Web Sites Should Be More Than Just An On-line Brochure

Advertising

By Bob Weiss

December 2005: The Internet has changed the way individuals, executives and in-house counsel purchase legal services. We now have clients with Web sites that are generating substantive family law, estate and tax cases, business transactions and commercial litigation-- every day of the week.

If your firm's Web site is little more than a virtual tri-fold brochure you should revisit its overall goals, objectives and strategies and ask:

1. How could the site work as a "branding" tool and differentiate the firm from competitors?
2. What information do you already have in written form that could quickly be added to turn it into a "resource" functioning as an online advertisement?
3. If you lack content like this, what relevant information do you need to develop in order to achieve this?
4. How are you going to get targeted visitors to view your site and important pages?
5. How can the firm's attorneys use the Web site and specific pages as resource tools after the initial contact from a potential client?
6. Is it important for your pages to show up high on the search engines?
7. It is crystal clear immediately to visitors what you do? (You don't want to make visitors think or work to come to what should be an immediate conclusion. And, this needs to be evident on EVERY page of your site.)
8. Can you develop client testimonials? It's more credible let your clients tell your story. A best practice is to use them throughout the Web site.

Many firms build and maintain Web sites. We recommend you use one that has experience in the legal industry.

ALYN-WEISS & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Public Relations | Marketing
1331 - 17th Street, Suite 410
Denver, CO 80202

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