Online Marketing

Tuesday, May 08, 2012

Don’t Be a Victim of Your Website’s Success

You set up a great looking website. You blog daily, writing insightful posts oozing with keywords and helpful tips for clients.  You send out e-newsletters every week, and you reach out to referral sources and have them link back to your new website. You put in the work for website success, and in just a few short months, you start getting big cases from your website; your site is optimized and will continue to bring in business, right? Not so fast.

Friday, May 04, 2012

Creating a Landing Page for Your Law Firm’s Online Marketing Strategy

There are countless legal marketing scams out there. Companies regularly target law firms trying to sell them costly domain name renewals (when already set to renew with existing host), expensive yet ineffective directory listings, a mobile version of the firm’s website or engage them in a link scheme. We hear all about these rip-offs from our clients who call us to ask if it’s worth the investment or whether there is any merit to the claims that these sales teams are making. Recently, we’ve heard from many clients who have been solicited by multiple companies who make “landing pages” for the firms in hopes of increasing online exposure for a particular set of keywords. Before you decide whether or not this is a valuable strategy for your firm, it’s important that you consider how they work and why they’re generally ineffective (and may actually be harmful) marketing tools.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

But I get all of my business through referrals...

When we give presentations to attorneys, we inevitably hear one or two say “I get most of my business through referrals, I don’t need a good website (or a website at all for that matter).”  What these attorneys fail to realize is that a firm’s website is not only a business generating tool but also a big part of the firm’s overall appearance and reputation. Even firms bursting at the seams with new clients need to have a good website. Here’s why...

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Website Photos Are Worth a Thousand Words

One of the law firms that we work with recently contacted us to let us know that a prospective client had called them after finding the site in a Google search. The web visitor said that he felt a sense of immediate comfort when landing on the home page explaining that he could relate to the photos used (featuring middle aged caregivers and their senior parents). After just a few moments on the site, he called to schedule an initial consultation and later retained the firm.

Friday, January 20, 2012

“Resources” On Your Website

Many law firm websites include a "resources" page with a long list of links to legal, governmental, news, search engines and general websites (like weather.com). For the most part, these links are useless to visitors. How many clients come to you to figure out what the weather is like or how to find the link to the White House’s website? When developing a resources page for your clients and colleagues, it’s important that you put some thought into what visitors are looking for when they arrive to your site.

Thursday, December 29, 2011

What’s your 2012 Website Resolution?

With the New Year just days away, you’ve probably already decided upon your New Year’s Resolution. Like many, you might have vowed to drop a few pounds, spend less money eating out or promised yourself that you will finally master that guitar that has been taunting you for years. And while setting a New Year’s resolution is generally related to personal betterment, it is also a good idea time to reflect on the need for improvement in your professional life and set goals for your practice in 2012.

Very often in day to day operations, the firm’s marketing plan and the online cornerstone of that plan, the firm’s website, takes a back seat to the “billable work.”  Unfortunately when this happens, most firms lose their marketing momentum and it can be difficult to regain even when business slows down. To help you get started once again and set your 2012 website resolution, consider the following...

Thursday, December 22, 2011

How to Choose the Right E-Newsletter Provider for Your Firm

With the holidays just around the corner, your inbox is probably overflowing with promotional messages from retailers and service providers.  And amidst this influx, you’ve probably noticed an increase in holiday greetings sent out from neighboring law firms and colleagues by way of e-newsletter. With the number of people using email continuously increasing and the cost of postage sky-high, it seems that electronic newsletters are a no-brainer, but finding a good provider for your firm can be difficult. There are many different options on the market. Some companies simply provide a distribution system for your e-newsletters, allowing you to send out an e-mail blast. Others provide a more substantial database management and distribution system while a few others offer even significantly more with content options.  So how to choose one?

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Developing a Tagline for Your Law Firm’s Marketing Efforts

During our initial design consultation, we often ask our new clients if they have a tagline, or quite simply a motto, that they have used to describe their firms in past marketing pieces. Many times, they respond with the following: “I’d love to develop a tagline but I don’t know where to start.” Developing a tagline can undoubtedly be difficult. After all, how do you summarize what your firm is all about in a few words? In this post, you'll find a few pointers to help you get started and get the creative juices flowing.

