Selling Online Legal Products: A Lawyer’s Guide

By Dorna Moini, CEO of Gavel, a platform for lawyers building consumer legal tech.

Bringing a legal product to market is a far cry from running a traditional law practice. I’ve seen brilliant lawyers create divorce apps, estate planning wizards, and contract generators, only to wonder “How do I actually get people to use this?”

This guide is the playbook I wish I had when we started Gavel. It’s an informal but actionable roadmap to help small-firm lawyers market and scale their B2C legal tools. Every section is packed with real examples (think Airbnb’s scrappy early days and Paul Graham’s startup wisdom) and hard-earned lessons from legal tech trailblazers like LegalZoom and Rocket Lawyer. Now, let’s dive in!

Understanding Your Customer (Do Things That Don’t Scale)

Know thy user. The first step isn’t a fancy ad campaign or scalable growth hack. It’s deeply understanding your customer’s needs and behavior. In startup lore, Paul Graham famously said: “Startups take off because the founders make them take off.” In other words, you can’t sit back and assume customers will flood in; you have to go get them, learn from them, and sometimes hand-hold them.

• Do the unscalable early: In the beginning, be prepared to “recruit users manually”. Reach out one by one. Offer to walk someone through your online divorce questionnaire over coffee, or personally help a friend set up their will on your platform. This hands-on approach is what PG calls “doing things that don’t scale.” Stripe’s founders literally installed their payment software on users’ laptops themselves (the legendary “Collison installation”). Airbnb’s founders went door-to-door in New York, photographing listings and talking to hosts. That “30 days of engaging in person made the difference between success and failure” for Airbnb. It’s the same for your legal product: those early heroic efforts to win and delight one customer at a time are not wasted. They're foundational.
• Listen and empathize: Use these early interactions to get inside your customer’s head. What questions do they ask? Where do they stumble in your intake flow? Do they really understand that online prenup tool you built, or do you need to tweak your messaging? I once spent an hour on the phone with a frustrated beta user only to realize our “simple” divorce form was still too legalistic. It was humbling, and incredibly instructive. As PG puts it, “doing things that don't scale” forces you to learn exactly what customers want. You’ll uncover pain points and opportunities that no amount of market research would reveal. Take notes. These insights will inform everything from your copywriting to feature roadmap.
• Narrow your focus: In the early stages, focus on a niche subset of your market: your ideal early adopters. Perhaps it’s single parents in California for your custody agreement app, or first-time home buyers in Texas for your deed generator. Solve their problem extremely well before expanding. Brian Chesky of Airbnb didn’t try to conquer every city at once; he zeroed in on New York City, living and breathing his users’ experience. Likewise, Ben Silbermann of Pinterest noticed designers loved the product, so he went to a conference for design bloggers to recruit more of them. Identify your product’s most enthusiastic early users and double-down on them. It’s easier to turn 100 people who really need your solution into fans, than to convince 10,000 who sorta maybe have the problem.
• Customer personas & journey: Build a simple persona profile of your target consumer: “Jane, 34, newly divorced, two kids, looking for affordable legal help online.” Map out her customer journey step by step – from the moment she Googles “cheap divorce help” to when she completes your final survey. Where can you reach her? What concerns or emotions does she have at each step (fear of cost, distrust of “online legal”, relief at seeing a testimonial)? This exercise keeps your marketing and product decisions laser-focused on the real people you serve. (As an aside, at Gavel we literally pasted a user’s photo on our wall to remind us who we’re building for. Cheesy, but effective.)
• Personal support = priceless: In early days, over-deliver on support and human touch. Answer every email personally. If a user’s form stalls, call them and sort it out. These unscalable efforts create your first superfans and valuable word-of-mouth. For example, the online form builder Wufoo sent hand-written thank-you notes to every new user for as long as they could. It surprised and delighted customers. You better believe those people told their friends! In our context, that might mean a personal “Welcome” email from you, the founder, to each new customer (not a template - a real email). These gestures build trust in an arena (legal) where trust is paramount.
• Iterate with feedback: Create feedback loops to keep understanding your users as you grow. Set up a quick post-checkout survey (“What almost stopped you from buying today?”). Monitor reviews and respond. I have a habit of reading every single Trustpilot review we get, good or bad. (The CEO of Trust & Will does this too, piping all reviews straight to his inbox!) It’s painful but incredibly enlightening. Maybe people keep mentioning a confusing question on your form, or requesting a feature your tool lacks. Use that data. Show customers you’re listening by actually fixing issues and thanking them for the feedback. This is how you maintain a customer-centric approach even as you start to scale.

Bottom line: Early on, you’re not “scaling” your product, you’re earning the right to scale. Every conversation, manual onboarding, and unscalable favor for a customer is an investment in understanding your market. As PG wrote, “Airbnb now seems like an unstoppable juggernaut, but early on it was so fragile…” and it was those hands-on efforts that propelled it. Embrace the fragility of your startup and shore it up by getting as close as possible to your customers. Everything else in this guide - SEO, ads, partnerships - will fall flat if you don’t nail this part.

SEO and Content Marketing (Be the Answer They Seek)

If understanding your customer is the foundation, SEO and content marketing are your workhorses for long-term, sustainable growth. Why? Because legal consumers are constantly searching for answers online. They’re typing questions into Google like “How do I get a divorce without a lawyer?” or “Do I need a will if I’m 30?” or “tenant rights [my state]”. If your content ranks there, you’ve got a steady stream of highly qualified traffic at zero cost per click.

SEO: Getting the Basics Right

At its core, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) means making your website friendly to both search engines and people. You want Google to recognize your site as a reputable source of legal help, and you want consumers to find exactly what they need (and trust it) when they land on your pages. Here’s a checklist to get your SEO house in order:

• Technical must-haves: Ensure your site is fast-loading, mobile-responsive, and secure (HTTPS). These are table stakes. If your online will platform takes 5 seconds to load, many visitors will bounce (and Google will ding you for it). Also submit a sitemap to Google and set up Google Search Console to catch any crawl errors. (Tip: Even a no-code site can use tools like Cloudflare or Google PageSpeed suggestions to boost speed.)
• On-page optimization: For each key page (your homepage, product pages, key blog posts), make sure you have a clear, keyword-rich title tag and meta description. Include the phrases people might search. For example, your page title could be “Online Divorce in California – Fast, Affordable Divorce Service.” If you have a blog post answering “How to get an uncontested divorce,” make that the title (an H1 heading) of the page. Sprinkle related keywords naturally in the text (e.g., mention “file for divorce online,” “DIY divorce paperwork,” etc.). Use subheadings (H2s, H3s) to structure the content – both Google and human readers love organized content.
• High-quality content: Content is king in SEO, especially in legal where trust is crucial. Google favors sites that demonstrate E-E-A-T: Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness (legal topics are considered “Your Money or Your Life” content). This means your content should be well-written, accurate, and ideally written or reviewed by an attorney (you!). On-page, that translates to informative, well-structured content that answers the query. For instance, if you built a child support calculator, create a comprehensive guide like “Ultimate Guide to Calculating Child Support in [Your State]” and include step-by-step info, definitions, and of course how your calculator simplifies the process.
• Keywords and user intent: Do some quick keyword research to guide your content creation. Free tools like AnswerThePublic, Google’s own “People also ask” and autocomplete suggestions are gold mines. If you type “online will” into Google, you might see suggestions like “online will maker pros and cons” or “are online wills legal in [state].” Each of those is a potential blog post or FAQ on your site. Target long-tail keywords – these are the longer, specific queries that often indicate a serious intent (e.g., “cost of uncontested divorce in California online” is probably someone ready to take action). You won’t beat LegalZoom for the keyword “divorce,” but you could very well rank for a niche query that LegalZoom hasn’t covered in depth.
• Local SEO (if applicable): If your product is state-specific or you practice law in one area, leverage local SEO. This means mentioning the location in your content (e.g., have separate landing pages or sections for “Online Divorce in California,” “Online Divorce in Texas,” etc., because divorce laws vary by state). Get your Google Business Profile set up for your law firm or product brand, so you appear in local map results. Encourage happy users to leave Google reviews there. Local SEO can be a big advantage for a small practice selling a product in-state, because you’re more relevant for queries like “Texas online will service” than a generic nationwide site might be.
• Backlinks and authority: Google’s ranking algorithm still heavily weighs backlinks (other sites linking to yours) as a signal of authority. How do you get backlinks when you’re just starting? One way is content marketing and PR (more on that later) – e.g., write a guest article for a parenting blog about “legal planning for new moms” that links back to your site. Or get listed in resource directories (if your state bar has a directory of legal resources for the public, get your tool listed!). Also, whenever you do get media coverage or speak at an event, ask if they’ll link to your site in the write-up. Each quality backlink is like a vote of confidence that boosts your SEO.
• Monitor and adjust: Use Google Analytics (or similar) to see what content is drawing traffic and what isn’t. You might find your article “5 Things to Know Before You File for Divorce” is getting search hits and people spend 5 minutes on it (great!). Maybe another piece gets little traction – perhaps the keyword is too competitive, or the content missed the mark. SEO is iterative. Update your content regularly (freshness can help rankings, especially for changing topics like immigration forms). If regulations change, update your posts and note the update date (“Updated for 2025 laws”) – users and Google both appreciate that.

