If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video must be worth a million, and Southern California attorneys Keith Davidson and Stewart Albertson have recently started using video commentary on their blog, California Trust, Estate and Probate Litigation, in a unique way that effectively demonstrates that the art of blogging nowadays is more than just words on a page.
“Not many lawyers have blogs on trust and will litigation because there aren’t that many lawyers who do it; and the ones who do, don’t have blogs with videos,” said Davidson.
Having started their blog just over a year ago, Davidson and Albertson’s blog has quickly become an effective outlet for the duo, as they have been establishing themselves as experts on issues regarding trust, estate and probate laws in California. Not to mention picking up new clients along the way.
“(The blog) has helped with our visibility,” said Davidson. “People can find us and when they call, they already assume we’re experts in the area because they’ve read the blog.”
Perhaps the reason Davidson and Alberston’s blog is attractive to readers is because it conveys information in a way that is both conversational and easy to understand. Adding to the allure of the blog are the video posts, which feature Davidson and Albertson speaking in-depth about important issues pertaining to trust, probate and estate law. As a relatively new feature to the blog, the videos have not gotten much response, but they have helped Davidson and Albertson establish a visible web presence.
“(The videos) are fairly new so we haven’t gotten much feedback, but I think it’s going to be good to show who we are and our personality,” said Davidson. “But I can tell you they’ve shot up our rankings on Google even more.”
Though the blog is continuing to gain success, it comes with a time commitment. As partners of their own law firm, adjunct professors at Chapman University School of Law and family men, Davidson and Albertson find time to blog in between the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Davidson writes on weekends and quiet nights, using his iPad to reflect on interesting topics he sees from clients, the classroom and various social media outlets of which he follows.
“I find that trying to sit at my desk and come up with ideas is impossible,” said Davidson. “But if you get away from it a little bit you can come up with better ideas.”
Coming up with blog ideas is difficult at times, which is why Davidson suggests having the desire to write is a key component of successful blogging.
“You have to want to share information,” said Davidson. “If you are doing it because you feel like you have to you, wont get really far.”