Until last year, most search engine results were text only and looked pretty bland.  The only way to stand out in the crowd was to be at the top of the list.  Then came Google’s revolutionary universal search, which introduced among other things thumbnails of video on Google's search results page.  It’s made a big impact, and other search engines like Yahoo and AOL have followed suit.

Sure, it seems obvious that an image or thumbnail in a sea of text is going to stand out and draw the user’s eye, but there’s proof that it works.  Google has been testing videos in their paid advertisements to compete for user’s attention.  In this New York Times article Marissa Mayer, Google’s vice president of search products and user experience tells us that "text ads are not as effective on pages with search results that include images and video. The eyes of users automatically gravitate to the images more than the text."  This also implies that regular text-only search results are also not as effective on pages with images and video.

So the value of a video thumbnail is clear.  If you want to stand out from the competition on the search engines, then the best option right now is to invest in online video.

Stephen Kmetz

Breaking the myth of the crammed Web site

My first real introduction to technology – at least in terms of something I was to interact with – was at the age of 9 when I used an Apple IIC to play Oregon Trail. And while I may have died a virtual death of cholera due to my lack of hunting skills (Hey, who hunts deer by walking in straight lines anyway?), leaving my wife, two children and a set of oxen to fend for themselves in the hostile American West, my “real” self loved this new world filled with pixels and floppy discs.

My first experience with the Internet, aside from being told that it was a series of inter-connected tubes, was late in college when I logged on to AOL; I indeed “had mail.” What a world. One interesting fact about the early years of the internet was the lack of page scrolling. AOL, for example, wouldn’t allow users to do any vertical scrolling, instead relying upon text fields and list boxes to display information (not to mention splash pages – yikes!). This new technology was limiting and, for me, a bit cumbersome.

The same can’t be said for my son whose first foray into technology - specifically that of the Internet - was at the ripe old age of 2. He could log onto the Web, open up his “favorites” folder and peruse a variety of Web links (Wiggles, Barney, Disney, et al). The amazing thing (and what is the most pertinent in terms of this article) was his natural inclination to scroll down the page. Inherent in his and each of our Web experiences is that we will and most definitely do scroll. By embracing this knowledge, FindLaw’s talented Web development teams don’t have to worry about cramming as much information and imagery at the top of a Web page as we first believed or were led to believe. We can now design open and user-friendly designs.

In the beginning (right around Al Gore’s creation of the Web) Web designers and developers looked at the Internet much the same way a newspaper editor looked at a newspaper. Most newspapers were (are) displayed to potential customers folded in half; meaning that only the top half of the front page is visible. Editors knew that this space, which they called “above the fold,” could convince a reader to buy the paper as it would be the first information viewed by their readers.

As time passed and research became made available to them, Web designers began to see that users may not necessarily come to the home page (think SEM and the value of targeted content) upon first visit to a Web site, instead coming to a more specific search-related page on a site. Also, users expected that whatever page they were to land on or visit, they would have to scroll. After scrolling became a consistent implementation on all Web sites, Web browsers alleviated the concern that users won’t scroll.

Famed Web expert Jakob Nielsen touched on this topic 3+ years ago when he said, “On the Web, users expect vertical scrolling. As with all standard design elements, it’s better to meet user expectations than to deviate.”

Nielsen also wrote that users will stick with a site as long as they feel that they are getting closer to their goal of finding the information they want. This search is referred to as the “search for sent.” Draw the user in with compelling imagery and pertinent text and they will continue to move through your site; this is where we come in.

When designers at FindLaw are asked by others (clients, the field, et al) to place as many elements above the fold as possible, the answer indubitably should be: “Where is the fold?” With viewing screens coming in all different sizes and resolutions – from iPhones, PDAs and Blackberrys to widescreen LCD monitors - where then is the fold? Unlike the aforementioned newspaper, the fold of a Web page has no fixed location. Most data shows that the largest majority of page “folds” can hover anywhere from 600 to 610 pixels – and this accounts for only 10% of the folds! If you add in the next few largest fold distributions (570 and 630 pixels), together they account for only 26% of fold locations. Basically, the fold is everywhere! How would you account for where the fold is since we don’t know what each user’s default font size, window size, or screen resolution is? If we design for one, we lose the rest. Braced with this knowledge and the current shift to Web 2.0’s cleaner and less cluttered sites, designers are more in tune with users as well as the presentation of information.

That said, FindLaw’s Web Designers do place great emphasis on what goes atop a Web page, but not at the sacrifice of the entire site - much less the user. The top of a FindLaw-created home page should, in most cases, answer these questions:

1. Who is the firm?
    • Name, location, practice area(s) focus
2. How can I contact them?
    • When and how (phone, email, what hours, etc).
3. Why choose this firm over the competitor?
    • Market differentiator

Answering these questions in a graphically powerful (and hopefully unique) way helps the user make a decision in a timely and non-frustrating way. With abundant data showing that the majority of Web users scroll and that most sites have a scroll-bar, we can better design sites, placing data and imagery throughout the site/page to improve the overall user-experience. Some liken this to the analogy of an attractive person who has no personality: If a site crams as much info as possible at the top of the page and leaves the rest of the site “empty,” the designer has failed. If a designer has a site that is well thought out and designed top-to-bottom, the site has a better chance to be successful — good-looking AND smart!