SEO takes time, but it’s absolutely worth the investment. Early on at Gavel, we published a simple FAQ page about a certain legal process. It got maybe 10 hits a day in the first months. But we kept improving it, adding better answers as we learned what users ask. A year later that page was bringing in a few thousand organic visitors a month – all free, relevant traffic that converted at a steady clip. That’s the compounding power of SEO. As an example of commitment to content: Rocket Lawyer ramped up its content production aggressively, publishing hundreds of articles to improve SEO. In one case study, an agency helped them add 474 new articles in six months – imagine the breadth of keywords they captured. You don’t need to churn out content at that volume, but consistency is key (e.g., one high-quality post per week can move mountains over time).

Content Marketing: Educate, Don’t Sell

Closely tied to SEO is content marketing – using useful content to attract, educate, and eventually convert your audience. For lawyers, this is second nature: you have expertise people need. The shift is delivering it in a scalable way online (blogs, videos, ebooks, etc.) rather than one-on-one consultations.

• Answer common questions: The simplest starting point for content is answering the questions you hear every day in practice. If you built a bankruptcy filing tool, write articles like “What’s the difference between Chapter 7 and 13?” or “Which debts are discharged in bankruptcy?” These are queries your potential customers have before they realize your product exists. By being the one to answer, you’ve begun building a relationship. They think, “Hey, this site was helpful,” and they’re more likely to trust your solution. LegalZoom’s massive knowledge center is basically just answers to common legal questions (written by attorneys) – that drives a ton of their traffic and customer acquisition.
• Formats and media: Content marketing isn’t just written articles. Consider infographics, short videos, checklists, even quizzes. A checklist like “10-Step Estate Planning To-Do List for New Parents” can both be a blog post and a handy PDF download (great for capturing email leads: “enter your email to get the free checklist”). Videos are powerful too: a 3-minute explainer on “How our AI-powered lease generator works” can live on your landing page (boosting conversion) and on YouTube (reaching a wider audience searching for lease tips). Don’t be afraid to show some personality in content. An informal explainer or a story from “When I was a young lawyer, I saw so many clients struggle with X, which is why I built this tool…” can humanize your brand.
• Content calendar: Treat content creation like a key marketing activity, not an afterthought. Plan a simple content calendar – e.g., each month you’ll tackle one major topic relevant to your product. Align it with seasons or events if possible (write about taxes in tax season if you have a tax law product, or about “quick summer weddings and prenups” if that’s your niche during wedding season). This keeps you relevant and gives you timely angles for promotion. And if you hate writing, consider partnering with a freelance legal writer or using AI as a starting draft (carefully reviewed by you for accuracy!) to lighten the load. The key is consistency and quality.
• Call-to-action (CTA) in content: Every piece of content should gently guide the reader toward your product or at least capturing them as a lead. This doesn’t mean turning an informative article into a sales pitch – that can erode trust. Instead, use a soft CTA. For example: after an in-depth blog post on how to file for divorce, a paragraph at the end can say, “If this sounds overwhelming, that’s exactly why we created [Your Product], an online platform that handles the paperwork for you. You can check it out here.” Or, “Ready to start your divorce? [Sign up] for a free trial to see how we simplify the process.” Also sprinkle internal links in your articles to your relevant product pages (“Our divorce filing checklist (generated by our online divorce tool) ensures you don’t miss any steps.”). These internal links not only direct readers but also help SEO by showing the relationship between your content and your product.
• Build trust through content: Use content to showcase your credibility and empathy. Case studies or success stories work great – e.g., a blog post like “How Sarah solved her landlord dispute online” walking through a real (or composite) user’s journey using your product. Testimonials embedded in content add social proof (“‘I never thought I could do my own divorce papers until I tried this’ – Jane D.”). Also consider content that isn’t strictly legal how-to, but addresses the emotional or practical side. For instance, if you have a divorce platform, publishing an article about co-parenting tips or a podcast episode about coping with post-divorce finances can draw in people at various stages of the journey. You become not just a service, but a trusted guide in their legal-life experience.
• Leverage influencers in content: (This intersects with social media, but it’s worth mentioning here.) One very effective tactic is to collaborate with influencers or other professionals to create content. The founder of Hello Divorce did this brilliantly: she partnered with wellness and financial influencers to write content like self-care checklists for people going through divorce. By bringing in outside voices, her content had broader appeal and those influencers often shared it with their own audiences, amplifying reach. You could do similar: e.g., have a local accountant contribute a piece on “Estate Planning tax tips” on your blog (and they’ll likely share it), or interview a popular therapist on how to handle the stress of litigation for your podcast. It enriches your content and taps new audiences.

Checklist: Content Marketing Plan (for a quick recap):

• Identify 5–10 key questions/topics your target customer cares about.
• Create high-quality content (articles, videos, etc.) for each, showing your expertise and empathy.
• Optimize each piece for SEO (keywords, proper formatting, links).
• Include a relevant call-to-action leading to your product or email signup.
• Promote the content via social media, email newsletter, etc. (Don’t just publish and pray. Actively share it where your audience hangs out.)
• Update content periodically and repurpose it (turn a blog series into an e-book, a webinar into a YouTube clip, etc.).

SEO and content marketing are marathon strategies, not sprints. Early on, it might feel like you’re writing into the void. But give it 3-6 months and you’ll start seeing those organic hits and signups that cost you $0 in ad spend. Even better, good content builds credibility and trust. By the time a reader of your blog converts, they often already feel like they know you and can rely on your product. That’s an ideal customer.

Before moving on: a quick anecdote. When I was a practicing lawyer, I wrote a plain-English guide on small claims court (totally unrelated to my main services) and put it on our site. Years later, that page still brought in traffic and occasionally a client (“I read your guide and figured if you could explain that clearly, you could help me with my issue”). The ROI on content can surprise you. So start planting those seeds now!

SEM and Paid Ads (Jumpstart Traffic, But Spend Wisely)

While your SEO and content strategy blossoms, you’ll likely want more immediate traffic and signups. That’s where SEM (Search Engine Marketing) and other paid advertising come in. Unlike organic methods, paid ads can produce results tomorrow, but only if done thoughtfully. As the CEO, I advise treating paid marketing as an experimentation lab: start small, test different channels, measure like crazy, and scale up what works.

Choosing Your Channels

Not all ad channels are equal for every legal product. Here’s a breakdown of the major ones and how they might fit a consumer-facing legal tool:

