Are you a paralegal or a law student searching for an extra income stream? Are you a retired judge or lawyer who misses the challenges of legal writing? Maybe you are interested in the law, and you love writing.
Whatever the reason might be, if you are a talented writer interested in the law, you might want to consider a career as a legal content writer. There is a high demand for this type of content, and there are many perks of being a legal content writer.
Online Searches – Most Popular Way to Locate a Lawyer
One of the most common ways a person locates an attorney is through an online search. Most people will Google the type of lawyer they need before asking for references from friends and family members.
Why would someone search online for an attorney? It could be that the legal matter is sensitive or embarrassing. The person may not want anyone to know they need an attorney, or they may have no one they trust enough to ask for a reference.
Regardless of the reason, many people search for lawyers and answers to legal questions online. Law firms and attorneys understand this fact, and the savvy ones take advantage of by producing quality legal content for their websites.
What is a Legal Content Writer?
A legal content writer is a person who produces the content for a law firm’s website.
The content might include:
- Blogs and articles
- Newsletters
- E-mails
- Home pages
- Areas of practices
- About Us pages and attorney profiles
- Social media posts
- Downloadable e-books and white papers
- Infographics and checklists
- News about the legal industry
A legal content writer can create anything that appears on a law firm’s website.
Some law firms generate their own legal content by allowing employees to write the content or by hiring a full-time legal content writer. Other law firms hire independent legal content writers or Search Engine Optimization (SEO) firms to manage their website content.
Regardless of whether the legal content writer works for a law firm, an SEO company, or is an independent legal writer, the goal is the same. The law firm wants to attract potential clients through organic searches online. It also wants to utilize the most compelling legal content available to set itself apart from other law firms and entice a person to reach out for a consultation or more information.
What Are the Qualifications for a Legal Content Writer?
There is not a set of criteria or qualifications to become a legal content writer. You do not need special education or a degree.
However, to be an effective legal content writer, it helps to have a general understanding of the law and how to write engaging, clear, and concise content that compels a reader to take a specific action. The action would be to contact the law firm.
A lawyer is responsible for all information posted on his website. Therefore, the lawyer should review all content before it appears on the website or is available for download by visitors.
However, legal content writers who understand the law and how to research legal subjects benefit attorneys. Attorneys do not need to make as many changes or corrections when the writer does the research and provides links for the attorney to verify information, if necessary.
Also, a legal content writer with an understanding of SEO techniques is extremely valuable for a law firm. Legal content should drive traffic to a law firm’s website. Good SEO practices increase the law firm’s ranking in search engine results. The higher the ranking, the more likely people will “click” on the result and visit the website.
If you want to become a legal content writer, you may want to invest time learning basic SEO practices. Even if you work for a legal marketing firm or SEO company, having these skills enhances your writing. It makes you a more valuable asset for law firms and other companies seeking legal content.
How Much Are Legal Content Writers Paid?
The form of payment for legal content writers varies greatly. The pay rate also varies significantly. Legal content writers may be paid per project, by the hour, or by the word.
You can find legal content writing jobs posted online for .01 per word. However, experienced and talented legal content writers can earn up to ten cents or more per word or over $50 per hour. The pay depends mainly on the experience of the writer and the type of legal content being produced.
Employment in the legal industry has expanded far beyond lawyers, paralegals, and support staff. Investigators, process servers, and legal content writers are just a few examples of how you can work within the legal industry without becoming a lawyer.