While the Web is littered with valuable data supporting that there is indeed no fold, here are a few very supportive metrics based off a 2006 (and a subsequent follow up in 2007) ClickTale* study of over 120,000 page-views:

• 91% of all pages viewed had a scroll-bar
• 76% of all pages viewed that had a scroll-bar were scrolled to some extent
• 22% of all pages viewed that had a scroll-bar were scrolled all the way to the bottom

Are users less likely to scroll to the bottom of a page? No. Visitors are equally likely to scan the entire page, no matter the length. As my 2-year old son proved (and seemingly anyone who uses the Web), people scroll until they find what they are looking for. Scrolling is also associated with Web 2.0 design because big, clear text and spacious, clean content implies longer Web pages.

What recommendations do the designers at FindLaw have for their clients (and the field)? Because users are more inclined to scan Web sites for data instead of reading a site line-by-line:

• Divide your layout into sections with graphics to draw the user in.
• Let your designers create a visually compelling header area to draw users in and make them want to scroll. (Click data research from CrazyEgg shows that even though a tag line may not be a link, users are clicking on it as they expect it to bring them someplace. Use this as an opportunity to sell your firm’s overall message and get users to delve deeper into the site.)
• Think of your firm in comparison to your competition. Why choose you? It’s not simply a matter of “we return phone calls promptly” (all firms do and should), but think larger — “We get results prior to court. We are former police officers. I am a former judge.”
• As users visually scroll, minimize written text (maintain the content minimum as to not affect the search engines’ ability to find your site) and maximize images. Entice users visually to stay on your site.
• Make the search box prominent as users find these mandatory in their search for answers or help.

In the end, trust your designer and the designer’s experience and expertise in creating sites that not only attract users, but engage them. Let your designer open up your site to give the user more visual breathing room and don’t fret that a user won’t know what to do; they are more savvy than we give them credit for.
...

Besides, you've been scrolling through this entire entry ;-)

*Data provided by ClickTale who collected a subset of roughly 120,000 page-views, as well as the research done by Jakob Nielsen.

Collin Hummel

Law firms with an effective Web presence have a tremendous opportunity to generate new business and enhance client service. Consumer research has shown us that 73% of consumers want a “feel for the personality of the lawyer,” and written words and static images are unable to completely satisfy this desire. Video is quickly becoming an indispensable part of a law firm’s Web site.

The results of a poll among participants to FindLaw's webcast "Video: The Next High-Impact Marketing Tool for Attorneys" shows that the topic is of great importance to attorneys. The majority of attendees indicated to be presently considering adding video to their law firm Web site.

I have video on my site - 9.7%
I have considered adding video but have not done so - 56.5%
I have not thought about adding video to my site - 24.2%
I have decided against adding video - 1.6%
My firm does not have a Web site - 8.0%

You are able to view the archive of the event by clicking here.

You can also get more information about online video on LawyerMarketing.com and learn how video on their website has benefited the practice of other attorneys.

Attorney Internet video is one of the most promising, innovative and powerful advertising methods available to win new clients.  Not only should your video be professional, succinct, and convey a sense of trust and loyalty, it should also be readily and easily viewed by prospects seeking your services online.  How can you make your video as accessible as possible?

As with the search engine marketing and optimization of your firm website, your professional attorney video should be treated in the same fashion.  Begin by displaying the video on your website and optimizing it to be easily found by and displayed on popular search engines such as Google.  Remember – prospective clients seeking your services online are twice as likely to retain you after watching your video.  

Another method of making your video accessible to prospective clients is to have it displayed on a professional legal web portal such as FindLaw.  Prospects searching the largest and most popular legal website in the US will have access to your video and be able to easily find and associate the services you provide in the practice area and geographical region you specialize in.

You can also display your video on 3rd party video portals such as YouTube, Brightcove, AOL Video, Yahoo! Video, etc.  Professional legal web portals like FindLaw also maintain legal TV channels within certain 3rd party video portals to help increase the visibility of attorney videos.

Why wait?  Online video has, and continues to experience tremendous growth.  Take advantage of the technology now and win new clients today.

Brian Ledis

Yes, you read that correctly, for FREE! Well, this is only partially true.  I assume that you have put a great deal of effort and resources to build a great website as the core of your marketing campaign. 

Now, thanks to the folks at Google, Yahoo! And MSN you can have a free local listing in their directories. All of them are really easy to set up and they provide some great benefits to your online visibility.

Mobile Visibility

Consider, for example, MSN’s business listing, which is used to power up searches on all Windows-Mobile-based-smartphones as well its MSN.com and Live.com sites.  Windows Mobile gives you the opportunity to reach about 25% of the domestic smartphone consumers at no cost to you.

Recent studies have shown that the number of people searching on their smartphone devices (Blackberry, Treo, iPhone, Pocket PC, etc.) has increased significantly in the last year.  Paul Burani examines the connection between the rise in mobile and local searching and concludes that this is only the beginning.  As the prices of smartphones continue to drop, while they get better and better, and as the mobile phone companies include more services in their packages, internet browsing becomes more and more prevalent. According to the Pew Internet & American Life Project, mobile data penetration is far higher amongst the African-American and (English-speaking) Hispanic populations than it is amongst the white population, which opens up numerous possibilities for reaching out to new customers.

Local Flexibility

There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that Google Maps, and their Local Business Center,  revolutionized the area of the local searching.  For years people had relied on the Yellow Pages or similar directories to deliver search results.  However, the combination of at-your-fingertips-results with customer ratings and map and directions has literally brought people to many small and medium business’ doorsteps.

