Solicitors website – advice from solicitors for legal firm web design
“Having worked with several firms of solicitors, we have gotten to understand the legal business somewhat and have developed effective ways to build first class websites for solicitors, based on their own experience and requirements”.
For a Solicitor or Legal practice – why create a good website for your legal practice, especially if you are already very busy?
Six common reasons include:
1. To look professional when someone Googles you (and they do). You would make a point of looking professional in court, so why not on the web?
2. To answer commonly asked questions. It would save a lot of time for your team.
3. To attract a certain type of client or business and to put off certain types of unwanted clients.
4. To allow potential clients send you an enquiry 24/7 through the website.
5. To avoid losing work from existing clients who Google your name and find someone else, a ‘specialist’ who seems to fit the bill.
6. Attract high quality legal staff who are searching for a suitable practice. How do you look when these people search for solicitors website.
Your website is more than a tool, so do research how you will invest. You have to learn how to use it to good effect or have someone competent do it for you or with you, by outsourcing some of the work, so add that resource to your plan. There are various options and each one comes with challenges and opportunities, costs and returns on investment. And your web presence is a lot more than just your website.
What you need in your legal website – a simple guide
CMS
Your website needs to be built on a CMS or Content Management System, which means it is a platform that you can use to add, edit or delete content with relative ease.
Platform
Your website should be built on Open Source software such as WordPress, Joomla or Drupal. This will allow you move from one web design agency to another if ever want to do so. It just gives you a good element of control.
Domain
Your domain name as in www.yourname.ie should be purchased by you on your credit card in your own domain name registrar account at Letshost.ie or blacknight.ie or hostingireland.com etc. Plus do ensure you have the login name and password. Think of this as the deeds to the house.
Hosting
The website has to be hosted somewhere, so ensure that the hosting is also in your name and on your credit card. Plus do ensure you have the login name and password. Think of this as the land or the office space you rent, so that your website is always accessible on the world wide web 24/7/365
Content
Lastly, do ensure that any and all content that you add to your website, is yours. Use your own text and photos, that you create or pay for. Plagiarism or copy catting will lead to poor ranking and possible penalties by Google and/or the original creator. Create more content for the services you want to promote and less for the other services. If you can show that you specialise in any particular areas, do that and back it up, with relevant views, comments and advice.
GDPR
As a final footnote, do ensure that you are not in breach of GDPR, which means you should not collect any personally identifiable data. Do you need to collect any details from visitors? Make it clear in your Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions, what exactly you do with any data collected, even cookies.