Website Design and Strategy for Law Firms. Nicola Laver

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1 Website Design and Strategy for Law Firms Nicola Laver Published by In association with

2 Website Design and Strategy for Law Firms is published by Ark Group UK/EUROPE OFFICE Ark Conferences Ltd Paulton House 8 Shepherdess Walk London N1 7LB United Kingdom Tel +44 (0) Fax +44 (0) publishing@ark-group.com NORTH AMERICA OFFICE Ark Group Inc 4408 N. Rockwood Drive Suite 150 Peoria IL United States Tel Fax publishingna@ark-group.com ASIA/PACIFIC OFFICE Ark Group Australia Pty Ltd Main Level 83 Walker Street North Sydney NSW 2060 Australia Tel Fax aga@arkgroupasia.com Online bookshop Editor Evie Serventi eserventi@ark-group.com Reports publisher International Fiona Tucker ftucker@ark-group.com UK/Europe marketing enquiries Robyn Macé rmace@ark-group.com US marketing enquiries Daniel Smallwood dsmallwood@ark-group.com Asia/Pacific marketing enquiries Steve Oesterreich aga@arkgroupasia.com ISBN: (hard copy) (PDF) Copyright The copyright of all material appearing within this publication is reserved by the author and Ark Conferences It may not be reproduced, duplicated or copied by any means without the prior written consent of the publisher. ARK2237

3 Website Design and Strategy for Law Firms Nicola Laver Published by In association with

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5 Contents Executive summary VII About the author XI Acknowledgements XIII Chapter 1: Why a law firm should have a website 1 Is a firm website a critical asset? 1 Case study: Pannone LLP 2 Competition in the legal marketplace 3 The challenges of globalisation 3 Conveying your brand successfully 4 Building personal relationships 4 Lawyers are a firm s assets 5 Engaging with a site s visitors 5 The opportunities technology can offer 5 Using a website as a marketing tool 6 An effective website is dynamic 7 Measuring the success of a website 7 Case study: Marque Lawyers 8 Chapter 2: Behaviour of website visitors 13 The effect of the economic crisis 13 Websites and the human brain 13 Law firm brand 13 Emotional needs of visitors 14 The practical needs of clients 14 People are important 15 Time is of the essence 15 Simple navigation 15 The letter F 15 Search facilities 16 Trustworthiness 16 Visual attraction 16 Brain overload 17 To scroll or not to scroll? 17 III

6 Contents Websites must be up-to-date 17 A firm s potential clients 17 How to appeal to your target audience 19 Case study: Thomas Eggar LLP 19 Chapter 3: Website design and strategy 23 Who should be involved? 23 What tone should a firm adopt? 23 Know your audience 25 Knowing your brand 26 How will the website distinguish the firm? 27 Study the competition 28 Mastering creative content 29 The role of design 30 The importance of navigation 31 Flow diagrams 32 A clear website strategy is vital 32 Investment is key 32 Checklist: Planning the firm s website design and strategy 33 Chapter 4: What content should be included? 35 Planning the content 35 Credibility of a law firm 35 The homepage 36 Website text What should be included? 36 Brief history of the firm The lawyers 39 Case studies 40 Reports, legal guides and FAQs 40 Regular content and updates 40 Call to action 41 Added value 41 Scannable text 42 Blogs 42 Images, audio and video 43 Maintaining an effective level of content 44 Checklist: Perfecting website content 48 Chapter 5: Potential risks and pitfalls to avoid 51 Common mistakes to avoid 52 Spelling and grammar errors 52 Inaccuracies 54 Clichés 54 Avoid legalese 55 IV

7 Website Design and Strategy for Law Firms Lack of relevance 56 Stale content 56 Overloaded layout Fast or flashing images Dull design Pop ups Poor search facilities Poor loading Difficult navigation Cyber security What can law firms to do protect their online systems? Checklist: Risk assessment Chapter 6: Legal and regulatory requirements Legal requirements Web accessibility (UK and US) Regulatory requirements Compliance officers The United States Checklist: Legal and regulatory requirements for law firm websites Chapter 7: Making the most of web technology Web statistics analytics Search engine optimisation Case study: Ralli Solicitors LLP Apps and tablets The mobile user experience HTML Site security Case study: Dorsey & Whitney LLP Checklist: Issues to consider when utilising web technology Chapter 8: Online digital strategy and social media Why develop an online digital media strategy? Questions to consider What comes first Online digital strategy or website? What does an online digital strategy look like? Consultancy and contributions to the online digital strategy Social media as part of an online digital strategy The dangers of lagging behind Social media A path to your door Which social media platform? Making it easy for the potential client Managing social media platforms Case Study: Ralli Solicitors LLP V

8 Contents Expert view: Jordan Furlong, partner at Edge International and senior consultant at Stem Legal Web Enterprises Checklist: Developing a law firm digital marketing strategy Chapter 9: The website is launched Is that it? What should firms be doing? Consistently compelling content Digital marketing and social media Ongoing SEO support Chapter 10: Your future Emerging technology Extranets and portals Mobile devices The future of social media The potential for blogs Multi-language websites Will lawyers profiles become more important? Case study: Marque Lawyers The Mrs Vartuli Award for Achievement in the Field of Human Excellence VI

