Advertising is not what it used to be. Long gone are the days of looking in the yellow pages for services.  While there is still a need for this generation’s Don Draper, the internet has changed the advertising game. The world wide web gives consumers information with lightning speed and your marketing efforts need to match consumer demand. Use the 10 strategies below to get the attention of your prospects, drive new client business to your website and increase your law firm’s conversions.

1.      Live Chats to Increase Conversion Rates

Every visit to your website is a conversion opportunity. Live chats give your prospective clients the ability to ask questions, troubleshoot your site and make an appointment instantly. People appreciate the ability to conveniently access customer service every step of the way.

Live chat is not only easy and convenient for your prospects but also for your business. Live chat is a simple-to-install tool that your law firm can implement with minimal effort. It can also be cost-effective.  An employee can only answer one phone call at a time, while an effectively trained staff member can manage multiple chats simultaneously.

2.      Effective SEO

“Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of affecting the visibility of a website or a web page in a web search engine’s unpaid results—often referred to as ‘natural,’ ‘organic’ or ‘earned’ results.” Your law firm’s site should be utilizing search engine optimization. If you are not an SEO expert, don’t worry, you’re not alone. But working with an SEO specialist can make a dramatic difference in conversion rates.

SEO is a constantly evolving process to improve your website and increase your search engine results. If your potential clients perform a Google search for your specialization and your site does not appear until page two or three, you’ve missed a conversion opportunity. Implementing SEO can make your website competitive in reaching your target audience.

3.      A Professional Website

Your site should be updated regularly and have a professional layout and look. It is most likely the first impression a client will have of you and your business. Your website should reflect your company and what sets you apart.

4.      Strategically Place Your Contact Information

Your end goal is to earn the client’s business. It needs to be as easy as possible for them to schedule that first appointment. Your contact information needs to be visible, clear and easily accessible from any page on your site. Your e-mail information should be set up to generate an e-mail as soon as a prospect clicks on it. Make it as easy as possible for your leads to reach out to you.

5.      Identify Your Target Audience and Market to Them Directly

Your website can have an incredibly broad reach, but not every prospect is your ideal client. Design your law firm’s website strategically. If you specialize in bankruptcy and foreclosures in your city, gear your site to these customers. Use blogs, tags and other tools to reinforce your web presence and your specialties. This will help drive the type of business that you want to your website.

6.      Keep Your Content Fresh and Compelling

Updating your site is critical. Fresh content can improve your search engine results and keep your site topical and relevant. Content needs to be directed towards your prospects and should offer new information and insights. There are many lawyers available to those in need. Your content should be leveraged to help you stand out and reach your audience. If your site can become a resource for your prospects, you have already started developing a relationship of trust. This is an easy way to increase conversion on a law firm website.

7.      User Interface and Experience

If your website is not user-friendly, you’ve already lost the client. You need to have an easy-to-use, workable website interface to attract and keep prospects. Cluttered sites, disorganization and broken links all deter a customer from reaching you. A website that is not efficient and functional will lose customers before they make their first appointment and can leave a poor impression of your business. Work out any and all bugs before taking your site live. Continue testing as you add content and ensure that every new visitor’s experience is a positive one.

8.      Track Your Traffic

It’s important to know where your leads are disconnecting and leaving the site. If you are following all the other steps listed here, you shouldn’t see consist stop points and your conversion rates should be increasing. You need to monitor your traffic so you can troubleshoot your site and user experiences. If multiple prospects leave your site at the same place, you can evaluate your site and take corrective measures.

9.      Social Media Presence

In addition to your law firm’s website, strategic marketing includes a strong social media presence.  Social media marketing on platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter increases your company’s visibility and reach to an even broader audience. Social media can increase inbound traffic to your website, giving you more opportunities to increase conversions on your law firm’s website. Your additional efforts can also benefit your business with increased brand recognition and loyalty.

10.   Testimonials

Let your happy clients sell your services for you. There is nothing more informative than a client detailing his or her experience working with you and why it was so wonderful. Testimonials build trust and can help a person overcome any hesitation to call, leading to better conversion rates.

Your law firm faces stiff competition with a plethora of other attorneys and legal options available to your clients. Make the most of your marketing budget and maximize your website’s conversion opportunities. You can use the 10 steps in this marketing and website design blog to successfully turn prospects into clients and build your business—or you can let us handle it all while you concentrate on your practice.