Legal copywriting: how to make your text legally perfect

Legal information is intertwined with people’s daily lives, and legal copywriting becomes not just a way of presenting information, but also the art of making it accessible and convincing to the target audience. In this article we will not be strictly tied to terminology, because… Initially, copywriting is writing selling texts. On the Internet, I have seen other interpretations of the term “legal copywriting”, for example, these are excerpts from speeches of lawyers in court, or examples of lawsuits; all this does not relate to copywriting at all. Therefore, here we will consider copywriting as writing texts with the goal of both selling and informing potential Clients.

Legal copywriting: basics and meaning

Legal copywriting occupies a unique place in the world of content creation, combining rigorous accuracy with creative presentation of information. This direction requires from authors not only deep knowledge in the field of law, but also the ability to clearly present complex legal concepts to a wide audience. The importance of legal copywriting cannot be overestimated, since it serves as a bridge between the legal field and society, providing understanding of legal rules and services.

The main tasks of legal copywriting are:

• Information about legal issues, legislative changes and legal services.
• Educating the audience, increasing the legal literacy of the population.
• Promotion of legal services and specialists.
• Build trust in legal brands and professionals by providing accurate and useful information.

To achieve these goals, legal content must not only be accurate, but also understandable, interesting and attractive to readers.

Target audience: how to analyze customer needs

Target audience analysis is a key aspect of successful legal copywriting. Understanding who your potential clients are, what they care about, and what legal problems they want solved allows you to create targeted and effective content.

Stages of customer needs analysis:

1. Define the target audience. Legal services may be aimed at individuals, small and medium-sized businesses, large corporations or specialized industries. It is very important to determine exactly who you are writing for.
2. Research of interests and needs. Gather information about the issues most relevant to your audience. This may include analyzing queries in search engines, studying issues on specialized forums and social networks, conducting surveys or interviews.
3. Audience segmentation. There are likely different groups within your target audience with unique needs. Dividing your audience into segments will help you create more personalized and targeted content.

Understanding and meeting the needs of your target audience is at the core of creating influential and valuable legal content. This not only increases its usefulness for readers, but also helps build trust and loyalty to your legal brand or practice.

SEO Basics for Legal Texts

SEO (search engine optimization) plays a critical role in promoting legal texts on the Internet. Optimizing your content for search queries helps increase your visibility to potential clients looking for information about legal services and advice online.

1. Keywords. Start by researching the keywords your target audience uses to find legal information. Integrate these keywords into the texts on your site in a natural way, including headings, subheadings and body content. Ideally, the terms of reference for writing the text should be given by an SEO specialist, because it analyzes the TOP search results for keywords, looks at the volume of text from a competitor, the types of content that competitors use, analyzes words that set the topic, etc.
2. Content quality. Search engines prefer content that is informative, unique, and useful to the user. Strive to create in-depth articles that solve specific problems and answer questions from your audience. Those. You can’t just take and rewrite in your own words an article from the TOP or an article from your competitor; there must be added value, something that none of the competitors have.
3. Optimization of titles and descriptions. Titles and meta descriptions should contain keywords and be written in a way that attracts the attention of users in search results. And also, ideally, introduce micro-markup in order to increase the click-through rate for your ad in the TOP.

Content Creation Strategies: What Makes a Persuasive Text

Persuasive legal writing must be both informative and engaging for the reader. It should not only provide valuable information, but also motivate the reader to action.

1. Clarity and consistency. Organize your text clearly, dividing it into logical sections with subheadings, lists, and highlights to make the information easier to digest.
2. Use of examples and cases. Real stories and precedents make the text more visual and convincing, showing the application of theory in practice.
3. Emotional aspect. Appealing to emotions can enhance the impact of a text. For example, success stories or examples of how legal services helped solve serious problems.
4. Call to action. Every compelling text should end with a clear call to action, such as an offer to get a consultation or download a useful resource. For example, as in my article here, see the form below ↓

Legal accuracy vs. Creativity: Finding Balance

A balance between legal accuracy and creativity is essential to creating quality legal content. On the one hand, legal accuracy must be strictly observed to ensure that the information is correct and reliable. On the other hand, a creative approach makes the text more interesting and understandable to a wide audience.

1. Accuracy should not be inferior to clarity. Strive to ensure that legally complex concepts are presented in simple, accessible language.
2. Interactive elements. Using infographics, videos, and interactive elements can help make complex information more accessible.
3. Attracting attention. Creative headlines, interesting introductions, and an emphasis on the most important information help to attract and hold the reader’s attention.
4. Maintaining professionalism. While creative, it is important to maintain a professional tone and ensure a high level of credibility in the information presented.

Creating legal content requires a constant balance between the need to be accurate and the desire to be clear and interesting. This balance allows you to achieve the goals of legal copywriting as efficiently as possible.

Using cases and precedents: strengthening arguments

The use of cases and precedents plays a key role in strengthening arguments in legal copywriting, making the text not only more persuasive, but also allowing readers to clearly see how the law works in practice. Real-life case studies promote a better understanding of complex legal concepts and make them more accessible to non-experts. This approach not only enriches the content, but also makes it more valuable and informative for readers.

Avoiding Legal Jargon: Make Your Content Accessible

To make legal content accessible to a wide audience, it is critical to avoid the use of complex legal jargon. Preference should be given to simple and understandable language, and complex terms and concepts should be explained as clearly as possible. This approach not only facilitates the perception of information, but also helps to avoid misunderstandings, making the text interesting and useful for any reader, regardless of his prior knowledge in the field of law.

Call-to-action (CTA) or call to action in legal copywriting

In legal copywriting, special attention should be paid to the formulation of calls to action. This is not just a way to nudge the reader to take a certain action, but also an opportunity for the author to connect with the audience by providing them with clear steps to resolve their legal issues or problems. A well-designed and well-placed call to action can significantly increase the effectiveness of the text, helping to attract new clients and strengthen trust in the law firm or specialist.

Examples:

• Schedule a Free Consultation Now – This CTA encourages potential clients to contact the firm immediately for an initial consultation at no cost, lowering the barrier to entry for the client. Just note that it is not suitable for all niches in law.
• Learn how we can protect your rights – This call to action focuses on the value the law firm provides and motivates the client to learn more about the services offered.
• Leave a request and receive legal assistance – a direct call to action that encourages potential clients to apply for specific services.
• Ask your question to our specialist right now – creates a feeling of direct communication and availability of help, which can be attractive to clients in need of urgent legal support.
• Subscribe to our newsletter for up-to-date legal advice – a call to action aimed at growing your subscriber base and providing valuable content that can foster long-term engagement with potential clients.
• Protect your rights today – emphasizes the urgency and importance of the services offered, motivating the client to take immediate action.

Competitor analysis: what can be improved in your content

Competitor analysis occupies an equally important place in the legal copywriting strategy. It allows you to not only understand what approaches and strategies are being used in your niche, but also identify potential gaps in your own content, as well as opportunities for improvement. An in-depth study of competitors’ content contributes to the formation of a unique and different offer that will stand out from the general information mass, attracting the attention of potential customers and strengthening its position in the market.

In conclusion, legal copywriting requires attention to detail, understanding the needs of your audience, and applying SEO and content marketing best practices. Following these principles will help make your copy not only legitimately perfect, but also an effective tool for attracting and retaining customers.

Vladyslava Rykova

Expert in legal marketing. Head of marketing agency MAVR.

Business degree “Master of Business Administration” (MBA).