This document discusses using blogs to enhance a law firm's online presence. It defines what a blog is and explains how blogs can be used by law firms for search engine optimization, frequent content updates, and establishing authority in specific legal areas. The document provides guidance on topics to cover, potential authors, intended audiences, publishing platforms, and keyword strategies for law firm blogs. It raises questions for law firms to consider around blog administration, author participation, and content guidelines.

1. Blogging for BusinessUsing Web Communication to Enhance Information DeliverySearcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley, PAExclusively for the use of Partner Firms© Copyright 2009

2. What is a “blog”?a Web site that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the writer; also: the contents of such a site (Merriam-Webster)A Web site providing a variety of different thoughts, opinions, information, and news in a compressed, news journal format. (Hopkins, J)

4. Back to our websiteArticleArchive of Previous ArticlesTwitter

5. What am I trying to communicate?ExpertiseKnowledgeAreas of specialty and practiceImportant issues (tort reform, preemption)Taking time to care—charity work and other good contributions to the community

6. Blogging & SEOSEO: Search Engine OptimizationWhat is SEO?the process of increasing the amount of visitors to a Web site by ranking high in the search results of a search engine. The higher a Web site ranks in the results of a search, the greater the chance that that site will be visited by a user.

7. Content Changes to WebsitesConstant content changes to a website not always practicalBlogging serves multiple purposes by presenting content change, marketing, and creation of the firm’s image as an authorityBlogging creates an avenue to integrate multi-media into websites

8. Topics & Subjects

9. Authors & EditorsA single editor to receive & publish Authors need to have some grounding in the law: lawyers, paralegals, experienced secretariesAuthors should be creative and at least “B” writersAvoid too much legalese

10. Who is your audience?Your current clientsProspective clientsOther lawyersGeneral public

11. Video as a part of articles

12. Video & the Power of YouTube

13. YouTube

14. Publishing SoftwareWordPress – Free design and publishingBlogger (Google) – Free design and publishingDotNetNukeTumblr.TypePadXanga

15. Lawyer Blog Sites for a FeePaperStreet.comLexBlog: www.lexblog.comMartindale-HubbelLawyers.comJustia.comScorpion.com

16. WordPress.org

17. WordPress Simple Dashboard

18. New Publishing -- WordPress

19. Edit Published Blogs

20. User/Author/Subscriber Interface

21. Google Blogger—It’s Free

24. Keywordinga term used as a keyword to retrieve documents in an information system such as a catalog or a search engineIncluding keywords in blogs, which relate to area of practicePersonal injury, attorney, defective product, bad drugs, car wreck, car crash, truck accident, slip & fall, etc…

25. Questions to Ask Who will blog?Will the firm “police” individual lawyer blogs?Who will blog?What motivation or requirement will there be for attorney participation?What is the focus of the blog—its niche subjects?

26. More QuestionsDoes the firm need guidelines for authors?Does the firm need to restrict content? Should editorial restrictions be placed on political, religious, and controversial topics?What blog training should the firm provide?

27. Resources

28. Many on-line Resources