Once you get past the creepy feeling that people can actually see a still photo of your office and the street in front of it, the Google Local Business Center is very flexible and easy to customize.  These days one can even add a video from YouTube.com.

Links, Links, Links

One of the biggest benefits to local internet listings is the links they provide back to your website.  While content is still king in the land of search engine optimization, having various inbound links from local directories can only help your site’s visibility and may increase traffic altogether. Unlike the more traditional paper directories, the internet local listings allow you the flexibility to target specific pages and change the link from time to time as needed.

It turns out that in the virtual world, just like in the real one, some of the best things really are free!

Slavey Tolev

Online Search Engine Optimization (SEO) needn’t be confusing. Think of a new recipe you’re trying out – you want to strike a balance between just the right quality and quantity of ingredients, because adding too much of any one ingredient may ruin that chicken casserole you’re cooking.
 
Your Web site needs constant tweaking and grooming to get listed on the search engines. Just like cooking, you can’t cheat by doing too much of one thing and not enough of another. Adding irrelevant keywords to your Web site would make it appear like spam. In our cooking example, this would be like dumping an excessive amount of sugar in your casserole.  It would be sweet, but would it be good?
 
Search engines relentlessly refine the accuracy of their search algorithm. Search engines don’t just grade your Web site on use of keywords, but also on content, links or use of video. Search engines are very picky about what is indexed and where it ranks in the index. How picky can a search engine be? Try this example: Search for dog bite attorney and Dog bite attorney, but note the uppercase D in the second set of search terms. At the time of posting this article, the position of several links changed or dropped off the first page by merely changing the case of “D” in dog bite.
 
The use of competitive search terms, like those found in legal Web sites, creates an even more difficult market to be visible in. There are many legal Web sites supplying the demand for legal content. Standing out from the crowd involves careful thought and expertise in your subject matter, and you need to employ the best keywords and all the other ingredients for that perfect casserole….I mean legal Web site.

Sam Chagani

In the crowded online marketplace for legal services, where Web sites struggle to attract attention, video is a terrific tool for communicating your unique message in a format consumers enjoy. A well crafted online video can help you connect with more prospects, and promote your firm in a way that's both personal and highly professional.

Consumers research an average of 4.8 Web sites before choosing an attorney, but when video is added that number decreases to 1.8 because consumers feel more comfortable and are more apt to retain an attorney who they feel they know. The bottom line is- video generates Web site hits and telephone calls, and it's an engaging, customer-friendly format.

Register for our Web cast today to learn more about the following:

• Why Video?
  The next high-impact marketing tool for attorneys
• Attracting qualified leads
  Video search engine optimization & distribution
• Delivering Results
  Video that converts prospects and serves clients
• Getting your money's worth
  Evaluating return on investment
• Ethical Considerations
  Register for this Web cast. We have two highly qualified speakers prepared to provide insight into why video is the next high-impact marketing tool for attorneys, as well as to answer any questions you may have:

Don Sowers
Takakjian, Sowers & Sitkoff LLP
www.formerdistrictattorneys.com

Don Sowers has been a FindLaw customer for over eight years. He is the managing partner of Takakjian, Sowers & Sitkoff LLP, a Criminal Defense firm with offices throughout Southern California. Previously, he served as a Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney and as Chairman of the Los Angeles County Bar Association's Criminal Justice Section. Don was an early adopter on the Internet, posting the first of his seven sites on the web back in 1999. He has been a presenter on Internet marketing panels and he participated in the Beta version of FindLaw's Internet video production.

Laura Hamad
FindLaw Video Project Manager
www.LawyerMarketing.com

Laura Hamad graduated summa cum laude from Minnesota State University Moorhead with a degree in Mass Communications. She worked in communications at the state teacher's union before joining the Project Management team at FindLaw in August of 2006. Laura has been working with FindLaw video products since the first video beta began in August of 2007.

As a Video Project Manager, Laura helps her clients identify and create the story for each of their videos. She then directs the video shoot, ensuring that the client's vision gets captured during the day.

Thursday, May 29, 2008
11:00-12:00pm CST

Thursday, May 29, 2008
3:00-4:00pm CST

My legal education began after law school when I started working for Dakota County’s largest employer: Thomson Reuters.  I sold Westlaw online legal research and print publications to new and existing customers, all of them sole practitioners and small law firms.

During my tenure as a sales representative, I learned the features of Westlaw inside and out – as I learned the lawyer’s mind inside and out – through 50 cold calls a day, relating to varied personalities, and closing contracts.  My job in sales was to market our products to lawyers. 

In my current role as attorney editor at FindLaw, my job is to market the legal services of those same lawyers to prospective clients.  I am still a “humble peddler”, as a fellow cube mate in sales often said; instead of hawking the company’s wares, I hawk those of the lawyer.

I am uniquely situated for this – like every member of my team – not only because I am a lawyer but because I grew up fused to the computer since birth.  I understand the Web’s mind as I understand the lawyer’s. 

The lawyer craves authoritative pillow talk on the common law.  The Web, however, craves hits and clicks.  My job is to introduce hits and clicks to the common law and create a Web site with, as we say at FindLaw, “well-written content specifically designed to achieve your business goals – the conversion of Web visitors to clients.”    

When Mr. Smith is charged with drunk driving, you want the Web and the lawyer to understand each other.  If they do, Mr. Smith will be client Smith, and that’s lawyer marketing.

