Law firms looking to grow their business and attract more clients should start by assessing their current website. A website that is optimized for search engines will reach more potential clients, and a user-friendly website ensures that those who click through to your site respond favorably to what they see. Even if you think your website is functioning well for your law practice, it’s worth taking some time to assess its effectiveness and implement small changes to maximize its performance. Below are some essential features that a high-performing legal website should have to attract and engage potential clients.
A Fast Loading Speed
The first thing you should assess about your legal website is how fast it loads on the computer and on a mobile device. Tools offered through companies like Google can help you measure your load speed and identify ways to improve performance. Ideally, your website should load within two seconds—if it takes any longer than that, potential clients may grow impatient and click on another firm’s website. Check how your website displays on a mobile device, as some images may not appear properly and negatively affect the loading speed of your website.
Dedicated Practice Area Pages
If your firm practices more than one area of law, make sure your website includes a page for each practice area. Firms with multiple practice areas often try to cram all the practice areas onto one page, but this ends up looking cluttered and overwhelming to many website viewers. Instead, include a general practice area page with small blurbs (1-2 sentences, max) to provide an overview of the practice area, then link the blurb to a distinct practice area page where you can provide more in-depth information. Breaking your practice areas into separate pages also boosts your SEO performance, as the search engine algorithm will scan each page for relevant keywords and content to present to searchers looking for legal information in your area.
Clear and Relatable Content
Many attorneys want to showcase their intimate knowledge of their profession. However, it’s important to remember that your website is not for fellow attorneys—it’s for your clients. Most people lack the training to understand dense legal jargon, so opt for straightforward, reassuring language that helps potential clients learn more about a particular legal topic and encourages them to schedule a consultation with you. Consider what information your clients need and develop content that responds to these objectives. Those who visit your website will appreciate the plain and clear information and the gentle invitation to contact your firm to learn more about your legal services.
Visible Call to Action Buttons on Every Page
Whether your website visitors are unfamiliar with technology or digital natives, you’ll want to provide plenty of opportunities for them to contact your firm. Without including a clear call to action (CTA) on every page, your visitors may not know how to get in touch with you. There are many ways to include a CTA on each webpage, like displaying “Contact” buttons at the top of each page or providing an intake form for potential clients to fill out and send to you automatically. The more you can facilitate simple ways for your website visitors to contact you, the more likely they will decide to reach out and move forward with your services.
Maintaining an Active Blog
Adding a blog to your law firm’s website allows you to highlight your professional expertise and provide resources for current and prospective clients. Additionally, posting regular blogs to your website can boost your website’s ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs). According to one estimate, marketers who prioritized blogging received 13 times more return on investment (ROI) than companies that did not. Essentially, each new blog provides fresh content that attracts the attention of search engines and boosts your website’s ranking. Blogs that range between 500 to 1,000 words often perform better than shorter posts, so consider integrating a blogging strategy to promote your website’s visibility and relevance.
Forging Genuine Connections With Website Visitors
If your website includes an “About” page, it’s natural to wonder what type of content to add to this page. Many firms provide short attorney biographies and a general overview of when and where the firm was founded. However, as people are increasingly interested in getting to know the people behind the services they seek, the About page is becoming more critical than ever. Consider revising this page to showcase who you are as a legal professional (i.e., your mission, values, and desired outcomes for your clients) as well as who you are outside of the office (baseball coach, hiker, volunteer, etc.). Your website visitors will gravitate towards this transparent view of what drives your firm, setting you apart from other law firms in your area.
Ready to maximize your law firm’s website performance? Call LegalRev today at (800) 893-2590 to discuss your digital marketing goals.
