Law Firm Marketing Terms
A
- A/B Testing – Comparing two versions of an advert, email, or webpage to see which performs better. 
- Account-Based Marketing (ABM) – A strategic approach focusing on high-value clients with tailored marketing efforts. 
- Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) – The UK body regulating advertising to ensure compliance with ethical and legal standards. 
- Analytics – Data analysis used to measure the effectiveness of marketing campaigns. 
- Authority Building – Strategies to establish a law firm as a trusted expert in its field. 
B
- B2B Marketing – Strategies aimed at marketing legal services to other businesses rather than individual consumers. 
- Brand Awareness – The extent to which consumers recognise your brand and understand what you do. 
- Buyer Psychology – Understanding client decision-making to shape marketing strategies. 
- Bounce Rate – The percentage of website visitors who leave without engaging further. 
- Brand positioning - How you differentiate yourself from your competitors and how consumers identify and connect with your brand. 
C
- Call-to-Action (CTA) – A prompt that encourages potential clients to take action, such as making an enquiry. 
- Chatbots - AI-powered conversational agents or assistants used for client service and engagement that allow firms to support clients 24/7. 
- Client Lifetime Value (CLV) – A prediction of the total value a client brings to a firm over the entire relationship. 
- Client Journey Mapping – Tracking a client’s interaction with a law firm from initial enquiry to the end of the matter. 
- Client Persona - Semi-fictional representations of your ideal customers. 
- Client Acquisition - The steps, processes, and resources involved in attracting a first-time client to the firm. 
- Client Acquisition Cost (CAC) – The cost of gaining a new client. CAC = amount spent on marketing in a period divided by the number of new clients acquired. 
- Client Lifetime Value – The potential value of each client to the firm. 
- Client Retention - The act of maintaining relationships with existing clients so they continue to work with your firm for future legal needs. 
- Client Satisfaction – Measurement of how satisfied your clients are based on the service received. Often measured as a percentage of clients responding to a survey as satisfied. 
- Content Marketing – Sharing valuable legal insights through blogs, articles, case studies, and videos. 
- Conversion Rate – The percentage of leads who become paying clients. It’s also the ratio between the number of people who complete the desired action on a given webpage and the number of people who visit that webpage. 
- CRO (Conversion Rate Optimisation) - Focus on systematically increasing the percentage of website visitors who take a desired action on a given page. 
- CRM (Customer Relationship Management) – Often used for software that includes contact database and identifies business insights and analytics. Can also be used for the process of managing client relationships. 
- CTR (Click Through Rate) - The percentage of recipients who clicked on a link within your email. 
- CMS (Content Management System) – Sometimes also referred to as the ‘backend’ this is the software used to update the content on your website. 
D
- Digital Marketing– any form of communication aiming to persuade people to purchase a product or service that occurs through some form of digital device. 
- Demand Generation – Strategies to build awareness and interest in a law firm’s services. 
- Differentiation Strategy – Identifying and communicating what sets a law firm apart from competitors. 
- Digital Presence – A law firm’s visibility across online platforms, including websites and social media. 
- Drip Campaign – A series of scheduled marketing emails designed to nurture leads over time. 
E
- Email Marketing – Sending newsletters and updates to keep clients informed about legal developments. 
- Engagement Metrics – Measuring how clients interact with a firm’s content. 
- Evergreen Content – Legal content that remains relevant over time, such as FAQs on conveyancing. 
- Ethical Marketing – Maintaining integrity and professionalism in marketing practices. 
- Experiential Marketing – Hosting seminars and events to engage potential clients. 
F
- Fractional Marketing Director – A part-time marketing strategist who guides law firms on growth strategies. 
- Follow-Up Strategy – Techniques for nurturing leads after an initial enquiry. 
- Facebook Ads for Law Firms – Paid promotions tailored to targeted audiences. 
- Firm Branding – Defining a law firm’s identity and visual consistency. 
- Fee Transparency – Marketing legal services in a way that clearly communicates pricing structures. 
