Back to Basics: Why Should I Get a Website for my Law Firm?
2008 is just around the corner and it will be filled with many changes, new trends, and some old familiar items that never seem to get old…just better.
So what is old but new? The basics of Internet 101: A website (Hence the title of this blog)
Attorneys Online, Inc, a law firm marketing agency, has been around since 1998 and even though there have been light years of progress with technology there is still a staple to the internet world that is a “must have” if you want to have effective law firm internet marketing…a website.So for those of you that are still uncertain as to why you may need one for your law firm let’s go back to the basics and educate you on the many functions of this handy law firm internet marketing tool.
Law Firm Websites’ Roles (to name a few):
- To inform potential clients that you and your law firm exist!
- Everyone has a different method of searching for a lawyer. However using your website to help people find you is a great support system to whatever marketing tactics you use (Sponsored Search, TV, Phone Books, etc).
- To act as a virtual brochure
- Less paper, more coverage. Anyone with access to the internet can find out about you and all the basic information they need to decide if they should contact you for legal advice
- To screen clients by providing basic information about the law and your firm
- Frequently Asked Questions regarding your practice areas, and information about the cases you handle can help save time on the phone and in person
- To display your legal credentials and experience
- Including your CV helps with your credibility and to your experience in the field
- You can display all of your successful cases without bragging about it in person
- To make you and your law firm more approachable
- Pictures of you, your office, and other inviting images can serve as a first impression before they even walk in the door
- A means to communicate with you 24 hours a day
- If someone has a question at 2 a.m. they can use your website to send a simple e-mail inquiry for help and provide details you need in advance to inform you about what they need from you
- To give your firm a professional appearance and keep up with your competitors
- If you are accessible and informative when a potential client needs it most that is effective advertising. If you look good while doing it – with a sleek law firm web design – that’s professional.
- A good website for a sole practitioner’s firm can help you seem just as qualified as a large firm with 10 attorneys. A website levels the playing field with your competitors – large or small.
The list will continue to grow on the importance of law firm websites but these are just a few reasons why should add this vital tool to your law firm internet marketing tactics. Contact Attorneys Online Inc for information about how we can help you with your law firm marketing needs!
Do links to my law firm website matter?
Absolutely! Think of it this way: Every time you get a link from someone else to your site, they are essentially endorsing your site. For whatever reason, they think that your site is good enough to show off to others on their own sites. The more endorsements you get, the better (just like word of mouth endorsements and referrals). So, the more sites that link to yours, the better and more popular your site becomes. Additionally, since Google reads the links from websites, a search engine spider may be lead to your site and find great information that it ranks high in the search engines.
However, a word of caution: If a site that is linking to you is a “link farm” or is later considered an inappropriate site that is thrown out of the search engines, your site could suffer, as well. So, you want inbound links, but they are much safer if they are from qualified websites, such as your local bar association or a better business bureau or another law firm.
Content is king when it comes to your attorney web design
The Internet provides information and so should your law firm website. When surfers look to the Internet to hire a lawyer or to get some of their legal questions answered, they want answers – not advertisements, promotional material, or a lot of flashy elements. This is one reason to make sure that your website has plenty of relevant questions that can answer potential client’s questions.
A second important reason to add lots and lots of content to your site is because it helps your search engine placement. When someone searches for a lawyer (unless he/she has a particular attorney in mind), he/she searches for keywords, not accomplishments or bar associations you are a member of. If you are a criminal lawyer in South Dakota, your website should have separate pages for all aspects of your criminal practice – DWI, white collar crimes, assault, theft, arson, etc. The more detailed your content is, the more likely it is to come up in the search engines – particularly if it is timely. For example, when a new drug gets recalled, people flock to the Internet to find out if they have been affected. You should have an article about this on your site to drive clients to your site. If you provide them with the information they want, they are more likely to call you.
We always tell our clients that, more important than Flash, pictures, and AV ratings, you want to provide your clients with answers and information. The more you can provide, the better for your clients and the better for you.
