Create a Digital Marketing Strategy & Set KPIs

Your Custom Strategy Blueprint

You've laid the groundwork. You know your goals, you know your ideal client, you've audited your current situation, sized up the competition, and defined your unique value and your offer. Now it's time to build your Digital Marketing Strategy.

Why This Step Matters

When you know exactly where you're headed, every marketing dollar works smarter. A clear strategy and measurable goals mean you're not just hoping for more cases, you're making them happen. You get:

• The Right Digital Channels: Only invest in the places that reach your ideal clients.
• Content Calendar: Position yourself as the trusted authority in your practice.
• Lead Generation: Set up systems that attract new clients even when you're off the clock.
• Clear KPIs: Know what's working, adjust what isn't.
• Scalable Growth: Create systems that grow with your firm without requiring more of your time.

This step transforms vague marketing goals into concrete action. We're building your custom blueprint for sustainable firm growth.

Your Custom Strategy Blueprint

Here’s what we will cover:

• Channel Selection & Strategy
• Budget Allocation
• Content Planning
• KPI Dashboard

1. Channel Selection: Stop Wasting Time Where Your Clients Aren't

You can't be everywhere. And you shouldn't try. 

Here's a comprehensive breakdown of each channel:

SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

Best For: High-intent prospects actively searching for legal solutions

• Pros: High-quality leads, long-term ROI, builds authority, passive lead generation
• Cons: Takes time to see results (6-9 months), requires ongoing effort, algorithm changes
• Strategy Focus: Local SEO for practice-area keywords with commercial intent ("personal injury attorney near me"), thought leadership for informational queries ("what to do after a car accident")

Content Marketing

Best For: Establishing expertise, nurturing hesitant prospects, complex practice areas

• Pros: Builds trust and authority, establishes expertise, drives organic traffic, nurtures leads
• Cons: Requires consistent content creation, can be time-consuming, results vary
• Strategy Focus: Educational content that answers common client questions, demonstrates expertise, and provides value before a consultation

Social Media Marketing

Best For: Building brand awareness, humanizing your firm, targeting specific demographics

• Pros: Great for brand building, direct engagement, targeted advertising, community building
• Cons: Needs regular updates and active management, platform-specific strategies required
• Strategy Focus: Platform selection based on client demographics (LinkedIn for B2B, Facebook for consumer-facing)

Paid Advertising (Google Ads, Social Media Ads)

Best For: Immediate visibility, competitive practice areas, geographic targeting

• Pros: Fast results, highly targeted, measurable ROI, scalable
• Cons: Can be expensive, requires careful management, competition can drive up costs
• Strategy Focus: Highly targeted campaigns with specific conversion goals and clear ROI tracking

Email Marketing

Best For: Nurturing leads, maintaining relationships with past clients, referral generation

• Pros: Cost-effective, highly targeted, great for nurturing leads, excellent ROI
• Cons: Requires building a quality email list, needs strategic content planning
• Strategy Focus: Segmented campaigns based on practice area, case status, and relationship stage

Video Marketing

Best For: Complex explanations, building trust, showcasing expertise and personality

• Pros: Higher engagement rates, builds stronger connection, versatile across platforms
• Cons: Higher production costs, requires comfort on camera
• Strategy Focus: Educational content, client testimonials, firm culture videos

Read more: 10 Video Ideas for Lawyers to Promote Their Legal Practice

Channel Prioritization Matrix

Actionable Advice:

In Digital Marketing Channel Selection Worksheet, to choose the right marketing channels for you, follow these steps:

1: Channel-Client Fit Assessment

Rate each channel on a scale of 1-5 based on how well it aligns with your ideal client profile (1 = Poor fit, 5 = Excellent fit).

2: Firm Capability Assessment

Rate your firm's capability to execute effectively on each channel (1 = Limited capability, 5 = Strong capability).

3: Competitive Landscape Analysis

Evaluate how saturated each channel is in your market and identify potential opportunities.

4: Channel Performance Metrics

For each channel, define what success looks like and the key metrics you'll track.

5: Channel Integration Strategy

Identify how your selected channels will work together.

6: Final Channel Selection & Justification

Based on all assessments above, select your 2-3 primary marketing channels.

