Chapter 3: Web 2.0 - bottom line for the legal profession

‘Web 2.0’ is a buzzword that has been in use for some time and although all the hype about this perceived new generation of technology has not completely faded away, it has become part of the Internet language. So, after all the spin of revolutionary technology, what is the substance behind the hyperbole of Web 2.0, and more importantly, what is there in it for the legal sector?

Defining the Web 2.0 nebula

The difficulty in attempting to define Web 2.0 comes from the fact that there has been, and is, considerable speculation as to what Web 2.0 might be. In a sentence: it is an umbrella term that describes the new generation of Web services and the business models which have a created a new set of online services. Such ideas are closely associated with concepts such as “participation”, “online users as contributors”, “radical decentralisation”, “perpetual beta” and so on.

The substance behind the hyperbole

A certain amount of hyperbole is inevitable with new, broad concepts such as Web 2.0, but the substance behind the hyperbole can be extracted by making reference to a group of technologies which have become deeply associated with Web 2.0, including blogs, wikis, Podcasts, RSS feeds and tags:

Blogs refer to a simple web page consisting of brief paragraphs - called posts - of opinion, information, personal diary entries and links, arranged chronologically with the most recent first, in the style of an online journal. Blogs have numerous incoming links as they provide valuable information on a specific topic, often link to each other and they are regularly updated with rich, new content. For these reasons blogs are highly ranked by search engines and help to raise the profile of a firm online.

A wiki is a web page or set of web pages that can be easily edited by anyone who is allowed access (www.wikipedia.com is a well known example). Wiki pages have an edit button displayed on the screen that the user can use to access a user-friendly online editing tool to change or even delete the contents of the page. Unlike blogs, wikis generally have a history function, allowing previous versions to be examined and restored. But why would a firm use a wiki as a marketing tool? For one reason it builds a fabric of community and conversation around a firm.

Podcasts are audio recordings, usually in MP3 format, of talks, interviews and lectures, which can be played either on a desktop computer or on a wide range of handheld MP3 devices. Law firms can use Podcasts as a marketing device to attract and retain clients by providing useful information in a multi-media format that can be played on mobile devices as well as computers. Podcasts need to be in solely in lecture format; they could be delivered by a panel of experts exploring some areas of law which are particularly relevant to the audience.

RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a family of formats that allow users to find out about updates to the content of RSS-enabled websites, blogs or Podcasts without actually having to visit the site. Instead, information from the website (typically, a news title and synopsis, along with the originating website’s name) is collected within a feed which uses the RSS format and ‘piped’ to the user in a process known as ‘syndication’. In order to be able to use a feed a prospective user must install a software tool, known as an ‘aggregator’ or ‘feed reader’, onto their computer. RSS can deliver customised content to any source within seconds and has the potential to increase your website traffic. RSS can also help you build a stronger brand because - depending on the quality of your content - your firm can become the go-to source for specialised information.

A tag is a keyword that is added to a digital object (e.g. a website, picture or video clip) to describe it, but not as part of a formal classification system. Tagging is the mainstay of social bookmarking systems, which share a number of common features in that they allow users to create lists of ‘bookmarks’ or ‘favourites’, store these centrally on a remote server (rather than within the client browser) and to share them with other users of the system (the ‘social’ aspect). Law firms can use tagging to share information both in-house and with third parties.

Are these technologies effective tools for marketing legal services?

All these new technologies provide innovative ways to communicate with online users and can be very effective, but there is a risk that they become an expensive distraction. Therefore the question is not so much: “are they the right tools?”, but more: “how to use the technologies in the most cost-effective way?”.

These new technologies are very effective in getting information out quickly and keeping audiences informed, and offer another route to market. Using such technologies a firm can establish itself as an authority in a particular area of law, and will be seen to educate its market by providing useful information to current and prospective clients. Such a service should increase trust and help develop business relationships.

However, if not planned properly, these technologies can result in waste of time, money and credibility. You should analyse your target market to determine if these tools are a cost-effective way to reach people and usage should be coordinated with your website, articles written for periodicals and other proactive promotional approaches to succeed.

For further information about the contents of this article, or to discuss implementation of these technologies within your organisation, contact us on +44 (0)20 8871 1330 or email charleslouis.moreau@intendance.com.



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