard to watch on the go, etc.
And here's an even bigger reason: They are difficult to make at a reasonable cost. You aren't going to use your cell phone to make selfie videos explaining legal concepts. (We hope.) You're going to need a little production value, and unless you know iMovie or some other production software, and have a halfway decent camera, you're probably going to have to hire somebody.
Plus, you can't just update videos on the fly. You have to reshoot videos, while an article or blog post can quickly be edited.
Are you targeting a lazy or illiterate clientele? (Kidding. Although...) Or can you explain something far easier in a three-minute demo video than you can in a lengthy article?
The best case for videos is where you have eternally relevant ("evergreen") topics, such as firm attorney profiles, quick intros to practice areas, or commonly asked legal questions.
Or, maybe you can make fun, shareable videos on topics that many people are curious about, like "Can you fool a Breathalyzer?" or "Is it illegal to stream movies online?"
OK, so let's say you're sold on the idea of videos. Here are some things that you must keep in mind:
Got all that? Self-produced and self-hosted videos are more trouble than they are worth, at least in my opinion. However, if you do want high-quality, professionally produced videos for your website, FindLaw's Lawyer Marketing folks can help.
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