Chris Bradley

 

About Your Firm

The Firm Overview Should Be the Heart of Your Web Site

One of the most important pages on your Web site could be your Firm Overview (sometimes called About the Firm). It's the perfect place for your law firm to really distinguish itself-if you do it right.

In earlier columns I wrote about differentiating your site from your competitors with credentials and service statements, and giving your site personality. Your Firm Overview page is a critical carrier of this kind of valuable, "soft" information.

Do you have an inspiring or even a heart-rending story about the circumstances that led you to a law career? Tell your clients so they'll know your heart is in your work and you understand the challenges they face.

Does your firm have a mission statement? If it's meaningful to you and it demonstrates your commitment to your clients, this is the perfect place to share it.

Customers want to know that the law firm they are working with is made up of real people who care. After all, they are trusting you with their finances, their families, and their futures. Show them who you are and you'll set yourself apart.

If you can't inspire, at least inform

Okay, you can't think of anything inspirational to say about your municipal law firm. You just started your real estate practice and you don't have a good story to tell. At the very least, your Firm Overview page can be a good place to include useful information that doesn't fit elsewhere on your site.

• Your hours of operation
• Languages your staff speak
• Whether you make home or hospital visits
• Resources your firm offers to clients
• Publications or media stories
• Your willingness to speak to groups on legal subjects

So before you decide to ditch that Firm Overview, think about what your prospective clients might want to know about you. Use this unique space to help your firm stand out. It may be your only chance to do so.

Check out the entire series on how your law firm Web site can stand out:

• "I don't like to brag, but...." Don't let modesty prevent you from telling people what they want and need to know
• You Don't Say: Letting others say it for your with testimonials and representative cases
• "We Answer our Phones:" How to set your firm apart with real service statements
• Memorable or Mockable: How much personality is too much personality for a Web site?

Leslie MacKenzie

 

Memorable, Not Mockable

How Much Personality is Too Much Personality

You have an office dog (or cat). You serve on the board of a controversial nonprofit. You wrote...a law book, a series of legal advice columns, a mystery novel. You feel strongly about holding nursing homes accountable because your own grandparent was abused in a long-term care facility.

In addition to being a lawyer, you are a unique individual with a story of your own. But how much of that uniqueness do you want to share with prospective clients on your law firm Web site?

Standing out from the crowd

When your prospective client is searching for a law firm on Google or Yahoo, they are going to visit several sites on that first search engine results page. Will yours stand out enough that they click on it? Is it memorable enough to go back after looking at a few others?

It's vitally important that you stand out from the competition. In earlier articles I wrote about using credentials and service statements to position your firm in the minds of your prospective clients. Giving your Web site a distinct "personality" is one more way to differentiate yourself.

Unfortunately, many lawyers think that the very idea of personality is extreme. They equate "professional" with boring and settle for forgettable.

Don't fall for that.

There are many excellent legal Web sites that reach viewers hearts and have them reaching for the phone because they've communicated who the lawyers and law firm really are.

• He shared why he became a lawyer.
• She told stories about cases that were important to her.
• They demonstrated that they are involved in their community.
• She included inspirational quotes.
• They've convinced readers that they understand and they care.

Think it only works for small firms? Think again.

Sure, it's easier for a solo practitioner to share personal stories, but big firms can have personalities, too. I wrote a site for a law firm that had been working in labor law for more than 100 years. Their Firm Overview page had a wonderful photo of their founder with labor leaders from the turn of the last century. You just knew that they were a dedicated group carrying on a proud tradition.

Far out and too far out

Local conditions should figure prominently in determining how much personality will be acceptable.

For example, in some states and in smaller towns attorneys often ask me if it's a good idea to acknowledge their Christian faith on the law firm Web site. I ask them if it informs their practice of law (usually family law or estate planning). If they say it greatly influences their approach to clients, then I think they are only being truthful when they mention it on their site. It may be an important selling point to someone looking for a lawyer who will take their religious views seriously.

On the other hand, I've seen a few prima donna personalities who engage in things I think never work on the Web, such as:
• Political rants (unless you're running for public office or willing to exclude a sizeable percentage of your potential clientele)
• Fanciful imagery that fails to capture the serious nature of your work (I can't think of a time a unicorn belongs on a law firm Web site)
• Irrelevant information, like restaurant reviews or photos of lawyers schmoozing at social events... ho hum.

So take a little risk-a calculated risk-and let your personality shine through, but stay focused on how that ultimately serves the client.

Watch for upcoming blog on how to help your law firm Web site stand out:

• About Your Firm: The Firm Overview Should Be the Heart of Your Web Site

Leslie MacKenzie

 

We Answer Our Phones

Differentiating Your Firm with Real Service Statements

You're going to think I'm kidding, but it's not uncommon for lawyers to tell me that what differentiates their law firm from the firm down the street is the fact that they answer their phone.

I'm here to tell you that answering your phone is NOT a marketing differentiator. It's a basic expectation. You're not going to get brownie points for doing it. Neither will returning phone calls, or offering a vague promise of "personal service."

Service can be a strong market differentiator in law firm Web marketing but only if it reflects your law firm's concern for the needs of your clients and demonstrates your effectiveness in providing quality legal representation.

What IS personal service, anyway?

