A Beginners Guide to Law Firm Video – Pt 2: Choosing Topics for Your Firm’s Videos
In today’s second instalment of our Video for Lawyers series, SlawTips brings you a Tips vlog on choosing topics for your law firm videos:
Transcript:
Hello, I’m Garry Wise from Wise Law Office in Toronto and Wise Law Blog. Today, I’m using my iPhone to talk to you about choosing topics for your law firm’s videos.
Tip #1: Identify Your Target Audience
Before choosing a topic, decide who your target audience is.
Are you looking to do:
- information pieces for existing clients?
- educational videos for the general public?
- marketing-oriented videos to build your practice and attract prospective new clients?
- perhaps you want to speak to the legal profession as a whole to comment on a controversial issue or even to introduce yourself as a candidate for election as a bencher?
Tip #2: Pick Topics that Speak to the Audience You Are Targeting
Once you’ve decided who your videos are targeting, pick topics that will be interesting to the audience you have in mind.
Tip #3: Demonstrate Expertise
As an example, if you are looking to do marketing videos to attract new prospective clients, demonstrate expertise – use your videos to answer the types of questions that you are typically asked on introductory consultations:
- What are my rights?
- Am I entitled going to be entitled to compensation?
- How much compensation?
- How long will it take?
- How much will it cost to hire a lawyer?
- What happens if I lose?
- Will your firm stay in touch with me?
- How will I be kept in the loop?
These are the kinds of questions that people who are looking for a lawyer have in mind.
Tip #3: Go Deep
A different approach is “go deep.” Take a single topic and do a series of videos, each addressing one aspect of that topic.
For example, if you want to speak about spousal support, you might talk about:
- Who qualifies for support?
- What are the Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines?
- How is the amount of support calculated?
- What happens if your circumstances change and you need to change your support order?
- When does support end?
And so on. By doing a series of videos, each focusing on one aspect of a topic, you really demonstrate your expertise, and you let your prospective clients know that you have the ability to handle the kinds of issues that they need to have dealt with when they retain counsel.
A couple of other small points:
Tip #4: Keep it Short and Sweet
Sound bites work better that long soliloquies. Get to the point and get there quickly.
Tip #5: Your Videos Should Be 3-5 Minutes at Most
Try to limit your videos to three to five minutes maximum.
Tip #6: Include a Transcript of your Video in Your Post
Always include a typed transcript in then post in which your video appears.
Tip #7: Make Your Video Title Interesting and Descriptive
As well, make your titles interesting and Google-friendly. Remember, Google is going to index your videos. You want your prospective audience to recognize immediately that your video contains the content that they are looking to see.
Tip #8: Have Fun
Lastly, have fun. The more video you do, the easier it becomes, and the better you will get at it.
So give it a try, and we will look forward to seeing you at the movies!
Hi Garry!
I’ve been doing a lot of research on the topic of video production for lawyers (and non-lawyers) trying to come up with some point form information to help them get started and not be intimidated.
I love that you used your iPhone to film this video. It just goes to show that you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on fancy equipment to get the job done, and get it done well.
You have some amazing tips here. Thanks for the read!
Great article Garry. I produce interview format videos for marketing and can’t say enough about how valuable it is. The internet has changed and most clients and colleagues would rather watch something than read it. Your tip on picking topics that speak to your target audience is right on point.