Legal Marketing Trends: What’s Hot / What’s Not for 2025

The world of legal marketing is changing just like every other industry. AI is getting more and more powerful. Technology is evolving quicker than you can shake a first at those pesky bots on LinkedIn. And our customers’ needs are also changing which, let’s be honest, is the most important bit. We have to be where our customers are, talking to them in their language, in ways that connect and compels.?

So here is the Saltmarsh Marketing ‘ins/outs of 2025’ – it’s definitely THE blog to read if you want to create a marketing strategy that works for you, your legal business and the needs of your ideal customers.?

What’s Hot ??

1. Personal branding?

Well I would say that wouldn’t that, wouldn’t I? So predictable of me! But with an increasing significance on values, diversity and inclusion and storytelling – personal branding will be even bigger in 2025.?

Want to become a trusted in-house influencer with a strong LinkedIn presence that brings authority and credibility to both you and your business? When you’re finished with this blog, you’re going to want to read The Power of Personal Branding for Lawyers.?

2. Reactive marketing

Attwells Solicitors’ brilliant take on ‘looking for a man in finance’ was a law firm TikTok highlight of 2024. Here’s their former Head of Social Media, the brains behind this genius piece of reactive marketing sharing the video and the results – enquiries about vacancies and legal work.?

We can all take reassurance in the fact that she filmed the video in only 45 minutes, and in her own words: “Our story serves as a reminder that even traditional firms like ours can find new and exciting ways to connect with our audience and embrace the changing times.”

3. Video content?

LinkedIn video views have increased by 50% year-over-year since 2022. And it’s still LinkedIn’s fastest-growing format – outperforming text by 30% for click-throughs and engagement.?

Video is such a powerful format for bringing your personal branding and reactive marketing to life through storytelling and developing a deeper connection with your audience.?

The more authentic the better, so don’t overthink it. Grab yourself a ring light, find a neutral background, film it portrait style, film then do a simple edit in CapCut. What’s the worst that could happen?!

4. Steady, sustainable and impactful marketing?

As online marketing channels get noisier, it’s time to focus on quality and consistency. Whatever your social media marketing channel of choice (but if you are a lawyer I suggest you make it LinkedIn), this year undoubtedly will bring more AI, more content for the sake of content and more features. Don’t let it overwhelm you. Stay in your lane and focus on creating content that attracts your ideal customer, creates connection with them and delivers value so they want to work with you.?

Amongst all the noise, there are two tactics that endure: making people feel something and giving them genuine value.?

5. In-person connection

Whether you’re a founder who tends to overthink your marketing content or you need to position the senior leaders in your business as experts – make sure your 2025 marketing strategy includes events.?

You can incorporate attending networking events, identifying speaking opportunities on panels or at conferences or you can host an event and own the conversation.?

What’s more, the legal marketing magic really happens when you bring together the power of digital marketing with in-person events. LinkedIn can be the gateway to connecting with people at scale but you can really deepen those connections in real life.?

Treat each event like a mini campaign; have a plan to make the most out of pre-event marketing, on-the-day marketing and prioritise personalised follow-ups and sharing insightful takeaways through your marketing channels. And of course, any thought leadership material you prepare for speaking should be repurposed into multiple formats across your different marketing channels.?

What’s Not ??

1. Pitching without connection

Whether by email or on social media, tolerance for bad pitching will be at an all-time low. If you’re active on LinkedIn you may be seeing more and more people posting about the ‘pitch slap’. Lead generation and pitching is essential to your sales and marketing strategy - but you need to start by building a connection.?

Be of service and value to your audience – create conversation, share resources and unique insights. Then start 1-1 conversations by understanding their business challenges and showing a genuine interest in the human behind the screen, before moving onto the pitch.??

2. AI – done badly

The robots are both our friends and our foe. AI is a powerful tool when used well. But – and this is a big but (and I cannot lie) – people are getting more aware and skeptical of it done badly, as it’s becoming much easier to spot. AI LinkedIn comments, anyone? Great insights! ??

People are threatening to leave LinkedIn for other platforms because of these comment bots but it remains a platform with masses of potential for building a personal brand and growing your business. The key thing here is to use AI as a guide and an ideas prompt, rather than as a replacement for your own voice. This goes for AI-generated blogs, too. AI for ideation? Great. But your human voice and unique insight will set your content apart.?

3. The quest for viral

Public service announcement! A viral post does not a marketing strategy make. It can in fact be distracting. Because it can attract everyone and their sweary uncle Kevin to comment and get involved.?

Take it from me – that ‘top of the funnel’ conversation-starting content can feel easier and more appealing to create. But you need to balance it out with your more strategic social proof, sales content and expert insights to make your marketing work for you.?

4. Serving everyone?

2025 will be the year of getting really focused on who you serve and how. Hyper-specificity and personalisation is key, because if you’re speaking to everybody you’re speaking to nobody. A cliché, but true.?

Invest some time researching your ideal clients – how they communicate, what they struggle with and how you can communicate your own uniqueness.???

5. Being restricted by risk aversion?

While of course legal is a regulated sector which does come with some considerations, 2025 will need you to think outside the proverbial box in order to stand out.?

As more and more law firms and other other legal SMEs work with social media content creators – how can you think creatively to shine a light on the humans and the personality behind the brand??

2025 is the year of embracing and showcasing your expertise through thoughtful, creative and bold marketing. Vanilla and generic marketing is no longer enough; bland and boring noise will position you as forgettable, not memorable.?

If you’re ready to create brave, bold and impactful marketing that delivers you meaningful business results – it’s about time we talked, right?! Book a call today!