Monday, August 29, 2011

Understanding Google Analytics Part V - How often?

Over the past few weeks, we’ve covered the key statistics (Content, Visitors, Traffic Sources) within your Google Analytics control panel and what they mean for your website. Despite the significance of these metrics and how they play into site success, many website owners fail to regularly monitor and analyze visitor trends.

We are often asked how this is best accomplished; after all, it can be a hassle to log into your Google Analytics control panel and navigate around to each page. Luckily, with just a few simple steps, you can have your Google Analytics report sent to you on a regular basis so these statistics come directly to your inbox.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Understanding Google Analytics Part IV - Content Statistics

A visually stunning website, although eye-catching, will not necessarily get your firm new business. Content is single-handedly the most important component of website success but, unlike an attractive design, it can be difficult to evaluate. How do site visitors perceive the information on your site and how is that perception affecting their decision to contact (and retain) you? Google Analytics can help you answer these questions with its statistics on website content.

Upon logging into your Analytics control panel, you will find that there is a whole section devoted to content analysis. Here are the key statistics which you should be actively monitoring:

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Understanding Google Analytics Part III - Unique Visitors

The purpose of a website is to serve as a resource for its visitors. If you maintain a site for your law firm, it is essential that you track visitor activity for new and returning users to evaluate your site’s effectiveness.  Google Analytics is a great resource because it compiles detailed visitor information in a manner that is easy to understand. These details include an overview of the number of visits, absolute unique visitors, and pageviews.  With so much information at your fingertips, it can be difficult to digest the statistics and understand their significance.

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Understanding Google Analytics Part II - Bounce Rates

Last week, we examined the various ways through which a website visitor arrives at your site with our look at Referral Sources. Today, we’re going to focus on a factor which helps to measure traffic quality--the bounce rate. Simply defined, the bounce rate measures the number of single page visits that your site receives.

Monday, May 16, 2011

Understanding Google Analytics Part I: Traffic Sources

Google Analytics is an excellent (and free) program which offers great insight into traffic statistics for your law firm’s website. The site tracks all traffic to your site, storing a wide array of information on referral sources, visitor information and content. With so much being offered, the Analytics control panel can be a bit overwhelming for beginners and even seasoned site owners. Over the next five weeks, we will explore the five most important statistics to consider when evaluating your website’s success. First up: Traffic Sources.

Monday, February 14, 2011

5 Awesome Amicus Creative Features That Your Firm Is Probably Not Taking Advantage Of

Our platform offers a myriad of tools and features to make your site dynamic and interactive. We know it can be hard to keep track of all of these options so we’ve compiled a list of the top five features that your firm probably isn’t using but should be.

Special Reports: Our special reports module allows you to add a report to your website. Prior to viewing the report, website visitors must first submit their contact details. All contact information is then stored within the Site Manager and also emailed to you so you can reach out to the interested individuals at a later date. This tool is a great way to provide informative articles to site visitors while capturing leads.

Password Protected Pages: With the Site Manager, you can easily convert any page into a password protected page, meaning that site visitors must enter in a username and password prior to seeing the information. Firms often use these pages to house client resources or information for fellow advisors. Although these pages are not visible to all, they can be a powerful marketing tool and encourage website visitors to contact you so that they too can receive this limited access.

Social Network Sharing Tools: With the growth of social media sites like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, it’s absolutely essential that you include sharing links on your blog page. These links allow blog readers to easily share your work through social media outlets.

Audio/Video: Your site is a great place to post informative videos and audio. Using the Site Manager, adding these types of files only take a few seconds and you can add as many as you’d like. Happy uploading!

Click-to-Call Technology:  The less work site visitors have to do to contact your firm, the better. Our advanced Click-to-Call technology makes that first call even easier. A visitor simply enters their phone number on the site and a call is automatically configured between your office and the interested party.  Law firms who subscribe to this feature report a noticeable increase in the volume of calls received from their website.

To learn more any of these great features, call or email us today.
 

