Legal Content

We meet a lot of attorneys at conferences and networking events. Of course, the topic of their firms’ websites always comes up. The most common reaction we hear from lawyers is “I have a website but it could be better.” After digging a little deeper, we often find out why it could be better. Often the graphics just aren’t great, the content was never completed, the site is outdated or it looks nice but it just isn’t bringing in business. In an effort to help attorneys better understand the potential of their marketing efforts, we’re pleased to offer free, no-obligation website assessments.

When discussing content optimization with our clients, we’re often asked whether or not people tend to search by “lawyer” or “attorney”. Truth be told, internet users include both in their search queries. In an attempt to show up in all search results, we often find attorneys trying to include the different terms in a short page of content or even worse, in one sentence. This is largely unnecessary and can actually turn off site visitors.

Adding new content to your law firm’s website is an incredibly valuable way to connect with clients and colleagues on an ongoing basis, but how do you effectively share this great information with your network? There are a number of ways to spread the word about your online resources without “selling” your expertise. Consider the following sharing techniques:

If you’re a regular reader, you know how we feel about content; we love it! We encourage law firms to add as much content to their websites, as often as possible, to create an effective online presence. Our love does have some limits though. Sometimes, there really is just too much content on one page. We often find this on the home page. Firms attempt to combine a firm profile, information on multiple practice areas and contact information all on one page—very often the first page that a visitor sees when they land on the site. And while this information is pertinent, guess what happens when visitors see so much information?

¿Habla español? Parlez-vous français ? If your office is multilingual, it’s a good idea to include website content in all of the languages that you speak so that you can effectively reach and connect with all prospective clients, not just English-speakers. Ideally, your firm should have a separate website in each language or, at the least, several pages devoted to the different languages you (or your staff) speak.  Many firms, however, do not have the time to undertake the translation of site content so they rely on plugins like Google Translate which can be added to the firm’s website and will translate site content once a visitor selects his preferred language. Although convenient, these automated translation services can be detrimental to your business development goals.

During the site development phase, attorneys often ask us whether or not they should include their email addresses on their websites. Our answer is always resounding no! If you are considering adding an email address to your site (or already have one up there), we recommend that you reconsider.

Recently as I was skimming through our Twitter feed, I came across a blog post from a marketing consultant that we follow. She wrote about a blog challenge which she had undertaken, vowing to post a new entry every day for 90 days straight. And while it seems like a tremendous undertaking (she is currently about three weeks in), it will undoubtedly have significant benefits on her website and the way she connects with online visitors and clients.

The issue with most people and committing to long-term marketing goals is that we want instant gratification. Most firms we work with start blogging because they know it will help their websites “do better.” They post twice a week for three weeks and then they give up.

Most of the firms that we work with have no shortage of links on their websites. These links take users to websites for colleagues, organizations that the attorneys belong to, online resource guides and news articles. And while strategic links to well aligned websites can make your law firm’s site a great tool for visitors, they can often require frequent review and modification.

In theory, writing your attorney profile should really be the easiest part of building your new website, but for many of our firms, the development comes to halt as the attorneys put off drafting their biographies for inclusion on the site. The truth is, most people don’t like talking about themselves and they find it challenging to present their background in a way that is interesting and engaging to a complete stranger. Here are a few simple steps which will help you put pen to paper:

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:

Creating a website that adequately demonstrates your law firm’s expertise and experience can be difficult. Everything from the design to the copy must be carefully created to ensure that every web visitor knows what your firm is about in just a matter of seconds. During the development process, we often see firms spend weeks preparing their attorney profiles and text for their verdicts and settlements page but neglect the information pertaining to their areas of practice.

The end result is often firm sites that have only one page devoted to six different practice areas. These pages are usually filled with bulleted lists and just a few sentences to describe multiple complex areas of law. Needless to say, these pages leave something to be desired and can actually be detrimental to your site’s optimization and more importantly to the visitor.

To ensure that your law firm’s website ranks well with the search engines and resonates with web visitors, be sure to consider the following tips:

• Make your descriptions descriptive: As lawyers, you’ve all been advised to avoid speaking in “legalese” when working with clients. This rule also applies to your website. Use the practice area descriptions to clearly explain what you do. Don’t take it for granted that your clients know what Chapter 13 bankruptcy means or what a guardianship is. Utilize the practice area pages to explain basic concepts and describe how an attorney can help with related matters.
  
  Also, keep in mind that your clients may not search by the practice area name so you should use this space to highlight keywords which a layperson might search by to find your practice. If you have any doubts, ask a friend or relative without a legal background to review the copy.
   
• Devote a page to each: Piling multiple practice area descriptions on to one page can be confusing to the visitor and may make it harder to find. Intuitive, simple navigation is key to any site so be sure to have a separate page for each unique practice area page. To keep the site organized, consider having one main heading for practice areas with sub pages for each main area of expertise.
  
  Add some personal touches: A basic overview of asset protection or product liability may not make you stand out from other firms in your area which is why you will need to add a few personal touches to your practice area pages. In explaining the services you provide for each area of law, also include your expertise and experience. How many cases have you tried? Do you have an advanced degree or special certifications pertaining to this area of law? By including this pertinent information throughout the practice area pages, you can establish credibility in this area of law and define what sets you apart.

Firms often delay creating a new website because of the great time and energy required to draft new effective copy. At Amicus Creative Media, we’ve done a lot of that hard work for you. We have an expansive practice area library that provides thorough, user-friendly copy to help your firm create an informative website. Contact us today to learn more about our many tools available to law firms.