• Google Search Ads (SEM): This is the classic text ad that shows up when someone searches on Google. For many legal products, Google search ads are the highest-intent channel. If someone searches “online trademark registration,” an ad for your DIY trademark filing service is hitting them at the perfect moment. The pro: high intent means higher likelihood of conversion. The con: it can be expensive. Legal-related keywords are notoriously pricey. In fact, “Lawyer” and “Attorney” consistently rank among the top 10 most expensive keywords on Google. Average CPCs for legal industry terms are over $6, and many are much higher. Some of the most competitive terms (think personal injury lawyer queries) can cost hundreds of dollars per click – one report found “best mesothelioma lawyer” going for a staggering $935 per click! Now, you’re likely not bidding on mesothelioma lawsuits, but even consumer legal queries might be $5, $10, $20+ per click. Target niche keywords carefully to avoid blowing your budget. For example, bidding on “start a living trust online $x” is better than the broad “estate planning” which would pit you against deep-pocketed firms. Also, use negative keywords to exclude irrelevant traffic (if you have an LLC formation tool, add negatives like “free” or “PDF” if you only sell a paid service, so you don’t pay for those clicks). Google Ads also allows great geo-targeting (more on that later), so you can show ads only in your state or city where your product applies.
• Bing Search Ads: Don’t forget Bing (and Yahoo, which is powered by Bing). They have a smaller share of searches but often lower CPCs and less competition. It’s worth duplicating your Google campaign over to Bing Ads with a smaller budget. Especially if your target demographic skews a bit older (who may default to Bing on their PCs), this could yield some cheaper leads.
• Facebook/Instagram Ads: Social media ads are interruption marketing – you’re catching people based on their interests/demographics, not because they’re actively searching for you. The advantage is powerful targeting. Facebook knows a lot about its users. You can target by life events (e.g., newly engaged for a prenup product, or recently moved for a home legal docs kit), by interests (follow “Dave Ramsey” => likely interested in financial planning, maybe a will), by demographics (age, parental status, etc.). Facebook and Instagram (same platform for ads) are visual, so you’ll need an image or short video and some ad copy. These ads can be very effective for raising awareness and driving impulse sign-ups for something compelling (“Need a Will? Get one online in 15 minutes.”). The cost can be lower per click than Google, but beware: the intent is lower too. Someone scrolling Instagram isn’t actively looking for a legal service, so your conversion rates will typically be lower. That said, you can generate demand by highlighting a pain point (“Did you know X% of people die without a will? Don’t leave your family unprotected.”). For consumer legal, Facebook is often great for targeting specific communities – for example, a divorce tool could target users who listed their status as “Separated” or who are members of divorce support groups.
• LinkedIn Ads: Generally, I’d skip LinkedIn for B2C legal products. LinkedIn’s strength is in professional targeting, which is gold for B2B but not worth the high cost for consumer. The only exception might be if your product is kind of B2C but targets a professional niche (say, an online incorporation service targeting entrepreneurs). Even then, LinkedIn CPCs are usually very high. For our purposes (divorce, wills, etc.), focus on other channels.
• YouTube Ads: YouTube (part of Google Ads) lets you run video ads that play before or during videos. This can be interesting if you have a tight, compelling video and can target contextually. For instance, showing your “how to handle a DUI” app ad on videos about DUI rights. Or your ad for an eviction defense tool on landlord/tenant law explainer videos. The targeting on YouTube can be by keywords (what people are watching) or by demographics/interests similar to Google/FB. Video ads can build a lot of trust if done right because the viewer hears and sees you, which is more personal. They’re skippable, so you only pay if they watch 30 seconds or click, making it somewhat cost-effective to get your name out. If you’re comfortable on camera (or can hire someone), it’s worth testing. Keep it short (15-30 seconds) and hook the viewer in first 5 seconds (“Facing [legal problem]? Here’s a solution…”).
• Display Ads & Retargeting: Display ads are banner/image ads on websites through networks (Google Display Network, etc.). Buying general display ads to cold audiences is usually low yield for legal (people often ignore banners). However, retargeting is a must-do. Retargeting (or remarketing) means showing ads to people who have already visited your site or engaged with your content. Ever visit a site and then their ads follow you around? That’s retargeting. It’s effective because the audience is warm – they’ve heard of you. Set up retargeting campaigns on Google and Facebook so that, for example, anyone who started your divorce intake but didn’t finish sees a gentle reminder ad later (“Still need to finish your divorce forms? It’s easy with [Product].”). LegalZoom mentions using retargeting and abandoned cart emails to recapture prospects – these tactics can increase overall conversion significantly. Retargeting ads are relatively cheap and keep you top-of-mind.
• Other channels: Depending on your niche, consider specialty ad channels. For example, if you have a product for landlords, sites like BiggerPockets (real estate forums) have ad programs. Or Reddit ads if there’s a relevant subreddit (r/legaladvice or r/personalfinance might host a lot of DIY legal questions). Be careful with Reddit – its users are ad-averse, but a well-placed promoted post that feels helpful could do well. There’s also experimentation to be done with podcast ads (talked about more in the podcast section) and even print or local ads if your audience is concentrated (some niches like elderly estate planning might still read community newspapers or newsletters; don’t discount offline entirely).

Budgeting and Benchmarks

How much should you spend on ads? This is like asking how long a piece of string is – it varies. But here are some practical guidelines and benchmarks to consider:

• Start with a pilot budget: In the beginning, allocate a modest budget that you’re willing to consider a learning investment. For example, $500-$1000 for the first month or two, spread across a couple of channels. This should be enough to get data (impressions, clicks, some conversions) without breaking the bank. Think of it as buying insights: you’re paying to see which ad messages and audiences resonate.
• Measure CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost): Simply put, how much do you spend on ads to get one paying customer? If you spent $500 in ads and got 10 customers, your average CAC is $50. Track this per channel if possible (maybe Google gave you 6 customers for $300 = $50 CAC, Facebook gave 4 for $200 = $50 CAC – equal in this case, but often one will be better). Now compare CAC to your product’s revenue per customer. If you sell a $200 will package, a $50 CAC might be quite acceptable. If you sell a one-off $50 document, $50 CAC is too high – you’d be losing money on each sale. In that case, you either need to lower CAC or plan on lifetime value (LTV) being higher (perhaps that $50 doc customer later buys other services from you, making their total value more).
• Know industry benchmarks: For context, LegalZoom and others pour millions into customer acquisition via search, TV, etc. In fact, LegalZoom’s largest marketing spend is on search engine marketing (SEM) – because it works to capture people actively seeking legal help. They routinely monitor ROI and adjust. While you can’t match their budget, you can aim to be more efficient on a small scale. In digital marketing broadly, a 2-5x return on ad spend (ROAS) is considered good. That means if you spend $1, you get $2-$5 back in revenue. Early on, you might be happy just breaking even on ads (spend $1, get $1 revenue), because those customers still have referral value and potential upsell value. Over time, you’ll optimize to get more back than you put in.
• Budget by channel purpose: Allocate more budget to high-intent channels like search, and experimental budgets to others. E.g., if you have $1000/month, you might put $600 into Google Search (core keywords), $200 into Facebook/Instagram (targeted experiments), $100 into Bing, and $100 into retargeting. Revisit monthly and shift funds to the best performing channel. If Facebook is suddenly delivering cheaper conversions than Google, great – scale it up and maybe pause some expensive Google terms.
• Bidding strategy: In Google Ads, you can set manual bids or use automated bidding. As a beginner, manual CPC bidding with a careful eye can be good – you might decide “I’m not willing to pay more than $3 per click for [online will] queries” and set that. Automated “maximize conversions” strategies can work once you have enough conversion data (say >50 conversions). Just monitor it; sometimes auto-bidding will jack up bids. Also, set daily budgets so you don’t accidentally spend too fast. It’s better to start with $10/day and increase than to do $100/day out of the gate and blow through $700 in a week with nothing to show.
• Ad copy and quality score: With search ads, it’s not just about money; quality matters. Google gives you a quality score based on how relevant your ad and landing page are to the keyword. A higher quality score means you pay less per click (Google rewards relevance). So write very specific ad copy and have it point to a very relevant landing page. For example, if someone searches “power of attorney form Ohio,” don’t send them to your generic homepage. Create an Ohio-specific power of attorney page and maybe even mention “Ohio” in the ad text headline. This alignment can make a big difference. If you see quality scores of 7-10, you’re doing great. If it’s 3-5, you need to improve relevance (or the keyword is not really relevant to what you offer).
• Track everything: Use conversion tracking! If you’re not technically inclined, get help to install the Google Ads pixel and Facebook pixel, etc., on your site. You want to know which clicks turned into actual signups or purchases. It’s frustrating how often small businesses run blind ads and have no idea what worked. Even a simple Google Analytics goal funnel can show you “Ad Group A got 50 clicks, 5 signups; Ad Group B got 50 clicks, 1 signup.” That tells you A is 5x better. Also track cost per conversion that way. If technical tracking is daunting, at least use unique promo codes or landing pages per campaign as a crude way to measure (e.g., “Use code FACEBOOK10 for 10% off” on your Facebook ad, and see how many use it).
• Iterate and refine: The beauty of digital ads is agility. You can tweak and see results quickly. If your first ad copy isn’t getting clicks, test a new one (“A/B test” by running two variants). For instance, one headline might be “File Divorce Papers Online – Easy & Legal” vs “No Lawyer Divorce? It’s Possible Online.” See which gets better CTR (click-through rate) and conversion. Over a few months, your campaigns should get more efficient as you prune out what doesn’t work. It’s a continuous process of test -> measure -> adjust -> scale.
• Don’t overspend too fast: It can be tempting, especially if you raise a bit of money or have firm profits, to throw a large budget at ads hoping for a big splash. Caution: until you have messaging/market fit, that’s like dumping water into a leaky bucket. I’ve seen legal startups burn through tens of thousands on Google Ads with little to show, because their landing page or funnel wasn’t optimized or they bid too broad. It’s far better to spend a few hundred, fix your site based on what you learn (e.g., everyone is clicking the ad but no one buys – maybe the offer is wrong or price is too high), than to spend a fortune on ads driving people to a page that isn’t converting. In lean startup terms, optimize conversion before pouring gasoline on the fire.

One more note on SEM: It’s not an island. Paid ads work best when combined with everything else in this guide. For example, your content strategy boosts your quality and lowers paid costs (because people might search your brand after seeing an ad, or because you retarget content readers with an offer). Your understanding of customer informs better ad targeting and copy (you’ll speak their language). And success stories from your first customers become ad copy (“Over 1,000 Californians have finalized divorces online with us – join them”). So see SEM as one part of the machine, not a magic bullet.

Geo-Targeting and Local Strategies

One huge advantage you have as a lawyer selling a legal product is local domain knowledge. Law is inherently local (jurisdictions, state-specific rules, etc.), and you can use that to your marketing advantage. Don’t try to boil the ocean at first. Instead, win in your home court, then expand outward.

