Running any business during the COVID-19 pandemic can be challenging, but Law firms face a unique challenge as they pivot their operations like client meetings, court appearances, and case filings into a digital version.  While in-person meetings at the office have become few and far between, online activity has skyrocketed. According to Forbes.com, internet usage has increased to 70% since the COVID-19 pandemic started. Not only that, but legal search terms such as “Local Bankruptcy Attorney” have increased a shocking 250%. Other search terms like “Divorce Attorney”, “Criminal Lawyer” and “Car Accident Lawyer” have also seen an exponential increase.

Lockdowns lead to an increase in lawyer related online searches

While some practice areas may have slowed down with businesses across the country shuttered, for some practice areas this nationwide lockdown may actually lead to an increase in cases. Right now, search trends are showing an increase in individuals at home looking for an attorney across a variety of practice areas. The graph below shows Google search trends for the terms “bankruptcy attorney” (red), “divorce attorney” (blue), and “auto accident lawyer” (yellow) since November 2019. With marriages facing the challenges and struggles of a house on lockdown and many individuals facing the new reality of unemployment, we are seeing an increase in people looking for attorneys online. People want to discuss their situations, find out their options, and retain counsel so that once cities open back up, they can hit the ground running with their legal matters.

Expand your practice areas

For some attorneys, business may be carrying on as usual and your firm has not experienced many effects of the current pandemic. For others, you may be brainstorming ways to increase your client base during these digital times. With online legal searches increasing across the country, one option to grow your practice could be to expand the practice areas in which you take cases. With Bankruptcy and Divorce emerging as two practice areas that are expected to see a surge of cases, we are also seeing an increase in searches for auto accident attorneys, criminal attorneys, and even DUI attorneys. With many individuals turning to the internet to find assistance with their legal matter, now may be the perfect time for you to expand the services your firm offers.

Increase your online presence

With time spent on the internet dramatically increasing, it is more important than ever for your law practice to have a solid digital footprint. Make sure you are generating search engine friendly content for your site that is relevant and engaging. If you have considered listing your firm profile on any legal directory websites such as DUIAttorneys.com in the past, now is the perfect opportunity to do so. While potential clients search for an attorney online, they may not find your website on their first click. Listing your firm with legal directories gives the potential client more opportunities to find you as they conduct their search online.

Legal Brand Marketing can help

If you are considering expanding to take on additional practice areas or listing on legal directories such as DUIAttorneys.com, Legal Brand Marketing can help. At Legal Brand Marketing, we have over 16 years of experience generating exclusive legal referrals for attorneys across the nation in a variety of practice areas. Our team will work with you to build the perfect referral campaign for your firm to expand your coverage and help bring in more opportunities for you to grow your business. With the drastic influx in the current amount of time spent on the internet, don’t miss your opportunity to capture new clients.