Whether you are a startup looking for a law firm to help you through the first hurdles of setting up and company, or an established company that has run into a new legal hurdle, finding the right law firm for your needs is a critical decision. You want to find a successful firm with experience in your industry, that has offices relatively close by for in-person discussions, and is in the right price bracket – the search can be tough.
It used to be that companies would find their law firms through personal recommendations from friends and family or others similar business, but has the internet changed all that? Every law firm is expected to have its own website these days, but while a pretty site is a bonus, according to a recent study there are certain bits of information that are far more critical.
Years of experience in the industry, pricing structure, and relevant past case results are by far the most critical pieces of information for law firms to include on their websites, and should be front and centre on their website. People are looking for lawyers of distinction in their field at a price that they can afford, and with a pricing structure where they know that costs will not spiral out of control.
Whilst not as strong a signal as personal recommendations, independent reviews and testimonials are also useful, as they show that a firm has happy clients. Founders and management looking to find lawyers of distinction in a relevant field will look at Google Reviews, Facebook reviews, and independent review websites to see how others feel the firm has performed, so encouraging happy clients to share their pleasure online can be a fruitful exercise.
On the other side of the scale, people view social media activity was considered one of the least important ranking signals. Whilst firms should probably maintain a Facebook page, as some people search on Facebook as if it was Google, unless they are central to a high profile case where their comments will be quoted far and wide, social media may be a waste of resources for law firms looking to attract new clients.
Understandably, people who are searching for a law firm want to find a group that is serious and well-prepared, neither of which are traits of social media, where “sass” is considered more important than facts and intellectual rigour. Most lawyers suck at internet marketing, so it is better for everyone if they focused on keeping real clients happy and generating honest reviews and testimonials for a clean, clear and accurate website than trying to create an online persona on Twitter.
Photograph by Free-Photos