Wednesday, December 01, 2010

Featuring Free Consultations on Your Law Firm's Website

Many folks fear the cost of attorneys. They’ve heard horror stories of friends being billed $150.00 for the firm to photocopy a four page brief or others who have paid thousands for an attorney who was neither accessible nor successful.  These stereotypes and general apprehension by prospective clients must be considered with respect to your firm’s website. Many web visitors may be interested in working with your firm but may be hesitant to reach out to you for fear that they will get socked with a large bill for a short consultation (and then ultimately decide not to retain your firm).

Offering free consultations to new clients, and prominently displaying this offering on your website, is one way to get hesitant prospects off of your site and into your office. Displaying this information does not make your firm look less credible nor does it entice tire kickers to call you. Instead, think of it as a way to make your firm look accessible, friendly and open to taking on new cases. Without fear that they will get charged, clients will be more inclined to pick up the phone and ask questions which is a great start to any long-term relationship.   

If your site is getting lots of traffic but not a ton of online leads, it’s time to consider adding information of your firm’s free consultation.
 

Monday, November 22, 2010

Promoting Your Law Firm’s Website This Holiday Season

With the holidays just around the corner, it is easy to put your law firm’s marketing strategy on the backburner. Despite the many distractions of this busy season, it’s important that you use this time of year to promote your law firm’s website. We’ve included a few hints below to help you get the word out about your site and make sure that clients remember your firm all year long:

• Holiday Cards – Sending out holiday cards to your clients and business contacts is a marketing must. As an attorney, you have a closer relationship to your clients than many other service providers and should take the extra step to personalize each card. In these notes, be sure to include a sentence on checking out your website. If your site is new, this is the perfect time to refer clients and colleagues to it. If the site has been up a while, remind card recipients of some new content you’ve added to draw them in once again.
   
• Holiday Events – Many firms hold holiday events for friends and clients. If you host such a gathering, be sure to feature the event on your site using the Amicus Creative Seminar Management system which allows individuals to RSVP online. Whenever you speak to your clients and referral sources in the upcoming weeks, make sure to inform them of this event and direct them to your site where they can learn more and register.   
   
• Holiday Promotions – We know that as an attorney you’re probably not selling something that can be re-gifted but that doesn’t mean that you can’t utilize some of the same strategies used by many retailers and offer discounts on your services during the holiday months.  Showcase these holiday discounts prominently on your website.  If you are an estate planning attorney, you might consider reducing the annual cost of your Maintenance Plan if they enroll before the New Year or if you’re a tax attorney, you might consider offering a deal on your 2011 tax preparation services. Of course, you won’t be turning the same profits but these promotions can generate a substantial amount of business during a traditionally slow time of year.
   
• Holiday Traditions – One of the most common criticisms of attorney websites is that they lack personality. You will often hear marketing experts say that attorney profiles are too bland and don’t allow website visitors to connect effectively with the firm. The holidays serve as a great time to personalize your site. Try writing a holiday blog post for site visitors. In this post, consider including a personal story—you may discuss your favorite holiday tradition, greatest memory or perhaps even share your family’s best recipe. The holidays allow you to give your business contacts a glimpse into your personal life without compromising the professional feel of your site. Make sure that this post is also emailed to all of your blog subscribers so it receives the attention it deserves.

Traditionally known as the season to give, December is also the ideal season to promote.  So this year as you send your greetings to clients, and plan special holiday events, make sure that your website is an integral part of spreading holiday cheer!
 

Monday, November 08, 2010

Packing a Punch with your Website’s Home Page

If you’ve ever written a novel, thesis or heck, even a college essay, you know that the introductory paragraph or chapter is often the hardest to draft. This language is the first to be presented to the reader and as such must be informative, concise and most importantly, engaging. When developing your website, the home page must contain these elements as this will serve as the introduction to your firm for many web visitors.

A well-drafted home page should be short and to the point and contain the following three items:

Introductory Paragraph: Search engines and readers alike pay great attention to the first few sentences on your home page. Website owners often struggle with finding a balance which should appeal to both. Quite simply, your first home paragraph should serve as a synopsis of your firm; what do you do? Who do you serve? Where do you practice? Be sure to include your main target geographic locations and practice areas. An example of a strong introductory sentence which is effective in terms of SEO and visitor appeal might simply read, “The Sample Law Firm works with families and small businesses throughout Springfield, Massachusetts with Estate Planning, Asset Protection and Business Succession Planning. In one easy to read sentence, you’ve laid out exactly what you’re about and tell the user if they should look any further. Of course, if you have 14 specialties, this cannot be combined into 1 sentence. In that case, you might consider listing just a few practice areas in the first sentence and follow that with a bulleted list of your other services.

