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Today, practicing law has a digital component. There has been a major shift in how we conduct business, and the legal field is no exception. It is no longer enough to stand behind your expertise and reputation. Don’t get us wrong: these are absolutely critical. But to reach potential clients and to build trust in a way that resonates with them, you need a strong online presence. Online marketing for lawyers is a 21st century must.

The Why Behind Websites for Lawyers

When people have a legal problem - whether they were involved in a car accident, need a criminal attorney, or have to take action against a manufacturer for defective products - they do not turn to an attorney. They turn to Google.

When your web game is strong, they find the preliminary answers they need to proceed with confidence: no, you’re “giving away the farm,” so to speak. They still need legal representation; your presence helps them feel confident contacting you and making you their solution.

The question is, where do you start? With your website. Think of it as a doorway through which you want to invite potential new clients. Is it inviting? Do they feel safe? Do they trust you? To ensure the answers are “Yes,” try these tips for effective websites for lawyers.

1. Make Sure It’s Fast

The speed at which your website loads plays an important role in your ability to convert searchers to clients. If someone lands on your site, particularly via a mobile device, and it doesn’t load within a second or two, they will leave. Online users are notoriously impatient! But, moreover, so is Google. Speed is a major factor in your search engine results - mostly because it affects the user experience so significantly.

Tip: Use Google’s PageSpeed Insights tool. Copy and paste your site’s URL into the box, hit “Analyze,” and see what your score is. A perfect 100 is rare, but you want to shoot for a “Good” or better on mobile and desktop. This tool will also give you a list of suggestions to improve your speed.

2. Make Friends with Mobile

We look for everything from restaurants to theaters to dates on-the-go. Mobile traffic has exploded: searches are not as heavily concentrated in the legal field though. According to one study, mobile accounts for about 21 to 57 percent of law firms’ traffic. Criminal lawyers are at the higher end of that spectrum, and that field and personal injury see similar conversion rates for desktop and mobile.

That said, offering a mobile-friendly website allows you to reach an audience that may not have access to desktops. Or they may need an answer to their queries immediately. Either way, mobile is not really an option for any business today. Ask your developer how you can integrate mobile-ready capability into your strategy.

3. Go Local

The internet allows businesses to expand their reach literally around the world. But, by nature, legal representation tends to be localized. People are searching for phrases like “personal injury attorney in West Palm Beach” or “maritime lawyers in Miami.” To attract the traffic and leads you need to convert, you need to rank well in these types of searches.

Develop content with the local user top of mind, providing city/state-specific information. Next, go back to basics and make sure your website pages have your address and phone number clearly displayed.

4. Always Be Converting

When you optimize your site for conversions, you give users a positive experience. They can easily find the information they want, at any time they need; they can access live chat so you appear to be available all day, everyday; they can click on your phone number with their mobile device; they can fill out a simple contact form; and they can read testimonials from other clients you have helped. All of this works to build trust and confidence.

5. Track Your Results

Effective websites for lawyers are not one-and-done; they require ongoing attention to remain relevant and optimized. Use analytics tools (Google has a full suite of free options and an website development/management agency partner can help with this continued effort). Take a look at what’s performing well and what could be improved upon. Where are there opportunities waiting for you to seize?

What are you waiting for? Online marketing for lawyers is essential in today’s fast-paced, ultra-competitive environment. To provide the highly personalized, compassionate representation your clients need, you must first communicate your authority, expertise, experience, and trustworthiness online.