To build a content strategy that brings in business starts with giving every piece of content a purpose. For law firms, one of the simplest ways to do that is the 70/20/10 rule: dedicate 70% of your content to answering prospective clients’ questions, 20% to building relationships with your community, and 10% to promoting your firm.
We have worked with many law firms that wanted to grow through organic marketing but ran into the same problem. They were posting frequently, trying new trends, recording videos, and creating graphics without seeing the results they expected.
Posting more was rarely the real solution.
The firms that create sustainable momentum understand why they are publishing each piece of content and how that content fits into the larger client journey.
Why Does Posting More Content Often Fail?
More content does not automatically create better marketing.
A law firm can publish every day and still struggle to generate meaningful engagement or new business if the posts have no clear strategy behind them.
The problem usually begins when firms focus on frequency first.
They ask:
- How many times should we post each week?
- Should we make more videos?
- Do we need to be on every social platform?
- Should we follow the latest trend?
- Why aren’t our posts generating consultations?
Those questions are matter, but they come after a more important question:
What should we be posting, and why are we posting it?
Building a content strategy means deciding what role each piece of content should play before worrying about how frequently you publish.
Why Shouldn’t Every Law Firm Post Try to Generate a Consultation?
Organic marketing usually builds confidence over multiple interactions.
A prospective client may watch one video today, read an article tomorrow, see another post on Facebook or LinkedIn next week, check your reviews, and eventually return to your website when they are ready to contact an attorney.
Every interaction contributes to their impression of your firm.
Expecting one post to immediately produce a consultation can create unrealistic expectations about how content works.
Instead, content should support different stages of the relationship.
Some content answers questions. Some helps people become familiar with your attorneys. And some gives prospective clients a reason to take the next step. A strong strategy needs all three.
How Does the 70/20/10 Rule Help When Building a Content Strategy?
The 70/20/10 rule gives law firms a simple framework for deciding what to publish.
The breakdown is:
- 70% educational content
- 20% relationship-building content
- 10% promotional content
This balance helps prevent your firm’s social feeds, website, and videos from becoming a constant stream of advertisements.
It also gives your marketing team a repeatable structure instead of starting from scratch every time someone asks, “What should we post this week?”
What Should Make Up 70% of Your Law Firm’s Content?
70% of your content should answer questions prospective clients are already asking.
Your attorneys hear potential content topics every day.
Think about consultations, intake calls, emails, and conversations with existing clients.
Questions might include:
- What should I do after a car accident?
- Can I relocate with my children after a divorce?
- Do I need a trust or a will?
- What happens after I am arrested?
- How long will my case take?
- What should I bring to my first consultation?
Every recurring question can become useful content.
Start With Real Client Questions
One of the easiest ways to develop a content calendar is to ask each attorney to write down the questions they hear repeatedly.
Those questions are valuable because they come directly from the people your firm wants to reach.
They also tend to translate naturally into search-friendly content.
One question could become:
- A detailed blog article
- A two-minute educational video
- A 60-second short-form video
- A social media graphic
- A frequently asked question on your website
- A section of an email newsletter
The format can change depending on the subject.
The value of the answer matters more than forcing every idea into the same type of post.
Our approach to content marketing for lawyers follows the same principle. Strong content begins with information that is genuinely useful to the people searching for legal help.
How Does Educational Content Build Authority?
Answering useful questions consistently gives prospective clients a chance to see your knowledge before they contact you.
Suppose someone is considering divorce and is worried about whether they can move with their children.
They search the question and find a clear article or video from your firm explaining the issue.
A few days later, they encounter another post from one of your attorneys.
Later, they visit your website and read your reviews.
By the time they schedule a consultation, your firm may already feel familiar.
That familiarity can make the first conversation easier because the prospect has already spent time learning from you.
Educational content also gives your website more opportunities to address the specific questions people may search for online.
Instead of creating generic content around broad practice-area terms, you can build deeper resources around the actual issues prospective clients want explained.
What Should Make Up 20% of Your Content?
20% of your content should help people develop a relationship with the attorneys and community behind the firm.
Law firms often overlook this category because they assume everything they publish needs to explain the law.
Some of your strongest brand-building content can focus on the people behind the practice.
Potential ideas include:
- Attorney introductions
- Community events
- Charitable involvement
- Firm milestones
- Behind-the-scenes moments
- Staff spotlights
- Office traditions
- Local events your team supports
- Professional accomplishments
- Appropriate personal interests or experiences
The goal is familiarity.
People want to know who they may be trusting with an important problem.
Relationship-building content reminds prospective clients that real people are behind the logo, website, and advertisements.
Why Does Familiarity Matter in Legal Marketing?
Hiring an attorney is personal.
Clients may be sharing details about their family, finances, health, criminal allegations, business problems, or other difficult situations.
Expertise matters, but prospective clients are also evaluating whether they feel comfortable talking to you.
Relationship-building content gives them more opportunities to understand who you are before that first conversation.
That does not require turning your law firm’s social media into a personal diary.
A simple attorney introduction, community event photo, or behind-the-scenes look at the team can provide enough personality to make the firm feel more approachable.
Educational content demonstrates what you know. Relationship content helps people understand who you are. Together, they support trust.
Why Should Promotional Content Be Limited to 10%?
Promotional content has an important place in law firm marketing, but too much of it can make your entire online presence feel like an advertisement.
