Your law firm website is a virtual first impression that you present to potential clients, so it should be kept current, visibly appealing, and user-friendly. You may have created your law firm website years ago, with the intention to tweak it occasionally. But while you were busy actually practicing law, technology and trends have moved on ahead. If your law firm website is visually or functionally lacking, you may be missing out on potential business. Perhaps it is time to consider an update for your law firm’s website, and here are a few easy ways to do it.
Update Your Law Firm Website Design
A poorly designed or outdated website can repel potential clients before they give your law firm a chance, so here are some trending tips that will make your law firm website more attractive and engaging to visitors:
Add Videos
Using video clips on home and service pages is important for varying the page layout and breaking up big blocks of text. Visitors like video clips, and so do the search engine rankings. Do not think you need to hire an entire cinematography team or Steven Spielberg to do this for you. A simple phone camera will work. (I promise!)
Include Cinemagraphs
Photo-video clips, or cinemagraphs, punch a brilliant, modern element into your law firm’s website. They move like a living photo — a mixture of photo and video that seamlessly loops while telling a story or creating a mood. Cinemagraphs can engage website visitors, capture their attention, and keep their interest in your site.
Try Micro-Animations
Micro-animations are tiny visual pops that draw user attention. Serving as functional guides, they can support the user around and gently encourage them to follow a call to action.
Choose New Fonts
Although people may not consciously think about the font on a website, it matters. The right font impacts your website’s appearance, and can actually affect conversion. Examine which fonts fit your audience, brand, and theme.
Consider Your Content
High-quality, relevant content is at the heart of your law firm website. Excellent content draws in potential clients who have questions and concerns, so make sure that the content you offer is fresh, abundant, and addresses typical client needs. Examine the fine details, so all information is accurate and your links never result in a disappointing dead end.
Update Content Already On Your Law Firm’s Website
Review content that has been sitting on your law firm website for more than one year. Stale or outdated content makes your website look neglected, and it does not favor your page rankings either. Confirm that your contact information is up to date, including a recent, accurate photo of each team member. When an attorney exits your law firm, make sure you update the law firm’s website accordingly; remove anyone’s name who is not currently working for your law firm. Finally, make sure you are connecting effectively with potential clients by avoiding legal jargon and making it clear what you do and whom you serve.
Add More Content
Adding ample, relevant content to your website is crucial, and starting a blog for your law firm can result in over 50% more website traffic. Building up a stash of quality content takes time, but here are some ideas to make it easier:
- Schedule a few hours every week to write fresh content
- Recycle old content by rewriting it
- Expand on current events or website topics for content ideas
- Purchase pre-written blog content
- Gather intel from your competitors’ websites
- Request input from staff members
- Consider hiring a digital marketing agency that specializes in law firm legal content
Boost Functionality
The functionality of your website is connected to the user’s journey — how easy are you making it for them? Around 75% of website visitors make judgments about the company based on the website, so making your site user-friendly is an ideal way to begin updating your law firm’s website. You can gather ideas for change from past clients or use the following ideas to maximize the visitor experience:
Reduce Menu Options
Simplify user experience by using a design with as few options on the menu as possible. Use a limited amount of text on the home page and make your call to action clear and accessible. Add a simple search function to help visitors find what they need fast.
Optimize for Mobile Users
Since most of the world uses a mobile device to access the internet, your website should be mobile-friendly. Besides your potential customers, Google also prefers websites that are optimized for mobile use.
Check Page Loading Speed
Every time to add another element to your law firm website, you may be impacting the page loading speed. Website visitors can be fickle and impatient, and one-fourth of visitors will abandon a pokey website if the loading takes more than four seconds. In order to reduce page loading time, try using the Google Page Speed Insights tool, which can help you check changes in your page loading speeds whenever you update your law firm’s website.
Increase Accessibility
Emphasize accessibility so those with disabilities can engage easily with your content. All users can have the same great experience when you consider the following:
- Use alt text, which helps convey the message of an image to the reader
- Add bold headings and subheadings, making information easy to read and giving relief to the reader
- Caption all video content
- Add skip navigation features, so screen readers can navigate the website easily
- Add descriptions to links
Include an FAQ Page
A well-crafted FAQ page can tackle the key issues that potential clients face. An FAQ page can direct individuals to more help from your team, or usher them to other appropriate services.
Prioritize SEO
Every piece of your law firm website has to consider Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Contrary to popular thought, proper digital marketing is not just generously sprinkling keywords and phrases all over the pages. In order to boost your SEO, your law firm website must build a bundle of components that give your site authority in the eyes of the search engines. This includes improving functionality as mentioned, and also employing:
- Strategic keyword and phrases
- Internal links and backlinks
- An XML sitemap
- A domain name that includes your keyword
- Helpful factors for visitors, including an FAQ page, About Us, and Contact Us Pages
Include Social Media Links
Some individuals turn to social media first to learn more about a business, so make yourself easily found by placing social media links on your law firm’s website. If you use social media to promote your law firm, be sure to keep it fresh and updated regularly.
Add Client Reviews
Whenever and wherever you can, post positive client reviews. Great reviews give your law firm unparalleled credibility and also tell visitors specific reasons why they should contact you over your competitors. You can post reviews on lawyer review sites, Facebook, Google My Business pages, and social media platforms.
This Week’s Digital Marketing Action Steps:
Take Some Time To Look At Your Website: Since your law firm’s website is often the first place potential clients meet you, it is important to review and update your law firm website regularly. Confirm that your website is attractive, easy to use, reflects your brand and contains SEO-friendly components. You may want to seek help from a professional to add appropriate content and attractive visuals. Consider contacting a digital marketing agency for consistent, relevant content that is optimized for SEO. A powerful business tool, your law firm website is also a work in progress, so keep it consistently updated for all the future clients who visit.
Annette Choti graduated from law school 20 years ago, and is now the CEO & Owner of Law Quill, a legal digital marketing agency focused on small and solo law firms. Law Quill is the only legal digital marketing agency that provides unique, SEO-optimized content, pre-packaged content, and courses for lawyers to learn SEO themselves through Law Quill Academy. Annette used to do theatre and professional comedy, which is not so different from the legal field if we are all being honest. Annette can be found on LinkedIn or at annette@lawquill.com