Effective Strategies for Increasing Traffic to Your Firm’s Website

You’ve spent weeks revamping your new website and are excited to launch it. The clients will come rolling in, you’re certain of it. However, after going live, a couple of new clients trickle in, but that’s about as far as it goes. You feel frustrated and disappointed. What did you do wrong?

To improve your website, you have to think like a Google searcher. For example, if you were looking for a good pediatrician for your children, and you live in Miami, you would probably search “pediatricians in Miami.” Did you make sure you noted your firm’s location and type of law in several places on your website? Doing so is a part of strong search engine optimization, or SEO. Effective use of SEO helps direct traffic to your website by using words and phrases that the average Internet searcher will probably use to find services like the ones you offer.

Make sure that there are no frustrating ads or pop-ups on your site as well. Many users will become frustrated and leave your website immediately upon being bombarded with these. Do you really need a window to pop up offering chat assistance within 30 seconds of a potential client opening the website? In addition, ads and pop-ups may take away from the content on your website.

Is your website easy to navigate? Is it easy to find the firm’s contact information, including hours of operation? If you include a link that allows clients to email your office and set up free consultations, make sure that this email is regularly monitored and that someone is available to respond promptly. Include information about the types of law your firm handles, as well as the attorneys who practice it. Including a picture or even a video clip is a good idea as well, as it will allow potential clients to get a feel for the attorneys they may be hiring.

Consider starting a blog on your website. If you practice personal injury, scan the news for popular news headlines and write about them with a legal spin on your blog. For example, you could write about the recent death of Prince, who allegedly overdosed on painkillers, or you could do a piece on botched surgery and reference Joan Rivers’ death.

It’s a good idea to demonstrate your firm’s credentials on your website as well. Was your firm honored with a community award? Have any of your firm’s attorneys been recognized by local bar associations for outstanding work, such as a high number of pro bono hours? Have you won any major cases that made local headlines? Include all of this on your website to show potential clients how strong your firm is.

Depending on your state bar association’s rules, you may be able to include some reviews or testimonials from former and current clients on your website. Hearing reviews from real people may be comforting to many clients who are on the fence about which attorney they want to hire.

You don’t need to spend tens of thousands of dollars on your firm’s website to attract clients. Think like a potential client and base your website’s design on this approach, and you should enjoy a boost in firm revenue.

Photo credit: whatagreatwebsite.net

See the following articles for more information:

• Two Overlooked Essentials in Law Firm Marketing
• Effective Ways to Manage Your Law Firm’s Reputation Online