What is Content Marketing’s True ROI?

In this episode, Marc Cerniglia breaks down the misunderstood world of content marketing and reveals why its real value goes far beyond generating leads. Most law firms only see a fraction of the referrals, repeat business, and authority they could be getting — all because they’re measuring the wrong things. Marc explains how to uncover the true ROI of your firm’s content marketing and use it to attract better clients, charge what you’re worth, and make your other marketing work even harder.

📌 Key Takeaways:

• The biggest ROI from content marketing comes from your existing network.
• Credibility and reputation are what make your firm more profitable — not just more visible.
• Content marketing multiplies the impact of your ads, SEO, and other efforts.

📆 Schedule Your Strategy Session

📱You can check out the video component by following us here on
Instagram or TikTok

Chapters

• 0:00 Rethinking ROI In Marketing
• 0:32 Content Marketing’s Real Purpose
• 1:05 Fixing The Referral Gap
• 1:22 Escaping Price Competition
• 2:19 Where ROI Actually Shows Up
• 2:19 Content That Boosts Other Channels
• 2:46 Sponsor And Next Steps

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:00

All right. So obviously when you're doing marketing, you expect an ROI, right? Absolutely. You should. Content marketing is a really nuanced area of marketing that I think often gets misunderstood in terms of how to know if it's working and what it's meant to accomplish for your firm. You know, and we have been doing content marketing for quite a long time, in addition to the other kind of marketing as well, right? Running ads, doing lead gen. And so they cross over, but I would put content marketing in its own bucket. And to be honest with you, the thing for you to understand if you're watching this is the main purpose of content marketing, and don't turn the video off after you hear me say this. The main purpose of content marketing is not to create leads. Okay, at least not in the traditional sense. The main purpose of content marketing should be building your brand and your credibility and staying in touch with your existing network, your existing list, current clients, past clients, referral sources. That's where the biggest ROI of content marketing comes from. For example, most law firms are only getting about one-third of the referrals they should be getting from their existing network. But instead, when they're ready to do more marketing, they're thinking about maybe running ads, maybe doing SEO, maybe doing all these other things when it's like there's so much more business to be had. Another big problem in the world of small offer marketing is having to compete on price and potentially not charge what you really want to be charging. Well, content marketing can make a really big impact on your image, your reputation, how people perceive your firm when they do find you or they are referred to you. And we have seen time and time again where our clients are able to stop competing on price and are actually able to be more selective with the clients they choose, charge the rates they want to, because we've really helped them build that image and that reputation, and content marketing played a big role in it. So, where is the main ROI of content marketing going to come from? It's gonna show up in referrals, it's gonna show up in your repeat business, it's gonna show up in your ability to command the rates that you want to, it's gonna show up in your ability to be more selective in the clients you take, or maybe even get more of the kinds of clients or cases that you want, right? The other bonus tip, bonus place it's gonna show up in your marketing is when you do start to go do other marketing, like running ads or whatever else, your content marketing is then there to back you up. So, for example, if you run some ads and you get some new leads, right? Your content marketing is then also there to nurture those leads that come in and actually make your other marketing efforts work better.

SPEAKER_01: 2:46

The Law Firm Marketing Minute is brought to you by Spotlight Marketing and Branding, where we help solo and small law firms get more plans and better clients. If you want more details, visit GrowMyLaw Firmfast.com.