Information

Last Updated: 8.20.2019
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What is a persuasive post?

A persuasive post is basically a topical or Q&A post that is written with information taken from a page on the attorney’s website. The main difference is these are written from the attorney’s office’s point of view.

When should you use a persuasive post?

  • They can be used as a way to introduce a topical post related to the practice area. –Ex: Persuasive Post on child custody or Follow with topical post on the child custody evaluation process
  • Works well as a complement to another blog.
  • Can explain how a process works (similar to a QandA blog).
  • Can be presented as a 2-part series.

 

 

 

Tone/Voice:

  • 2nd person – “we, our, you/your”
  • Use active voice instead of passive voice

Keywords:

  • These are listed in the “Request Information” tab in the portal. These can be used for topic ideas, but they do not need to be used in the blog itself.

Links:

  • 1-2 links per post
    • 1 link to the source attorney web page (should be placed in the lower half of the article or at the end)
    • 1 link to an external source, if using one

Format:

  • Has to be at least 250 words
  • Title can be no longer than 65 characters and should describe what the blog post is about – Also don’t capitalize more than the first word in a title.
  • Should mention the attorney’s GEO within the first paragraph. GEO should be state name only.
  • Must include 1 link to a page on the attorney’s site
  • If you use sub-headers, there must be at least 2 paragraphs before the first sub-header.
    • Sub-headers must be bolded rather than using H1 or H2 header formatting.
  • 1 Bullet list ok
    • No less than 3 items
    • No more than 6 items
  • General call to action – i.e. “For more information on this subject, please visit our page on children and divorce.” “Our page on Chapter 7 bankruptcy can provide you with more information on financial problems.” Do not market the law firm’s skills or experience” “Do not tell the reader to contact an attorney” and “Do not give legal advice
  • No Contractions or Oxford Commas – ie “can’t should be can not”
  • UPDATE: Do NOT write about/recommend products (such as software, apps, etc.) for the reader/clients to use for their cases. Blogs should be informational and professional.

Finding Your Source on the Law Firm Site:

  • Look for pages about a specific topic like drunk driving, construction accidents, child custody…
  • Look for pages that seek to address concerns people may have – pages that explain a legal process or discuss specific law.
  • Look at pages regarding practice areas for information.
  • Look for pages that discuss state laws and legal processes.
  • Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you are unsure about a page. J
  • The topic must be mentioned somewhere on the page you are linking to.
  • Sometimes, a web page may not have a lot of information. Simply choose a topic mentioned on the page and then use an external source to provide the more in-depth information.
  • If using a secondary source, please name it in the post. –Ex:  Over a million brain injuries are treated in U.S. hospitals every year according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
  • While you are using a web page from the law firm site as your source, please make sure that all content is 100 percent original.
  • Bullet lists are okay if they are relevant and you don’t use them all the time.
  • Please try to insert the law firm name into the 1st paragraph
  • Please write as if you represent the law firm (We, our, you, your) –EX: Here at Smith-Weston Law, people often ask us about…
  • Do not refer to cases handled by the law firm.
  • Do not market the law firm’s skills or experience.
  • Focus on relevant niche areas within the firm’s practice. –For example: A firm focuses on motor vehicle accidents and has a page on rear-end collisions. A persuasive post on rear-end collisions would be appropriate.
  • Do not use attorney’s profile pages
  • Make sure you read the website’s pages to get a feel for the tone and focus of the law firm.
  • Do not use the same language in every persuasive post.
  • Encourage the reader to learn more about the topic of the post.
  • Do not tell the reader to contact an attorney.
  • Do not give legal advice
  • Try to give the post a human-interest feel and tone

Below are examples of calls of action you should not use:

–If you have been in a car accident, you can find out more on our page.

–For more information about dividing an IRA, please visit our divorce page.

–To learn how you can stop creditor harassment, our page on bankruptcy provides more information

The above examples clearly target someone in a specific situation – this violates the ethical rules attorneys are under and should always be avoided.

The Scaffold Safety Law picks up where OSHA leaves off

As a construction worker in New York City, the idea that you would purposely put yourself in harm’s way may seem ridiculous. However, your employer may be requiring you to do just that if the safety standards of the scaffolding equipment you use are not met. At Hofmann & Schweitzer, we understand how the state’s Scaffold Safety Law helps uphold workers’ rights on construction sites.

The Commercial Observer notes that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration does fine construction companies that violate the agency’s safety standards. However, you may not ever see an OSHA inspector at your worksite because inspections are relatively rare. Even if your employer has been cited for an infraction, the company may view these financial penalties as less costly than securing the training and equipment to keep you safe at dangerous heights.

If a worker dies on the construction site where you work, OSHA will investigate. A look at past records indicates that major safety violations were present at more than 80 percent of the sites investigated for fall-related deaths between 2004 and 2011. No matter how cautious you may be while you are on a ladder or scaffold, faulty equipment puts you at risk of a fall.

Fortunately, Labor Law 240 improves the likelihood of your employer’s compliance by holding the company responsible for the cost of worker accidents. As a result, most construction companies carry liability insurance to cover the cost of damages to victims and their family members. More information about this topic is available on our web page.

Evaluating your child’s best interests

While a divorce is hard on everyone in the family, it also allows you and your former spouse to reduce the conflicts your child experienced during your marriage. Your child has other needs besides a more peaceful environment, though, and in California, the judge will weigh those when preparing the final divorce decree. We at Palmer Rodak & Associates understand the considerations that go into a child custody decision, and have helped many parents to prepare parenting plans that the courts agreed to implement as written.

As Psychology Today points out, best interests for children do not come as a set of one-size-fits-all criteria, necessarily. The goal is to create circumstances that make it easiest for your child to adjust and become happy and healthy. To that end, research has identified several factors beyond the basic physical needs that are essential for your child, and every other.

You may want your child to have as little contact with the other parent as possible. However, unless the situation involves abuse, experts indicate that children thrive better when they are able to develop and maintain a healthy bond with each parent. Your child will also benefit significantly from a stable routine that is as close as possible to the one in place before the divorce.

Keeping these factors in mind when you discuss the parenting plan with your child’s other parent may be key to a schedule that is easily approved by the court, and truly provides for your child’s best interests. More information about parenting plans is available on our web page.

Holiday debt doesn’t have to ruin the new year

The holidays tend to be a time when going overboard is acceptable, and it feels good to treat your loved ones in Little Rock to special gifts. Now that the new year is here, and you are facing a mountain of debt as a result of your generosity, damage control does not necessarily have to be the end of your fun. The law firm of Robertson, Oswald & Associates has helped many clients recover from the pressures of holiday debt.

You may have more money to pay toward your debts if you stay at home, but if you never get to enjoy yourself, you are more likely to give up your good intentions and splurge again. Bankrate.com provides some tips for recovering from your spending sprees and reducing or eliminating your excess debt without suffering.

To spend less when you go out with family or friends, make restaurant trips cover two meals by requesting half of your entrée to go, or spend time together over lunch or coffee, instead of dinner and drinks. Geocaching, sports and other outdoor activities provide you with exercise and fresh air without the cost of a gym membership, while local libraries typically offer programs, books, movies, electronics and other free entertainment.

If your debts are unmanageable, even after you change your spending habits and free up extra money for payments, other methods may be available to you. Although starting over is a big step, sometimes the only way to recover from credit card debt is a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy. More information about this topic is available on our web page.