12 Months of Law Firm Content
By: Leslie Valenza, Content Consultant at Poston Communications
When planning content for a law firm’s website, blogs, podcasts, social media pages, or other publications, firms must be intentional in diversifying coverage with timely news items, evergreen topics, and “seasonal stories” – or recurring annual news hooks.
Planning content around seasonal stories helps to fill gaps between breaking news items and creates more opportunities to spotlight your firm’s values, culture, and successes.
Key topics shouldn’t be relegated to one-off articles, however. While it was once commonplace for law firms to promote their pro bono work around annual legal aid clinics, for example, firms have become more mindful about maintaining a steady drumbeat of stories that showcase their community commitments. Likewise, it is critical to regularly publish content that elevates the successes and insights of rising stars and rainmakers alike, with an eye toward prominently featuring attorneys with diverse backgrounds and practices.
As you begin planning your 2024 content calendars, here are a few seasonal story ideas to get you started:
January – How an administration’s agenda, as outlined in the State of the Union address in January or February, may impact particular industries or areas of the law. Package industry outlook reports to forecast key issues on the horizon.
February – In addition to regularly publishing news items that elevate Black attorneys, consider featuring the achievements or insights of in-house counsel, business executives, and other clients in honor of Black History Month.
March – Likewise, in addition to regularly promoting the achievements of women lawyers, consider special feature stories about women clients in celebration of Women’s History Month. Also spotlight programs, events, and/or Q&As with support staff during Staff Appreciation Week.
April – Similarly, feature firm programs and profiles in honor of Arab American Heritage Month. Celebrate your firm’s commitment to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives for Earth Day and/or share insights by your firm’s environmental practice, if relevant.
May – Plan client Q&As and feature stories in honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Spotlight health care practices during National Hospital Week. Showcase firm wellness programs for Mental Health Awareness Month and National Fitness Day. Feature your firm’s pro bono representation of veterans on National Armed Forces Day.
June – Cover implications of key U.S. Supreme Court decisions. Feature attorneys, programs, and initiatives supporting LGBTQ+ Pride Month. Share content in honor of Juneteenth. Spotlight pro bono work on behalf of refugees in honor of Immigrant Heritage Month.
July – Spotlight attorneys and initiatives honoring Disability Pride Month. Roll out a summer associate program campaign that showcases firm culture and opportunities.
August – Spotlight clients, events, pro bono work, and other relevant stories relating to National Black Business Month and National Nonprofit Day.
September – Celebrate National Hispanic American Heritage Month with client and event feature stories. Cover “legislation to watch” as Congress returns to session.
October – Cover “SCOTUS cases to watch” in the upcoming term.
November – Roll out “season of giving” or “give thanks” campaigns to showcase community initiatives and client appreciation. Forecast the potential impact of an election, if relevant.
December – Publish annual reviews recapping the biggest cases, transactions, and regulatory or legislative changes from the past year, as well as key practice or industry developments. Begin rolling out industry outlook reports covering key issues facing clients, as well as top cases or legislation to watch in the year ahead.
Building a framework around awareness months, holidays, and other annual news hooks creates opportunities to regularly spotlight your firm’s talent, strengths, client partnerships, culture, and values – all critical to advancing law firms’ business development, recruitment, and retention goals.