Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB
Buying a home, estate planning or getting a divorce. These are just some of our rites of passage that we may experience as adults, but they are also times when we find ourselves in need of legal services.
Most consumers believe that they do not need a lawyer. According to Caring.com’s 2024 survey, four out of 10 consumers say that they don’t need a will because they believe that they don’t need one due to a lack of assets. Forty-three percent of consumers will wait until a medical diagnosis or health concern to get a will.
Legal services aren’t just about wills. Forty-seven percent of consumers currently have a legal matter that they are dealing with, according to a legal consumer report released by Martindale-Avvo. The majority of consumers will consult with an attorney. According to the report, 38% will research their legal matter then speak with a lawyer, and 36% will just speak with an attorney. While some consumers will get a recommendation for an attorney, 61% have not received any recommendation. As a specialized service, consumers will seek out an attorney that they have heard about.
Being top of mind will be important so using a medium like broadcast radio to maintain a share of voice in what has become a crowded space is crucial. Radio reaches 86% of adults who have used any attorney in the past year, per Scarborough.
Not only is radio a high reach medium, but it also drives awareness – exactly what legal services organizations need.
In an analysis of AnalyticOwl 19-month data, proof of radio’s effectiveness for driving lift in site traffic for legal services is the 20% increase in new site visitors when the radio campaigns were on air. One hundred and fifty-three legal services advertisers ran nearly 700,000 commercials over this period. These advertisers experienced higher new visits per airing, Tuesdays through Thursdays with Midday (10 a.m. – 3 p.m.) driving the greatest number of new users to their websites.
Driving consumers to websites will help deliver consumers to attorney websites but reputation matters. Martindale-Avvo’s report shared that online reviews are also important to consumers (51%). But what matters most is how quickly that inquiry or website visit response outranks other selection criteria. Consumers have many options when selecting an attorney for their legal matters, and while reputation matters, the amount of time it takes for those offices to respond/return calls to consumers will factor in the consumer’s decision. These insights are important for legal services to include in their messaging. Reputation, reviews and fast response rates are important attributes that should be included in radio advertising.
In brief, everyone will need the help of an attorney at some point. Legal services firms need to use a medium that, not only drives awareness, but increases web visits.
You can view the entire analysis here.