Tag Archive for: law firm website

Creating a Winning Website for Your Law Firm

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Your law firm may be the best choice for clients who are struggling with a particular legal issue. But if your website isn’t up to par, potential clients won’t trust you enough with their valuable business. According to Forbes Advisor, more than half of consumers are less likely to recommend a business after an unsatisfactory website experience. 

Creating an easy-to-use, well-designed website is one of the foundations of your law firm’s success. This is because a website is more likely to convince potential clients that you’re the best choice to solve their legal issues. 

Whether you are starting from scratch or considering a website redesign, there’s a lot to consider. After all, having an effective website is more than just establishing a presence. Once they arrive on your site, you need to get them to stay and eventually sign up as clients. 

What Pages Should Be On a Law Firm Website?

The most effective law firm websites share a similar structure. Trying to get too unique or cute with your navigation will likely confuse and frustrate your visitors. For the most part, people who visit a legal website expect to find certain elements present. If they’re not there or too difficult to find, they might hit the “Back” button and try a competitor. 

Almost all successful law firm websites contain a similar page layout. Despite having different titles, you’ll find many similarities between the pages on a family lawyer’s website and those on a criminal defense lawyer’s site. The basic elements of a law firm website include:

  • Home Page — Your home page is like your law firm’s digital front door. It welcomes potential clients who click on links from a variety of sources and creates a valuable first impression of your business. 
  • Practice Area Pages — Your practice area and service pages expand on the summary of the services you list on your home page. These pages provide an opportunity to detail how your firm can help a client solve specific legal issues. 
  • About Us Page — Your About page will tell the story of your law firm, such as how and when it was founded, its core beliefs, and the qualifications of its different attorneys. 
  • Contact Page — This is a simple page that details how a potential client can get in touch with you. It should list your office locations and phone numbers and have a contact form for lead generation. 
  • Blog — Your law firm’s blog should be populated with fresh and engaging content that is relevant to your potential client’s interests. For example, your posts can answer frequently asked questions, discuss relevant changes in the law, and help your firm rank for geographic and long-tail keywords. 

This isn’t to say you can’t use some slightly different terminology for your main pages. For example, some law firms label their blogs as “resources” or “news.” There are many ways you can differentiate your firm through website design and content. 

Creating a Winning Website for Your Law Firm

Knowing how you want your website to look is only the first part of the process. Here are some basic steps for creating a winning law firm website:

1. Acquire Your Domain Name

Before you can create a law firm website, you need a domain name. Choose a name that is simple and reflects your law firm’s name and/or location. If at all possible, stick to “dot-com” names as they are the most memorable. 

2. Get Quality Website Hosting

You will also need somewhere to host your website. You definitely don’t want to look for the cheapest web hosting because you need a business that offers fast hosting and an SSL certificate for your site. 

3. Choose a Content Management System (CMS)

There are many CMS options available, allowing you to create, publish, and edit your website. However, most of them won’t offer the technical features and search engine optimization (SEO) you need to achieve competitive results. The most feature-rich CMS is WordPress, which can have a learning curve. 

4. Select a Page Builder

Depending on the CMS you choose, you may also need to select a page builder. For example, you also need a page builder if you decide to use WordPress. 

5. Develop Your Website

The next step is to develop your website. This is a complex process that involves designing headers and footers, outlining your navigation, choosing original and attractive images, researching keywords, creating content, and putting all the pieces together. Doing this on your own can be a major undertaking, and it’s easy to let important elements slip through the cracks. 

6. Test Everything Before Publishing

Finally, it’s critical that you thoroughly test everything before the site goes live. By putting the website through its paces, you can confirm that it is mobile-friendly, loads quickly, has functional forms, and has working links, among other things. 

Should Lawyers Build Their Own Websites?

In most cases, it’s more beneficial for law firms to work with an experienced website developer than trying to go the DIY route. Building an effective and SEO-optimized website is a time-consuming and complex process. Few lawyers have the technical background to accomplish this. Also, why would you want to invest so much time in this endeavor when there’s a strong chance you won’t get the results you need?

When you work with a professional, you’ll get an attractive website that ranks well for valuable search terms. DIY websites rarely achieve high search engine rankings, which should be one of of your goals. When you partner with an expert, your website will load fast, be easy to navigate, have accessibility features, and convert more visitors into new clients. 

Are You Ready to Create a Winning Law Firm Website?

Creating a law firm website that produces results can be challenging. But when it’s done right, it can transform your business. Your website will inform potential clients about your services, build trust, and bring new business to your firm. 

