You’ve heard it before, and you’ll hear it again, about the importance of ‘rich, quality content’. The holy-grail in the online world is content that is worth reading and worth sharing. For a long time that meant a great article, or landing page, filled with information and phrases that give the customer the answers they seek.

However, this is a world that is ever changing, and in that we begin to change our definitions. In this case, we must change the way we view rich, quality content to better adapt in this industry. What am I talking about? Media, but not just smiling faces scattered in bio pages, and battered up vehicles at the top of a car accident page. I mean rich, high-quality infographics, videos, eBooks, webinars; re-creating content not just to include the written word but the vast resource that is visual media.

It’s a new step in an ever changing staircase, and it can seem like a bit of a mystery to begin. You may be asking yourself: What kind of resources best fit my firm? How do I know if this is high quality or not? Below I have a short list of some dos and don’ts to get you started in better utilizing media to represent your brand.

DOs

Know Your Demographic

The first step to any branding, or media marketing, is to know the groups you are targeting. Whether you cover a range of practice areas, or one specific niche, if you do not understand your demographic you will fail to utilize the potential of your media. An important first step is to not only look at the data of your potential clients, but to understand their potential questions and needs. In doing this you can use your media to better embellish your content to fit their needs, and create authenticity in your brand.

Create Original Content

It’s a no-brainer, but the more original your content, the more your firm will stand out from your competitors. In a world in constant competition to be the best, relying on outdated and unoriginal content is a quick way to be left behind. Whether you set up a space in your office to film testimonials, or hire a professional to take photos around your firm, time spent on original media is well invested.

Branch Out!

We are learning more and more the importance of using media throughout a site. Not only does this break up content, but it gives your site a better sense of harmony throughout. There are so many forms of media that can be utilized in a site to create better user interaction and conversions, such as infographics, eBooks, and Webinars for a more visual and informative experience to your firm.

Align with Your Brand Goals

No amount of effort or hard work is going to matter if at the end of the day you’re not consistent with your firm’s goals and beliefs. Are you focused on helping the customer throughout their process? Do you aim to answer any questions they may have?

Do you want your name to be the first thing that they think of when they need representation? Use your firm ideals to help you create content, and let it become a resource for your site. If you try to create content based on what others are doing, it will come off as forced, whereas incorporating your ideals will make your content and media authentic.

DON’Ts

Don’t Underestimate Quality

What is one of the largest differences between a successful site, and one that fails to rank month after month? Quality. Quality content has been important in success for some time, and this is no exception for our media. Whether you are filming a video answering questions related to a practice area, or simply adding photos to a new landing page, nothing shouts ‘turn back now’ quite like low resolution and poor lighting.

Ignoring the importance of high-quality media is showing a potential client that you don’t take the time to ensure quality in your firm. Rachel Harmon touches on this further in her article on how photography could lose your business.

Don’t Settle for Stock Images

While stock images may be the quick and inexpensive way to include media in your site, there are downsides to using them. Stock images are taken with the purpose of being used for a variety of different things, which makes finding a photo for any situation particularly hassle free, but as a result stock images can make a site feel predictable and cliché, which is not how you want a client to view your firm.

Don’t Oversell Yourself

While at first it may seem like a good idea to spice up the areas your firm excels in, don’t be too eager to put everything out there. Marketing is making a shift, and big boastful promises are no longer a gimmick that people trust. With a wealth of knowledge at their fingertips, people don’t want to feel tricked into thinking you’re the best; they want to be shown that you are through your actions and services.

Your job is not to shout from the rooftops with big bold promises in advertisements all across your site, but rather to provide the answers that your clients are looking for when they open up their search engine. Making promises for service that you don’t uphold is a fast way to taint your brand, and leave customers feeling unsatisfied.

Don’t Rely on Content Alone

One of the most important things your site can have is high-quality, authoritative content. This shows that you know what you’re talking about and makes the client trust your firm; but good content is wasted when it sits on a blank page in blocks for the consumer to read. In our fast-paced world, content is not being absorbed in the same ways that it once was, and the importance of hooking them into the content is much more important.

One of the fastest ways that you can break up a text-heavy page is to add media. Create a video that explains the practice area the page is about, have an infographic that goes into further detail, or create an eBook that people can download for later use. Things like this tend to increase customer retention and are a direct polish to your growing brand.