Are you looking to update your law firm’s website to attract new clients and improve user experience? Before you dive into a complete overhaul, there may be some simple content adjustments you can make to improve your website and convert more visitors into clients.
Whether you have a DIY website or outsourced it to a web developer, here are 6 simple things you and your team can do to update your law firm’s website.
When should I redesign my website?
Redesigning a website can be a lot of work so you may be questioning if it is worth it. Some good reasons to commit to a redesign include:
- Your website is slow (test your load speed with this free tool from Google).
- Your website has old content on it, including broken links and outdated information.
- Your branding has changed but your website does not reflect it.
- You have noticed a lack of inquiries coming from your website.
- Your website is not mobile-friendly (use this free tool from Google to see if your website is mobile-friendly).
- Your website is visually unappealing (blurry/pixelated photos? Bad colour choices? Overwhelming to navigate?)
These are all good reasons to rework your site, maybe not an overhaul but certainly some updates!
Start with a plan
Before you go into your back end and start editing, you should start with a plan and map out your pages and what content is on each page. This is a good time to look at your current website’s analytics to see which pages get the most traffic (have you created a Google Analytics account? If not, you should)! You can also research your competitors’ websites for inspiration. Some common pages for law firm websites include:
- Our Services/Practice Areas
- About Us / Our Team
- Our Fees
- Contact Us
Once you’ve determined the pages, you can write the copy. When writing your copy for each page, think about your target audience: likely individuals or owners of a business with no legal training but who have a legal issue. What information do they need? What pain points are they coming to you with? And why are you the person to help them? Put the most important content at the top of each page, and don’t overwhelm the page with information.
It is also important to include language that will get recognized by search engines so that your firm’s site will rank higher in search results. This is where Search Engine Optimization (SEO) comes in. While SEO strategy can be complicated, a good place to start is to nail down your keywords and include them in the titles and subtitles throughout your website. Keywords are simply the most common words and phrases that people use to search for your services. For insight into what your keywords are, try using the free tool, Keywords Everywhere.
Throughout this phase, keep in mind that your website is not a dumping ground for every piece of information about your law firm. You might have a million things to say but the potential clients are not going to want to read it all, in fact, according to a recent study by the Nielsen Norman Group, 79 percent of web users scan new pages rather than read them word for word. Filter through your content and extract what is most important for your target audience. Then present this information using headlines and subheadings, making your content easily “scannable”.
Let’s expand on key elements your improved website should include.
Should my law firm have a blog?
Simply put: Yes! Blogs are a great way to attract new clients. These content thick pages can do wonders for your SEO as they are often filled with searchable keywords and provide answers to commonly searched questions. Placing keywords in your blog titles will bring potential clients to your page as they search for answers.
If a blog doesn’t seem right for your firm, consider a resource page, where you can post resourceful information like guides and how-tos, or a news page, to post updates in your practice area. Providing quality answers and resources on questions the public cares about, will assert your authority and credibility in your practice area and establish trust with potential clients.
If your content is valuable, people will want to share your blogs on social media, or cite them in their own writing, which is a great way to reach new audiences.
*Tip*: Don’t have the time to write blog content? You can hire a freelance lawyer to do the work for you! Flex Legal has a network of skilled freelance legal content creators ready to help.
Reviews make lawyers more hireable
Another way to show credibility is through reviews. Reviews can be difficult to get and you may feel awkward asking for them, but having them can make a big difference. Clio’s 2022 Legal Trends Report found that client reviews were the most influential factor in hiring decisions, writing, “finding ways to boost and maintain positive client reviews remains one of the most impactful ways lawyers can make themselves more hireable”. Double down your efforts to get reviews and don’t forget to display them front and centre on your website!
Have engaging profiles for your lawyers
When visiting your website, potential clients want to know who the people are behind the law firm. Lawyer and staff profiles are not only a good place to show off your team’s expertise, but they can also humanize the experience and convey the values and personality of the firm. Show off awards and recognitions and tell potential clients what sets you apart. However, when writing these profiles, keep in mind that potential clients don’t need to know everything about you. What do they care about, and what proves to them that you are the best person for the job?
Have a clear call to action
Throughout your entire website, and in your navigational menu, there should be a clear call to action (CTA), whether it be “contact us”, “fill out this form” or “book a meeting”. Test if the CTA is obvious enough by asking friends and family to navigate your website as if they were interested in the services. Can they quickly figure out where to go to hire you?
Contact information
If “Contact Us” is not your action item, it should still be an easy option for potential clients to find. Not only should you have a “Contact Us” page, but your contact information should be visible in other areas, such as your footer.
Good luck!
Redesigning a website can be a pricey and technical task, however, it does not have to be. Sometimes, a simple re-writing of your key messages and reorganization of your pages can improve your website’s effectiveness tremendously.
If you need assistance drafting content for your law firm’s website, you can hire a Flex Legal freelance lawyer to help. Submit your project here to get started.