At Too Darn Loud Legal Marketing, we specialize in helping law firms create engaging websites that convert. Our digital marketing specialists will spend time getting to know your firm and its goals before creating a customized strategy designed to produce results. Call us today at (800) 649-1764 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation. 

Why Every Law Firm Needs a Website

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Let’s face it: Not much happens today without some online involvement. If your law firm doesn’t have its own website at this point, you are dangerously behind the curve.

Imagine, for example, a person needs to find out about a law firm in Annapolis, MD that handles personal injury cases. They probably won’t just trust a friend’s recommendation and give the business a call. And they certainly won’t visit the local library to “research” the firm. More likely, they’ll pick up their smartphone and search for the firm on Google.

Similar to any other industry, law firms need new clients to survive and grow. And digital marketing strategies drive a large part of modern service businesses.

If you’ve been on the fence or just plain opposed to the idea until now, here are seven reasons why your law firm needs a well-functioning and attractive website.

  1. You Need to Own the Narrative

Of course, the internet can provide tons of benefits to people who need products and services. It helps us find the best deals on holiday gifts and restaurants with last-minute reservations. But, the internet can have harmful elements as well, particularly for a business owner.

If you don’t control the narrative around your law firm’s name, someone else might do it for you. Another person could purchase the domain that correlates with your law firm, and post some derogatory stuff (until you sue them). Beyond buying up domains, others can post inaccurate reviews of your legal services on free platforms.

It’s not worth taking the chance that your online reputation reflects your positive character and case history. You should own your own website and invest in creating a narrative that will attract visitors and new clients to your law firm for years to come.

  1. Not Having One is a “Red Flag”

The truth is that a law firm without a website is viewed as highly suspicious by some potential clients. Frankly, just about every business and professional worth their salt today has an online presence. If your law firm doesn’t, what does that say to potential clients about it? To some, it might indicate that you have something to hide.

If a person can’t find your law firm online, they’re more than likely going to skip you and move on to your competitor. You may never know how many potential leads you lose each year to this scenario, but even one is too many.

  1. Makes It Easier to Connect With Potential Clients

When people do want to reach out to your law firm about help with a legal issue, how can they get in contact with you? Maybe someone handed them your phone number, but most awareness today happens through an online search.

Even someone who hears about a business through a referral is likely to Google the name first before making contact. It’s natural to want to learn something about a business first and confirm that what you’ve been told is valid.

A law firm website makes it easier to connect with potential clients. Your phone number and address are front and center, as well as on your contact page. You can also provide a form that allows a person to send you a message through email, making it easier to qualify leads and schedule appointments.

  1. Helps Your Firm Build Credibility and Trust

When someone needs to hire a lawyer, one of their criteria will be making sure the attorney is qualified to resolve their issue. You can use your law firm’s website to establish credibility and trust with potential clients in a variety of ways.

First, you can tell people that you are qualified and give them the reasons why. List your qualifications, including any credentials, awards, and accolades. Outline your experience in different legal practice areas and give examples of successful case outcomes.

You can also establish credibility and trust by having some testimonials on your website. Have past clients speak about their experiences with your law firm so that a visitor can put themselves in another’s shoes.

  1. Gives You 24/7 Availability for Prospects

Unless you plan on never sleeping or having some kind of shift work policy, you can’t be available every time your law firm’s phone rings. But, a website does give you 24/7 availability – to a point.

Potential clients can visit your site to read about your services, watch video content, and become sold on your qualifications. You can even use a chatbot plugin to answer simple questions and schedule consultation appointments.

  1. Useful Platform to Establish a Strong Brand

Websites are powerful marketing tools. Various studies show that roughly 70% of people find law firms online when they need some type of legal assistance. So having a strong online presence is the best way to reach your target audience.

In this industry, people are eager for information and guidance. You can reach potential clients who are accident victims, dealing with family law issues, or have some other legal challenges by being a source of online information. Your content can answer frequently asked questions that people have. And, even if they don’t call you immediately, they will remember your law firm’s name when they are ready to take action.

  1. Convenient Place to Showcase Your Resources

Finally, your law firm’s website provides a centralized place to look up anything related to your firm. That might include your areas of practice, your office location, your attorney’s bios and backgrounds, your most notable cases, and any FAQs. This can avoid the issue of having to address or answer these questions on a daily basis.

Ready to Create a Stunning and Effective Law Firm Website?

It’s obvious that having a physical office and lawyers at the ready simply isn’t a viable strategy for law firm success. You also need a functional and intuitive law firm website that creates brand awareness and converts visitors into legal clients.

At Too Darn Loud Legal Marketing, our website professionals understand that your law firm’s website is one of its greatest assets. We help law firms create a memorable and effective online presence through attractive, functional, and accessible design. Contact us today to learn more.