Here are more than a few service statements that stand out in my mind:

• Phone calls returned by the end of the business day or within 24 hours
• 24-hour answering service
• A cell phone number to reach the attorney
• Weekend and evening appointments
• Handicapped accessible office space (especially for personal injury firms or those that serve seniors)
• A playroom for children of clients
• Exceptionally experienced staff with specialized skills
• Staff or lawyers who speak the clients' language
• A team approach to handling cases
• A dedicated investigative team
• Assistance processing insurance claims
• A shared computer workspace that allows lawyers and clients to work together online
• Videoconferencing capabilities that allowed the law firm to work effectively with clients in other states and overseas

Large firm, small firm dimensions of service

Service statements work for both large firms and solo practitioners. Large firms can make the most of their extensive resources. But the challenges a large firm face are those of creating a human face (you're more than a corporation), and communicating that every client is treated with care, as an individual, not as a case number.

Smaller firms can really excel with service statements because of their greater ability to work one-on-one with clients. Think creatively about ways to communicate that benefit. And don't be afraid to use the first person singular voice. "I work hard to protect your interests" is a very strong statement that, coupled with credentials and testimonials can quickly earn you your readers' trust.

So before you talk with your Web writer, talk with your partners and staff. Think about what clients have had to say about your firm...what they've appreciated about working with you. And turn those positive traits into positive service statements.

Watch for upcoming blogs on how to help your law firm Web site stand out:

• Memorable or Mockable: How much personality is too much personality for a Web site?
• About Your Firm: The Firm Overview Should Be the Heart of Your Web Site

Leslie MacKenzie

 

You Don't Say

Letting Others Say it for You with Testimonials and Representative Cases

In my last article, I started to talk about ways to distinguish your law firm from other law firms on the Web. It's vitally important to make it obvious to your visitors why they should call you, rather than another attorney and I listed four ways to do that.

1. Communicate your credentials
2. Let others speak for you with testimonials and representative cases
3. Differentiate your firm with service statements
4. Let your personality shine

Now we're going to look at ways to use testimonials and representative cases on your site.

Web readers don't like to read puffery and self-congratulatory statements, but they do want to know that the lawyers and the firm they are considering hiring has been successful. The value of testimonials and representative cases is that someone else is saying good things about you, without you needing to say it yourself.

Testimonials can be extremely effective and motivating. They aren't allowed by every state ethics board, but if they are allowed in yours, consider looking through your thank-you files for letters you've received from grateful past clients. Look for letters that are short and that mention the issue (watch for search keywords). Ask clients for permission before you post them, and include a name or partial name.

Representative cases are another great opportunity to strut your stuff on your law firm Web site, quietly. When writing up an effective case, provide some non-identifying information about the client, a brief description of the legal issue, and note the result (for example, a verdict or settlement, acquittal, or dropped charges). If there were some particular challenges you faced in the case, share it.

Representative cases have the added benefit of being rich in search terms that will help your Web site get found in search engines. They often rank high in search results. And what better place to enter your Web site than on a page that highlights your successes!

It's all about standing out. If you need some advice about how to gather this kind of material, whether it should be a separate page or a blurb on a specific legal practice page, or what amount of detail to include, your writer or editor can offer guidance.

Watch for upcoming blogs on how to help your law firm Web site stand out:

• "We Answer our Phones:" How to set your firm apart with real service statements
• Memorable or Mockable: How much personality is too much personality for a Web site?
• About Your Firm: The Firm Overview Should Be the Heart of Your Web Site

Leslie MacKenzie

 

Editing (or Writing) Your Law Firm Web Site

You've received a draft of your Web site content and ... it's not exactly what you had in mind. The writer used the word "appeals"; you would have used the word "appellate." The writer didn't note published legal opinions on the home page. The writer didn't list the specific criteria for bringing a case to court.

Now you've taken out your red pen and you're poised for action.

Before you take a pass through that content, pause for a moment and think about the people who will actually be reading (or more likely, scanning) those words.

• Do you see busy mom and pop business owners?
• How about grandma and grandpa? They've managed to get through life with only a high school education, but can they get through your Web site?
• Are your clients immigrants who are struggling with English?
• Are they the couple next door-worried, anxious, fearful, or in pain?

For most law firms, most clients are not other attorneys. They are everyday people who are looking for a lawyer who speaks everyday English. Even if they have a college degree, they don't have a degree in law. They aren't familiar with legal terms, like tort, and they don't understand the court system.

If you really want your law firm Web site to communicate with these people, you must use the words they use. That's what your writer is trying to do, in addition to using the words you need to be found in the search engines.

You've got less than 1 minute to make your point

You will spend at least a few and possibly many hours carefully reviewing every word of your law firm Web site. But your clients won't. The most time an average client will spend on a page is 1 minute, and usually it's half that time: 30 to 45 seconds!

Yes, it's important to have good, accurate information on your pages, but it's absolutely vital to communicate quickly and clearly.

You'd better make it good

Readability is critical to communicating your message. In order to craft highly readable content, your writer has:

• Avoided technical words when non-technical words were available
• Made sentences shorter and limited the number of clauses
• Kept paragraphs succinct and focused on one topic
• Used widely accepted Web conventions to highlight important points (bullets, boxes, and bold, but no underlines, for example)
• Kept an eye on the readability statistics (reading grade level and reading ease scores) of his or her content and tried to improve readability while still communicating your message

That doesn't mean the content is perfect. Building a law firm Web site is an interactive process. Your participation is critical. You are the content expert and you know your clients better than anyone else.

Rewrite a paragraph, tweak words here and there... these changes can lead to big improvements in reaching your clients. On the other hand, adding legalese in the editing process can quickly undo the work of helping your Web site perform effectively.