• Start in one region: If your tool is tied to state law, this is obvious (you can only sell an expungement app in states where it’s valid). But even if your product could be nationwide, consider focusing marketing on one or two regions initially. It lets you concentrate resources and craft a more personal message. For example, a California lawyer might market her new online divorce platform specifically to Californians at first – using imagery, lingo, and references that resonate (perhaps ads mentioning “California Divorce without Court Hassle”). You can always expand later. Hello Divorce followed this model: they launched serving California, proved out the concept, then rolled out to more states over time, and only years later expanded services to all 50 states. That focus allowed them to tailor their process to California’s nuances and build a local reputation before going broad.
• Geo-target your ads and content: All the major ad platforms allow granular location targeting. For Google Ads, you can target by state, city, or even a radius around a zip code. Use this. If you only operate in Illinois and someone in Florida searches for your keywords, you don’t want to pay for that click. Conversely, if you know your biggest market is your metro area, you might concentrate there (people may psychologically prefer a service they perceive as local, even if it’s online). For Facebook, you can drop pins on areas or target by city/zip as well. Take advantage of geo-targeted keywords in SEO and content too. Write blog posts like “Guide to Eviction Process in NYC” if that’s your turf. When a Chicagoan sees an ad or content that explicitly mentions Chicago or Illinois, it feels relevant. It says, “This is for you, in your situation.”
• Leverage local networks: Being local gives you PR and partnership opportunities nationals can’t easily tap. Pitch your story to local media: “Local attorney creates first-of-its-kind online [whatever] service for [State] residents.” Hometown newspapers, regional business journals, even local radio or TV news love a local innovation story. A two-minute segment on the local news or a feature in the city paper can yield a flood of traffic, and those backlinks help SEO. Also connect with local organizations. If you built a tenant rights tool in, say, Seattle, you could partner with Seattle’s tenant union or housing nonprofits to get the word out (maybe they put a link on their site or flyers in their office). Offer to give a free workshop at the local library or community college. These grassroots efforts not only get you users but also feedback and credibility. It’s doing things that don’t scale again, but with a local twist.
• Local SEO and reviews: As mentioned, set up your Google My Business profile (now called Google Business Profile). Even if you’re selling a product, if you have a business entity (law firm or LLC) behind it, you qualify for a listing. This can help you appear in local searches (“Legal help online [City]”). Encourage early users in your area to leave you a Google review. Seeing a 5-star rating from people in their own city can reassure prospective customers that you’re the real deal. Also, get listed on sites like Yelp if relevant (though people use Yelp less for legal products, some might).
• State/Local focused content or landing pages: If your product spans multiple states, invest in landing pages for each major state. Don’t show a generic one-size-fits-all page if someone from New Jersey visits – show them a “New Jersey [Product]” page talking about NJ specifics (maybe even a quote about NJ law or a stat like “X divorces filed in NJ last year were uncontested”). This not only boosts conversion (feels tailored) but also is great for SEO (you can rank for “New Jersey online divorce” more easily than a generic page could). Keep these pages updated with local legal changes. When New York changed its law about e-notaries, for example, any will-making service in NY had a marketing angle (“Now offering e-notarization in NY – fully legal wills without leaving home!”).
• Go where your local customers are (in person): This crosses into the Conferences/Speaking section, but it’s worth saying here: find local events where your target consumers gather and show up. If you built a legal tool for small businesses, attend local small business meetups, Chamber of Commerce events, or startup incubator meetings. If it’s for family law, consider sponsoring a booth at a local parenting expo or offering a free seminar through a community center. You might only reach 5 or 10 people at a time, but because it’s face-to-face and local, the conversion rate can be high. Plus, you build local word-of-mouth. I once gave a talk at a public library to a handful of retirees about estate planning. I demoed our will app. Two of them signed up that week, and one brought his neighbor the next time. Small, yes, but these are seed users who provide testimonials, reviews, and referrals.
• Local partnerships: We’ll discuss partnerships in depth later, but specifically look at local businesses or professionals who have your audience’s trust. Example: If you sell an online prenup kit, local wedding planners or marriage counselors could recommend it to clients (maybe you set up a referral commission or just a goodwill arrangement). A local bank or financial advisor might tell their clients about your will-making app (especially if you’ve made a good impression in person or via local networking). These on-the-ground partnerships can be more effective than cold online ads, because they come with trust pre-attached.

The big picture here: Think globally, act locally. Your vision might be to scale across the country (or world), but often the path there is by dominating one locality at a time. A grassroots user base in one state can become your evangelists when you enter the next. And you’ll refine your playbook for each new region. There’s a reason many companies expand city by city. Even LegalZoom, which is national, has done partnerships that are regionally targeted (like their deal with Sam’s Club to reach small businesses in various communities, offering members discounts on LegalZoom services). They recognized the value of trusted local channels.

So, especially as a small firm lawyer, use your home field advantage. Be the known online legal solution in your city or state, then parlay that into wider success.

Conferences and Speaking Opportunities

When I first stepped into the legal tech world, I underestimated the power of old-fashioned in-person networking and thought leadership. As a lawyer, you carry authority, and when you speak on a topic, people listen. Conferences and speaking engagements can build your reputation, plug you into a community of early adopters, and even directly land customers or partners. It’s not as directly scalable as an online ad, but it’s a force-multiplier for everything else.

• Legal tech and industry conferences: There are conferences like ABA Techshow, Clio Con, LegalX, etc., which attract legal innovators. Presenting at those can get you in front of other lawyers and legal tech media. However, recall our focus is B2C products – at these events you’re more likely to find partners or mentors than customers. Still, it can be worthwhile. For example, I spoke on a panel at a tech conference about “Access to Justice through Technology.” In the audience was a rep from a nonprofit who later approached me about using our platform for their constituents – a great channel relationship came from that. These conferences can also get you press coverage in niche outlets if you’re doing something notable (e.g., “Lawyer creates AI-driven custody agreement tool” might get a mention in LegalTech News).
• Consumer-facing events: Focus more on events where your target customers are present. This requires creativity. If your product is about estate planning, look at financial planning seminars, AARP meetings, or community “finance wellness” events – can you be a speaker or panelist there? If it’s divorce, are there local divorce support groups or even “Second Saturday” workshops (common financial/legal workshops for people considering divorce) where you can present the “DIY divorce options”? Small business product? Get on stage (or a webinar) at a local SCORE chapter or small business association meeting to talk about “Legal essentials for startups” and naturally mention your incorporation or contracts tool. Many of these events are hungry for expert speakers willing to volunteer their time.
• Meetups and grassroots speaking: Not every “speaking opportunity” is a formal conference. Meetup.com groups, public libraries, universities, bar associations offering public education – all are venues to share your expertise. Yes, it might feel like modest reach (10 people here, 30 people there), but you’d be surprised how these small ponds contain big fish. One attorney who built a landlord-tenant app started giving free landlord-tenant law workshops at a local library. It drew a mix of landlords and tenants; he showcased the tool as part of the “resources” people can use. Not only did he snag a few customers each time, but the library staff eventually featured his tool on their website’s resource list. That’s community marketing 101.
• Do the “Circuit”: Identify the key events in your domain for the year and map them out. For example: March – ABA Techshow (Chicago); June – local Bar association panel on law practice; July – Small Business Expo (LA); September – Financial Planners Conference (where maybe you can speak about digital estate planning); October – ClioCon (legal conference). Reach out early to event organizers with a proposed topic. Pro tip: frame your talk as educational, not promotional. Conferences don’t want a sales pitch. But you, as the CEO of [YourProduct], have unique data or insight to share. Maybe you propose “Lessons from 1000 online divorces: what people get wrong and how to avoid mistakes.” That talk can subtly highlight the need for your solution without being an ad. Plus it positions you as a thought leader.
• Sponsoring vs. speaking: If you can’t snag a speaker slot, consider attending as an exhibitor or sponsor if the audience is right. A small booth at a local trade show (for example, a wedding expo for a prenup or estate planning tool aimed at newlyweds) can be affordable and put you in front of hundreds of potential customers in a day. You can do creative things at booths: have a iPad for live demos, run a giveaway (e.g., free 30-minute consult or a free will package) in exchange for people’s contact info, etc. I remember an attorney with an online traffic ticket contest app who set up a booth at a car show (an unconventional choice) but he knew car enthusiasts get tickets! He signed up dozens of people. The key is to fish where the fish are, even if it’s not a “legal” event per se.
• Maximize every speaking gig: Whenever you do speak or present, make it count beyond the room. Have a memorable one-pager or business card to hand out with your product’s info (people will approach you after if interested). Mention a URL where attendees can get a special trial or download something relevant (“Go to mysite.com/conference for a free guide on this topic”). This lets you capture leads from the talk. Also, promote the fact you’re speaking on your social media and website – it adds credibility. If the event is recorded or live-streamed, get a copy of that video if possible; you can repurpose clips for your marketing. And of course, mention your speaking in press pitches after – “As seen at SmallBizCon 2025” or “Speaker at [Event]” in your bio can pique a journalist’s interest.
• Channel your inner storyteller: When on stage (or Zoom), try to tell stories and anecdotes (like I am throughout this guide!). People remember stories far more than facts. Share anonymized stories of clients or users to illustrate points. E.g., “I worked with a couple who couldn’t afford a full-service divorce lawyer, so they tried to do it themselves and ended up with more headaches... That inspired me to create a guided solution that would have saved them time and stress.” This not only humanizes your product, it often leads listeners to think of people they know who could use it (“this reminds me of my cousin’s situation…”).
• “Do things that don't scale” revisited: Attending conferences and giving talks is by nature not scalable – you reach maybe a room of 50 or 100 at a time. But as Paul Graham would agree, that’s exactly what early-stage efforts are about. Those 50 people hearing your passion directly can convert at 10x the rate of 500 faceless website visitors. And one talk can lead to unexpected big breaks (I’ve gotten invites to bigger stages and interviews just by being at a small event where the right person happened to be listening).

