Did you know that newcomers to your website will spend ten seconds or less deciding if they want to stick around or move on?
That means you’ve got to grab their attention quick. Do that by clearly showing who you are, what your practice does, and why you’re the right lawyer for their needs.
“The headline, tagline and hero shot (the main image on the page) need to work together to show what you’re offering and why clients should choose your product or service,” according to this post in the US Chamber of Commerce website CO.
Another tip: make sure your site looks great on a mobile device.
“If you don’t already know, 80 percent of internet users own a smartphone,” according to the website Impact. “Google says 61 percent of users are unlikely to return to a mobile site they had trouble accessing and 40 percent visit a competitor’s site instead. But it’s more than just being responsive visually. It’s a necessity to tailor your site to fit the needs and wants of your visitors. Ask yourself, why would someone access my site on mobile? What things would they look for? Does my experience currently allow them to do those things easily?”
The end of the year is a stressful time for everyone, but it’s especially stressful for lawyers and legal professionals. Closing out case matters, completing Q4 financials, shopping for presents, making holiday plans. There never seem to be enough hours in the day to get everything done. The key to easing your stress could be Micro Self-Care. What’s Micro Self-Care? Attend our annual wellness webinar “Micro Self-Care: Small Steps for Big Success in Law and Life” on December 14 and find out. The presenter, Michael Kahn, is a JD and licensed therapist who concentrates in treating lawyers struggling with stress, depression, substance use disorders, and career issues. This free, one-hour webinar is the latest in Alta Pro’s ongoing series of cutting-edge legal education programs. Stay tuned for registration details, or shoot us an email and we’ll put you on the pre-registration list.
Your Website is a Living Thing
Just as your law practice is dynamic and ever-changing, so is your website.
“There is likely always room for improvement,” according to Christine Austin for Impact. “This is where running A/B tests comes in. Taking two variations of a page and testing them against each other can reveal if certain areas are creating issues for your users. In some cases, your pages may be performing quite well, but contain outdated information. A/B testing the page can show you how much of an effect the page’s content has on session duration or possibly conversions. In other cases, you may want to see if design updates could affect a page’s performance. Simple changes such as button colors, headers, or refining copy could make incredible differences in conversion rate.
Here is Austin’s 13-step plan for refreshing your website.
- Remove stock images and ambiguous terminology
- Include social share and follow buttons
- Implement calls-to-action
- Use the right imagery that works for your audience
- Create a navigation that guides users through your site
- Let your visitors scroll on your homepage
- Don’t be afraid of white space
- Stay mobile friendly
- Focus on SEO
- Never stop testing
- Find and fix 404s
- Create unique offerings
- Create content for your persona
Sources: Expert Strategies for Better Website Design (uschamber.com) and Impact.
If you practice in Wisconsin, Texas, Minnesota, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana or Michigan, you can stay on top of ethics and risk management news by being a member of Alta Pro Lawyers RPG. You’ll get access to free webinars, the Pro Practice Playbook, Reminger ProLink, Ask the Risk Pro and more. Here’s how to join.
