Matchmaker, Matchmaker: Webinars, Blogging and Podcasts

ABA TECHSHOW – March 15, 2008Greg Siskind (gsiskind@visalaw.com)Kevin O’Keefe (kevin@lexblog.com)

BLOGS – The Pluses• Extremely effective way market a niche practice,

or promote firm news• Very easy to use software that can be updated

quickly and easily• Content easier to generate quickly• Search engines like them• Good way to recycle content – articles,

powerpoints, video and audio files

BLOGS – The Minuses• Easily become stale without regular attention• Not a substitute for writing articles (though the

two complement each other)• Tougher to monitor and requires training and

trust• Lack of formality might not fit image of a firm• Not always easy to come up with news in very

narrow subject-matter web sites

My Blogs• The original law firm blog• The big blog – news and opinion at

http://blogs.ilw.com/gregsiskind• Visalaw blog – PR-oriented (news articles,

announcements, etc.)• Health Care Immigration• Fashion, Arts Sports Immigration• Employer Immigration Compliance• Technotes – Gadgets and tech for lawyers

Setting up a Blog• The major providers – Blogger, Typepad,

LiveJournal (all free) or Movable Type, Wordpress or Textpattern (not free, but cheap)

• RSS and blog feeds• Major feed services – Bloglines ,

Newsgator, Yahoo!, Rojo, Newsburst

What to Put on Your Blog• Analyze your target audience• Keep it short• Link to documents, articles, cases, regs,

legislation, other web sites, etc.• Slideshare.net• YouTube• Add graphics when you can• Mobile blogging

Podcasting• What is a podcast? (hint: you don’t need an iPod)• Why should I podcast?

– Informal way to share expertise– Shows you’re cutting edge– Closet performer– Some people are more comfortable speaking than reading– Good way to recycle presentations

• Why not to podcast– Not suited for radio– Scripting is a lot of work– Editing and mixing a pain– Sticking with it (podfading)

Setting Up A Podcast• What equipment do I need?

– External • What software do I need?

– Podcast Station or Audacity for the mixing– Podcast host – Hipcast, etc.

• The content– Multiple voices are better (interviews are good)– Short is better than long– Recycle seminars

Publicizing Your Podcasts• Tell your clients, friends, colleagues• Announce it regularly on your web site and

in your newsletters• RSS• Link your podcasts in your blog• iTunes and podcast services

Webinars• What is a webinar?• Providers – Webex, GotoMeeting, Dimdim, Zoho• YouTube • Content strategies

– Client training– Educational programming for prospective clients

• Voice – consider teleconference service (www.freeconferencecall.com) or via web

• Recording

Social Networks- Facebook

- LinkedIn

- Xing