So, don’t hide behind the computer. Get out there and evangelize your solution. As a CEO-lawyer, you’re the best spokesperson for your brand. Share knowledge freely, and you’ll find it comes back to you in the form of users and supporters. Remember, LegalZoom started in part by publicizing legal education; their early team wrote articles, spoke at events, and even got a celebrity (Robert Shapiro) to be a public face. You might not have a famous co-founder, but you have you – a passionate expert with a story. Use that on the public stage.

Social Media (Organic and Paid) – #LawTok and Beyond

Let’s talk social. Social media can sometimes feel trivial (“Do I really need to tweet or dance on TikTok to sell legal products?”). But social media is where attention is, and as a marketer, attention is the game. The key is to approach social in a way that aligns with your style and reaches your target demographic.

• Find the right platform: You don’t have to be everywhere; choose platforms that fit your audience and content style. Facebook – good for reaching a broad, slightly older audience; plus you can create a Facebook Page for your business and even a Facebook Group around the issue (e.g., a “DIY Law Community” group where people ask questions and you modestly participate). Instagram – more visual; could work if you can create infographics, short videos, or inspirational quotes related to legal life (surprisingly, there’s an audience for motivational or myth-busting legal content). Twitter (X) – good for thought leadership and connecting with other professionals, media, and maybe tech-savvy consumers. If you like sharing quick tips or commenting on legal news, Twitter can amplify that and get you followers who convert later. LinkedIn – mostly B2B, but if you frame your product as an innovation or talk about the business journey, you might attract referral partners or simply build credibility. TikTok – the wild card. TikTok has a massive, young user base, but “LawTok” (lawyers on TikTok) is actually huge. Short explainer videos, legal myth debunking, quick tips with a bit of personality can go viral. For example, an attorney named Mike Mandell (aka @LawByMike) started posting bite-sized legal advice and hypotheticals; he skyrocketed to over 6 million followers on TikTok and 1.4 million on YouTube, becoming the most-followed lawyer online. Now, not everyone will achieve that, but it shows the appetite out there. His initial goal was simply to “drum up some business” and it turned into a global audience.
• Provide value, build an audience: The golden rule of organic social media is give value first. That could be education (e.g., “Tip Tuesday: one legal term explained in plain English”), entertainment (humorous takes on common legal mistakes, if that suits you), or inspiration (stories of people successfully solving their legal issues). By consistently sharing useful or engaging content, you’ll slowly build a following. It might be 100 people, then 500… but those can be 500 potential customers or ambassadors. A family lawyer I know started an Instagram where she posted a daily myth vs fact about divorce (“Myth: I need my spouse’s permission to get divorced. Fact: No, you don’t in no-fault jurisdictions like ours.”). It took off because it was easy-to-consume and shareable. Her follower count grew and many became leads for her services or users of her e-course.
• Show your human side: People follow people, not brands. As a founder, don’t be afraid to be the face of your social media. Post a short video introducing yourself and why you built the product. Share a day-in-the-life of working on your startup. If you’re comfortable, let your personality show – whether that’s nerdy enthusiasm for Supreme Court rulings or a sense of humor about legal tropes (cue lawyer cat filter meme). Authenticity wins on social. Erin Levine of Hello Divorce frequently uses social platforms like Pinterest and Instagram to connect with her largely female audience, often in a personal voice. She found that because she was doing the marketing and is herself a woman who went through the pain of divorce with clients, her Instagram and Pinterest content resonated strongly with women and brought more of them to her site. It’s okay if your style is more educational and less “influencer” – do what fits. But always remember there’s a person on the other side of the screen. Engage with comments, answer DMs, be approachable.
• Hashtags and trends: Use relevant hashtags to increase discovery. On Twitter, #LegalTech or #AccessToJustice might attract folks interested in legal innovation. On Instagram/TikTok, hashtags like #lawtips #divorcetips #estateplanning can put you in front of people browsing those. Also, if a trending topic relates to your domain, consider chiming in. E.g., when COVID hit and suddenly everyone needed remote notary or updated wills, those legaltech companies that posted about “how to handle wills during COVID” got a lot of shares. Trending audio on TikTok can be a way to ride the wave – e.g., using a popular sound clip but giving it a legal twist can land you on more For You pages.
• Consistency vs. quality: Ideally, do both – post regularly and make it count. But I’ll say this: a steady drumbeat (even 2-3 posts a week) is better than going full force for a month then ghosting for six. Use scheduling tools if needed. And repurpose content across platforms (a good tweet thread can become a LinkedIn post, an Instagram carousel, and a series of subtitled slides on TikTok). Repetition is fine – not everyone follows you everywhere.
• Community engagement: Don’t just post – engage. Join relevant Facebook Groups or subreddits (carefully, transparently). If there’s a subreddit for legal advice, you might answer general questions there (without pushing your product in an annoying way; maybe mention it in your profile or if truly relevant). On LinkedIn, comment on others’ posts about legal industry trends – your insight might catch an investor or partner’s eye. The more helpful and visible you are in communities, the more trust you build. There’s an attorney on Twitter who answers random legal questions people tweet – he’s gained a big following and inevitably those folks refer others to his service.
• Paid social boosting: We covered paid ads, but a quick note: sometimes boosting a good piece of organic content to a wider audience can straddle organic and paid nicely. For example, you post a great explainer video on Facebook that gets good engagement. You can put $50 behind it to target, say, people  within 50 miles who are interested in your topic, just to grow your page followers or get some traffic. It’s less “ad-y” than a straight-up ad because it’s coming from your page content. Similarly, promote your best tweets or LinkedIn posts if they strike a chord – often the cost per impression for boosting content is low, and you’re building your brand audience, not just shouting an offer.
• Influencer marketing: Another facet of social is partnering with existing influencers. There are YouTubers, Instagrammers, TikTokers in nearly every niche, including legal, personal finance, real estate, self-help, etc., who might be a fit. For instance, a YouTuber who runs a personal finance channel might be willing to do a sponsored segment about your online will kit (“This video is sponsored by [YourCompany], which helps people create a will from home...”). Or a TikTok creator who talks about life hacks might demo your small claims app in a 60-second video. Influencer marketing can be very effective because it’s essentially word-of-mouth at scale. Negotiate a fair rate (some will accept a flat fee, others an affiliate deal or free access plus commission). Make sure they disclose appropriately (to keep things legal and transparent). There’s an entire marketplace for influencers, but you can often just DM or email them with a short pitch. Later in this guide, I’ll provide an influencer outreach template to help with that.
• Realistic expectations: Building a massive social following takes time and maybe a bit of luck. But you don’t need a million followers. Even a few hundred engaged followers can translate to sales. Especially if they’re local or niche. One of our Gavel builders has only ~300 followers on Twitter, but many are fellow lawyers and journalists; when she tweets about her project, a handful of those followers always share it, and she invariably gets a bump in signups and sometimes an interview request. It’s quality > quantity.

In short, social media is a long game of relationship building. It’s about being part of the conversation where your customers hang out digitally. By providing consistent value and showing that you’re more than just selling something (you’re advancing access to legal help, you’re educating the public), you’ll earn trust that eventually leads people to try your product. And occasionally, you might hit a viral moment that dramatically expands your reach overnight. But plan for the slow and steady, and you might just find you enjoy it too – interacting with your end-users in a casual environment can remind you of your mission and spark new ideas.

(And hey, if you do end up doing a TikTok dance pointing at text bubbles of legal tips, no judgment – whatever works!)

