How to Use Live Video in Your Legal Marketing

Live streaming is everywhere these days -- and we're not talking about YouTube or watching the Olympics online. New apps like Periscope and Facebook Live have made it simple for pretty much anyone to broadcast themselves to their social media followers.

And while a DIY self-made video might not look great embedded on your website's landing page, live streaming allows for a simple work around. Here are some tips on how to use it in your firm.

Video Is Everywhere. It's Also Hard.

The internet is still a primarily text-based medium, but that is changing, rapidly. YouTube is the second most-trafficked website in the world, beating out Facebook and trailing only Google. Cisco estimates that video-on-demand traffic will triple in the upcoming years, soon becoming nearly 70 percent of online traffic.

But composing a well-written paragraph is easy enough. Putting together a quality video takes a little more effort. You've got to worry about lighting, sound, pacing, etc. While writing has a low barrier to entry, video production can require expensive equipment and serious, technical skill. It can take a small Hollywood set to make a decent online video.

Live Streaming Is Perfect for Informal Video

This is where live streaming video comes in. Because a recording is live, the usual expectations have been relaxed slightly. Since video is live, you don't need perfect lighting, impeccable sound, or even basic editing -- you just point, shoot, and go. And that can be great for attorneys who want to produce video without having to become video producers.

Live video "sends a message that your firm is approachable and flexible," according to Brittnee Dawson, of FindLaw's Lawyer Marketing. In a recent blog post, she encourages attorneys to bring live streaming into their marketing strategy, as a way to "bring your law firm to life and create a connection with your audience."

But, while live streaming can be simpler than full video production, it's not brainless. Dawson offers these tips:

1. Pay extra attention to an engaging title, something to catch a potential viewer's eye.
2. Encourage your audience to engage by commenting or liking.
3. Pay attention to comments made while streaming. These allow you to interact directly with views.
4. Live broadcasting isn't one-and-done. Create a regular audience by going live often.
5. Just because you're not live any more, doesn't mean your video isn't useful. Share and promote relevant videos after the fact, in order to give them extra life.

Of course, if you'd rather spend time working than marketing, you can always leave that to the experts at FindLaw's Lawyer Marketing.

Related Resources:

• Livestreaming Apps Beyond Facebook Live (Miami Herald)
• Your Practice Needs Online Video Content. Here's Why. (FindLaw's Strategist)
• Judges Love Tech in the Courtroom, Even When They Don't Use It - See more at: https://blogs.findlaw.com/technologist/2016/06/judges-love-tech-in-the-courtroom-even-when-they-dont-use-it.html#sthash.ua75CPUG.dpuf
  Judges Love Tech in the Courtroom, Even When They Don't Use It (FindLaw's Technologist)
• 13 Areas Where Social Media Is Shaping the Legal Practice (FindLaw's Technologist)