Imagine following a law firm and seeing the same message every day:
“Schedule a consultation.”
“Call us today.”
“We’re here to fight for you.”
“Contact our office now.”
A potential client has very little reason to keep paying attention.
Instead, promotional posts should appear when your firm has something meaningful to promote.
Examples include:
- A significant case result that can ethically be shared
- A new practice area
- A new attorney joining the firm
- The opening of another office
- An upcoming event
- A new service
- A meaningful firm achievement
The other 90% of your content has already helped educate the audience and build familiarity.
Your promotional content then has more context around it.
How Can One Content Idea Become Five or Six Pieces of Content?
A sustainable strategy gets more value from the work you already create.
Suppose an attorney records a five-minute YouTube video answering a frequently asked legal question.
That single recording could become:
- The original long-form YouTube video
- Two or three short-form video clips
- A blog article
- A social media post
- A section of your monthly email newsletter
- A frequently asked question for your website
Suddenly, one subject can support multiple marketing channels.
You are building on one useful idea instead of inventing six unrelated ideas.
That approach can dramatically reduce the pressure of building a content strategy.
Repurposing Should Preserve the Core Message
Repurposing does not mean copying and pasting the exact same content everywhere.
Each platform works differently.
A five-minute explanation may work on YouTube.
The key answer might become a 45-second social video.
The same subject could become a detailed article for someone searching Google.
A short takeaway might work for LinkedIn or Facebook.
The idea stays consistent while the presentation changes.
For firms interested in making this process more manageable, our guide to simple video marketing for law firms explains how straightforward video workflows can generate content without requiring a complicated production process.
How Can Law Firms Use Video More Strategically?
Video fits particularly well into the 70/20/10 framework because it can serve every category.
Educational Video
An attorney answers:
“What should I do immediately after a car accident?”
That fits the 70% educational category.
Relationship-Building Video
An attorney talks about why they chose their practice area or highlights a community event.
That fits the 20% relationship category.
Promotional Video
The firm announces a new office or practice area.
That fits the 10% promotional category.
This is one reason video can become the foundation of a broader content system rather than a separate marketing project.
Our breakdown of four ways law firms can use video content to stand out offers additional ways to turn attorney knowledge into useful, approachable marketing.
How Do You Build a Monthly Content Calendar With the 70/20/10 Rule?
You can apply the framework without making the calendar complicated.
If your firm planned ten main pieces of content for a period, the general balance would look like:
| Content Type | Approximate Share | Example |
| Educational | 70% | Client questions, legal explanations, FAQs |
| Relationship | 20% | Attorney stories, community involvement, firm culture |
| Promotional | 10% | New office, practice area, case result |
The percentages should guide the strategy rather than become a rigid mathematical requirement for every single month.
The important point is balance. Most of the value you publish should help the audience. A smaller portion should build familiarity. The smallest portion should directly promote the firm.
What Should Your Law Firm Do Before Creating More Content?
Before adding more posts to your calendar, review what you are already publishing.
Ask:
Does most of our content answer real client questions?
If not, start there.
Collect questions from attorneys, intake staff, emails, consultations, and client conversations.
Are people getting to know our attorneys?
If your entire presence sounds formal and impersonal, add appropriate content that shows the people behind the firm.
Are we promoting ourselves too often?
Review your recent posts.
If nearly every one contains the same sales message, reduce the frequency and create more useful resources.
Are we repurposing our best ideas?
Look at your strongest articles and videos.
Many can become several additional pieces of content rather than disappearing after one publication.
Does every post have a reason to exist?
You should be able to identify whether a piece is educating, building relationships, or promoting.
If you cannot explain its purpose, reconsider whether it belongs in the strategy.
Questions Law Firms Ask About Building a Content Strategy
How often should a law firm post content?
There is no single posting frequency that works for every firm. Consistency matters, but strategy comes first. Decide what you should publish and why before increasing how frequently you post.
What type of content should law firms create most often?
The 70/20/10 framework recommends making about 70%t of your content educational. Focus primarily on questions prospective clients actually ask.
Should every law firm post include a call to schedule a consultation?
No. Constant promotional messaging can make your content feel like advertising. Direct promotion should make up a relatively small part of the overall strategy.
Can law firms reuse the same content on different platforms?
Yes. A single legal topic can become a long-form video, short clips, an article, social posts, an FAQ, and newsletter content. Adapt the presentation to the platform instead of starting from scratch.
How can attorneys come up with enough content ideas?
Start with real conversations. Write down the questions attorneys and intake staff hear repeatedly. Those questions can provide a steady source of relevant topics because they reflect what prospective clients actually want to understand.
Build a Strategy Before You Build More Content
Building a content strategy does not begin with deciding how many times your law firm should post next month.
Begin with purpose.
Use 70% of your content to educate.
Use 20% to create familiarity and strengthen your connection with the community.
Use 10% to promote the firm when there is something worth promoting.
Then look for opportunities to turn one strong idea into several useful pieces of content.
This creates a system your firm can maintain instead of a constant cycle of trying to invent something new.
If your attorneys are already creating content but the effort feels scattered, inconsistent, or disconnected from your growth goals, contact us to talk about your law firm’s content strategy. We can help you build a more sustainable system around the knowledge, experience, and questions your firm already encounters every day.