5 Tips for Creating an Effective Online Presence

by Marvin Woodard, Creative Director for TheAttorneyStore.com

1. Make your website unique.

Many law firm websites these days are starting to look the same. Avoid this standard look and create a theme that represents your law firm. A potential client is more likely to remember a unique site and return in the future. Take a look at these unique site designs by TheAttorneyStore.com:

Maris & Lanier | The Michigan Legal Team

2. The website must be usable and interactive.

Don’t have a website just for the sake of having one. A usable and interactive website will increase the amount of time visitors spend with you on your site. Usability can be achieved with a clean look and simple navigation design. A ''legal tips'' section is a good way to increase interactivity. Providing legal tips can educate potential clients and give them an idea of what to expect before meeting you.

3. Utilize multimedia.

The most important aspect of today’s website design is the use of multimedia. A video of you discussing the work you do will make you seem more human to potential clients. If your website is intricate, a tutorial video can help visitors navigate the site. Be sure to make your videos entertaining. A boring video will make your firm seem equally boring.

4. Advertise, advertise, advertise

Your law firm’s website is essentially an advertisement for your legal services, but you also need to advertise the website itself in order to increase site traffic. Offline advertising such as billboards, radio and TV can be just as important as online advertising. Additionally, search engine optimization, or SEO, is critical to your website’s success. Finding an unsearchable website is like finding a needle in a haystack. Increase the chances that potential clients will find your website by continually improving your search ranking. One tip for doing so is to develop ''backlinks,'' which are incoming links to your site from other sites.

5. Have fun.

Don’t be afraid to be creative. This is marketing and advertising, after all. Make a website that will inform and educate potential clients but at the same time entertain and keep them interested. You can’t see the client that you lose online, but it’s just as bad as losing one who comes to your office.