AttorneySync Blog

When we advise firms on their search engine marketing strategy or legal website setup, we talk about optimizing their site for conversion. This means that your firm’s website and legal blog should be setup in a way that promotes the user to take an action. This might be filling out a web form, downloading a guide, signing up for a newsletter, calling your firm directly, etc. If you think that simply because they came to your site they will perform these tasks, you are wrong. You need to tell them what to do.

The wonderful thing about the internet is that it is a medium where users can interact with your business in real time. Most other mediums, such as television, newspapers, magazines, etc. are one way communicators. A message is sent out and it is up to the consumer to take a subsequent action such as calling or going to your office.

With the advent of blogs, twitter, facebook, videos, websites, etc. we can start a dialogue and nurture relationships with potential clients in ways that we couldn’t before. Unfortunately, many firms make the false assumption that simply having a website up is enough to encourage and start this interaction. This is simply not true. You still need to tell a user what they should do when they arrive. There is a great book entitled “Don’t Make Me Think” that discusses website design and usability.  The book’s basic point is that you need to make sure people don’t have to think too much about what to do when they visit your site. If the purpose of your website and legal blog is to generate contacts, leads, clients, and relationships make sure you aren’t making this difficult for your users.

So What Can I Do To Help Improve Conversion?

1. Create multiple calls to action on your site. In a previous post I wrote, A Law Firm Website Done Right, I discussed this topic. The general idea is that you need to prominently display phone numbers, contact forms, free guides, newsletters, and videos. Don’t assume anyone interested in legal services will go to your contact us page and get a hold of you. Tell them what to do. Make sure you are displaying your contact info and calls to action “above the fold” or on the top part of the web page, not the bottom. Using titles such as “Contact Us Today For Your Free Consultation” or “Download Your Free Guide” above a web form in your sidebar is much more helpful than a small link in the menu that says contact us.

2. Use contrasting colors and images by your calls to action. It’s important that people notice when you are telling them to do something. Have your call to action in a different color than the rest of the site so that it stands out. People’s eyes are drawn to images on a web page. Use pictures of people or an image of your free guide so that people notice.

3. Encourage readers to subscribe to your blog and newsletters. Using RSS and email updates for your blog is a great way to build loyalty, readership, and encourage interaction. However, you need to tell people to sign up for these things. I encourage readers to sign up for my blog updates on the top of my blog, after each post, in the upper corner of my website, etc. The number of followers I have increased significantly once I started encouraging people to sign up instead of assuming they just would.

4. Offer free guides that help to educate your users. Take a little time to write a helpful guide for people with legal problems in your niche. Offer to let them download the guide in exchange for their information. Finally, promote the free download on your site. This encourages interaction and establishes you as someone they can trust to help with their problems.

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