A few weeks ago I was looking to compile a list of all the bankruptcy blogs I could find.  I figured it should be a pretty simple task, what with legal blogging being all the rage and such (though it’s de rigeur in the rest of the online marketing world, we lawyers aren’t so much into the cutting edge).

So I did a search for bankruptcy blogs on Google and was surprised – no, shocked – to be confronted with a virtual graveyard of old, dead blogs just hanging around and taking up space.  So I did a little research and found that the issue of dead blogs is a pretty big one.  So much so, in fact, that WordPress.com numbers show that only about 22% of their registered blogs are active.

Wow – nearly 80% of all blogs are just dead properties.  Crazy, huh?

Truth be known, I’m sure many of those blogs are of the, “I just ate a bowl of corn flakes and am watching my cat,” sort.  Either that, or they’re spam blogs (which have a lifespan of about 32 seconds).  But even if we cut those out, what are we looking at?  50% of all blogs are dead?

Whatever the number, this all made me wonder WHY so many blogs – particularly legal blogs – die.  After all, legal blogs are marketing vehicles for viable businesses.  They should stick around forever …. right?

Some time ago, Lorelle did a post on when to stop blogging (by the way – if you don’t know who Lorelle is, shame on you.  She has forgotten more about blogging than most of us will ever learn.  Her posts are smart, well-informed, and helpful.  Read her site.  Now.  Well, after you’re done read this post).  And from that I’ve culled my list of …

4 Reasons Lawyers Who Blog As Part Of Their Online Marketing Strategy Just … Give Up

1. Now, Now, Now! We’re all impatient, and we want results immediately.  Someone sold us on the notion that all advertising pays off right now, and we’re all bent out of shape that blogging for a week doesn’t result in a flood of new multi-million dollar clients.
2. The Empty Brain. I have no idea what the heck I’m supposed to say here.  I’ve repeated the same 4 things I said on my website.  I guess there’s nothing left to say, so I’ll just stop.
3. Too Full For A Doggy Bag. I blogged for a few days because my phone wasn’t ringing that week.  My phone started ringing, and now I’m just too darn busy for this foolishness.  Maybe I’ll go back to it if the phone stops ringing again.  Probably not.
4. Shiny Objects Get Dull. I read something that talked about how blogging was an excellent way to market my law practice.  I hired a designer to make a really cool legal blog for me, and I hit it hard for awhile.  But then I discovered Facebook, and I’m spending all of my time there.  It really seems as if blogging is dead, just like the pundits say.

5 Ways To Avoid Blog Death

Realize This Is Not A Short-Term Fix. Blogging is all about making connections and establishing a long-term rapport with your audience.  In doing so, you establish your value in the legal market by virtue of the content you’re putting out there.  As much as we’d like it to be otherwise, you can’t create trust and rapport in a day.  Nor, for that matter, in a month.  It’s going to take some time to build a blog, so get used to it.

Create A Content Marketing Strategy. Blogging involves the regular creation of new, unique and creative content – words on electronic paper.  Take some time to map out what you want to say, and when you want to say it.  My blogging calendar contains about 6 months worth of posts (that goes for this blog, as well as for Untethered Lawyer and my bankruptcy blogs), and I find it to be very liberating.

Set Aside An Hour Twice A Week. By scheduling an hour to do a blog post, and setting that time aside twice a week, you’re sure to get at least two posts out the door in a 7-day period.  Once you get comfortable with blogging you’ll find you can knock one out in about 30 minutes.

Read More Than You Write. When you read the news and other blogs, you gain knowledge as well as ideas on what to write about.  Whether it’s a listserv, another blog, or the newspaper – there’s a ton of information out there for you to use and comment on.

Remember To Have Fun. You’re blogging, not writing for the Pulitzer Prize.  If you see a funny YouTube video, use it on your blog.  Share a story about yourself, even if it has nothing to do with the subject at hand.  Why?  Because if you’re looking to establish a relationship with your readers (and you are) it’s more likely to happen if they know something about you as a person rather than as just another lawyer.  Show your humanity, have some fun, and laugh.  Your enjoyment will show through, and your readers will be infected with it.

Photo courtesy of mira d’oubliette.

People say that marketing is a conversation, and that blogging is a cornerstone of the whole social media, Web 2.0, thing.  It’s a means of attracting an audience, talking about things that matter to them, and engaging them in a conversation that will eventually lead them to your door as a client.

We say that lawyers who blog need to create compelling, original content in a unique voice in order to engage people.  We caution against being boring, and we encourage lawyers to give out real information as a form of content marketing.

In so doing, we neglect to remind the lawyer who blogs as a form of legal marketing that they might want to get the entire staff in on the action.  And to give you a push in the right direction, here are (drum roll, please) …

6 Reasons Why The Entire Law Firm Should Be In On Your Legal Blogging Efforts

1. The non-lawyers are on the front lines and often have terrific insights on what’s important to clients and prospective clients.
2. Getting the non-lawyers involved in the law firm blogging efforts will remind them that they are part of something larger than just their job.  They’re an active member of a law firm that does good work and helps people get through a difficult time in their lives.  And in realizing that they are an active participant in the firm, they are more likely to be an active participant in the solution – the service of the client.
3. People love to see their names in print.  When the non-lawyers are given the opportunity to have articles published on your law firm blog they’re likely to send out links to their friends on Facebook, Twitter and other sites.  This will increase the chances of blog posts going viral and reaching a wider audience.
4. When you increase the number of bloggers, you increase the diversity of voices on the site.  This will allow prospective clients to get to know the other people in your office, and to develop confidence in their abilities and ability to help.  When this happens, you’ll experience far fewer incidences of clients refusing to speak with anyone except you.
5. Being the only blogger can get … lonely sometimes.  Wouldn’t it be nice to have a blogging buddy (or a few of them) in the office with you?
6. Sometimes the lawyers just run out of time to blog.  When you add more people to the efforts, it’s easier to pump out a steady stream of content.

Will you need to formulate a firm-wide blogging policy of sorts?  Sure, you’ll need to put together some guidelines to make sure nobody goes off half-baked when they’re blogging.  And you’ll have to remind everyone of their duties of confidentiality and dangers of the unauthorized practice of law.  But once the administrative minutiae is over and out of the way, it’s clear sailing.

Do you let your non-lawyer staffers blog for the firm?  Why or why not?  Make your voice heard by putting your comment below.

Photo courtesy of UrvishJ.