Writing readable legal Web content is an art. If you have questions about how your content has been written, make a note about it and talk with your editor. He or she has helped hundreds of attorneys build Web sites that work. Your editor can coach you on the most effective way to make changes to your content so that you really do accomplish your Web marketing goals.

Leslie MacKenzie

 

Marketing encompasses much more than just Web sites, but your law firm Web site should be the foundation for all other aspects of your marketing effort.

• Your Web site is working for you 24 hours a day.

• It can be updated regularly, allowing your firm to be responsive to breaking legal news and changing conditions.

• Unlike print advertising, you're not confined to a fraction of a page. You have almost unlimited potential to get your message and brand across in words and images.

• Unlike television or radio advertising, your message will be seen by exactly those folks who want to know more about you and what you do.

Are you taking advantage of the potential the Web offers you?

As a marketing copywriter for FindLaw, I've talked with hundreds of lawyers from all across the U.S. Many of them have the same questions-and feel the same uncertainty-about positioning themselves on the Web. In coming weeks, I'll be writing about ways you can approach the initial or ongoing development of your legal Web site, as well as ways to handle marketing challenges.

Your FindLaw sales rep is always the best source of information on local conditions and local competition, but ultimately, when it comes to the nitty gritty of positioning yourself on the Web, you are the final authority (even if you don't feel like one at the moment).

I hope the issues I'll be discussing in upcoming articles will help you develop your Web marketing savvy and spur you to think about what your goals should be.

Watch for these topics

• Avoid the Legalese, Please: Editing (or writing) your law firm Web site
• "I don't like to brag, but...." Don't let modesty prevent you from telling people what they want and need to know
• You Don't Say: Letting others say it for your with testimonials and representative cases
• "We Answer our Phones:" How to set your firm apart with real service statements
• Memorable or Mockable: How much personality is too much personality for a Web site?
• The Firm Overview Page: The heart of your law firm Web site
• I, We, And They: Which voice will be more effective for your law firm Web site?
• The Path to Greatness: Taking your visitors from curious to calling
• Enough or Too much: The art of being informational
• Enough or Too Much - Redux: Creating a Mix of Value-Added Pages
• Small Can Be Beautiful: A small Web site can get big results
• And On This Side of the Ring: Is it possible to reach conflicting audiences with one Web site?

A bit about your writer

I started my career on the Web in 1995 with a research Web site focused on practical media ethics. I cringe to think of all the opportunities I missed in those early days, but even then I knew that a Web site was only one part of an integrated marketing plan. In addition to hundreds of pages of content, I expanded my organization's Web presence through participation in online conversations to raise our visibility as an authoritative source of information.

Later, as a fundraising professional, I produced Web content, coordinated Web and print media, and conducted Web audits with a focus on usability and fundraising best practices.

I joined FindLaw as a marketing copywriter in 2005. I love the opportunity to talk to lawyers about their work. Not only is it fascinating, it's valuable. There are times in every person's life when they truly need a lawyer. By crafting a Web site that reflects the unique personality of each law firm I work with-a Web site that gets found by the search engines and read by prospective clients-I hope I'm helping people find the lawyer who is just right for them.

It could be you.

Leslie MacKenzie

 

And On This Side of the Ring

Is it Possible to Reach Two Mutually Exclusive Audiences with One Web Site?

Imagine I'm your potential client:

• I've just suffered through years of harassment in my workplace. Do I want to know my lawyer defends bosses as well as injured workers?

• I'm a mom fighting to get child support. Do I want to hear that my lawyer is friendly to the "father's rights" movement?

• My insurance company is trying to stiff me on my homeowner's or business claim. Do I want to know that the firm works defends insurance companies, too?

No, I don't. It's that simple-from your client's perspective. It's anything but simple for you and your law firm.

When a law firm tells me they aren't getting many calls from their "we do everything" Web site, I check the search engine traffic results to see if people are finding the page. If people are getting there but they aren't making the call, then I look at what might be limiting the effectiveness of the marketing message.

All too often on sites that try to play both sides of the fence, I find a weak marketing message that couldn't convince an Eskimo to wear gloves in January. With vaguely worded pages that don't make clear who the clients are or what the firm can do for them, who can be surprised at lackluster results.

Sure, the best lawyers understand the competition

Lawyers tell me that handling both sides of the issue is a real advantage because they understand how the other side views a case. I have no doubt that is true, and I can try to explain that to your prospective client but you must know you have a big hurdle to overcome.

Your prospective client can just as easily choose a firm focused exclusively on their needs. So you're going to have to make a very strong case. If you can't, or won't because it might offend the other side, then don't try to speak to both parties on the same site.

But the lawyers with the most clients are those who understand the clients

Often it's just better to keep the two sides separate. You can try two separate pages on the same site, but a more effective strategy is to have two different sites (one could be small). You can also consider a landing page.

A landing page contains a larger amount of keyword-rich content. It's meant to attract traffic and bring it into your site. But the landing page is not found on the navigation bar of your Web site, so it's also a good way to attract a niche audience without bringing attention to this audience on your site.

You can also consider an expert site, which has several highly focused pages.

Understand your goals, then develop a strategy to meet them

When you work with mutually exclusive audiences, you face a challenge. Don't answer the challenge by choosing to be inoffensive and ineffective. You wanted a Web site for a reason. Find a strategy that will allow you to reach your prospective clients with the strongest marketing message you've got. It's the only thing that will work.