G
- Google Ads – Pay-per-click advertising to attract potential clients searching for legal services. 
- Gen AI - AI that uses machine learning to create new content, such as text, music, audio, and videos. 
- Geo-Targeting – Tailoring marketing campaigns to specific locations. 
- Growth Strategy – Long-term marketing plans designed to expand client reach. 
- Guerrilla Marketing – Creative, low-cost tactics to make a law firm stand out. 
- Guest Blogging – Contributing articles to relevant websites to boost authority. 
H
- Hashtag Marketing – Using relevant hashtags to increase social media visibility. 
- Heatmaps – Tracking where visitors engage most on a law firm’s website. 
- Human-Centred Marketing – Using storytelling and empathy to connect with potential clients. 
- Holistic Marketing – Coordinating multiple marketing channels for consistency. 
- Headline Optimisation – Crafting compelling titles for blog posts and ads to attract attention. 
I
- Inbound Marketing – Strategies designed to attract clients through organic content rather than paid ads. 
- Influencer Partnerships – Collaborating with respected industry figures to boost credibility. 
- Intent-Based Marketing – Targeting potential clients based on their online search behaviour. 
- Interactive Content – Using quizzes, calculators, or videos to engage website visitors. 
- Institutional Trust Marketing – Establishing a reputation for expertise and ethical practice. 
J
- Journey Mapping – Understanding the typical steps a client takes before hiring a solicitor. 
- Jargon-Free Communication – Simplifying legal language for accessible marketing. 
- Joint Ventures – Partnering with other businesses to cross-promote services. 
- Justification Marketing – Demonstrating the value of legal services through real-life case examples. 
- Judgement-Based Marketing – Leveraging industry insights to refine marketing strategies. 
K
- Keyword Optimisation – Using relevant search terms to improve website visibility on search engines. 
- Knowledge Marketing – Sharing legal expertise to build authority. 
- KPI Tracking – Measuring success through marketing performance indicators. 
- Keep-Warm Campaigns – Strategies to maintain engagement with past clients. 
- Key Message Development – Defining the core value proposition of a law firm. 
This marketing glossary applies to all businesses and might help you better understand the terminology that marketing professionals may use.
L
- Lead Generation – Techniques to attract potential clients. 
- Local SEO – Optimising a law firm’s website to rank well for regional searches. 
- Landing Pages – Web pages specifically designed to convert visitors into enquiries. 
- Legal Directory Marketing – Managing profiles on directories like Legal 500 or Chambers UK. 
- Loyalty Marketing – Encouraging repeat business and referrals from satisfied clients.M 
- Micro-Conversion – Small actions a user takes before becoming a client (e.g., downloading a guide, subscribing to a newsletter). 
- Multi-Channel Marketing – Engaging potential clients through various platforms. 
- Marketing Automation – Using software to streamline communications with prospective clients. 
- Market Positioning – Defining how a law firm fits within the market. 
- Messaging Strategy – Crafting compelling narratives that resonate with clients. 
N
- Native Advertising – Paid content designed to blend seamlessly with the platform where it appears. 
- Net Promoter Score (NPS) – A metric used to gauge client satisfaction and likelihood of recommending a firm. 
- Neuromarketing – Applying psychological insights to improve marketing effectiveness. 
- Niche Marketing – Targeting highly specific legal sectors (e.g., immigration law or family law). 
- Noticeable Branding – Ensuring a law firm's brand identity stands out in a crowded market. 
O
- Omnichannel Marketing – Providing a seamless experience across multiple platforms (website, email, social media). 
- Organic Search – Website visits from unpaid search engine results. 
- Outbound Marketing – Proactively reaching out to potential clients via emails, networking, or direct mail. 
- Owned Media – Marketing platforms fully controlled by the firm, such as its website and blog. 
- Optimised Content – Web content tailored to rank well in search engines and attract clients. 
P
- Pay-Per-Click (PPC) – Online ads where firms pay each time a user clicks the ad. 