9 Executive summary The traditional bricks and mortar law firm is no longer adequate in the dynamic, sophisticated age of information technology in which firms conduct business today. The internet has opened up a brave new world enabling law firms and organisations to break free from physical boundaries and reach out to potential clientele across diverse nations and languages, utilising sophisticated means of online interaction. Advances in technology should not be ignored by businesses of any nature. Technological advances do not merely facilitate additional components that add tremendous value to a business; they necessitate a rethink of almost the entire business structure. Law firms who are lackadaisical about the role technology ought to be playing in their business models in the 21 st century risk being left behind. In reality, such complacency could be fatal for such firms. The most important thing in which today s firm should be investing its resources is a website. That website must be professional. It should properly reflect the firm and its unique brand, what services it offers, and must set it apart from competitor firms. Establishing a web presence is just the start: it will be the beginning of an exciting and rewarding online experience for the firm and its lawyers in a way that firms might not imagine at this point. The opportunities a website presents are infinite, and reading this report will enable firms to make informed choices about how to establish a truly effective website, and how to exploit it to its full advantage. For a firm that already has a website, it is vital to avoid the dangerous trap of complacency. Websites must constantly adapt according to the pressures of business, the status of the competition, changes within the firm and further advances in technology. This report will reveal the steps needed to retain a competitive advantage. Guidelines are provided for designing a website that reflects the values and services of a firm, while checklists and tools will assist readers as they develop an online strategy. Chapter 1 explains why law firms should have a website. Whether a firm is having a website designed; or is reviewing or looking to enhance its existing website; or even believes its website is fantastic as it stands, this chapter outlines the issues that ought to deter any complacency around websites and lay the groundwork for establishing an effective online presence. This report explains the necessity for a superior online presence, and how this can be achieved and maintained. As some stage, all websites will need to be updated, enhanced or re-designed. It will help firms make informed decisions on what steps need to be taken, who must be involved, what to avoid, and what opportunities a new or enhanced website will provide in future. Firms should be acutely aware of the competition; the challenges of globalisation; the need to spread their unique message and keep ahead of the game; and to VII

10 Executive summary understand the opportunities the latest technology has to offer. A law firm s website is often the first port of call for those in search of legal services, hence, first impressions are crucial: a website is one of a law firm s most powerful marketing tools and should be treated as such. This chapter considers the question of what is the website, i.e. what is its presence intended for? It s a firm s shop window to attract visitors and increase its client base. The latter is unlikely to happen fast without an innovative, cutting edge website. And while a significant amount of a firm s business may come from referral, most prospective clients visit a firm s website to seek reassurance in their decision to employ such a firm. Chapter 2 examines the behaviour of law firm website visitors. Before turning to the key topics of website design and strategy, and website content, we consider more conceptual issues relating to how visitors to firm websites conduct online research, how they react and respond to law firm websites and what factors inform how they react and respond. We look at relevant research and the importance of law firm brand. So, what should a firm s website reflect and portray to its target audience? We consider issues including reflecting firm brand, its expertise, USP, and why focusing on these will differentiate one firm from the next. Chapter 3 covers website design and strategy in detail, considering critical issues to be ruminated before taking the step into the design and writing stages. For instance, what tone should firms adopt? If, for instance, a firm s expertise is in divorce law or corporate law, it might choose an aggressive, no-nonsense approach. What sort of design and format will realistically reflect a firm s core values and those of its lawyers? Aesthetics is important. It is crucial to consider the colours, the images, photos and graphics to reflect a firm s message. Choosing the right website designer for a firm website is critical, as is ensuring the website has an easy to use navigation system. An important consideration is reaching out to all potential clients, including those in other countries. A dedicated online digital strategy is crucial to facilitating this. The need for sustained investment to develop a firm s brand/business model is critical: without investment, a firm website will not reach its optimum level and attract the level of business sought. Chapter 4 considers the matter of website content. Whilst content is king, advances in technology mean spreading that content is superior still. So who is best placed to write the content and why? This is a crucial question for law firms, and Chapter 4 covers: Information What information should be included and how much? The firm What should be said about it? Lawyers How much information should be included? Types of clients For example, businesses, individuals, general counsel; News, articles, bulletins, legal guide The advantages of each; Blog The purpose and advantages of the expert s platform ; Legal guides Why, in some practice areas, these are particularly useful; and Testimonials Can be invaluable but care must be taken. Added value elements: for instance, is offering a free consultation, fixed fees or a 24-hour helpline important for the business and attract new clients? VIII