Podcasts and Media (Be Heard and Seen)

Ever notice how every niche seems to have a podcast nowadays? Legal tech, small business, personal finance, you name it. Getting into podcasts and broader media can massively amplify your message to an audience that’s already tuned in. Plus, media features confer credibility – a potential customer who hears you on NPR or sees a TechCrunch article about your app will trust you more. Here’s how to tap into these channels:

• Guest on podcasts: Look for podcasts that cater to either legal professionals or the consumers you target. For legal tech innovation, shows like LawNext, The Lawyerist Podcast, or Clio’s podcast might host you to talk about your journey building a legal product. But since your customers are consumers, also consider podcasts in adjacent spaces: personal finance podcasts (to plug your estate or business tool), entrepreneurship podcasts (for business formation tools), self-help or family podcasts (for divorce or parenting-related legal tools). The format is usually a 20-60 minute interview where you can share your story, talk about common legal pitfalls, and subtly mention your product as a solution. Most podcast hosts want interesting founders as guests – it provides fresh content. So don’t be shy about reaching out. Craft a polite pitch highlighting what value or unique perspective you’d bring to their listeners (e.g., “I can share the 5 legal mistakes new entrepreneurs make and how to avoid them”). Once you land a few, you’ll get the hang of it and probably get invited to others (podcasters often refer guests to each other).
• Start your own podcast? It’s a heavy lift, but some lawyers do it. For example, there’s “The Hello Divorce Podcast” that Erin Levine hosts, giving tips and inviting guests about the divorce process. If you love to talk and have plenty of topic ideas, a short weekly or bi-weekly podcast can slowly build an audience. Even a few hundred dedicated listeners can convert well (they spend a lot of time with you in their ears, so trust builds). Just ensure you have the bandwidth – consistency matters. Alternatively, consider doing a short-run podcast series (say 10 episodes) on a specific topic. That content can live evergreen and still draw people in over time.
• Webinars and live streams: Not exactly podcasts, but similar idea of spoken content. You can host free webinars on topics of interest (“Live Q&A on Tenant Rights with [You]”). Promote it through social and perhaps a small ad campaign. These give you direct interaction with potential users. You can present a 20-minute educational segment, then do Q&A, and of course show how your product helps. Platforms like Zoom, Demio, or even a Facebook Live/Instagram Live can be used. We found webinars to be an excellent way to convert skeptical users – something about hearing the founder live and getting to ask questions breaks down barriers. Record these sessions too; you can upload the recording to YouTube (more content!) or send it to leads who missed it.
• Traditional media (PR): Getting press articles in newspapers, online magazines, or local news can provide huge visibility. We touched on leveraging local media under geo strategies. Think broader too: if your project has a compelling angle (AI in law, social justice, unique founder story), pitch it to journalists or bloggers covering those topics. For instance, Fast Company named Hello Divorce one of its Most Innovative Companies in 2024 – that’s big exposure in a national outlet, likely stemming from Erin’s PR efforts. You can DIY some PR by identifying relevant journalists (on Twitter or bylines on articles) and sending a concise email about your news. There’s also HARO (Help A Reporter Out) – sign up for their emails where reporters ask for sources. You might see queries like “Looking to speak with someone who created an app to solve a personal pain point” or “Experts on new tech in legal space.” Jump on those with a quick reply about yourself.
• Align with news hooks: Journalists love tying stories to trends or news. Is there a new law or high-profile case that relates to your product? For example, if tomorrow a bill passes making electronic wills legal nationwide, that’s your cue to contact press saying “I run an electronic wills platform, can comment on what this means for consumers.” Or if, say, eviction moratoriums end and there’s buzz about evictions, a landlord/tenant app founder can pitch, “Renters are facing confusion, our tool aims to help – here’s what we’re seeing…” You essentially become a subject-matter expert commentator, with your product as proof of your expertise/solution. This often works better than a pure “startup launch” pitch, unless your startup is extremely novel or funded.
• Publish in media yourself: Don’t forget contributed content. Many outlets accept guest op-eds or articles. For example, an estate planning lawyer might write a piece for a site like NextAvenue (which caters to older adults) titled “Why 60% of Americans Die Without a Will – and How Technology Can Change That.” In it, you provide value and perhaps mention at the end your company as an option. Or write a thought piece on Medium or LinkedIn that could get picked up by larger publications (Medium has specific publications that might syndicate good content). The trick is to be genuinely insightful or helpful, not just self-promotional. If you have data from your users (anonymized of course) or a unique perspective, share it.
• Build relationships with media folks: Over time, cultivate relationships. Follow journalists who cover legal or tech topics on Twitter, interact occasionally (thoughtful comment on their article, etc.). When you do get an article or interview, send a thank-you note. Don’t view PR as one-off transactions; these are people in your extended network. If you make their life easier with a good story or expert comment when they need it, they’ll return to you or include you in future pieces. I recall after we got a small mention in a Wired article, I made sure to promptly answer the journalist’s additional questions by email. Later, she quoted me in another piece about AI in law. That kind of exposure is cumulative.
• Awards and directories: This might sound vanity, but applying for industry awards (like legal innovation awards, local business awards) and getting listed in relevant directories or “top lists” can also drive media mentions. For example, Gavel or one of our users might apply for an ABA innovation honor or get listed in a “Top 50 Legal Tech Startups” article. Those things not only send referral traffic but also give you badges to display (“As seen in…”) which help conversion on your site due to trust signals.
• Media kit on your site: Make it easy for media or podcasters to know your story. Have an “About/Press” page with a clear description of your product, your bio, high-res images or logos they can use, and contact info. If you have any notable press already, display it. This way if someone’s considering featuring you, they have what they need at their fingertips.
• Be ready for the spotlight: Important: when you do get a media feature, be ready for a traffic surge. I’ve seen startups get caught off guard by a big article and their site crashed or they had no way to capture emails from the influx of visitors. Make sure your site can handle spikes (most modern hosts can, but just in case), and ensure your onboarding or lead capture is solid. It would suck to have 5,000 people visit from a prime news piece and only 5 sign up because others got confused or there was no clear CTA for them. Maybe temporarily add a banner like “Welcome Fast Company readers! [Do X action] to learn more.” catering to that influx.

Media and podcasts can seem intimidating (how do I get journalists to care?), but remember: the media needs content as much as you need coverage. The world is actually hungry for positive stories of innovation in law, access to justice, and interesting founder journeys. If you approach it with a genuine story and respect for the journalist’s time/audience, you’ll be surprised how often you can get a “yes.”

Every bit of media exposure is like a beacon that can attract customers, investors, partners, and even future opportunities you didn’t anticipate. And it lives on – an article today might be found by someone months later who Googles and finds your press hit, then visits your site.

So get out there and tell your story beyond your own channels. Be the go-to lawyer that media call when they need insight on that area of law + tech. It pays dividends.

Partnerships and Channel Sales (Friends in High Places)

Sometimes, the fastest way to scale your user base is to borrow someone else’s audience. Partnerships and channel sales mean other organizations help distribute your product – whether for a cut of revenue, for reciprocity, or to add value to their own offerings. This can dramatically lower your customer acquisition costs and increase credibility, because the product is introduced via a trusted intermediary. Let’s explore some partnership avenues with real legal tech examples:

• Strategic corporate partnerships: Think of companies that serve the same target consumers you do, but with different products, and find a win-win. A shining example: Trust & Will (online estate planning) embedded their services within insurance and finance platforms. Their CEO noted that MassMutual’s consumer brand has been one of their most successful partnerships. They co-market, include Trust & Will materials in MassMutual’s customer packets, even run joint TV commercials. In return, MassMutual adds value for its customers (estate planning help) and possibly gets a referral fee or just goodwill. Trust & Will also partnered with life insurance companies and AARP – AARP membership benefits now include a discount on their service. You can pursue similar deals on a smaller scale: for instance, a local credit union might offer your will drafting discount as a perk to its members (the credit union looks good for providing extra benefits). Or a payroll company might bundle your business formation service for new businesses they onboard.
• Referral partnerships (affiliates): LegalZoom and others have long used affiliate marketing. That means individuals or companies refer clients to you via unique links or codes, and you pay them a commission for each paying customer. Identify bloggers, influencers, or service providers in adjacent fields who could refer users. For example, a popular personal finance blog could write about your bankruptcy tool and include an affiliate link. Or a YouTuber who advises startups could refer people to your LLC creation app. Set a reasonable commission (e.g., $50 per signup, or 20% of the fee). It’s only paid when you get a customer, so it’s low risk. You might need to set up an affiliate tracking system (there are softwares or even simple manual tracking with codes). This essentially turns others into your marketing force. LegalZoom’s S-1 filing explicitly lists affiliate marketing as a channel, meaning they had armies of websites promoting them for a cut. You can start an affiliate program on a smaller scale by personally recruiting a dozen folks who have the audience you want.
• Channel partners (resellers or white-label): In some cases, you can let another company sell your product as if it were theirs (white-label) or bundle it. Example: Legal document providers partnering with banks – e.g., some banks offer new business customers “incorporation packages” which under the hood are powered by a LegalZoom or similar, just rebranded. If you’re open to that, it can massively expand reach. Perhaps a large law firm that doesn’t serve small clients could white-label your simple contract tool under their brand for a broader audience (you get paid per use). Or a bar association might license your tech for a member benefit (Rocket Lawyer attempted a partnership with the ABA to connect members to clients online). While that particular one faced pushback, smaller versions can work – maybe a state bar offers your consumer tool on their public website as a resource (with you powering it behind the scenes).
• Partnerships with professionals: Consider non-competing professionals who encounter your target users. For example, divorce coaches or therapists could recommend your divorce app to their clients (and maybe get a referral fee). Real estate agents might tell new homebuyers about your online will kit (since buying a house triggers thinking about a will). Immigration consultants could use your immigration form software as part of their service. You might create a special partner portal or just a simple way for them to refer. One idea: create a “Partner Resources” page with brochures, videos, etc., that your partners can share with their clients. The easier you make it for them to integrate your solution, the more they will.
• Educational partnerships: Universities, community colleges, even high school adult-ed programs often have personal finance or life skills courses. If relevant, partner to be the “legal piece.” For instance, a community college’s entrepreneurship program could incorporate your business formation module as part of the curriculum (every student gets to try forming a dummy LLC via your platform). You might offer it free for such uses, betting that some will use it later for real. It’s both marketing and doing good by educating.
• Distribution deals with retailers or membership orgs: The LegalZoom + Sam’s Club deal is a classic example. Sam’s Club (with millions of small biz members) offered discounted LegalZoom services as a member benefit. The members got 25% off LegalZoom, and Sam’s Club likely got a commission or just a way to attract/retain members. Brainstorm if there’s a similar membership org or retailer for your niche. If you have a product for gig workers, maybe a freelancer’s union or gig platform might partner. Or a network like AAA or AARP if your product fits their demographic. These deals can take time to negotiate, but one big partnership can be transformational. It essentially outsources your marketing to a partner with a huge list.
• API integrations: If your product has technical capabilities, offering an API can allow others to embed your service. E.g., a fintech app could integrate your legal document generation API so their users can create legal forms in-app, and you share revenue. This is more advanced, but I mention it for completeness. One modern example: some estate planning startups integrate with financial advisor software, so advisors can trigger will drafts for clients within their systems.
• Negotiating partnerships: When approaching a potential partner, focus on how it benefits them and their customers, not just you. For instance: “By partnering with [Your Company], you can provide your clients a seamless way to handle X legal need at a special price – adding value to your service and deepening your client relationships.” Be ready to discuss revenue share or cross-promotion. Some might want a cut of each sale, others just want to add your service to their portfolio to look good (especially nonprofits or associations that won’t take a cut but want to help their members). Have a simple agreement template ready for different scenarios. Start small if needed: a pilot partnership for 3 months to test uptake, for example.
• Maintain quality and support: One warning: with partnerships, you might suddenly get a wave of users you didn’t directly court. Make sure your onboarding and support can handle them. Also, maintain your brand reputation – if white-labeled, you have less control over user experience, so set standards in the contract for how the partner presents it. If something goes wrong via a partner channel (e.g., they mis-explain the product), address it quickly, as it can affect your brand indirectly.
• Leverage partner credibility in marketing: When you land a credible partner, trumpet that fact (if they permit it). “As trusted by [BigPartner]” or co-branded press releases announcing the partnership can bolster your credibility to other customers and partners. It signals, “Hey, this known entity believes in us, you can too.” When Rocket Lawyer partnered with Google on a legal tool, it was a huge validation that they were on to something big. You might not get Google, but even a respected local bank or a state bar co-sponsoring your tool is a strong trust signal.

