How to Create a Killer Law Firm Website That Will Attract New Clients
- Brooke Mathieu
If you are a law firm that is looking to attract new clients, you need to have a website that looks professional and will make a great first impression. Too many law firms have websites that are outdated or poorly designed, which can turn potential clients off. Recently, one of our clients decided that it was time to update their website, so we got to work. The site presented some issues that the previous developer hadn’t fixed:
- The user interface and experience were outdated
- Various technical errors throughout the site
- Performance and page load time was poor
- It wasn’t user friendly
- Pages with broken links, missing photos/videos
- The URL structure wasn’t setup properly
- Lack of strategic content
Not only do these problems present an issue for anyone using the site, but it can actually have a negative impact on your law firm’s SEO. In today’s online world, you should be consistently trying to improve your law firm’s website SEO to stay relevant when potential new clients in your area are searching for your services. Understanding the problems our client’s website had, we began the process of building him a new website.
The Process of Building a New Law Firm Website
Before starting the process of building a new website for your law firm you need to identify the current issues within your website and be aware that you will most likely find new issues through the process. There were six phases involved with building our client’s new law firm website:
Phase 1: Discovery
During this phase, we worked with them to determine the goals and objectives of the new website. Then we went in and conducted a full audit of their current website and identified any issues within the current site so we knew what was working and what wasn’t working.
Phase 2: Planning
Next we began planning. In the planning phase, we take all of the information we gathered in the discovery phase and start mapping out what the new website will look like. We create a sitemap and wireframes for the new site so we can start to see what pages will be included and how they will all fit together. At this time we also figured out how to leverage his existing content on theirold website and what new content might need to be created.
Phase 3: Content Development
the sitemap and wireframes are approved, it’s time to start working on the content for each page of the website. This is where we take all of the information gathered in the discovery and planning phases and start writing new copy or updating existing copy. If our client doesn’t have existing content, we can help develop new content for their site and ensure that each page is optimized for SEO. We also start working on any additional graphics or photos that might be needed for the new website and ensuring they have the necessary alt tags and meta descriptions. It’s important to develop content prior to the design phase, because content dictates design.
Phase 4: Design
Once our content has been developed and outlined, we started on the design of the new website. This is when we take all of the information we have gathered and start putting together a visual style for the new site, based on the aesthetic our client is going for. We create mockups for each module and page of the website so our clients can see how everything will look before we fully dive into their new website build.
Phase 5: Coding/Development
The coding phase is when the site really begins to come to life. Each page of the site is fully built out at this point and the developer works to make sure everything looks and functions the way it’s supposed to across all device types by going in and doing work on the back end. This is also the time when we start integrating any additional features or functionality that might be needed on the site, such as a blog, form embeds, calendar integrations, or the ability to accept payments online.
Phase 6: Review & Testing
After the coding is finished, it’s time to review the new website and make sure everything is working properly and ensure all of the new content on the site is accurate and correct. We also test things like page load times, site speed, and mobile responsiveness to ensure that the new website meets all current standards.
Phase 7: Website Launch
Once everything passes our quality assurance, we can launch the new website. It’s important to set some time aside for a website launch, because they don’t always go as planned. It’s not uncommon to spend extra time after launch working with developers on issues that you don’t know exist until you launch the new website. After the new website is launched, we work with our clients to ensure they are happy with the results and answer any questions they might have. We also help them set up Google Analytics so they can start tracking their website traffic and gauge the success of their new site.
The Purpose of Having a Good Law Firm Website
Your law firm’s website is often the first point of contact between your firm and a potential new client. It’s important to have a well-designed website that accurately reflects your firm’s brand and provides visitors with the information they need to make an informed decision about whether or not to use your firm’s services. Aside from this, if you have a highly quality website that is optimized for SEO, the easier it will be for potential new clients to find you when they search for your services online.
Having a great website for your law firm doesn’t happen overnight, but with the right team working on your site it can happen relatively quickly. Cardinal Concepts can build your firm a new high quality website optimized for SEO. If you don’t need a new website, we can help improve your site’s existing content and SEO to ensure you are always showing up on the first page of Google. Contact us today!
