When Clicks Don't Count

There's a lot of allure when it comes to viral content. The thought of law firm marketing whizzing through the Web, without cost to the firms, is enough to make a person cry. Just ask Buzzfeed, which has a business model that includes creating videos and posts designed to go viral.

But when it comes to marketing your firm, Eric Fletcher, CMO and business development officer at Liskow & Lewis, Dallas, warns that the attempt to make something go viral can actually backfire. “Each time we are seduced into reaching for the masses, we take our eye off strategic targets,” he writes in this recent post.

The Wrong Benchmarks?

Fletcher argues that page views and clicks aren't necessarily benchmarks of success, and content shouldn't be manipulated with an attempt to generate clicks. Instead, he said it's about having valuable online conversations with those who you really want to reach. “Highly effective marketing messages transcend analytics, connect with strategic targets and deliver something of value,” he explained.

So next time you're lamenting the fact that the recent blog post about the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission isn't making the rounds as quickly as the one about Corgi GIFs That Will Change Your Life, remember what Fletcher preaches: “smart targeting” and relationship development, instead of clicks.

Attorney Marlisse Silver Sweeney is a freelance writer based in Vancouver.

There's a lot of allure when it comes to viral content. The thought of law firm marketing whizzing through the Web, without cost to the firms, is enough to make a person cry. Just ask Buzzfeed, which has a business model that includes creating videos and posts designed to go viral.

But when it comes to marketing your firm, Eric Fletcher, CMO and business development officer at Liskow & Lewis, Dallas, warns that the attempt to make something go viral can actually backfire. “Each time we are seduced into reaching for the masses, we take our eye off strategic targets,” he writes in this recent post.

The Wrong Benchmarks?

Fletcher argues that page views and clicks aren't necessarily benchmarks of success, and content shouldn't be manipulated with an attempt to generate clicks. Instead, he said it's about having valuable online conversations with those who you really want to reach. “Highly effective marketing messages transcend analytics, connect with strategic targets and deliver something of value,” he explained.

So next time you're lamenting the fact that the recent blog post about the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission isn't making the rounds as quickly as the one about Corgi GIFs That Will Change Your Life, remember what Fletcher preaches: “smart targeting” and relationship development, instead of clicks.

Attorney Marlisse Silver Sweeney is a freelance writer based in Vancouver.