To illustrate the power of partnerships: imagine you’ve built a small business legal toolkit. You could spend $50k on ads to acquire, say, 1000 customers. Or you partner with a national small-business association that directly markets your toolkit to 100k members via email and events, resulting in 5k signups – at virtually no cost to you except revenue share. That’s the leverage effect. LegalZoom scaled in part through partnerships and channel sales like that (and affiliates), not just direct advertising, because those channels had leverage and credibility built-in.

Start by making a dream list of, say, 10 potential partners – mix of big and small. Then work your network (LinkedIn is great to see if you have second-degree connections) or cold email their business development folks. You might be surprised; many companies are open to collaborations, especially if it helps their customers and doesn’t cost them much.

In summary, don’t go it alone. If someone already has the trust of your target market, figure out how to make them your ally. It’s like Paul Graham’s advice but on a company level – do things that don’t scale (handshake partnerships) to eventually achieve scale through those relationships.

Resources and Templates

Throughout this guide, we’ve discussed strategies and tactics – now let’s equip you with some practical templates and checklists to execute. These are starting points you can customize. They’re drawn from what’s worked in legal tech marketing (and a few hard lessons from my own experience!). Feel free to tweak the tone and details to fit your brand voice.

1. Email Pitch Template (Cold Outreach)

Use this when reaching out to potential partners, influencers, or even media contacts via email. It’s short, personalized, and value-oriented.

**Subject:** Collaboration idea for [Partner’s Company] & [Your Company]

Hi [Name],

I hope you’re doing well. My name is [Your Name], and I’m a [local lawyer/CEO] who founded [Your Company], a platform that [one-liner of what you do].

I’m reaching out because I think [Partner’s Company] and [Your Company] could work together to help [target audience]. [Partner’s Company] does amazing work helping [audience] with [their service], and we complement that by [your service].

**Idea:** What if we partnered to provide [benefit]? For example, [specific proposal – e.g., “offer your members a special version of our estate planning tool at a discount,” or “co-create a webinar to educate people about legal issues in starting a business,” etc.].

**Why it helps [Partner’s Company]:** You’d be able to [value to partner – e.g., “add more value to your members at no cost,” “earn referral fees,” “enhance your brand as an innovator,”].

I’ve attached a one-pager with more details (and you can see our platform at [link]).

If this sounds interesting, I’d love to discuss it further or set up a quick call next week.

Thank you for considering, and regardless, keep up the great work at [Partner’s Company]!

Sincerely,

[Your Name]
CEO, [Your Company]
[Phone number]
[LinkedIn or Website]


Tips:

• Research and personalize the email for each recipient (mention something specific about their organization so they know it’s not spam).
• Keep it concise – people are busy. Use bullet points or bold to highlight the core idea.
• Attach a PDF one-pager (visually appealing) summarizing your product and the partnership idea, so they can forward internally.
• Follow up in a week if no response (briefly and politely).

2. Sample Ad Copy Ideas

Crafting effective ad copy can be challenging. Here are a couple of fill-in-the-blank style examples for different channels:

• Google Search Ad (text):
  Headline 1: Online [Legal Service] in [State]
  Headline 2: Fast, Affordable & Attorney-Backed
  Description: Tired of expensive lawyers? [Your Company] helps [audience] [solve problem] in minutes. Get [document/service] for just [$$]. 【No office visit needed】. Start now!
• Example:
  Headline 1: Online Divorce in California
  Headline 2: Fast, Affordable & Attorney-Backed
  Description: Tired of expensive lawyers? SplitEasy helps Californians file for divorce in weeks. Get all your forms for just $299. No court hassle. Start now!
• Facebook/Instagram Ad (visual):
  Text: “I saved $1,500 in legal fees!” – That’s what our users say. ✨ Get your [legal task] done online with ease.
  Image: Show a happy person with a document or using a computer (or a graphic of your interface).
  Headline (if applicable): Simplify [Legal Task] Today
  Call to Action Button: Learn More
• Example:
  Text: “I saved $1,500 in legal fees!” – That’s what our users say about EasyWill. ✨ Make your will online in 15 minutes, with attorney support if you need it.
  Headline: Simplify Your Will Today
  Button: Learn More (link to landing page).
• Banner Ad (display):
  Visual:  An illustration of a form with a big red “X” over lawyer fees, or a before/after comparison.
  Text on banner: “Divorce for $299 – No Lawyer Needed” (big and bold), subtext “[Your Company]: Handle it online, stress-free.”
  Keep it simple; too much text gets ignored.

Ad Copy Pointers: Emphasize pain point and benefit. Use words that evoke ease, savings, speed, trust. Including numbers (price, time, number of customers) can catch attention. Always have a clear call-to-action (“Start now”, “Learn more”, “Try free”).

3. Influencer Outreach Template

When DMing or emailing an influencer/creator for a potential collaboration, keep it casual but professional:

Hi [Influencer Name],

I love your [YouTube channel / Instagram content / etc.] – especially the post about [specific topic they covered]. I’m a [lawyer/entrepreneur] working on [Your Company], which [one-liner of what it does].

I think your audience would really appreciate an easier way to [solve problem your product solves]. Would you be interested in collaborating?

For example, we could sponsor a [video/post] where you try out [Your Product] to [achieve result], and offer your followers an exclusive discount. I’m also open to your ideas – you know your followers best!

If this sounds up your alley, let’s chat details. I can offer [free access for you + compensation/affiliate arrangement].

Either way, keep up the awesome content. Thanks for your time!

Best,
[Your Name]
[Your Position & Company]
[Website – so they can check you out]


Tips:

• Influencers get many requests; stand out by showing you know their content.
• Be clear about what you’re asking and what’s in it for them (money, free product, something valuable to their audience).
• Keep the tone friendly and not too corporate. Many influencers are younger or informal; match that tone while still being respectful.
• Once they respond, negotiate specifics (deliverables, timeline, payment). Make sure to agree on disclosure (FTC requires they mention it’s sponsored).