Body:  The intro sentence(s) tells visitors exactly what you do and where you do it. The body of the home page should describe what sets you apart from other competitors in the area. Don’t use the generic  ”we are client-focused” pitch (although it may be part of it). Instead tell your story, list particular examples of technology or procedures you use to benefit your clients or even consider featuring a prominent client testimonial. In short, use this space to sell yourself and be creative.

Conclusion: After you’ve talked up your firm, you need a call to action. You might highlight that you have a free consultation available or flexible appointment times. Then be sure to include your contact information or a prominent link to the Contact Us page. If you would like to steer users deeper into the site to check out your firm profile or news stories, you might consider including direct links to these pages as well.

By following the guidelines above, you can be sure that your site has the right stuff to keep visitors interested. Contact us today to learn more about optimizing your home page.

Monday, July 19, 2010

How Google Places Can Work For Your Law Firm

In the past, we’ve written on the necessity of creating local business listings with the major search engines. Today, we wanted to elaborate on one of these services-Google Places.

Formerly known as the Local Business Center, Google Places allows businesses to add a company overview, hours of operation, videos, photos and customer coupons. Seems pretty basic, huh? Well here are a few things you probably didn’t know about this service:

1. Updates: You can post an update to your Places page at any time right through your user dashboard. This is particularly valuable if you want to highlight an upcoming event or seminar, new promotion or article you’ve written.
2. Traffic Analysis: Once you’ve verified your firm’s listing, you can easily access valuable data on content and visitors to the page. Through the control panel, you can see the number of times the listing appeared in Google search results, how many people are taking action once they’ve located the listing (Did they go to your website?), top search queries which led users to your business listing and zip codes where users are requesting directions from to find your location. You are probably already using Google Analytics for your firm’s website; this new functionality allows you to also measure the success of your business listing.
3. Expanded Service Areas: You can now elaborate on the areas you serve so you are not just limited to the town or city in which your office is located. This is particularly helpful if your firm serves multiple states.  If you work from home, not to worry! You can now make your address private but still reap the benefits of having a listing filled with keywords, geographic locations and a link to your website.
4. Professional Photos of Your Office: Google has always allowed business owners to upload photos of their offices to local business listings but now you can also request a professional photo shoot of the interior of your offices with a Google photographer! While photos will not improve your rankings, inclusion of images has shown to increase click-through rates. This service is only in select cities so be sure to visit Google’s site to learn more, Click Here
5. Customized QR Codes: For each business listing, Google now provides a personalized QR code. Okay, so many of you are probably asking what on earth is a QR code? Quite simply, it is a bar code which you can place on business cards, firm brochures or an email signature. Many smart phones including the iPhone, Android and Blackberry allow users to scan these codes. Upon scanning, the code will take users directly to your Places page enabling them to see your company details, promotions and URL. Although, it seems rather advanced, it really does remove searching from the equation, allowing users to find you with minimal effort.

Google Places Tips:

• Categories: Google allows you to add five categories to your listing. These basically allow you to define the keywords you think users will search to find your firm. When typing in the description, Google does provide a set list of suggestions which you may choose from or you may actually create your own categories. We strongly recommend that you include one of Google’s suggestions as the first in your list even if you decide to create four others from scratch. If Google has five categories in their offerings which properly describe your listing, go with these as they are your best bet.  
• Keywords: In addition to selecting appropriate categories, be sure to also include your keywords in your company description and any updates you may post.

With all of these features in place, there is no excuse not to set up a free Google Places account for your law firm! It is quick and easy to get started. Visit www.google.com/places to learn more.

Thursday, July 01, 2010

What's in a name? Top Six Factors You Should Consider When Choosing a Domain Name for Your Website

Couples expecting a child often deliberate over the baby name for months. Anxious parents read through baby naming books, consult with family members and consider a wide array of factors including religion, popularity, initials and pronunciation in the decision making process. While choosing a name for your firm's website should not be nearly as painstaking, there are a number of factors you should consider when determining the best domain name. Below you will find the top six factors to consider when selecting your domain name:

1. Search Engine Optimization Value:  The major search engines do consider your site’s domain name so this should factor into your SEO strategy. Your site is packed with keyword and geographic locations, so too should your domain name. If you are a matrimonial law attorney in Flushing, NY, you might consider selecting a domain name which reflects you main practice area and office location such as www.flushingdivorcelaw.com.
    
