There’s little, if any, viral marketing effect from law firm newsletters. I cannot remember the last time I saw someone cite a law firm newsletter in an online publication or blog. I am not sure I’ve ever seen a reporter, whether for mass media or trade media, follow up on information in a law firm newsletter.
However, it happens all the time with law content published on lawyer blogs. Other blog publishers and the media are looking for such content from lawyer blogs. They’re getting it via RSS feeds, whether they are subscribed to the lawyer blog or just keywords at Technorati.
Josh Hallet shared what Anil Dash, VP of Six Apart said on this point while speaking today at the WOMMA (Word of Mouth Marketing Ass’n) 2006 Conference.
All that content you send out via e-mail newsletters disappears….it’s gone once it’s sent. Why not take that same content and put in on a blog? You now have the opportunity to build relationships and commentary around that content.
Think about a blog as a content repository. Often you have people creating content in your office now, why not publish it via a blog.
There are some many times that Anil will be writing an e-mail or some other content and he’ll think, ‘Why not publish this to the blog?’
Turning email newsletter content is an excellent entree into blogs for large law firms. You have the email newsletter content. You’re concerned about what and how to post to a blog. Newsletter content broken down into single topic posts gets you started with minimal pain, worry, or work.