- Personal Branding – Positioning individual solicitors as thought leaders in their practice areas. 
- Public Relations (PR) – Managing media coverage to enhance a firm’s reputation. 
- Performance Metrics – Tracking key statistics to assess marketing effectiveness. 
- Professional Networking – Building connections with industry peers to strengthen brand visibility. 
Q
- Qualified Leads – Prospective clients who fit the firm’s ideal profile and are likely to convert. 
- Quality Score – Google Ads ranking that determines how well ads perform based on relevance and engagement. 
- Quick Wins Strategy – Low-effort tactics that deliver immediate results (e.g., refining landing pages or CTAs). 
R
- Retargeting Ads – Ads shown to users who previously visited a law firm’s website but didn’t take action. 
- Return on Investment (ROI) – Measuring the financial success of marketing efforts. Calculated as (profit-cost)/cost = % or ratio 
- Referral Marketing – Encouraging satisfied clients to recommend the firm to others. 
- Reputation Management – Protecting and enhancing a firm’s credibility online and in the media. 
- Regulatory Compliance in Marketing – Ensuring marketing aligns with SRA and UK advertising regulations. 
S
- SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) – Techniques used to improve a website’s search rankings. 
- Search Intent – The underlying goal behind someone’s search query—critical for effective SEO. 
- Social Listening – Monitoring online conversations to better understand what clients and prospects care about. 
- Storytelling in Marketing – Using compelling narratives to make legal services more relatable. 
- Subscription-Based Models – Legal retainers or packages that offer clients ongoing support. 
T
- Target Audience – The specific group of people a law firm aims to attract. 
- Testimonials Strategy – Planning how and where to showcase client reviews and case outcomes effectively. 
- Thought Leadership – Sharing expert insights to establish credibility. 
- Tracking Pixels – Small bits of code used to monitor user behaviour on a firm’s website or social channels. 
- Trust Signals – Indicators that reassure potential clients, like accreditations and awards. 
U
- User Experience (UX) – The quality of a client’s interaction with a firm’s website. 
- Upselling Legal Services – Encouraging clients to consider complementary legal solutions. 
- UGC (User-Generated Content) – Testimonials and case studies created by satisfied clients. 
- Unified Brand Messaging – Keeping marketing consistent across all platforms and client communications. 
V
- Viral Content – Marketing material designed to spread quickly through social shares. 
- Value Proposition – What makes a law firm unique and compelling to potential clients. 
- Video Marketing – Using video content to explain complex legal matters in a digestible format. 
- Visual Identity – Creating a strong and recognisable brand through design elements. 
- Voice of the Client (VoC) – Gathering client feedback to shape marketing, services, and communications. 
W
- Word-of-Mouth Marketing (WoM) – Encouraging referrals through positive client experiences. 
- Webinar Promotion – Hosting online legal workshops to engage potential clients. 
- Website Conversion Rate – The percentage of visitors who take a desired action (e.g., requesting a consultation). 
- White Paper Marketing – Publishing detailed reports on industry issues to establish expertise. 
- Winning Headlines – Crafting compelling titles to increase engagement with legal content. 
- Wireframes - The framework upon which the functionality and design of your final website will be built. 
X
- XML Sitemap – A structured map helping search engines index a firm’s website. 
- X-Factor Branding – Identifying what sets a law firm apart from competitors. 
- Cross-Platform Marketing – Ensuring seamless branding across digital and traditional media. 
- X-Ray Targeting – Using detailed analytics to refine audience targeting strategies. 
Y
- Year-on-Year Growth – Measuring a firm’s marketing success compared to previous years. 
- YouTube Legal Content – Using video to educate clients on legal processes. 
Z
- Zero-Click Searches – Search results that display answers without needing to visit a website. 
- Zoning Strategy – Using local marketing techniques to attract clients within specific regions. 
- Zen Approach to Legal Marketing – Simplifying messaging and removing unnecessary jargon to improve clarity. 