11 Website Design and Strategy for Law Firms Chapter 5 warns of possible risks and pitfalls during the process of establishing an online presence. Getting a website right involves avoiding specific pitfalls and taking a few precautions along the way. For instance, avoiding information overload and achieving the right balance in relation to the extent of content; maintaining a high quality of both the professionalism and the aesthetics of the website itself; its images, and the written content, ensuring there are no grammar and spelling errors. Chapter content also highlights common clichés to avoid both written and graphic. This report also looks at the critical issue of cyber security. Cyber crime is a serious business risk, with criminals using increasingly sophisticated means to attack organisations through their online presence. Chapter 5 also discusses potential repercussions of online security breaches and non-compliance. Chapter 6 addresses regulation. Law firm websites must comply with the requirements of both the regulators and legislators. This section highlights the requirements of the SRA and relevant rules as they apply to websites throughout the legal sector. Other statutory requirements firms must consider include disability issues; and cookies a major issue in 2012 with EU websites legally required to ask visitors for permission before they can set cookies. Chapter 7 considers technology, looking behind the scenes at the technological aspects firms need to monitor and measure, to understand how their websites are performing and why. For instance, statistics revealing who visits a firm s website, where they are based, how long they stayed, etc., will prove insightful. Improving website traffic and converting visitors to clients is critical to the success of the website. To that end, search engine optimisation (SEO) rankings are considered, in other words, the visibility of a website in search rankings. Aiding and improving SEO includes matters such as increasing internal links within a firm s website, including a search facility, and encouraging inbound traffic. Chapter 8 considers what some see as a spin-off from the website, but ought to be considered a crucial element of a firm s online presence: social networking and digital marketing. A firm s website strategy should be part of the firm s overall online digital strategy. This section explains what an online digital strategy is, how it should be approached and what it should include. Typical elements of an online strategy include the use of Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and blogs, as well as other digital marketing directly associated with firms websites. We consider how best to utilise these elements as part of an effective online presence. Chapter 9 addresses the question: Is that it? The answer is no because every website whether a law firm website or that of any other organisation, needs regular updating and fine tuning. Every element needs to be improved upon where possible. Checking SEO analytics and conversion rates at regular intervals should help determine what areas need focusing on at a given time. To conclude, Chapter 10 looks to the future. Law firm websites are likely to look very different in 20 years time. The increasing sophistication of e-commerce, for instance, may mean clients can purchase their legal services in a virtual manner which cannot yet be achieved. Technology advances at breakneck speed. Firms must keep up or be left behind by those determined to stay ahead of the game. IX

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13 About the author Nicola Laver is a dual qualified solicitor and journalist with more than 13 years experience in legal and business writing. She has written for all the leading legal publishers, including LexisNexis, Legalease, Incisive Media, Thomson Reuters and Jordan Publishing. Nicola has also written on legal affairs for the Guardian, The Times Legal Supplement, and authored Blackstone s Guide to Becoming a Solicitor. She acts as UK consultant to FindLaw, a Thomson Reuters business, providing editorial advice and law firm website content; and provides communications consultancy advice to law firms on website strategy and social media best practice. Nicola s company, Clarity, 1 offers professional writing and communications services for the legal and business professions internationally. About the contributor Dr Sarah Perry, the author of Chapters 7 and 8, is a legal writer and editor specialising in law, business and academic writing. Her first novel will be published by Serpent s Tail in Reference 1. See: XI

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15 Acknowledgements It was an invaluable coincidence that I researched and wrote this report while planning, writing and launching my own website, clarityword.com. Working on these two projects simultaneously has, I feel, brought added value to the report. It is hoped readers will find the report beneficial to their own website strategy, and that it will make the crucial difference between a mediocre and a truly effective, cutting edge, revenue enhancing law firm website. I could not have achieved this without the input and advice of several individuals. In particular, I must thank my fellow writer and colleague at Clarity, Dr Sarah Perry, to whom I am indebted for her timely input. A truly social being, she embraced the task of producing two excellent chapters on firms digital marketing strategy and making the most of web technology. For Clarity, this is one of many exciting projects, particularly if the website is kept up-to-date and dynamic! Thanks to Mike Bean of Isaac Parker, for his inspirational words and articles; and Jordan Furlong, consultant and a partner at Edge International, for his thought provoking observations on the issues. To the firms who willingly became the subjects of my case studies, singled out for their fabulous and striking websites a big thank you. They have proved truly inspirational, particularly Michael Bradley of Marque Lawyers; Jodi Simpson of Harrison Pensa; Steve Simpson of Pannone; Bob Kleiber of Dorsey & Whitney and Patricia Coia of Thomas Eggar. I collectively acknowledge the numerous law firm websites I have come across on an almost daily basis over recent years, both good and bad, for shaping my views on website design, presentation and content. My sincere thanks to Evie Serventi of Ark Group for the opportunity to write on a subject that fascinates me and for bearing with me towards the end! On a personal note, immeasurable gratitude to my husband, Mike, for never complaining when his childcare services were required well beyond the call of fatherly duty. And finally, to our four precious children: Esther, Leah, Gabriel and baby Caleb who were relentlessly banished from the house while I needed peace to write yet took it all in their stride. XIII