The phrase ‘legal storytelling’ seems contrary— the credibility of those in the legal community is more often thought to be measured through research, data and solid evidence than by engaging stories. Yet, for those practicing immigration law, the ability to breathe life into your brand message and elevate the human experiences of clients is a key in advocating for the rights of immigrants, refugees, and asylum-seekers.
Immigration law practitioners occupy a unique space in the arena of brand storytelling, as a well-told story can be much more than an interesting read, but a motivating call-to-action, promoting public engagement and shaping opinion.
By blending their legal expertise, the personal challenges of clients and a solid social media and blogging strategy, immigration attorneys and law firms can create and share their own impactful storytelling and work toward an immigrant-inclusive vision.
Branded content is stronger content
At its core, storytelling is means of expressing what your brand values and the topics that your practice is most connected to. Stories that are personal and meaningful will educates users while injecting a relatable, warm quality to your voice. In consistently delivering branded content through storytelling, your practice gains the flexibility to interact with your social following beyond the informational or promotional. And they respond to that.
Branded content is proven to be more successful in terms of favorability, memorability, and effectiveness in persuading users to trust your services. In contrast to traditional display ads, branded content is 59 percentage points more successful in aided recall and 7 percentage points higher in terms of brand favorability.
Sharing quality stories produces content that educates potential and current clients— it is content that sticks in their minds. Messages delivered in the form of stories can be up to two times more memorable than simple facts, providing your practice the opportunity to increase brand trust and distinguish your work from that of others.
Embracing the emotional builds authenticity
For readers, viewers or listeners, content must be accessible. Rather than share stories that read like well-ironed opening statements, content that emphasizes the humanity of the subject will translate well with its audience. The experiences of immigrants and refugees are invariably personal and well-told stories rely on the honest, authentic and emotional elements of those experiences.
Obviously, there is little emotional value in wide blocks of jargon-filled text. The inclusion of photographs, visual aids and even videos in stories help capture the spirit and voice their subjects, delivering content in more digestible and shareable mediums and allowing viewers to connect to their stories. Well-executed and captivating stories present seemingly complex, and sometimes dull, issues through relevant discussion and relatable formats.
In highlighting personal and vulnerable stories, you emphasize your investment in the well-being of your clients, which in part contributes to the credibility of your work. Expressing concern for the emotional needs of potential and current clients will impact their trust and future actions with your firm.
Stories and social media are a strong pairing
While it may not be appropriate for your firm to occupy every social site, there is likely a social media platform fitting for the goals of your practice. LinkedIn has long been a useful platform for professional networking. Lawyers used Twitter to assemble legal resources for those affected by President Trump’s travel ban. As 74 percent of respondents from a 2016 ABA survey report that their firms maintain a presence on social channels, there should be little question about the compatibility of law and social media.
Another effective medium for sharing stories and interviews is through a legal topic blog, as the content can be formatted to your own site, is not limited by character or word counts, and positively impacts your site’s search engine performance.
Given our digital environment, immigration law practitioners who aren’t leveraging social and blogging platforms are missing out on increased case visibility and failing to amplify the voices of their clients.
Tell stories with the intent to motivate change
For immigration law practitioners, sharing the experiences of clients goes beyond brand storytelling— these stories advocate for change, educate viewers and reinforce your expertise and reliability. Social media and blogging platforms can be used to speak about your work beyond FAQs and contact pages and express the core values of your immigration law practice.
