Why Sharing Documents Online Can Help You Get A Share of SEO
Okay, so you've written an interesting article for a client newsletter or a local media publication. Trouble is, your newsletter only goes to subscribers, while the local media publication isn't even Internet accessible. And while you can scan the article and upload it to your website, even that may not buy you much more mileage because the document's text may not get picked up effectively by search engines.
Truth is, without a decent presence on the Internet, that article just doesn't have much of a shelf life, marketing-wise. And when you realize that, you'll probably find yourself less likely to write another article, which will reduce your marketing efforts even more.
Fortunately, there's a simple solution to this problem: Article archiving services -- such as JD Supra, DocStoc and Scribd, to name a few -- don't just enable you to easily post your documents online, they can actually help supercharge the search engine visibility of your written work.
The theory behind article archive sites is to give authors a chance to share their work product with others and to provide a convenient way for others to view the article without having to go through the trouble of downloading a cumbersome PDF file. JD Supra is geared specifically toward lawyer work product, while DocStoc and Scribd serve as repositories for a wide range of written materials. You needn't limit yourself to just one site, however. Starting out, you might experiment with uploading the same document at several sites and evaluate which produces the best result.
Why Lawyers Have Nothing to Fear from Sharing Documents
As far as I can tell, lawyers haven't been using article archiving sites pervasively or regularly, though that is starting to change. Still, some lawyers shy away from using article archive sites for several reasons, all of which I'll address. First, some lawyers harbor concerns about posting pleadings or other public filings that might infringe on their clients' privacy. Though most courts offer electronic filing and house court files online, these are generally not visible in search engines. Concerns about client privacy are valid, however, and you should seek a client's approval before posting filings from an active case online.
Truth is, without a decent presence on the Internet, that article just doesn't have much of a shelf life, marketing-wise. And when you realize that, you'll probably find yourself less likely to write another article, which will reduce your marketing efforts even more.
Fortunately, there's a simple solution to this problem: Article archiving services -- such as JD Supra, DocStoc and Scribd, to name a few -- don't just enable you to easily post your documents online, they can actually help supercharge the search engine visibility of your written work.
The theory behind article archive sites is to give authors a chance to share their work product with others and to provide a convenient way for others to view the article without having to go through the trouble of downloading a cumbersome PDF file. JD Supra is geared specifically toward lawyer work product, while DocStoc and Scribd serve as repositories for a wide range of written materials. You needn't limit yourself to just one site, however. Starting out, you might experiment with uploading the same document at several sites and evaluate which produces the best result.
Why Lawyers Have Nothing to Fear from Sharing Documents
As far as I can tell, lawyers haven't been using article archiving sites pervasively or regularly, though that is starting to change. Still, some lawyers shy away from using article archive sites for several reasons, all of which I'll address. First, some lawyers harbor concerns about posting pleadings or other public filings that might infringe on their clients' privacy. Though most courts offer electronic filing and house court files online, these are generally not visible in search engines. Concerns about client privacy are valid, however, and you should seek a client's approval before posting filings from an active case online.
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