A high-converting law firm website is more than just a digital brochure. It’s a business development tool that’s designed to turn visitors who are looking for information into qualified leads. For many firms, the website is the first interaction a potential client has with the practice. Consider this—around 17% of people search on the Internet for legal information before they do anything else. In contrast, only 16% turn to an attorney for legal advice as a first step when they encounter a legal issue.
From a practical standpoint, digital marketing for law firms must look professional, but it must also build trust and communicate value. Visitors to the website must be able to quickly determine that the attorneys understand their situation and can provide viable solutions. This decision is often made quickly, so there should be readily available options for the visitor to reach the firm.
A high-converting law firm website is built primarily to inform within the confines of the American Bar Association’s ethical rules. Conversion is a secondary priority, one that has to be handled directly without any added friction that could make a visitor pause before using live chat, filling out a contact form, sending an email, or calling the law firm.
Clarity Invokes a Strong First Impression
One of the most important elements of a high-converting law firm website is clarity. When a visitor lands on a firm’s website, they should be able to tell what practice areas the firm handles and where the firm is located. Once those are determined, the visitor needs to see why they should continue to read about the firm or contact the firm. All of this happens within seconds, so it’s important to work with a digital marketing agency that prioritizes building custom law firm websites from scratch.
Some law firms make overly broad and polished statements, such as “committed to excellence” or “trusted legal representation,” but those have very little value for conversion. Visitors don’t want vague information. They want to know how a law firm can help them with the problem they’re researching.
Some law firms try to present a lot of information to visitors right away, but cluttered pages can work against them. Inconsistent visual branding and outdated visuals can automatically detract from a firm’s credibility to visitors. Clean, organized, professional design supports clarity, which can build credibility and trust.
Helpful Content and Easy Navigation
Visitors want to find the information they need quickly. Simple navigation that points to helpful content makes this possible. Website menus should be easy to understand, and the important pages should be easy to reach. At a minimum, law firm websites should have these pages readily accessible instead of being hidden in confusing dropdown menus:
- Practice areas
- Attorney biographies
- Reviews
- Contact details
- Frequently asked questions
Cross-linking these pages is often beneficial because clients tend to go through them all when they’re trying to determine if a firm can help them. When a visitor first navigates to a law firm’s website, they may feel stressed and overwhelmed because of the legal issue they’re dealing with. The last thing they want to do is encounter more stress trying to go through the website.
Building trust through a law firm’s website is possible, and it contributes to higher conversion rates. One of the most effective ways to build trust is to speak in plain language while providing helpful information. Practice area pages should explain the issues that fall within the firm’s scope. They should outline the basic information about how the firm approaches the issue and help the visitor to feel confident with the abilities of the firm’s attorneys.
Trust can continue to be built through informational content, but only if it’s used strategically. Blog articles and resource pages can help to demonstrate the firm’s authority while improving traffic. A potential client who finds clear, useful information without being overwhelmed with massive amounts of information on a single page will feel more comfortable reaching out to the firm about their problem.
Trust Signals for Credibility
Many potential clients have some degree of skepticism toward attorneys. Converting those visitors often depends on having impactful trust signals throughout the website. These include:
- Attorney credentials and bar admissions
- Professional memberships
- Awards and recognitions
- Media mentions or publications
- Case results, sparingly and only when appropriate
- Client testimonials, but only honest and valid ones
More isn’t always better when it comes to those trust signals. Instead of bombarding the visitor with all of this information, it’s best to have it included in a natural manner. This could mean having a well-written attorney bio with a thoughtful explanation of the firm’s mission without cluttering the page with several badges or testimonials that might make the page seem exaggerated.
Natural Conversion Options
Easy accessibility is critical for any law firm that wants its website to convert visitors to clients. All unnecessary obstacles should be removed, but some law firms don’t realize just how many obstacles their websites contain.
One example of a contact barrier that can prevent conversion is a lengthy contact form that makes the visitor abandon the form. Instead of trying to get all the information from the potential client from the start, use a simple contact form that’s easy for them to fill out. You can always follow up with requests for more information, but the first goal should be having the person initiate contact.
Calls to action are another obvious way to improve conversion, but they can’t be overdone. Not every section needs a hard sell. Instead, soft persuasive statements throughout the website with a single call to action are often the most effective. Persuasive statements include those that let the visitor know how the firm can help.
For example, “Our attorneys review your medical records to determine the most effective option for conveying the full impact of your injuries” can increase conversions. This shows the attorneys care and are eager to maximize recovery in the personal injury claim.
Ultimately, a high-conversion law firm website must employ a multifaceted client-centered approach that exudes professionalism. Potential clients want information and need to trust their legal representation, so the firm’s website must check both of those boxes for the visitor.
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