Primary Channel 1: _____________________________

Justification:

• Client Fit:
• Firm Capability:
• Competitive Opportunity:
• Expected Performance:
• Resource Requirements:

After you selected your say three main marketing channels,

1. Channel Integration Strategy: Create synergies between channels:

• Repurpose content across platforms (blog post → social posts → email content)
• Create consistent messaging across all touchpoints
• Build cross-channel journeys (social → landing page → email nurture)

2. Tactical Calendar: Develop a monthly tactical plan for each channel, including:

• Content themes and topics
• Publishing schedule
• Promotion strategy
• Cross-channel integration points

2. Budget Allocation That Makes Financial Sense

Your marketing budget isn't just an expense, it's an investment in your firm's future. Strategic allocation is critical.

Use Marketing Budget Calculator for Law Firms.

Budget Framework

Starting Point: Industry benchmarks suggest 7-15% of gross revenue for established firms, 15-25% for growth-phase firms

Practice Area-Specific Considerations:

1. Unit Economics Approach:

• Calculate your average case value
• Determine acceptable client acquisition cost (25-33% of case value)
• Work backward to set channel-specific budgets

2. Incremental Testing:

• Start with small tests in new channels
• Scale budget for channels showing positive ROI
• Establish minimum testing periods before evaluation (3 months for SEO, 30 days for ads)

3. ROI-Based Reallocation:

• Quarterly review of channel performance
• Shift budget from underperforming to high-performing channels
• Maintain small budget for experimental channels

3. Content Planning

Content drives every aspect of your digital marketing. A strategic content plan ensures consistency and effectiveness.

Content Pillar Strategy

Develop 3-5 content pillars based on:

• Primary practice areas
• Common client questions and pain points
• Your unique expertise and perspective
• Competitive gaps identified in Step 4

Content Distribution Matrix

For each piece of content, plan:

• Primary channel(s) for publication
• Repurposing strategy for secondary channels
• Promotion tactics and schedule
• Call-to-action alignment with client journey

4. KPI Dashboard: Measure What Matters

What gets measured gets improved. KPIs tell you what's working, what's not, and where to make adjustments.

Multi-Level KPI Framework

Level 1: Business Outcome Metrics 

• New Case Inquiries: Raw lead volume
• Qualified Consultation Rate: % of leads that qualify for your services
• Client Acquisition Cost (CAC): Total marketing spend ÷ new clients
• Client Lifetime Value (LTV): Average revenue per client relationship
• Revenue Attribution: Determine which channels drive your best cases
• Marketing ROI: Revenue generated ÷ marketing investment

• Lead volume by channel
• Lead-to-consultation rate
• Consultation-to-client conversion rate
• Cost per qualified lead
• Channel-specific ROI

Dashboard Implementation

1. Data Collection:

• Install proper tracking across all channels
• Set up goal tracking in Google Analytics
• Implement call tracking and form tracking
• Create UTM parameter strategy for campaign attribution

2. Visualization:

• Create custom dashboard in Google Data Studio or alternative
• Set up automated weekly/monthly reporting
• Implement threshold alerts for key metrics

3. Analysis Protocol:

• Weekly tactical review (channel performance)
• Monthly strategic review (overall performance)
• Quarterly deep dive and strategy adjustment

Step 6 is where your vision turns into a concrete plan, allocating your resources wisely, and measuring your results.

This is an iterative process. You'll need to continuously monitor your performance, adjust your strategy, and refine your approach. But with a solid plan in place, you'll be well on your way to consistent, sustainable growth for your law firm.

The Cost of Waiting

Every day without a clear strategy is a day your competitors are winning cases that should be yours.
What would your practice look like with triple the qualified leads coming in consistently?

Get started now. Your future self will thank you.

Action Steps: 

1. Complete Your Channel Selection Worksheet:
   • Rate each channel based on fit with your ideal client
   • Assess your firm's capabilities for each channel
   • Select 2-3 primary channels to focus on initially
2. Create Your Budget Allocation Plan:
   • Calculate your overall marketing budget 
   • Allocate percentages to each selected channel
   • Define testing budgets for experimental channels
3. Use Marketing Success Metrics Worksheet to Select Your KPIs:
   • Select a dashboard platform (spreadsheet, Google Data Studio, etc.)
   • Define your key metrics for each level
   • Establish baseline measurements before full implementation

Read more:

7-Step Digital Marketing Strategy for Law Firms

Step 1: Set Business & Marketing Goals

Step 2: Define Your Target Audience

Step 3: Audit Your Existing Digital Presence

Step 4: Research Your Competition

Step 5: Define Your Value Proposition and Your Offer

Step 6: Create a Digital Marketing Strategy & Set KPIs

Step 7: Implement, Track, and Iterate

If you want more actionable advice, join the Law Firm Growth Marketing Community