Law Firm Websites

Law firms need a strong digital marketing plan and web presence to remain competitive in the internet age.

But for many partners and sole proprietors, the day-to-day demands of running a busy law firm mean that tasks like outreach and search engine optimization (SEO) can take a back seat to more pressing issues. Read on to learn more about what makes law firm marketing unique, as well as a few concrete steps you can take to improve your search engine ranking, enhance the message you’re sending to prospective customers, and truly make a name for yourself in the local legal market.

Why Law Firm Websites Are (and Should Be) Different

If you’re suddenly informed you need a surgical procedure, you may look up your surgeon’s name or read some patient reviews to get a basic idea of what you’re in for, but aren’t likely to be overly swayed by a splashy website. But for those who unexpectedly find themselves in need of legal assistance, the content and appearance of a law firm’s website often gains a renewed significance. Legal clients aren’t just looking for expertise or success rates (although see below to see why both are important); they’re looking for someone with whom they can form a relationship to handle a pressing legal matter.

The reasons potential clients seek out attorneys can vary dramatically—but whether it involves the defense of a criminal allegation, the pursuit of a wrongful death claim, or a step-parent adoption, this reason often weighs heavy on the client’s mind. A well-edited website that features a professional photo of the firm’s attorneys, some positive testimonials, and an easy-to-complete contact form can reassure nervous would-be clients that they’re in good hands; a superficial or hard-to-navigate website can send a client elsewhere. By focusing on what your clients need (and at what step they are in their firm-selection journey), you’ll be able to target your site contents in the most effective way.

But while many law firm websites tend to tout their awards, memberships, and judicial endorsements, a very slim minority of respondents indicated that these factors had any impact on their decision to hire a firm. Finally, including videos on your website can seem like an easy way to boost traffic, but video content actually captured the attention of fewer than 10 percent of respondents.

Focus on your firm’s successes, provide high-quality information, and be open about your prices and fee structure when possible to maximize your website’s client-generating potential.

An Eye-Catching Logo

When you think of law firm logos, you probably picture Lady Justice or a set of scales—after all, what better way to signify a law firm’s commitment to high-quality work than by invoking two of the most recognizable symbols in the legal world?
But the law market is saturated with cookie-cutter logos like these. To set yourself apart, it may be worthwhile to work with a lawyer marketing firm to develop a unique logo that projects sophistication and competence. Even in the legal context, a logo operates as the “face” of your company, and having an eye-catching logo stretches your marketing dollars by giving you brand recognition across all types of media.

When it comes to marketing your law firm (or yourself as a solo practitioner), there are two primary options.

The DIY Approach

Many lawyers gravitate toward handling their marketing needs in-house, figuring that it’s simpler and cheaper to slap up a WordPress-style site for the time being than to meet with a lawyer marketing firm and decide on a comprehensive plan. After all, it’s best to have a modest website than none at all, right?

But in today’s competitive market, even the country’s most elite law firms have been forced to think outside the box when it comes to legal marketing. Firms that once relied solely on name recognition to gain new clients have begun significant restructuring changes to brand themselves as “the IP firm” or “the mergers and acquisitions firm,” setting themselves apart in a sea of other venerable names.

And for smaller firms without the benefit of Supreme Court justices or executive officeholders in their list of former employees, gaining local prominence may require far more insider marketing knowledge than many attorneys have. Something seemingly as simple as getting your website ranked on Page 1 of Google search results can be a make-or-break moment for your firm.

For this reason, even if you begin with the DIY approach, the highest and best use of your resources generally includes seeking help from an outside marketing firm.

Law Firm Marketing Agencies

Because the best practices in law firm marketing can often differ dramatically from best practices used in retail and service-based businesses, it’s best to seek out a marketing company that specializes in legal work. These companies can help you outline goals for your firm—an X percent increase in revenue over the next year, a Y percent increase in the number of clients served, or a Z percent increase in the number of contact forms submitted on your website.

This firm can then work with you to design a plan that will help you achieve these goals through a multifaceted marketing approach. You may need to beef up the amount of informative content on your website through regular blog posts, revamp your site so it is mobile-friendly, or invest in targeted social media ads to draw in new visitors.

How eProphet Media Can Deliver The Perfect Digital Presence

Some attorney marketing firms tout high search engine optimization success rates yet utilize “cheap” methods like keyword-stuffing, backlinking to irrelevant (but highly-ranked) websites, or even plagiarizing from other web pages. But websites that take these types of shortcuts run the risk of being suddenly delisted by Google and other top search engines. When this happens, restoring your search visibility in Google can be an impossible task.

In the law firm market, corner-cutting websites can be a major turnoff to prospective clients. If your business model relies on pay-per-click ads to generate leads, executing a digital marketing strategy to attain search visibility in the organic search results, beneath the ads, can save you money and generate more leads in the the long term. Regardless of what strategy you choose, neither of them will matter if your website doesn’t convince site visitors to reach out to you, once they arrive on it.

It’s more cost-efficient to develop and stick with a high-quality digital marketing plan from the get-go. By doing things the right way, you’ll never find yourself forced to reinvent the wheel after you’ve already paid for marketing services.

With a focus on attorney and law firm clients, eProphet Media delivers your firm’s digital presence to attract the ideal clients. making sure you stay competitive in the markets you serve. eProphet Media has a finger on the pulse of what makes law firm website visitors “tick,” and our digital marketing plans always factor in the stages and phases your website visitors will go through during their digital journey to find your legal services.