2. Don’t Make It Too Long:  You want your clients and prospective clients to be able to easily recall your domain name. If the name is too long, it is more likely that users will forget it and have difficulty finding your site.  Also, steer clear of hyphens in your domain name. These are generally seen as less credible and are viewed with greater suspicion by search engines.
    
3. Consider the Spelling: Very often firms simply use their principals’ names (in many instances, the firm name) as the domain name for the website.  As we all know, last names can be difficult to spell and many of the most popular ones even have a wide range of spelling variations. If a client hears about you but then is unable to find your firm on the web because they can’t quite figure out the spelling of the domain name, they may give up and turn to another attorney.
    
4. Make Sure It Accurately Represents Your Law Firm:  Your domain name is a big part of your branding and as such, it should remain consistent with your firm’s mission and practice areas. Quite simply, your domain name should be a (very brief) description of your firm. Keep in mind that this domain name will be included on business cards, advertisements and in all emails from your firm so you should be proud to show it off!
    
5. The Ending Does Matter: Domain names ending in .com are perceived to be more credible than others ending in .net, .biz, .us, etc. If your dream domain name ending in .com is already taken, it’s probably not the best idea to settle for a different ending which is available. Internet users tend to assume that a domain name ends with a .com so they are more likely to try this at first. If the .com name is already taken, there is a good chance they will be taken to a different website (and quite possibly a competitor).
    
6. Don’t Go Domain Crazy: We often hear from firms who have purchased 27 domain names and want all of them to point to one main website. If configured incorrectly, multiple domain names all pointing to one site can actually be harmful to your firm’s SEO. When pointing multiple names to one site, search engines see that pages within the several domains actually have duplicate content and refuse to index them.  Worse, search engines may actually index pages from a domain you only meant to have as a supplement and not index your primary domain.  Instead of pointing multiple domains to your server, you should simply redirect the domain names so they all point to one main URL. Using a redirect is preferable because users cannot easily detect the transition from the alternate domain name to the main URL but the search engines definitely take note, recognizing only one site.

If you live in a metropolitan area with many law firms, an available domain with all of these elements may be difficult to find but with a little creativity, you should be able to purchase a great name for your new site. If you have any questions about your firm’s domain name, please feel free to contact us at any time. We are here to brainstorm with you or offer suggestions.

Wednesday, June 09, 2010

Spring Cleaning...For Your Website?

As we head into warmer weather and the summer months, folks around the country are getting their homes and offices in order. In addition to dusting off the old grill or repainting the office, the slower summer months serve as a good time to review and revamp your firm's website. As you take a look around your site, consider the following checklist:

Review your content
During the hectic year, it is easy to put your website on the backburner. However, like homes and offices, a website must be given proper upkeep and maintenance to ensure continued success. During your review of the site, be sure to carefully read through all of your site’s content. In certain instances, you may need to update the language to detail certain developments in the law. And since new and relevant content is the key to any search optimization strategy, the summer provides a perfect window of opportunity to add articles, seminar handouts or blog posts which you may have worked on throughout the year but just did not have the time to add. Using the Site Manager tool, you can easily add or edit text at no extra cost.

Take a look through the Site Manager
At Amicus Creative, we are constantly making improvements to the Site Manager. These additions serve to enhance your site’s functionality. Over the past year, we have added more content to our practice area library (which you may access through the Site Manager), developed advanced technology which allows you to upload audio or video files directly to your website and have launched LegalVault, a comprehensive document storage system which can be integrated right into your website. As you can see, we’ve had a lot going on. This summer, make sure you learn about all of these online marketing tools so you can get the most out of your website.

Evaluate your site’s design
Just as cars and wardrobes go out of fashion so too can marketing materials. If your website looks outdated or no longer adequately represents your practice, you may need to update your website design. Amicus Creative offers current clients amazing discounts on website redesign.  If you think your site could benefit from a facelift this summer, contact us to learn more about our redesign services.

