Streamlined Website Building Saves Time, Money and Frustration

A decent website is now considered a fundamental marketing tool for law firms to maintain and grow a sustainable client base.

Sure, a lot of business at many law firms comes from referrals. However, client prospects will undoubtedly review a firm’s website and attorney profiles to confirm capabilities and experience. Along with validating the firm's expertise to prospective clients, a strong website also provides relevant practice areas and case information to targeted visitors, showing them that the firm understands their legal issues and needs.  Especially when a firm consistently updates and structures its website content, visitors are encouraged to keep coming back. This builds trust and loyalty in both existing and future clients.

While a solid website is clearly important, it is almost always a challenge for law firms to build a new website or redesign an existing one.  Law firms are often frustrated with the time and money it takes to develop a website that they aren't completely satisfied with in the end.  This typically occurs when a law firm has a poor development process or does not have an internal marketing staff. 

But there is hope for law firms looking to build a new website. We have found that when they follow the basic suggestions described below, they save much time, money, and frustration.

Preparing for Web Project

To begin a website project, a law firm should select an internal decision-making team and designate one person as the website authority. When too many people are involved in a website project, the site quickly loses precedence. Engaging someone from the firm’s management team who is interested in the project can help ensure the project remains a priority. Firms should also consider hiring an outside consultant to oversee the website's completion. Consultants such as PerformLaw are familiar with the components and processes involved in developing a strong law firm website and can coordinate the details between the law firm and the web design company. With a central decision-maker in place, it is more likely that the project will be completed correctly and on time. 

Content

Website development primarily includes content and design.  Before a web designer is hired or graphics and design is discussed, firms should prioritize and plan the content of the website. Content is viewed as the foundation of the website. The most effective website builds are largely a result of the quality content and direction provided to the designer at the beginning of the process. 

The firm’s brand image and the message it wants to communicate should also be planned before involving a web designer.  While web designers often handle both the branding and web design of the website, we believe these processes should be managed separately. 

The firm’s attorneys and staff involved in the website project should answer the following questions:

1. What is the firm’s mission/vision?
2. How do you describe the firm’s culture, history?
3. How do you describe the work in specific practice areas?
4. What information do you want to feature about the attorneys?
5. How does your firm help clients better than other law firms? What makes you different? What makes you more effective? 

Based on the answers, the firm should organize the content for placement on their future website, considering the standard law firm website structure.

Design

The second phase of the preparation stage focuses on the website’s design.

Managing attorneys should give careful thought to which graphics and layouts they wish to feature throughout their new website.  They can easily do this by reviewing the websites of competitive law firms, indicating what they like and don’t like about these sites, as well as other websites they frequently visit.  This preparation method not only accelerates website development but also helps control costs. It prevents a lot of wasted time since it provides the web developer a clear direction and clarifies important website characteristics such as site layout, functionality and graphics.

Website plan document

To complete the Preparation stage, a firm should outline all ideas for the website’s content and design in a website plan document. While web designers and copywriters will make valuable suggestions and recommendations once they are hired, the firm can streamline the process and ensure the developers meet the firm’s quality expectations. Completing this step can save much time and frustration.

Implementing the New Website

Website Platform

Once the firm has completed the preparation process and website document, it is time to decide the course of implementation. Does the firm wish to hire a web designer who will use a website platform like WordPress to build a customized website? Or does the firm want to use an automated website builder like Squarespace or Wix to create its own website?  These are user-friendly, template-based platforms, so a web designer is not necessarily required. While Option 2 is the more affordable solution, we recommend it only if the firm employs someone with web design experience. Otherwise, hiring a web designer is the smart choice.

Copywriting

A hired web designer’s strength is typically found in the design of the website.  While some web companies also offer copywriting services, a law firm may need to hire an outside copywriter to assist with website content. Here, it is important to look for experienced legal copywriters, not only to provide quality content on the website, but also to guarantee a certain level of search engine performance. The need for outside copywriting support depends on the firm’s preparation, as outlined above, and ability in describing its mission, culture and approach.

In the end, reviewing the competition’s web presence, as well as developing and structuring content ideas and drafts, will help to streamline the website creation or revision process, saving time and costs. Once the design is approved, the copy needs to be inserted and the website can go live.

Fine-tuning the Website

After the website is created, a certain degree of modification or fine-tuning will help with search engine optimization and website lead generation.  If the web designer is not specialized in law firms, the copywriter needs to have specific legal competence. Based on the firm’s marketing effectiveness expectations, a consultant with legal (online) marketing expertise could be hired to review website performance and search engine performance factors. The copywriter could provide valuable recommendations to optimize the aforementioned, as well as website-generated lead flows and advertising methods. The main goal of this final web development step is to optimize brand and service value communication and to increase lead capture and conversion rates