Lawyer Websites

Lawyer Websites

By Sarah Van Cott

Websites have many different levels of functionality. They provide information to potential clients and they also serve as a bridge to the World Wide Web by linking to other Websites for further resources and information.

How Websites function for potential clients

Websites should have a clear path with ways to get back to the home page. The main pages of a Website should not link out too far away. This might lose the user. Also, contact information and submission forms should be included on every page of the site.

Avoid legal jargon

It is really easy for attorneys to assume that Website visitors have working knowledge of a particular area of the law. For example, some clients may not be aware of the differences between civil law and criminal law. Instead provide simple, bite-sized pieces of information.

Keep the site current

Not only is it confusing, but also it's also frustrating and can easily make a user leave your site and move on to another attorney's Websites. Even broken images can turn off users. One easy way is to ask that the employees of a law firm visit the site to search for broken links. Also, Web development firms generally have tools that will alert them to fix broken links.

Many Websites will include links on their sites to other Websites and resources. Make sure that if you send users out to another site that the link stays updated and current with helpful information.

Think about how a potential client views your Websites. Is the site easy to navigate with prominent contact information? If you think about what your Websites says about you, it may be a myriad of things. But the one thing you want your Web site to say is: Contact me, not someone else.

How useful is an online Websites if it doesn't lead a potential client to contacting the attorney? Providing reasons for the client to contact the attorney is making sure they understand the specific areas of law the attorney handles.

A potential client with no legal background needs to be educated on whether or not a certain attorney is licensed to represent a certain type of legal case. For example, divorce law, in some states is referred to as Property Law or Family law. In California, divorce law is known as Community Property Law and alimony is referred to as spousal support.

Current, engaging information on your Websites to educate a client on a particular practice area shows that a law firm is capable and willing to take time to assist clients with the information they need to choose the right attorney.

Even if the user does not choose that particular law firm to handle a case, the user can still pass the site on to a friend who may use it in the future.

Web sites can speak volumes about a particular practice area, the personality of the firm, and most importantly, the types of clients they serve. By asking yourself the following questions, you will get a better idea about what kind of impression your Web site provides to potential clients.

This translates into graphics, logos, color palettes and overall design. When was your site launched? Sometimes sites can appear dated depending on the kind of graphics and colors that designers use.

Does your site need a face-lift?

Sites with animation can be considered outdated, especially if the animation involves emoticons or textured backgrounds. If your site has flash or an intro, known as a splash page, be sure to have an option to skip the intro.

As far as look and feel of your Websites, delve deeper into what matters most in the message of your company. By working with a Web designer, your company can build upon marketing materials that are already in use.

Giving your Websites a face-lift can be costly depending on how the Websites was built. Sometimes it is less expensive to build a brand new site instead of trying to fix the original site.

Is there self-checking on each page?

Accuracy is crucial on a Web site. Whether your site has tons of typos, or old pricing, reviewing the site's content for errors is important on several levels. For appearance, typos are an easy way to lose credibility with users who expect quality control. To eliminate these types of issues, rethink adding content that might become outdated.

Is the site organized for success?

Users appreciate good navigation. Your law firm's address and contact form should be on the front page, because, sometime that's all users are looking for: how to get a hold of a "live" attorney who can handle their cases.

An error-free web site with great navigation, which reflects the personality of your law firm, doesn't have to cost a fortune. It just takes planning in advance to target the proper potential client.