No matter the topic, the hardest part is the part where you just have to sit down and put words on paper, and the hardest part of that is getting started. Being a lawyer requires a lot of writing, and after writing all the documents that require hard intellectual labor, such as affidavits, petitions, and responses to petitions, or even sharply worded emails to the opposing party in a pending legal case, it is hard to have much energy left to write blog posts for your law firm’s website. It is important to keep updating your site’s blog regularly, though, because it helps your blog continue to rank on the first page of Google search results, and it helps attract prospective clients to your law firm. Sometimes the best way to get the words flowing is to read material that has a similar tone to what you want your blog to say. Copywriting blogger Elna Cain says that, if you want to see examples of effective copywriting, look no farther than the Promotions tab of your email inbox. Most lawyers do not want to spend their lunch hour reading about Old Navy’s upcoming sale on sweaters, so perhaps a better place to look for inspiration is in books about writing. Cain has recommended 16 books about writing business blogs, but these are the ones most relevant to legal blog content.
Best Books for Blogging Inspiration
These are some books to help you get started on a blog for your law firm’s website or add content to your existing blog:
· The Copywriter’s Handbook by Robert Bly provides practical advice about various genres of commercial writing for law firms and other businesses, including but not limited to blog posts, email newsletters, and landing pages.
· The Copy Book by D&AD is a collection of 50 essays by 50 professional content writers, sharing their best advice about writing effective content.
· Content Rules by Ann Handley and C.C. Chapman is a content writing guide for beginners, so this book is a good choice if you are just getting started on a blog for your law firm’s website.
· How to Write Magnetic Headlines by Copyblogger Media focuses on titles and subheadings for your blog posts. Some writers find that, once they have the title and subheadings in place, the rest of the blog post practically writes itself.
· Read Me: 10 Lessons for Writing Great Copy by Roger Horberry advertises various aspects of the writing process and challenges that professional content writers often face in creating content that ranks highly on SEO and has a high conversion rate.
Wisdom Is Knowing When to Ask for Help
The professional legal content writers at Law Blog Writers can develop a comprehensive content marketing strategy for your law firm. If you prefer to have more direct involvement with your law firm’s own blog, they can also do only the parts you need help with, such as blog posts or researching blog topics.