Why Does a Law Firm Website Need Fresh Content?
You want prospects to visit your website, like what they see
and pick up the phone.
Is there a formula? You bet.
First, you need “fresh,” up-to-date content that generates
search engine traffic, is easy to read, and simple to navigate. Search engines such
as Google and Bing reward fresh, quality content in their rankings—so keeping
your firm’s website current is an absolute must. (Read
this post on “Penguin” update, Google's latest search
algorithm. This series of new rules underscores the necessity for a law firm's
website featuring fresh, well-written content relevant for what users are
actually searching for online.)
Second, your content must include the proper “keywords” —the
terms that people actually enter into search engines when seeking an
attorney—to help consumers find your site. Don’t assume you know what these
terms should be. You may be a trial lawyer, for instance, but few consumers
will enter “trial lawyer” when searching for one.
Search engine optimization
(SEO), or the techniques applied to improve rankings
on search engines, is a science. Your online
marketing provider should have the latest data on search volumes to help
create and maintain keyword-rich content—content
that will not only draw serious prospects to your site, but inspire them to
call and request a consultation.
All website content—from
practice descriptions, attorney profiles and newsletters, to blogs and other
pages—should be well-written, keyword-rich and
informative. Practice-area
descriptions should showcase the firm’s strengths. Impressive case results or
customer testimonials must be current. Attorney profiles should include recent
awards, promotions and active links to
published work or interviews on other sites.
Update your blog weekly, as it is
the cornerstone for all social media activity. Fresh,
topic-driven blog posts affirm your legal standing, enriching the overall content of your website, and draw
quality leads.
In fact, the American Bar Association’s 2011 Legal
Technology Survey Report found that 60 percent of respondents from small
law firms of two to nine attorneys who maintain a legal topic blog for
professional purposes landed new clients as a result of their blogs.
To summarize:
Your website is an online representation of your firm.
Stale, poorly-written content with broken links will shake consumer confidence
in your legal abilities. Populate your site with fresh content that’s relevant
to what consumers are actually searching for and work with a keyword specialist
who has researched the keywords people are actually using when researching legal
topics or searching for lawyers.
Want to learn more? Do you
need a new site? A better site? Get a free Website Evaluation today.
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