Check out earlier articles on planning for your law firm Web site

• I, We, And They: Which voice will be more effective for your law firm Web site?
• The Path to Greatness: Taking your visitors from curious to calling
• Enough or Too much: The art of being informational
• Enough or Too Much - Redux: Creating a Mix of Value-Added Pages
• Small Can Be Beautiful: A small Web site can get big results

Leslie MacKenzie

 

Small CAN Be Beautiful

When a Small Web Site Can Get Big Results

While search engines certainly do reward large, custom-written Web sites with higher search engine rankings, there are situations in which a small Web site can still deliver the results you need.

For more than a year I worked on the smallest sites that FindLaw produces, with six to nine pages. In that time, I've been lucky enough to hear from several of my clients about the results they've achieved with their small site. Some of those results have been surprising: a national reach, first page Google rankings, calls coming in primarily from qualified clients. What more can you ask for?

Can six pages really perform as well as 46?

Well, I wouldn't go that far. But I would say that if conditions are right you may be quite pleased with the results a small primary or supplemental site can achieve.

• The Right Geographic Area: A smaller site can be very effective in rural areas or suburban areas that are less often targeted by large firms.

• The Right Practice Area: Niche practices can also do well. Special education law, energy law, condo law-far fewer firms are tackling these issues so you have a real chance to stand out. Even if your firm practices one of the big three-family law, criminal defense, personal injury-if you tackle a niche area you're likely to dominate the search engines. (Think cruise ship accidents, international child custody issues, or public corruption).

• The Right Content: Small, focused sites with keyword-rich content and spot-on marketing messages can smoke the competition. On the other hand, unfocused sites that try to do too much are unlikely to perform.

So how do you make a small site effective?

Think of it like a starter home. Use every square inch and adverb effectively. Set reasonable goals and plan for growth.

• Do you handle 10 areas of law? Pick a few to focus on. When your Web investment is paying for itself, upgrade and add more content.
• Some of my clients have purchased multiple small sites for different aspects of their law practice. By linking sites together, they've created a strong Web presence.
• Expand your reach with translated Spanish language pages
• Consider adding your own informational content

Sometimes a large site is going to be necessary to achieve your goals, but depending upon your law practice, small can be beautiful.

Watch for more issues to consider when planning for your law firm Web site

• And On This Side of the Ring: Is it possible to reach conflicting audiences with one Web site?

Leslie MacKenzie

 

Enough or Too Much

The Art of Being Informational

Most people are not "ready to buy" when they sit down at the computer to search for a lawyer. They are at a much earlier stage in the decision-making process. They may only recently have become aware of their need, or they may be in the active consideration phase.

When they get to your law firm Web site, they want to learn something about:

• Their legal problem
• How you help people who have their legal problem
• You and your law firm

They won't find all of the information they need on any one page. You don't want them to. A page like that would be too long and would overload them with information.

Instead, you want to provide them with bits of useful information all along a path from their entry point until they reach the Contact Us page.

Informational content helps the client go deeper

Lawyers often tell me they want heavily informational pages. An information-dense page can really add value to your site, and to your users' experience, by:

• Building your credibility as an expert
• Providing helpful information
• Giving the reader somewhere to go to learn more, and
• Grabbing the attention of the search engines because it contains many of the keywords people are searching on

But informational pages do have their limits. They are attractive to highly motivated readers who are willing to invest the time and energy to read complex information online. They are not so helpful to people in the early or late stages of the buying process.

Marketing content does the heavy lifting

That's why it's important to have easily accessible pages that provide general information, overlaid with a clear marketing message that distinguishes your firm from others. These pages are crafted to attract prospective clients and motivate them to contact you.

Information content can be valuable and it's content that you can add to your site to create value for your clients. But informational content should not be the only thing your site provides if you want to convert viewers to callers. And that is your ultimately goal, isn't it?

Watch for more issues to consider when planning for your law firm Web site

• Enough or Too Much - Redux: Creating a Mix of Value-Added Pages
• Small Can Be Beautiful: A small Web site can get big results
• And On This Side of the Ring: Is it possible to reach conflicting audiences with one Web site?

Leslie MacKenzie

 

The Path to Greatness

Taking Your Prospect from Curious to Calling

When people go to the Web to choose a lawyer, they are looking for information to help them make a decision. Different types of Web pages provide different kinds of information. Ultimately, those pages should work together to convince the client to e-mail or call.

Ideally, the first page your prospective client will come to should be a page with information about exactly the topic he or she was looking for, so they don't have to search all over your site and possibly leave in frustration. For example,

• A client facing a DUI charge in New Jersey should arrive at a New Jersey-specific DUI page.
• A client wondering if they have a personal injury case after a slip and fall in a government building should arrive at a premises liability or slip and fall page. Ideally, that page will also talk about the unique challenges of bringing a case against the government-and how you have handled them in the past.

Don't worry if they didn't arrive at your home page. I realize that sounds all wrong because most people think of their home page as the star of the show. But the truth is, your home page is really more of a comfort zone. It tells visitors they are in the right place and orients them to your site. They check out your home page to figure out where to go next.

So what else is there to see on your site?

Web content is made for traveling through... give your readers a map that leads somewhere and ultimately takes them to your contact form.

If you've got lots of potentially relevant content, they may click through to a few more practice-specific pages or perhaps look through that criminal defense FAQ. If you've intrigued them, they may check out your firm overview and attorney profiles.

