If you’re a lawyer, it’s important to make sure that your website is up to par. After all, your website is often the first impression potential clients will have of you and your firm. With that in mind, here are 10 common legal website mistakes lawyers make on their websites – and how to avoid them.
1. Failing to Use Their Website to Its Fullest Potential
Your website is more than just an online business card – it’s a powerful marketing tool that can help you attract new clients and grow your practice. But if you’re not using your website to its full potential, you’re missing out on a major opportunity.
2. Lacking a Clear and Concise Message
Your website should have a clear and concise message that tells visitors who you are, what you do, and why they should hire you. If your message is confused or muddled, potential clients will move on to someone whose site is more straightforward.
3. Failing to Understand Their Audience
It’s important to understand who your target audience is and what they’re looking for when they visit your website. If you’re not sure who your target audience is, take some time to define it. Once you know who you’re trying to reach, you can tailor your site and content to appeal to them.
4. Leaving Out an Effective Call to Action
Your website should have a clear call to action that tells visitors what you want them to do. Whether it’s calling your office, filling out a contact form, or signing up for your newsletter, make sure your call to action is prominently displayed and easy to understand.
5. Failing to Update Content
If your website hasn’t been updated in months (or years), it’s time to give it a refresh. Outdated content is a turn-off for potential clients, and it can also hurt your search engine rankings. Aim to update your site regularly, even if it’s just with small changes or new blog posts.
6. Not Using Social Media
Social media is a powerful marketing tool, and it’s one that you should be taking advantage of. Make sure your website includes links to your social media pages, and consider adding social media widgets to your site.
7. Failing to Measure Results
It’s important to track the performance of your website so you can see what’s working and what isn’t. There are many ways to do this, including Google Analytics and other web metrics tools.
8. Not Creating a Mobile-Friendly Site
In today’s world, it’s essential to have a mobile-friendly website. More and more people are using their smartphones and tablets to access the internet, so if your site isn’t optimized for mobile devices, you’re likely losing potential clients.
9. Not Employing SEO Best Practices
If you want your website to be found by potential clients, you need to make sure you’re following SEO best practices. This includes things like using keyword-rich titles and descriptions, optimizing your site for local search, and creating fresh and unique content.
10. Failing to Seek Help from Professionals
If you’re not sure how to create or optimize your website, seek out the help of a professional. There are many web design and marketing firms that specialize in helping lawyers create effective websites.
If you’re guilty of any of these legal website mistakes or you’d like a review of your law firm’s website, we can help. Contact Legal Web Design to schedule a free consultation.