Every lawyer gets this wrong. Out of the thousands of lawyers on social media, I can count on one hand how many structure their short-form content correctly. But once you understand the right framework, you can transform your videos into lead-generating machines.
I’m Ian A. Harrington, and I’ve spent years helping some of the largest law firms in the country generate cases through social media. With thousands of posts and campaigns under my belt, I’ve studied what works and, more importantly, what doesn’t. Today, I’m sharing the cheat code structure for short-form content that turns views into cases.
Step 1: The Hook
The first three seconds of your video are everything. Without a strong hook, your audience will scroll past, no matter how valuable your message is. In every short-form video, start with the hook—don’t waste time introducing yourself or adding unnecessary context.
Your hook needs to grab attention immediately. The best hooks are controversial, unbelievable, or even outlandish. Don’t shy away from bold statements—what matters is pulling the viewer in. You can always walk it back or explain further later in the video. Without an attention-grabbing hook, the rest of your video won’t matter.
Step 2: The Foreshadow
Once you’ve got their attention, the next step is to tell viewers why they should stick around until the end. This is where you foreshadow the payoff. Make it clear what value they’ll gain—typically something tied to money or saving time.
The longer you keep people watching, the more the algorithm boosts your video’s visibility. Watch time is a critical metric, so you need to bait viewers into staying engaged. The more people watch, the greater your chances of going viral and generating leads.
Step 3: The Value
After you’ve hooked the audience and hinted at the payoff, deliver the substance. This is where you dive into the topic at hand. For example, if your video is about the statute of limitations, explain how it works, how it varies by state and case type, and why it’s critical.
This is your moment to show off your expertise. As a lawyer, you have a wealth of knowledge—don’t hold back. Be technical and detailed. Your audience is looking for authority and insight, so give them real value.
Step 4: The Call-to-Action (CTA)
Here’s where most lawyers make a big mistake: they wait until the end of the video for their CTA. Don’t do that.
Insert your call-to-action around the 50% mark of the video. Why so early? Because many viewers drop off before the end due to distractions or short attention spans. If you want to convert more viewers into leads, you need to ask them to act sooner. Whether it’s messaging you, clicking the link in your bio, commenting, or calling your office, make the CTA clear and direct.
Step 5: The Pressure
After the CTA, use the rest of the video to reinforce why the viewer should act. For example, if your CTA was “DM me to find out the statute of limitations for your situation,” follow it up by emphasizing the risks of waiting too long. Share examples of people who missed out on life-changing settlements because they didn’t take action.
Use this time to create urgency and keep the pressure on. If viewers are still watching, they’re interested—your job is to get them over the finish line.
Closing Thoughts
And that’s it! This is the proven structure for short-form legal content that generates cases. I’ve spent nearly a decade refining this approach, and it works. If you’re ready to start generating leads with social media, follow this framework and watch your videos do the heavy lifting. Go ahead—try it out!