Law Technology Today From the ABA Legal Technology Resource Center
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Attorneys can field any number of questions in a given day, usually based primarily on their areas of specialty. Clients will likely ask what they can expect in the courtroom or how much a particular type of case will cost. If law firms can compile a list of those common questions, they might have the perfect list of topics for their websites.
Traditionally, websites have handled this through the use of a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page that fires off questions and answers in random order. Site visitors can look through the list and quickly get the information they need without picking up the phone or sending an email. This quick convenience easily demonstrates a firm’s commitment to its clients, possibly leading to an increase in business. Here are a few ways a FAQ page can help your firm’s bottom line.
Firm Productivity
The biggest issue with answering the same few questions each day is that employees could be putting that time toward other activities. This includes attorneys, paralegals, administrative support staff, and anyone else who answers phones or speaks to office visitors. Posting the information online cuts down on calls, although it will never completely eliminate the questions you get. Once you have the page out there, however, it can serve as a resource for your team members, who can quickly get the information they need to answer questions. If the answers are in the form of blog posts or articles, it will create a link that professionals can share with clients who ask their questions through email or social media.
Thought Leadership
Consumers and businesses pay attorneys for their expertise. The more information they can provide online, the more likely they are to be viewed as having thought leadership in the legal field. Law firms can use these commonly-asked questions as jumping-off points for blog posts that they can then share on social media. With so many people asking for information on that topic, it’s likely to be shared, potentially increasing brand awareness, especially if the information is shared locally.
SEO
As with all other content on your website, your FAQ page can boost your search engine ranking. Each question likely mirrors a query string consumers enter. Since your page includes the answer to that question, you’ll likely display prominently in rankings, especially if searches use geotargeting to show closest resources first.
Encourage Contact
If handled properly, a business’s FAQ will encourage visitors to take the next step. This could be calling for an appointment or making a phone call to ask for more information on one of the subjects mentioned there. Prospective clients will feel comfortable contacting your firm, since the responses to those common questions were so helpful. Some firms even dedicate a section of their FAQ pages to instructions on scheduling an office visit to further discuss a case.
Prevent Surprises
Even the best law firm will lose prospective clients during the early phases of a case. It’s easy to convince someone to come in for a free initial consultation, but not everyone has the finances to pay legal fees. Most firms can’t list their exact per-hour fees, since they vary from one case to the next. However, if you charge an initial consultation fee, being up front about the reason and the exact cost could reduce the number of time-wasting calls you take. You may also find that once you describe the fees in your FAQ, clients know exactly what to expect and find a way to get the money together to pay for the consultation.
Sell Your Services
Your firm’s website is your best opportunity to sell a customer on using your firm. You can use your FAQ section to subtly state what sets your firm apart from all others. Avoid marketing jargon and instead focus on answering the questions the way you’d speak to a client who asked them. Questions such as “How will I know what is happening with my case?” are often asked by clients no matter what type of case, and they give you an opportunity to state how you take care of your clients.
Your law firm’s website is your first interaction with potential clients. A FAQ section cuts down on calls and emails while also giving customers easy access to the information they need. Make your FAQ page as conversational as possible to create a welcoming environment that encourages clients to choose your firm.