4. Landing Page Checklist

Your landing page is your 24/7 salesperson. Here’s a checklist of elements to include to maximize conversions:

• Clear headline: Conveys the main benefit in one sentence. E.g., “Create a legally binding will in 15 minutes.”
• Subheadline or value prop: One level deeper, addressing the pain point. “No lawyer required. Save $1000+ in legal fees.”
• Hero image or video: Show the product in action or a happy outcome. Could be a screenshot of your app or a smiling person with documents. Video demos (60-90s) can boost understanding – consider an explainer video.
• Call to Action (CTA) button: Prominently placed, contrasting color. Text like “Get Started” or “Try it Free” or “Calculate My Divorce” – something specific. Likely one near top and repeated after sections.
• Brief overview bullets: 3-5 bullet points of why your product rocks. Focus on benefits (not just features). E.g., “✅ Step-by-step guidance through every form”, “✅ Reviewed by an attorney for accuracy”, “✅ Instant filing with the court”.
• Social proof: This is big for legal. Include testimonials (“This made my divorce so much easier – John D.”), star ratings, number of customers served (“Join 5,000+ people who’ve made their will with us”). Logos of any media outlets or partners (“As seen in FastCompany” or “Partnered with Texas Bar Association”) add trust.
• Explanation of how it works: Could be a short section or infographic: Step 1, Step 2, Step 3. Keep it simple – people should grasp the process at a glance. E.g., “1. Answer a few questions online 2. Our algorithm drafts your document 3. Download or we file it for you.”
• FAQ section: Address common objections/questions. “Is this legal in my state? – Yes, our forms are customized for all 50 states and we update them regularly.” “What if I need help? – You can chat with a lawyer on our platform.” This helps reduce fear and unknowns.
• Security/Trust badges: If applicable, show things like “Secure Checkout – 256-bit encryption” or “Money-Back Guarantee” or “Attorney Approved” badge. Anything that mitigates risk.
• Pricing info or link: Don’t hide the price (people will go looking). Either list your price/plans or clearly link to a Pricing page. If you have a free trial, tout that.
• Contact/support info: A phone number or chat or at least an email contact gives reassurance that a human is behind this. Many won’t use it, but seeing it builds trust.
• Mobile optimization: Test the landing page on mobile. Many users will come from mobile (especially via social). Ensure CTA buttons are easily tappable and info is readable without endless scrolling.
• Fast load: Use tools like GTmetrix or Google PageSpeed to make sure your page isn’t sluggish. Every extra second of load time can drop conversions.
• Legal disclaimers: As lawyers, we have to. Have a discreet but accessible link to terms/privacy, and any necessary disclaimer (“This service is not a law firm… [appropriate UPL disclaimer]”).

A good landing page tells a story in seconds: the user should immediately know what you offer, why it’s beneficial, and trust that it’s legitimate. Avoid clutter and jargon. Use real customer language (e.g., people might search “cheap divorce online” – if that’s what they say, address it like “Affordable online divorce” rather than “streamlined dissolution of marriage process”).

5. Partnership Pitch Deck Outline

When you get the chance to formally propose a partnership (perhaps to a larger company or investor group), a short slide deck can help convey the value. Here’s an outline for a Partnership Pitch Deck (5-7 slides):

1. Introduction:
   • Your Company logo and tagline.
   • “Proposal for Partnership with [Partner Name]”
   • Your contact info.
2. The Overlap Opportunity:
   • Define the shared audience: “Both [Your Company] and [Partner] serve [audience] who need [X].”
   • Highlight the gap: “However, [audience] currently lacks [solution your product provides].”
   • Add a stat if relevant: e.g., “65% of [Partner’s] members report legal needs each year.”
3. About [Your Company]:
   • 1-2 bullet value prop of your product.
   • Any impressive metrics or credibility: “# of users, growth rate, media mentions, etc.”
   • Quick screenshot or image of your product in action.
4. Partnership Plan:
   • What you are proposing exactly. E.g., “Co-branded offering: [Partner] members get a 20% discount on [YourProduct]. We create a special signup page for them.”
   • Or “Referral partnership: [Partner] promotes [YourProduct] to its customers – via email, website, etc. – and receives a $XX commission per sign-up.”
   • Break it into steps or bullet points for clarity.
5. Benefits to [Partner]:
   • List the wins for the partner: “Enhance member value with new service; Additional revenue of $X per user; Position [Partner] as tech-forward; Minimal effort – we handle support.”
   • If applicable, show a hypothetical revenue share: “If 5% of your 50,000 members use it at $100 each, that’s $250k revenue, with $50k share to [Partner] annually.” (Concrete numbers make it enticing, but use realistic assumptions).
6. Marketing Support:
   • Promise what you will do: “We’ll provide co-branded materials, training for your team, a custom landing page, and dedicated support for your customers. We can also feature [Partner] on our site as a Preferred Partner.”
   • Show that you’ll make it easy and beneficial for them.
7. Next Steps:
   • Suggest a pilot or trial: “Propose a 3-month pilot to gauge member interest – goal of reaching 500 members.”
   • “Sign partnership agreement, launch by X date, review results at 90 days.”
   • Contact info again for follow-up.

Visually, keep slides clean, use the partner’s logo alongside yours where relevant (psychologically aligns you together). Speak to their perspective. If you have any current smaller partners, maybe put their logos on the Intro slide to show traction.

Template Tip: In an actual pitch meeting, you’ll talk through these slides, so they shouldn’t be text-dense. But since these may get passed around internally at the partner org, ensure the key points are written clearly.

Feel free to adjust these templates to your tone and context. The goal is to save you time and give you a head start, whether you’re emailing an influencer at midnight or polishing a deck for a big meeting.

Let's Do It!

Marketing a consumer-facing legal product is definitely a challenge – but it’s also an adventure where your creativity and passion for helping people will shine. Remember, as a lawyer-CEO, you have a superpower: credibility. When you speak, blog, or post, people listen a bit more intently because they know you’re an expert. Use that! Educate, build trust, and the sales will follow.

A quick recap of our journey:

• Understand Your Customer: Get out there and talk to them, especially at the start. Do the unscalable stuff – those first 10, 50, 100 users are gold for feedback. As Paul Graham advised and Airbnb exemplified, personally ensuring early customers’ success is the key to unlocking scale later.
• SEO & Content: Be the answer to the questions your customers are Googling. Create content that educates and establishes you as the go-to resource. Over time, this becomes an organic growth engine (with compounding returns that even Einstein would admire). Every blog post is a long-term asset.
• SEM & Ads: Use paid ads smartly to get immediate visibility. Start small, track everything, and refine. Don’t get discouraged by high legal CPCs – find your efficient niches and lean into those. Leverage retargeting to squeeze more conversions out of hard-won traffic.
• Geo & Local: Own your backyard before taking on the world. Your local insights and networks give you an edge that big national firms can’t easily replicate. Become known in your community (on the ground and online) as the provider of your solution.
• Events & Speaking: Stand up (or log in) and share your knowledge. Each face-to-face impression can create a ripple of referrals and trust. Plus, speaking gigs and media appearances reinforce your credibility and often cost nothing but your time.
• Social Media: Build an online persona and community around your mission. Whether it’s Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, or a humble Facebook group, engage sincerely. Social proof often starts with a small following that’s deeply engaged. One viral moment or big share can then catapult you into the spotlight (like the lawyer who became the “Bill Nye of lawyers” on TikTok by accident, now educating millions).
• Podcasts & PR: Get your voice on the airwaves and your story in print. Third-party validation is invaluable. Even niche podcasts or blogs can drive concentrated traffic. And every media piece is a permanent credibility marker that makes all your other marketing more effective.
• Partnerships: Don’t just acquire customers one-by-one when you can acquire in bulk via strategic allies. As we saw, LegalZoom, Rocket Lawyer, Trust & Will – all fueled growth by partnering with established brands (from Sam’s Club to Google to AARP). You can replicate this on an appropriate scale. Make those win-win deals.
• Resources & Templates: We’ve armed you with concrete examples – now customize and deploy them. They’ll save you time and help maintain a high-quality, consistent message across your outreach.

One more piece of advice from the trenches: iterate and be patient. Some channels will flop, some partnerships won’t pan out, some content won’t rank. That’s okay. Treat everything as a learning experiment. Double down on what works (the 80/20 rule will likely apply: 20% of your efforts will drive 80% of the results). And remember that building a brand and user base takes time. Legal consumers might move slower or be more skeptical than buyers in other industries – after all, legal issues can be daunting. But if you consistently put out valuable content, nurture relationships, and refine your product based on user feedback, you will see momentum.

As the CEO of Gavel, I’ve had the privilege of watching solo attorneys transform into legal tech entrepreneurs right before my eyes. The ones who succeed aren’t necessarily the techiest or the MBAs – they’re the ones who truly care about their customers’ problems and refuse to give up until they crack the code on reaching them. They carry that do-things-that-don’t-scale hustle from day one, whether it’s hand-holding a client through an online form at 10pm or writing an answer on Reddit that helps a stranger and quietly builds their reputation.

You have that same potential. You entered law to help people, and your product is an extension of that mission. So approach marketing not as “selling,” but as helping people find a solution that genuinely improves their lives. When you frame it that way, marketing becomes a natural extension of your professional duty – and even kind of fun.

I’ll leave you with one of my favorite startup mantras: “Make something people want, and make sure they know about it.” You’ve made something people want (or you wouldn’t have read this far). Now go make sure they know about it. Good luck – I can’t wait to see your legal product out in the world, changing lives and pushing our industry forward!

Stay scrappy, stay customer-centric, and keep scaling that impact. You’ve got this.

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