Subscription-Based Internet Marketing for Attorneys

One of the keys to an effective internet marketing for attorneys campaign is to leverage the power of subscriptions.  For example, with this "Marketing for Attorneys" blog, one can subscribe either through RSS or through e-mail.  While almost all lawyers are comfortable and familiar with e-mail, most attorneys have no idea what "RSS" actually means.

RSS stands for "really simple syndication," "real simple syndication," or Rich Site Summary (depending upon whom you believe).  Using an RSS reader, one can subscribe to feeds that provide such content as news and blog posts.  Blogs automatically produce RSS, which is one of the many benefits to blogging.  RSS - as opposed to e-mail - is not subject to any spam filters, and it allows websites to "go to" readers, rather than forcing readers to actually visit those sites.

For the content I publish on this site, most of my readers consume it either via RSS feed or via e-mail.  I have found that the best way to allow my subscribers to subscribe via e-mail is through AWeber.  Using AWeber, one can set up to notify e-mail subscribers after each blog post.  Alternatively, one can notify e-mail subscribers each week through an e-mail that contains content and links for each of the blog posts for that week.

Law firms need to be more aggressive in pushing subscriptions to their websites via RSS and e-mail.  Of course, the advantage to an e-mail subscription is that a lawyer will know the identity of the subscriber and can later send out targeted e-mailings.  With RSS, it is generally tougher (or impossible) to know who is subscribing.  But again, the anonymity of RSS subscription is also a plus in that some RSS subscribers would not subscribe if they could only subscribe via e-mail.

I welcome your comments below on the use of RSS and e-mail subscriptions in attorney marketing and internet marketing for lawyers.