If you’re looking for a good way to generate leads, becoming an authority by producing informative content is a great way to start.
That’s what Russell Knight did when a change in Google’s algorithm led to a reduction in the amount of organic search traffic he was receiving. Russell is a divorce lawyer in Chicago, Illinois. He’s had his own law firm for 10 years, and, up until last year, he relied heavily on Yelp to help new clients find his firm. It was great while it lasted.
“Last year the algorithm changed and Yelp no longer came up on the 1st page for searches of ‘best divorce lawyer,'” he said. “So I started publishing content on my site.”
Russell began to focus on content marketing, using his years of experience to establish himself as an authority in the field of divorce law.
Basically, whenever I encountered a legal issue that I had to research, I wrote about it so that I could educate myself and communicate it to my clients.
Russell’s strategy is to use a specific problem as the title for each post, like “I’m behind on my child support. What do I do?” Russell’s website provides high quality answers to over 100 questions related to family law in Chicago.
For an example of this approach, check out Can I Sell My House During My Chicago, Illinois Divorce?
“I answer the question and explore the issue in the same language I would use to explain it to a client or a judge,” Russell said. “Invariably, I get contacted by people facing the same issue.”
Not only does this establish Russell as an authority, it also positions his website to benefit from the increase in voice search.
People read the article, learn a little about the issue but mostly learn that I am the expert. Then they call my office.
His content marketing efforts aren’t just getting him more clients. They’re helping his clients become better informed. Potential clients come into his office saying things like, “I know that I’ll have to pay X alimony for Y years.” And it turns out they learned it all from his website.
Russell has also have written about more niche subjects. For instance, he gets a lot of calls about mahers (Islamic prenuptial agreements), because he’s the only one writing about them.
Whatever industry you’re in, you can apply this same strategy to your business. Here are some tips to make it work for you:
- Research questions that apply to your industry.
- Write answers in a way that people will understand (and search for).
- Cover topics that aren’t being talked about anywhere else.
If you have any questions, submit them through the form below.
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