Why your law firm website isn't performing

There are lots of reasons why your law firm’s website might not be driving the leads, clients, and cases you want. We’ll get into some of those reasons below, but there’s an even better option if you’re looking for answers:

Request a website design consultation with the FWM team. You’ll get expert eyes on your current website, along with personalized guidance on how to make it better—no more searching for generic advice! Instead, you’ll know specifically where you are and what you need to do.

But even if you’re not ready for that, you still need answers. So, let’s talk about 5 of the biggest reasons we see law firm websites fall short of their goals.  

1. Your Law Firm’s Website Doesn’t Work Right

There is nothing more frustrating than trying to use a website that doesn’t work right. Your potential clients will give up on trying to use your law firm’s website if:

Google pays major attention to these kinds of technical issues, too. If you’re not meeting the minimum stands for technical performance, security, privacy, speed, and “crawlability,” you’re probably not showing up in Google searches.  

2. Your Website Content Doesn’t Hook Your “Perfect Clients”

High-quality, relevant content is what drives your perfect clients from your website to your doorstep. If your content is thin, irrelevant, sales-y, spammy, full of grammar mistakes, and over-stuffed with awkward keywords, it doesn’t help anyone. At best, you look like you don’t care. At worst, you look like you’re purposefully trying to be manipulative. 

It's a bad look for a lawyer. And, ultimately, people just don’t want to stick around on a website that doesn’t help them or answer their questions! 

So, think about what your perfect clients want to know and want to read. Use language they understand. Answer their questions with every blog post, article, or FAQ you write. Address the kinds of “micro-moments” that prompted them to land on your website. Develop a content strategy that keeps you on track.  

And—this is a big one for turning visitors into leads—make sure you include customized calls to action that show readers how to take the next step. 

Sometimes, too, it’s all a matter of how you present the content on your law firm’s website. Do you highlight your best content on your homepage? Do you link relevant articles together? Is your content organized and easy to navigate to? 

Put it out there where people can see it and benefit from it! 

3. Your Biggest “Goal” Pages Aren’t Focused on Conversion 

Speaking of calls to action, your main “goal” pages—like offer landing pages, practice area pages, and contact pages—should be optimized to convince users to click or call. You have to send people to these core pages and ask them to take the next step! 

This is honestly the problem that’s at the root of so many under-performing websites. Your website has to help people get from point A (“I need answers!”) to point B (“I need this attorney!”). It has to be focused on conversion. From top to bottom, it should create a logical path for your visitors that ends in the right kind of “ask.”

If you’ve built that path effectively, people will land on your website and automatically start funneling themselves toward those goal pages. And, if they land on those goal pages, you know that they’re interested in your services.  

That’s why these types of core pages need to be clear about what people should do, what they should expect after they do it, and why it’s an important step. Then, ask them to take that next step with you!  

Of course, it’s also critical that everything on these pages works exactly as intended. So, test them routinely—especially your contact forms. If something is broken, you’re probably missing out on a good chunk of your warmest leads!

4. Your Law Firm’s Website Gives Off Sketchy Vibes

As common as it is to do business online these days, people are still hesitant to reach out over the internet to an unfamiliar law firm. People tend to be sensitive about their legal issues. They don’t want to talk to “just anyone.” They want to talk to someone they feel like they can trust. 

So, your website needs to do everything it can to show that you are a trustworthy attorney running a trustworthy law firm. 

If your website looks abandoned, outdated, or otherwise off-putting, it’s going to give off the wrong kinds of vibes to your potential clients. Every element of your website should look professionally done. You should make it clear what you do and who you are. Your law firm’s branding should be subtly reinforced in colors, taglines, images, and other design elements. All your information should be current, and you should always have something fresh to offer. These signals matter to people that don’t know you yet.   

And don’t forget to leverage what other people have said about their past experiences with you. This is a huge trust signal! Testimonials, reviews, and case results go a long way toward setting new visitors at ease. It’s also a good idea to make sure that your online reputation is positive and consistent not just on your website but across the board.

5. Your Website Lacks Those Little Extras That Make a Difference 

Little touches on your website can be big converters, and little problems can be major roadblocks to the clients and cases you want. Along with all the big things we talked about above, you also have to stay on top of the less obvious things that can affect how people feel about you and the actions they’re willing to take on your website. 

Almost every element of a website impacts the user experience. Sometimes, it’s the addition of a live chat service or an adjustment in the language or tone of your headlines that makes a difference. Sometimes, it’s adding video FAQs or setting up better lead alerts and tracking for your team. 

I won’t lie; it’s a lot to look at. But it’s critically important that you consider EVERYTHING that affects your potential clients when they use your website. 

Of course, you don’t have to do all that analysis alone. Want to look at what’s going on with your website with award-winning experts by your side? Request a website design consultation with our team, or give us a call at 888.886.0939.

 

 

Are You Wondering If Your Law Firm Or Medical Practice Website Is Standing Up To The Competition? It's Likely Time For A Website Redesign.

If you're convinced your website is outdated, chances are it is. Help is available, however. Please contact us online or call our office directly at 866.497.6199 to schedule your free website redesign consultation with our experienced marketing team. We have been helping clients throughout the United States and internationally since 1998 and are confident we can help you not only reach, but exceed your goals.