When potential clients are looking at a law firm’s website, they’re using what they see as the groundwork for their first impression of an attorney and their team. They’re also looking for information that’s relevant to their situation, and material that could help them with their decision of choosing a lawyer.
What makes a good law firm website? Is it snappy language, an eye-catching design, or perhaps a combination of the two? There are a number of factors that make an attorney’s website great, including a clear statement of goals, an eye for SEO (search engine optimization), and even the use of a color scheme and well-designed logo.
Lawyerist recently released their annual list of Best Law Firm Websites, and Custis Law, P.C. was amongst the firms that earned recognition. Calling aspects of its pages “subtle, eye-catching, and sophisticated,” we are proud to have our Los Angeles employment law firm website acknowledged for its design, content, and other unique qualities.
Why Was Custis Law, P.C. Chosen?
When a user visits the Custis Law, P.C. homepage, they are greeted with an animation of a worker constructing a weld – with sparks flying from the tool. It’s not a wildly intricate animation, nor does it flash excessively, leading to potential distraction for a user. Per Lawyerist, this is an engaging way to pull you in, and “flame your imagination.” Not seen on many law firm websites today, this simple addition to the front page of our site stands out.
Also on the homepage, we state a clear call to action: “how can we help?” By putting this question front and center, it creates a sense of involvement, maybe even urgency, for a client to share their story with us. Under the question is several issues a user can choose – ranging from wrongful termination, to overtime pay cases, to other legal problems.
Lawyerist also pointed out attorney Keith Custis’ headshot, calling it “compelling.” Attorney Custis has based his practice off a desire for those dealing with challenging work-related issues, and the photo attached to his bio reflects the compassion and dedication he provides clients every day.
Lawyerist Criteria
While there is no formula for creating a perfect law firm website, Lawyerist lays out tips solo practitioners and teams of attorneys can take advantage of as they build their presence on the internet. Their best practices for law firm websites include:
Ensure that your firm’s goals are clearly stated.
Every attorney has a goal (or set of goals) they want for their firm, and their website. For these goals to be achieved, content, design, and other website qualities need to reflect those objectives. To show users that a lawyer is an experienced, skilled litigator, one might include courtroom photos to show their experience.
Make sure your call to action (CTA) stands out.
A strong call to action will pull a potential client in right away. Use an active, engaging voice that creates a sense of urgency. Readers are busy, and can lose interest in content quickly if your CTA does not speak to them on a pressing level.
Zone in on your “client-centered value proposition.”
When it comes to value propositions (the value an attorney/law firm can provide to a client through a variety of services), one might think that providing an initial consultation/evaluation of a case is enough. To stand out in the vast field of attorney websites, however, you need to center this value around the client, what the feel when they enlist your help, and their needs. A good value proposition includes a firm’s values and vision for client service.
Think about mobile users.
According to BrightEdge, mobile users account for around 57 percent of online traffic. Due to this increase in mobile web browsing, websites need to be designed, developed, and written around the concept that a user will be accessing it via a phone, tablet, or another related device with a smaller screen.
Consider the use of colors and strong images.
Colors and photos can elicit strong reactions and emotions when a user visits a firm’s site. For example, a blog title that appears in a light blue font might help a user remain calm while researching otherwise stressful legal topics. In the same vein, images can help users imagine themselves in a similar situation. If your site shows photos of you sitting down and talking with a client, that could lead to the user browsing your site further and eventually deciding you’re the attorney for them.
Engage with typography.
It might seem like a minor detail, but the fonts used on a law firm’s website – and how they’re formatted on a page – can have a great impact on a user’s experience. According to Lawyerist, certain fonts look better, underlining text is a mistake, and single-spacing between sentences works best. When building your site and writing legal content, keep these considerations in mind, as they could be deal-breakers for your potential clients.
Don’t forget about accessibility.
Not everyone accesses the internet in the same way. For users with conditions that prevent them from engaging with a web page to the fullest extent, website accessibility is of the utmost importance. In terms of law firm websites, they can be made more accessible by adding alternative text to images, considering a color scheme that is easy to read, and using headers in your content.
Remember SEO.
All attorneys want their websites to rank in Google and other search engines. To do so, a website must consider their SEO strategy, and potential keywords for which your firm wants to rank.
Ensure that your site is secure.
Security on any website is important, but for attorneys and law firms, protecting a client’s information and data is paramount. To protect a site from breaches and attacks, a firm should encrypt data, back up files, have a password strategy in place, and more.
Want to Learn More? Contact a Los Angeles Employment Attorney for Help
At Custis Law, P.C., we want to help clients who find themselves facing employment-related issues such as wrongful termination, problems pertaining to Family and Medical Leave (FMLA), sexual harassment, and more. Don’t face the legal process alone. Let a compassionate, dedicated Los Angeles attorney help. Call Custis Law, P.C. at (213) 863-4276, or reach out through the online contact form to schedule a free consultation of your case.