As you book your summer adventures and vacations, be sure to reserve some time for your website. While it may seem like a tedious task at first, working with your site can be refreshing, rewarding and will undoubtedly benefit your firm’s online marketing campaign.
 

Tuesday, May 04, 2010

Increase Site Exposure with Free Local Business Listings

Upon launching a new site, we advise our clients that good rankings with the search engines may take several months to attain because there is a general tendency by many search engines to not list new sites high up on the search results list. This is known in the search engine world as being in the "sand box" which is a metaphorical term coined by search engine experts to explain why most new websites have poor rankings.     

Far too often, new website owners take a sit back and wait approach as the "sand box" months pass. There are steps you can and should take as soon as your website is launched to claim your spot with the search engines.

One of the most important things you can do for your website is to create local business listings with the major search engines. These listings allow you to list your firm name, URL, business information and key categories.  To fully reap the benefits of local listings, you will want to make sure that you create listings with all of the major search engines including Google, Yahoo, and Bing.

To learn more about creating local business listings for your law practice, contact us today.

Monday, April 05, 2010

Promoting Your Law Firm's Website Offline

When developing your firm's online marketing strategy, it is important that you take steps to promote your website and online materials offline. You should make certain that your website's URL is listed on your business cards, firm's letterhead and all firm advertising.

Monday, March 29, 2010

Testimonials on Your Law Firm’s Website

In business, it is often said that what others say matters most.  When building your law firm’s website, it is a good idea to consider including client testimonials which are a form of intermediated word-of mouth marketing.

Strong client testimonials have the ability to set your law firm apart from your competitors and can serve as objective evidence that claims of expertise or experience you make throughout your website are credible. When utilized correctly, testimonials can be very effective. In fact, research shows that adding testimonials to your marketing copy can improve response by around 30%.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Follow Us On Facebook

Amicus Creative recently launched a new Facebook page which will allow us to keep all of our fans informed of the latest improvements to our attorney website system, search engine optimization techniques, special offers and online marketing strategies. Follow the link below to visit our page and begin receiving these great updates!

Start Following Amicus Creative Media on Facebook

Monday, March 15, 2010

Incorporating Password Protected Pages Into Your Law Firm’s Website

The main purpose of most attorney websites is to drive an online marketing campaign, capturing the attention of potential clients and informing them of the services your firm offers. At the same time, many attorneys and law firms also strive to develop a website which serves as a resource for current clients.   In fact, many of the law firms we serve want to offer more resources to current clients and just enough information to potential clients to spark their interest and propel them to make contact with the firm.   Amicus Creative’s Site Manager allows firms to easily create custom pages which may be password protected. With this feature, your firm can create a “Client Resources” section and post articles, forms, video, audio and other exclusive materials to which only clients will have access when they login using a special username and password. This is a great way to promote your firm’s website among your client base and encourages potential clients to contact you to gain access to such exclusive resources.  Contact us today to learn more about creating password protected pages on your firm’s site.
 

Friday, February 26, 2010

Tracking Traffic to Your Law Firm's Website

The success of your law firm’s website is a driving force in any marketing campaign. When determining just how well your site is doing, you cannot rely solely on contact inquiries submitted through the website forms. You must also consider visitors, searching for an attorney, who learn of your practice areas and services through your site but contact you in a different manner. A good way to get a comprehensive overview of all visitors to your website is through Google Analytics.

This free service offered by Google gives you a keen understanding of who is visiting your law firm’s website and what they are doing once they arrive on the site. This can serve as an effective tool in strengthening your online marketing efforts.

These traffic reports may assist you in the following ways:

Determining the effectiveness of your site’s content
Google Analytics gives you a detailed report for each page on your site allowing you to see how many times it’s been viewed, how long the average visitor stays there and how many people leave your site from that page. If you find that the average visitor is staying on one of your practice area pages for a very short period of time or is leaving your site upon visiting that page, you will want to reassess the information stored there to learn what is deterring potential clients from making contact with your law office.

Discovering what keywords are leading visitors to your site
This service tells you where your site’s visitors are coming from (various referrers might include multiple search engines, other websites with links to your site or email marketing campaigns) and what keywords users are searching to find your law practice. If a keyword central to your practice is missing, you should edit your content accordingly.

