Pick a random number of law firms and visit their websites. Chances are that most of them will resemble one another. They each feature a similar layout, with similar graphics and similar information. All of those similarities equals boring, which is not conducive to turning website visitors into paying clients. Web users decide almost instantly whether or not to stay on a webpage. If your firm’s site looks just like everyone else’s, what incentive is there for a visitor to stay? Your website is a reflection of your firm. If your practice is not putting its best face forward, it may be time for a makeover.
Picky Consumers
On average, a consumer takes between 10 and 20 second to decide whether or not to leave a website. That leaves a very short window of time to make an impression and convince a potential client to stay on your site. To understand what is necessary to make a visitor stay, it’s helpful to first explore what drives a viewer away.
- Slow loading speeds – We live in a world of instant everything and consumers are not willing to wait for a website to load when there are thousands of quick loading websites just waiting for their attention. Check your firm’s website performance and see how long it takes for a page to load. If it is close to or longer than 10 seconds, you just lost a potential new client.
- Lack of attention grabbing content – Without an attention grabber within the first ten seconds, a viewer is likely to leave the website. Strong images and graphics are extremely useful in this regard. Our eyes find images appealing and they lure us into reading the content.
- A hemorrhaging blog – An inactive blog is another way to quickly lose the attention of a potential client. With the current prevalence of blogs, many consumers use them as a resource to learn more about businesses and people. A lack of recent posts may send a message that you are not up to do date on your own business, leaving the potential client to question whether you can handle his.
The Makeover Process
If these red flags bring up visions of your law firm’ website, then it’s time to take steps towards a fresh new start. There is no shortage of website creation companies within the market, but this is not the place where you want to cut costs. Invest in a professional who has the knowledge and skill to provide you with an innovative and attractive site. As you lay out your plan, keep these tips in mind:
- Rarely do individuals enter your site from the homepage, so make sure that each individual page is visually appealing and contains useful information.
- More than half of all web surfing is done on a mobile device. Therefore, you must ensure that your website is mobile friendly.
Don’t waste any more time with an ineffective website. Give your firm’s site a thorough review today because you never know when a potential client is checking you out.
About Erika Winston:
Erika Winston is a freelance writer with a passion for law. Through her business, The Legal Writing Studio, she helps legal professionals deliver effective written messages. Erika is a regular contributor to TimeSolv and a variety of other publications.