Four (more) Ideas To Improve Your Law Firm’s Website

A couple of weeks ago, after spending some serious time during quarantine combing through some really nice legal websites from all around the country, I wrote my first blog post installment regarding tips that legal firms can use to improve their website. When I say improve I mean it both from a user’s point of view as well as the search engines point of view – how they favor it . If you missed that first article, check it out HERE.

I also mentioned in the first article that after seeing so many amazing legal websites (I got lost for hours on end some evenings!) that I’d likely be writing an entire series where I share tips and easy strategies for the law firms that may be looking for a nice and easy to-do list that they (or their web designer) can get started on immediately that can have dramatic positive effects in small spaces of time. And so here I am again ready to pass on a few more ideas. Hope you enjoy. And benefit.

LEGAL WEBSITE TIP NUMBER ONE:
Make Minute(ish) Long Videos “starring” your team!

This refers to videos that explain each of your firm’s practice areas – even if you only have one area! Generally speaking the lawyer that handles that particular area of practice is doing the speaking in the video. These videos give the visitor a brief overview of what they, as a potential new, client can expect when they reach out to your firm about a case in this particular area.

I have to be honest, at first I didn’t really love this idea. Mostly because it seems a little too trendy and let’s-just-do-it-because-they-did sort of a thing – and that simply doesn’t jibe with my personality!

Once I decided to take a look beyond that, though, it didn’t take me long to quickly see the benefits for the firms that are utilizing this idea. Here are a few of those benefits your team could reap.

1. People LOVE video. Plain and simple. And given that it is so easy to add video to your website these days, to to not do so almost seems crazy.
2. This is a really simple way to freshen up your website. And, as I mentioned in the first article, search engines LOVE websites that always stay fresh and add new content.
3. There are many ways to “place” the video on your site, one of the easiest being just embedding it from your YouTube channel. Which may be JUST the excuse you needed to create a YouTube channel for your firm in the first place – thus giving your firm yet ANOTHER place online to be found – basically you’re getting a benefit with a benefit. If that’s not a win-win, I’m not sure what is. /li>

LEGAL WEBSITE TIP NUMBER TWO:
Does Your Firm Offer Video Conferencing? Let Your Clients Know.

Offering Video Conferencing via whatever avenue you choose (ZOOM, SKYPE…heck even Facebook Messenger) can be extremely convenient and useful for your potential and current clients. Obviously during quarantine time this one is a no brainer – but even when things return to some semblance of normal, this can be an amazing boon to your firm.

So, DO you offer this? If so, LET PEOPLE KNOW! – don’t just assume that it is understood!

ANNNND if you DON’T offer it – – then start! There’s nothing difficult about it and, unless there is some amazingly good reason you have for NOT offering video conferencing (personally, I can’t think of a single one) – then start doing it IMMEDIATELY.

NUMBER THREE: Note The Firm’s Accomplishments

What awards has your team won? What articles were they noted in? What kind of prestige can you make note of? Make sure this is displayed someplace on your website and make sure that at least SOME of it is right up in peoples face on the home page.

This may seem easy and obvious – and it is! But, to be truthful, my focus is to make almost all of these tips easy (and some of them obvious). Often, it isn’t the overwhelmingly technical stuff that makes or breaks a legal website, it’s the tiny oversights that continue to add up unless someone or something (cough) goes out of their way to point them out or bring them to your attention. You’re welcome.

If you’re looking for a good resource for different awards you may or may not have heard of, check out GLADIATOR, I think you will be glad you did.

LEGAL WEBSITE TIP NUMBER FOUR:
Make Sure Every Page Within Your Legal Website Has A Great Page Title

Admittedly, this one is more of a general tip for search engine optimization and can easily be used by any industry, not just law firms. But, in all of the poking around I did looking at legal websites for the past several months, it seems as though this is one spot that even the BEST sites tend to either forget or neglect. Obviously this isn’t the fault of the team, rather the site developer.

What Exactly Do I Mean By “Great Page Title”, And What’s So Important About That?

Simply stated, the page title is exactly what it sounds like – it’s the title of the page you are currently reading. If you happen to be reading this article on a computer then you can simply hover your cursor over any open tab in your browser and you should see the title of the page.

The reason that the page title is so important is that this is what translates to the clickable part of a Google (or most any search engine) result. It is not only one of the first things the search engines take note of – equally important because the prior is true it is ALSO one of the first things humans will notice as well!

You may still be thinking so what?

Well, if you were searching Google for a personal injury attorney in the Boston area and you had to choose between the following page titles that Google returned to you, which would you be more likely to pick?

Personal Injury Attorney, Bob Smith: Serving Boston for 10 years

OR….

Law Firm Boston: About Us

Yeah, me too!

In Summary

I have attempted to show legal firms some truly easy ideas that they can implement almost immediately which can dramatically improve their practice’s website in the shortest amount of time possible. Most of the ideas aren’t overly technical – some of them might just be things that have been put on the back burner and simply needing a reminder thrown out there. Again, if you missed the first article in this series, HERE it is.

I will continue to add to this series over the upcoming months. Also, take a peek at my facebook page as well and give it a “Like” for more tips and ideas.

Take Care

NEED HELP?

If you’d like some help implementing these tips (or any tips for that matter) into your law firm’s website,
just shoot me a message below and I’d be happy to chat with you.