Most attorneys view their website as a platform that tells prospective clients what their law firm offers. However, it is often hard to determine what exactly people care about when they visit a website. Custom Legal Marketing (CLM) decided to find out and shares the results in its latest Law Firm SEO Video Series.
As part of the company’s website development process, CLM seeks feedback from focus groups made up of individuals who have hired a lawyer in a particular practice area sometime in the past decade. Participants engage with the site prototype and provide their honest opinions. Here are the top five things CLM has learned from conducting focus groups over the years:
Website visitors are not going to contact a law firm unless they have a clear reason to do so. Chances are prospective clients will check out several other law firm websites before choosing one. Highlight your law firm’s unique selling points. Do you offer free consultations? What is your success rate? How many years of experience do your attorneys have? Such factors are likely to make your law firm stand out from competitors and help people decide to call you.
Law firms should share positive client testimonials directly on their website. CLM focus group participants seem to attach considerable value to client reviews, scoring their importance 4 out of 5. Although website visitors are likely to refer to Google, Yelp and other third-party sites, they ultimately expect to see reviews on the law firm’s website.
Detailed attorney bios matter as they are the second most visited page on most law firm websites, after the homepage. Not only should lawyers talk about their professional accomplishments and community involvement, but they should also share some personal details such as what they do in their leisure time.
Visitors pay attention to what lawyers are doing in the images on law firm websites. CLM focus groups have been known to give the same attorney opposite ratings simply because of what they are doing in the picture. Images of lawyers conducting a meeting or speaking with another partner usually receive higher scores. The key takeaway is to look relatable and relaxed in the picture in order to connect with website visitors.
Provide people with something to do on the site. Focus groups are fans of clickable, interactive elements. Along with boosting the amount of time visitors spend on the website, they also enhance the overall user experience. For example, lawyers can offer tips or explain a complicated topic in a simple way.