First impressions are crucial
and today it’s your website that gives the first glimpse of your practice to
potential clients. If it’s been a while since you took a good look at your
site, it’s time to look again. In this article, we’ll be going over 10 reasons
why you should update your law firm’s website. 

Design

Attorneys are typically more inclined to focus on content and less on aesthetics. However, an outdated or poorly designed website will drive your potential clients away before they ever get to your content.

1. Visual designs

Many attorneys create a
website when they first set up their practice, but fail to keep it current as
time goes on. While website updates probably aren’t high on your priority list,
they should be: potential clients visiting your site may well decide to take
their business elsewhere if your site doesn’t look current. Your content,
layouts, and even your fonts or color choices can convey that your site is
outdated, leading visitors to look elsewhere. While it might not seem fair, a
well-designed website with poor content will hold a potential client's
attention longer than a poorly designed website with quality content.

2. Optimization for different devices

Websites are viewed on devices
of all shapes and sizes. While your website may have an acceptable user
experience on a desktop, more people may be looking at it on their smartphones
or tablets. Your site should be optimized for all devices to provide a smooth
experience on multiple platforms and to be given appropriate ranking by the
major search engines. 

3. User experience

Bad design leads to a bad user
experience, which quickly drives away potential clients. If your site is
unresponsive or unintuitive, visitors aren’t going to spend much time on it.
Website design is constantly evolving, so something as simple as an outdated
navigation system can be a deal-breaker. 

Technology

Legal websites used to be
little more than digital business cards with descriptions of services and basic
contact information. Today, there are many potential features you can add to
your website to make it appear more professional and help you draw in more
clients.

4. Keeping features current

Without regular upkeep, a
website that once was cutting edge will eventually contain features that no longer
work. It could be something as simple as dead links, or something far more
crucial to your business, such as a testimonial page or contact information.

5. Engaging with potential clients

Your website can also act as an effective engagement tool. Whether it’s a contact form or a real-time chat feature, you want your website to help you connect with your potential clients quickly and effectively.

6. Ability to search easily and efficiently

Whether the user is looking
for information about a particular member of your firm or information about one
of the fields in which your firm specializes, the ability to search with
filters provides a great user experience and encourages people to use your
site.

7. Website speed

Inefficient design leads to a
slow website, and the longer your site takes to load, the more potential
clients you will lose, not to mention that it will be penalized by the major
search engines Large images and cumbersome coding or plugins can needlessly
slow your website.

Content

The content of your website can fulfill a variety of purposes. It gives you a platform to illustrate your knowledge and successes, while also actively drawing in more visitors if done right. Most importantly, good content can be your best marketing tool. 

8. Maintaining a blog

A blog provides a way to continually
provide fresh content, show your expertise and share your successes. A
regularly updated blog can turn your website into one people consistently
return to for information. Integrating your social media presence on platforms
such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram will add to the professional
feel of your site.

9. Finding clients and leads

A well-written Q&A section
can effectively help potential clients determine whether your firm is the
appropriate choice for their needs. You can also put together your own intake
form to help you determine which cases or potential clients do not fit your
business model.

10. Keeping up to date with SEO

Search engine optimization (SEO) is essentially comprised of the various ways you can drive traffic to your website by increasing your site's visibility in search engines such as Google. The blog is one way to provide content that can drive users to your website. If that content effectively utilizes SEO, you will see a significant increase in traffic to your site.