There are a lot of different types of information you can provide. Most people will visit 3 or 4 pages before they finally arrive at the Contact Us form. Give them some good options. Think creatively about adding pages you generate yourself (watch for upcoming tips on adding informational pages). Encourage your readers to look, but don't wander too far off track.

In the end, your goal is to get them to that Contact Us page. And when they get there, don't distract them with other links. The only option you want your clients to have is the option to hit SEND.

Watch for more issues to consider when planning for your law firm Web site

• Enough or Too much: The art of being informational
• Enough or Too Much - Redux: Creating a Mix of Value-Added Pages
• Small Can Be Beautiful: A small Web site can get big results
• And On This Side of the Ring: Is it possible to reach conflicting audiences with one Web site?

Leslie MacKenzie

I, We, They

Which Voice Is Most Effective for Your Web Site

Your Web site is your first conversation with your prospective clients. How are you going to talk to them?

The first person voices-I and we-come across as friendly and informal. These words subtly convey the message "I am on your side" and "We are in this together." When you are helping people with highly sensitive issues, like divorce, estate planning, and criminal defense, the first person voice immediately begins to build a trusting, personal relationship.

On the other hand, sometimes you really can have too much of a good thing when that informal "I" begins to sound self-centered and boastful and "we" takes on the air of a member of the royal family.

The third person voice-they-is formal, distant, impersonal and therefore some people feel it is more "professional." Please don't equate professional with impersonal. There are many ways to convey a professional demeanor without resorting to impersonal.

On the other hand, in some locations and for some types of law practices, formal is very much the tone you want to convey. Municipal law, administrative law, appellate law, insurance defense, business litigation-these types of practices often benefit from a very formal tone and a third person voice.

Difficult choices

Which voice should you choose if your law firm handles a dozen different practice areas, serving both businesses and individuals? Should you have different voices for different pages, depending upon the needs of your audience?

Absolutely not; stick with one voice across your site and choose a voice that matches the tone of your firm. After all, your Web site is a reflection of your law firm. When you choose a formal or a personal tone, you are preparing your prospective clients for what they will encounter when they visit your office and get to know you. Be yourself.

The dreaded "I" word

Quite often I hear from solo practitioners who are afraid to use the "I" word. They inevitably give me three reasons:

1) It doesn't sound professional (not true, any voice can sound professional)

2) It sounds self-centered (that's possible, but it needn't be the case)

3) They don't want Web site visitors to think they are a solo practitioner

This last one is a real problem.

Facts are facts. If you are a solo practitioner, it's an ethical violation to suggest otherwise. Don't try to hide behind a vague "they." Your attorney profile page is only going to show one attorney so you're not going to fool anyone.

My advice is to take a powerful position. Speak with a firm, singular voice. Solo practitioners can do things lawyers in larger firms can't do. Make the most of that with effective service statements. When you say, "I protect your interests. I'm here for you," that's the strongest statement a lawyer can make to a client. It's the real message your clients want to hear.

Wrapping up the pronouns

So what voice will be the most effective for your site and your clients? You choose. Just remember to:

• Get the facts straight-the right voice for the number of attorneys in your firm

• Get your community straight-formal or down home, either can work

• Get the client straight-how much trust do you need to build right from the start

Watch for more issues to consider when planning your law firm Web site

• The Path to Greatness: Taking your visitors from curious to calling
• Enough or Too much: The art of being informational
• Enough or Too Much - Redux: Creating a Mix of Value-Added Pages
• Small Can Be Beautiful: A small Web site can get big results
• And On This Side of the Ring: Is it possible to reach conflicting audiences with one Web site?

Leslie MacKenzie

Information is power, but what's more powerful is how you use that information. The current information age is akin to the 19th century industrial revolution - as technologyevolves at an exponential pace, we must learn to quickly harness its power so that we may wield information like a sword. And what good is a sword if one can't wield it?

Knowledge of the law is also power, but even more powerful is the successful practice of law - in both the economic and practical sense. To harness this power you must let clients know that your services are available, and that you are experts in your field of practice.

By combining the powers of information, technology and marketing, a law firm can quickly achieve great success. This is where online advertising comes into play. The world is rapidly changing and as we embrace technology it becomes incorporated and ingrained into our daily lives. Rarely does anyone search the phone book for goods and services anymore. The internet has replaced it as a much more powerful and user friendly tool.

Online advertising comes in many forms and depending on the goal you set for your advertising dollars, the results can vary. At FindLaw we specialize in marketing solutions for law firms and measure success by "Conversion," which is the ratio of your advertising efforts to leads converted into clients.

A fairly recent development in the world of online advertising is the utilization of Rich Media . Rich Media is defined as the use of multimedia (video, audio, text, animation, still images) that allows for active participation by the recipient. A popular example of rich media used in online advertising is Flash Animation . Flash Animation brings a static (still) advertisement to life. Imagine a full color ad in the Sunday paper leaping out of the page, moving and blinking. This is how Flash Animation enhances online advertisements.

Another popular form of Rich Media is video. With video ads a law firm can reach out directly to their target clients and build a sense of trust, warmth and respect immediately. A lawyer's personality, professional image and expertise can be transferred through a video advertisement. Static ads and print ads (phone book) cannot do this effectively. Prospective clients often have to overcome the barrier of trust when choosing an attorney and video is the most effective method of hastening this connection.

In summary, a law firm must utilize all of the tools available to become successful. Embracing technology and the information age will only enhance the efforts put forth by the firm to grow and obtain new clients.

Brian Ledis