Identifying your site’s visitors geographic locations
Once you log in to your Google Analytics account, you can also determine the geographic locations of visitors to your website by country, state or city. This information is especially helpful if you have multiple locations or are trying to reach several cities or states.

Google Analytics is a free service and registration only takes about five minutes. If you would like to get started with this valuable service and learn how people find your site and navigate through it, contact us for additional information.

Friday, February 12, 2010

Adding Audio or Video to Your Website Has Never Been Easier

Adding audio or video files to your website is a great way to deliver additional information about your firm’s services and practice areas to potential or current clients. Using Amicus Creative’s exclusive Site Manager, it is easy to add these files to any custom page within your website. When uploading a file, you may add a title and description, and the Site Manager will automatically program a player to accommodate the file you’ve uploaded.

If you have recordings of a seminar you’ve hosted, a podcast or a television segment in which you’ve appeared, we encourage you to upload these files to your site. Website visitors who view or listen to this media may get a better understanding of you and your work further encouraging them to contact you. To learn more about adding audio or video files to you website, contact our customer support team today.
 

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Developing Your Legal Website for Your Target Audience

The ABA Law Practice Management Section stresses the importance of effective attorney websites writing, "Above all, remember that your Web site is your most visible first impression. It also has a chance of being your second and third impression, if it is compelling enough to draw visitors back."

In developing the first impression you want to convey to visitors, it is important that you determine who you are trying to attract with your web presence. The primary focus of your site might be recruiting new clients, networking opportunities with other advisors, providing updates and materials to current clients or even to serve as a recruitment vehicle for job and internship openings at your firm. With the right design and content, your website can be customized to appeal to any one of the groups listed above or to multiple audiences all at the same time.

New Clients:
The majority of law firms use their websites to recruit new clients. In order for this goal to be achieved, there must be strong search engine optimization techniques in place but also effective content which will appeal to those individuals searching for an attorney in your field.

When building and updating your legal website it is important to note that new clients will come across hundreds of lawyer directories and websites so it is essential that your content is easy to read and a good indicator of the type of services you provide. Be sure to clearly list your practice areas, your experience and what sets you apart from your competitors. Furthermore, if state ethics regulations allow, you may want to add testimonials from current clients who sing your praises. Our custom testimonial page allows you to easily add as many client testimonials as you see fit and formats these entries perfectly on your site every time.

Networking Opportunities with Other Professionals:
When someone refers your firm to another professional in your field or a fellow advisor reads an article of yours in a local publication, the first thing they are likely to do is Google your firm; with this search they are attempting to learn more about you and what you have to offer. Like potential clients, they may be interested in learning of your education, experience and your practice as a whole. Furthermore, they may be looking for notable cases and even big-name clients you have represented.  You may consider having an “Advisors” section where you can list relevant articles for these professionals demonstrating your expertise and illustrating the mutual benefit which they may reap from working with you.

As a Resource for Your Current Clients:
In addition to attracting new clients, your site may serve as resource for existing clients. You may want to post client forms, toolkits or surveys on a “Clients Only” page. Amicus Creative’s Site Manager even allows you to password protect pages, meaning that you can make certain pages in your site reserved for clients who will use a shared username and password to gain access.  If your clients rely on you for explanations of current laws or cases in the news, you may want to send out newsletters or post new blog entries that explore the impact of the law.

To Recruit New Attorneys, Staff and Interns:
Posting your employment opportunities on major job sites can be expensive and quite time consuming as they often result in hundreds of resumes which must then be reviewed. A website that can be easily updated provides a perfect venue through which to recruit qualified and interested parties for open positions at your firm. An attractive site which outlines the strengths of your firm may catch the eye of promising interns who scour the web looking for summer jobs which will provide them with great experience under knowledgeable mentors in their area of law. Also, posting employment openings to your site allows clients or colleagues to review the information and refer potential employees. As with all job postings, it is important to provide a description of the position, requirements and preferred method of submission for resumes.

The Amicus Creative Site Manager allows all of the previous suggestions to be easily implemented. With the ability to add unlimited custom pages and articles at any time, you can create unique sections that appeal to the many audiences you are trying to reach.