Law Technology Today From the ABA Legal Technology Resource Center
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You must have a website for your law firm. There is no logical argument against not having one, and believe me I studied logic just like you during my three years of law school. Hands down, your website is the single best point for customers to find out more about who you are, what you have to offer, and how to contact you.
However, in today’s digital world, simply having a website is no longer enough. You must have a website that converts. Your website is your calling card and must turn visitors into clients. Without clients, you will just be another starving attorney.
Some attorneys feel like they don’t need a website as they do not get many clients from it. Unfortunately, they are not aware that there are a few things missing from their websites that are likely causing the problem.
Have a look at your website and compare it to the three items below. Each one of these you correct can lead to new client contacts.
Easy To Find Contact Information
A business card normally contains all the ways a person can get in touch with you (email, phone number, etc.). Why should your website be any different? In addition to having the information, it needs to be easy to find.
If your website does not have easy to find contact information, don’t expect people to contact you. To increase conversions, make sure your contact information is more than just a simple “contact” button on your header menu.
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The screenshot above from the homepage of Attorney Robert Hamparyan shows three distinct contact methods. If you cannot locate how to contact him from his website, you likely need to search for an optometrist, not a lawyer.
Call-To-Action Buttons
A call-to-action is one of the most important things you can have on your website. Unless you tell people what to do, they simply won’t do it. Contact information on the homepage is one thing, but I am talking about the actual content within your website.
You may know which are the best articles on your blog that drive traffic to your site. But, what do people do when they are done reading that article? If you don’t have a call-to-action button, they will likely get the answer they want from your article, then click off and go to Google to find an attorney.
What? That’s right. They were right on your website but you didn’t tell them you were an attorney and to call you for help. Seems simple, but people won’t do it unless you tell them.
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Keller and Keller win the prize here. The screenshot above is from an article I found when searching out recovery for dog bites. The article answers my questions, but there are two prominent calls-to-action on the page. The first is an email consultation form and the other is instant chat.
If you really want to increase conversions, use image-based calls-to-action similar to Keller and Keller. These can double and triple your conversion rate compared to simply text call-to-action buttons.
Call-to-action buttons should also include social media buttons. Using social media in your marketing strategy is important to your firm and a great way to find potential clients. I know many attorneys hate social media, but it is now a necessary evil for businesses. Yes, even for law firms.
Where’s Your Blog?
I have been talking about blog posts and conversions, but some of you are scratching your head because you don’t even have a blog. Just like with your website, you may think it’s not important. Nothing can be farther from the truth.
A blog is important for a number of reasons. First, you need to drive traffic to your website. The way to do it is by providing quality content that people will enjoy reading. You cannot simply create a website that talks about how good you are, you need to give people something that isn’t self-serving (like actionable advice in blog posts).
Having a blog also shows your expertise. If you are able to write a post that answers some basic questions about an area of law, you will likely attract more visitors and potentially convert them into clients (by using call-to-action buttons of course).
Finally, it will help people link to your website. Basic search engine optimization techniques teach that you want to have other websites linking to yours. Unfortunately, people are not going to simply link to your homepage or sales page. You need to have quality blog content that people will want to link to.
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I included a screenshot from the Cellino & Barnes website as it shows how a blog can be set up to provide valuable content. The post I chose was kind of dry (yes, pun intended), but the left-hand side shows categories with the law firm’s expertise. As a bonus, you can see the contact button on the side. There is also a text call-to-action button at the bottom which you cannot see (note to Cellino and Barnes – change that text CTA to an image CTA and you are going to really get some leads).
Summing It Up
You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink. Actually, I lead horses to water and it’s your job to make them drink. As a marketer, I drive traffic to websites. However, I get very frustrated when those websites are not set up to convert. It is a waste of my time and your money as in the end you don’t get anything out of it.
Fixing a few website issues is an easy way for you to “make that horse drink.” Ensure your website is set up like your business card and lets people know how to contact you. In addition, use call-to-action buttons to increase the chances of them reaching out for your help. Also, show your expertise by posting valuable information to your blog.
If you don’t have any of these things, you may as well have no website at all.
