Your website is a reflection of you and your legal expertise. It’s among thousands of other sites in competition, vying for the same potential client to represent. And, you could be turning visitors away and not even realize it.
It’s good to occasionally step back and revisit your site. See what works and what can work better. By correcting a few simple mistakes, you could be driving more visitors to engage, and convert those visitor to long-term clients.
Below are common mistakes made by legal websites. See if your website is guilty.
1. Being Too Generalized
Potential clients are going to hire you for a reason and it’s not because you appear to be good at everything. Being a “Jack of all trades and good at none,” is not the image you want to present. You have to showcase what you and your firm does well front and center. Discuss your achievements, your successes. Emphasize your strengths. Highlight your speciality and why you are the best. Demonstrating that you are a leader in your speciality provides confidence, credibility and is extremely powerful to anyone contemplating hiring legal counsel as they will know you are the best.
2. UnProfessional Look & Feel, Poor Navigation
Many attorneys make this common mistake by creating a site that is too loud, busy and over bearing. Many add Facebook, Twitter and other social media plug-ins that muddle the message and distract the visitor. Seriously, does it matter to the potential client how many “Likes” you have?
The best law firm sites are simple and to the point. The sales funnel for selling widgets also works for selling your firm’s services. Navigate your audience through a single path and make sure they know exactly where they are going. Answer any questions they might have with great content.
And pepper that content with focused calls-to-action, that is, easy ways for the visitor to contact you and engage.
Calls-to-action can be a button to “click to call” or “schedule an appointment online” or send a message. Calls-to-action are an avenue for the interested online visitor to convert to being a prospect and eventually convert as a client. Adding calls-to-action can increase engagement 200% to 300%.
3. Speaking in Tongues
Speaking of content, you probably don’t showcase your knowledge of Black’s Law Dictionary since your clients would most likely require an interpreter. Using multi syllables and legaleze doesn’t make you look smarter. It makes you more difficult to understand.
Instead, use the vernacular of your audience. Educate them so they understand so they choose you over someone else. And keep the content concise and to the point. Use bullets. Keep sentences to 17 words or less. Remember, this is a website, not a legal brief.
4. Poor Imagery
You’ve heard the saying that a “picture is worth a 1000 words,” right? Well, it’s true. Don’t take shortcuts and use your own photos. Stay away from the oodles of stock photos of gavels and scales. Every other legal website is using the same images and your online visitor will have trouble distinguishing you from the other firm using the same image. Instead, hire a professional photographer. Hiring a professional says a lot about you and who you are. It isn’t that expensive, and it shows you care about details and are a polished professional. Sharp, professional imagery is a reflection of the quality your provide and differentiates you from the pack.
5. Failing to be Mobile-Ready
The growth of mobile is rising rapidly and if your site isn’t mobile-ready, you’re in BIG trouble. As of 
April 21, Google changed its algorithm and expanded the use of mobile-friendliness as a ranking signal. The change affected mobile searches so now users will find it easier to get relevant, high quality search results that are optimized for their devices.
On May 6, Google announced that mobile searches have surpassed desktop searches. This means more and more of your clients are trying to find you through mobile devices. So what happens if you can’t be found? I’m sure your competition knows!
Remember, a website can be many things, but most importantly, it is a representation of you and the services you offer. A clean, clear and easy to navigate site that engages and informs your audience will captivate and capture more online visitors. Content should be well-written, easy to consume with imagery that reinforces the messaging. Often, less really is more.
Step back, take a hard look at your site and be objective. Are you presenting yourself in the best light? Would you read every word on every page? If not, it may be time to revisit your site and make some changes.
Once your site is inviting visitors to engage, let Bill4Time help you better manage the client relationship. Our time billing software offers you the features you need anytime, anywhere on any mobile device. You can track every minute and easily invoice, detailing every entry to your client’s satisfaction.
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