Online searches happen at a staggering rate every day. According to recent data, approximately 8 billion Google searches are conducted daily, with the United States accounting for roughly 20 percent of all Google traffic. The average person performs between two and three Google searches per day, with many people exceeding this average with relative frequency. When a legal question arises, someone may spend some time searching for information about the issue. Even if the searcher does not see an immediate need to hire an attorney, the websites this person visits for information will have an effect. For instance, if the searcher lands on a particular law firm’s website, the impressions the user has of the website may prompt them to search elsewhere for more detailed or relevant information. Or, if the website is optimized to anticipate common client questions and invites the visitor to spend time clicking through the site, the searcher may channel this favorable impression of the law firm into scheduling an appointment or engaging its legal services should the need arise.
As a small- to mid-sized law firm, optimizing your website to accommodate visitors and cultivate favorable impressions is a critical component of your law firm’s digital marketing strategy. Let’s take a look at why maintaining a client-centered website is essential to engaging more clients and some of the key law firm website design features you should consider incorporating to maximize your chances of growing your practice steadily and sustainably.
Why Website Design for Law Firms Matters
As long as your law firm has a functioning website, that should be enough to bring potential clients to your site, right? Although having an active website is an important element of any content marketing for law firms strategy, all websites are not equal in their effectiveness. As search engine algorithms like Google continue to evolve and improve their efforts to present searchers with relevant, accurate, and trustworthy results, the quality of your law firm’s website can significantly influence your rankings among the search results pages. For instance, Google will likely present someone searching for information on a legal topic with websites from law firms that have worked to optimize their sites to convey their authority, trustworthiness, and relevance. Websites from law firms that have neglected to update their sites or that are poorly displayed are more likely to be passed over or ignored by search engines, therefore reducing their visibility to potential clients. Essentially, investing in a user-centered law firm website design is far more important than simply presenting site visitors with an inviting layout—a strategically constructed law firm web design builds trust with search engine algorithms and boosts your law firm’s visibility among the search results pages. Once your law firm rises to the top of the search engine results pages, it’s much easier to attract more site visitors and inspire them to entrust you with their legal matters.
Law Firm Web Design Must-Haves
So, how can you improve the quality of your law firm’s website to make it more client-focused and visible to search engines? Although you should not expect to skyrocket to the top of the search results pages overnight, incorporating the following website features will begin to boost your authority, trustworthiness, and—eventually—your visibility.
It’s All About Page Loading Speed
By now, most people expect a website to load within three seconds or less. Anything beyond that may prompt those pressed for time to look elsewhere for the information they are seeking. Improving your overall digital marketing strategy begins with checking how long it takes your website to load on any device (desktop computers, laptops, mobile phones, and tablets). If you notice any delays in page loading speed, it’s time to find solutions to these issues. There are many factors that can slow down a website’s page loading speed, from including too many videos on one page to broken links or overly large image files. For more detailed or customized support, please consider contacting the dedicated and highly experienced legal marketing professionals at LegalRev today.
Clean Up The Homepage to Make a Favorable First Impression
So much of our initial impressions are formed within seconds. In many cases, a first impression happens subconsciously—well before our conscious mind realizes that it either likes or dislikes what it is seeing. When someone lands on a homepage that is disorganized, cluttered, or otherwise chaotic, they will likely feel overwhelmed or disoriented right away. Long blocks of text, clashing color schemes, flashing images, or other overly “busy” web features may prompt your website visitors to look elsewhere in favor of a more soothing, sophisticated website. Generally speaking, law firms that intentionally create inviting website designs with calming features (i.e., brief blurbs of text separated by plenty of blank space to soothe the eye, neutral color palettes, etc.) can maximize their chances of engaging site visitors and cultivating trust through their welcoming website design.
Incorporate Client Reviews to Establish Trust
Any law firm can brag about its commitment to serving clients and delivering favorable results. However, site visitors recognize that, just like any business, law firms strive to promote themselves in the most favorable light possible. When it comes to cultivating trust, incorporating reviews from the clients you have served can go a long way in proving to the public that your law firm is genuinely concerned about serving your clients. You can ask some of your clients if you can share their kind words on your website in order to continue providing exceptional service to future clients. Site visitors tend to appreciate the presence of client testimonials on the websites they visit, as they view these features as evidence of the law firm’s efforts to put the needs of their clients above all else.
Level Up Your Marketing Strategy for Law Firms Today
If your small- to mid-sized law firm is hoping to serve more clients in your area, it’s time to explore your options for developing and implementing a results-oriented strategy that targets your goals. When you entrust the LegalRev team with your digital marketing needs, you can expect high-quality, personalized guidance at every turn. We believe that exceptional attorneys deserve exceptional digital marketing solutions. Now’s the time to take your content marketing efforts to the next level—reach out to us today to start exploring and evaluating your options.
Is your law firm looking for a customized digital marketing strategy that’s results-driven and effective in helping you achieve your goals? If so, the content marketing strategists at LegalRev are ready to assist you. Give us a call today at (800) 893-2590 to get started.
