Marketing Your Firm Online – Part 1

by Patricia Jordan

Think of your website as a virtual receptionist. A well-designed site can be your greatest marketing tool and can help you increase your business. Being open 24/7, your site can add immediate value to your practice. Smart sites incorporate client interactivity through the use of blogs, extranets, RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds and webinars. Increasingly, law firms in Canada are adopting blog technology as a useful and proactive tool to provide commentary or news on a particular subject. Extranets contain file information that clients can securely access online. RSS is an easy method to use for news content distribution that allows you to read news headlines from your desktop without having to browse the Web. Webinars are interactive client seminars that are conducted over the Web.

Building a Web Presence
If you are unsure how to begin, start with the basics. Identify who your target audience is, then visit other sites to see what works and what doesn’t. How easy is the site to navigate? Can you find the information you need? Are the main categories intuitive? How long does it take for a page to download? You have 5-10 seconds to grab their attention so your site must be user-friendly. Avoid using unnecessary graphics and flash, as they can impede a site’s performance. If you consistently click the “Skip Intro” link, then assume visitors will do the same on your site. Keep it simple and update often to maintain a competitive edge.

Ask your receptionist to provide you with the ten most commonly asked questions and then include that information under a “Frequently Asked Questions” page. List your representative clients and provide examples of successful transactions and court decisions. Your site should have a clear client focus and respond to client’s needs. Provide legal information and publish articles online. Use fonts that are easy to read such as Arial, Universal or Times and refrain from using “under construction” pages. Design for clients who may be using earlier, slower technology and ensure your site resizes automatically for various screen resolutions (800x600, 1024x768, etc). Use plain language and avoid legalese. Offer a print friendly version as not everyone reads online.

Web Site Biographies
Every lawyer needs a well-crafted biography. Your online bio should be consistent with your firm’s message in tone and style. It should include your profile, practice areas, representative experience, professional and community activities, and education and Bar admission. Assume a potential client may scan your bio rather than read it word for word. Keep it brief. A bio tailored to a practice area speaks directly to a client with a specific need. If you have several practice areas, create multiple bios and link each bio to the relevant area of practice. Use a sidebar to highlight specific practice experience.

In April BarTalk read Part 2 of Marketing Your Firm Online. I’ll cover search engines, keywords, online statistical tracking, surveys and more.

Patricia Jordan is the CBABC Manager, Interactive Media. She welcomes your comments, questions and suggestions. Tel: 604-646-7861 E-mail: pjordan@bccba.org

This article was published in the February 2007 issue of BarTalk. © 2007 The Canadian Bar Association. All rights reserved.