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For attorneys, a good website is essential. It’s not just your online home, but the first thing most clients will ever see with regard to your firm. In other words, it sets the first impression people have of your practice—so a professional web presence is well worth the investment.

Alas, not all law firms have exemplary sites, and we’ve seen a few particularly common and egregious mistakes. Here are some of the most common legal website errors we’ve observed—all of which can and should be avoided!

Common Website Errors Your Law Firm Might Be Making

1. Using a bad domain name. Both for purposes of SEO and professional branding, we recommend having a domain name that matches the name of your firm—so, for instance, if your firm is called the ABC Law Firm, we’d recommend a domain like abclaw.com, abclawfirm.com, etc. Some firms try to be cute or funny with their domain name, but that’s almost never a good idea.
2. Having stale content. One of the most important things you can do for your website is to keep the content fresh. That means adding new content regularly; blogging is the most logical way to accomplish that. It also means revising your main website content semi-regularly—at least once every year. This helps with Google rankings, and it can also be an important way to keep your audience engaged.
3. Not including NAP information. When we say NAP, we mean your law firm’s name, address, and phone number—and it should be included on every page of your website. There are a couple of reasons for this. One, it helps you rank in local Google searches. And two, it makes it easy for your potential clients to contact you—no matter which page of your website they happen to be on.
4. Neglecting calls to action. Along the same lines, we’d say that every page of your law firm website should have a call to action. You can’t just assume that people are going to call you for an appointment; you actually have to encourage them to do so. Keep your CTAs short and sweet; don’t forget the contact information; and by all means, have at least one on every page.
5. Failing to cover your services. This one should be a no-brainer, but you’d be amazed how often lawyers forget to go into real detail about the services they can offer—and the value they can bring to their clients. Make sure you have service pages that make it clear what your firm is all about, and why people should call you. Enumerate your areas of expertise!
6. Settling for a boring or outdated look. It’s as if some attorneys believe legal websites are destined to be boring—but they don’t have to be! There are plenty of sleek, modern design options that can help your firm appear cutting-edge, without any compromise to your professionalism. If your website looks like an antique, that means it’s time to get a revamp. Reach out to a Web design agency that specializes in attorney websites.

Get Help with Your Law Firm Website

These are all significant errors—but they’re not insurmountable. You can get a truly fresh and effective website for your legal practice today, and it starts when you call us at Driven2020.

We’re seasoned experts in helping law firms grow and thrive, and one area where we specialize is in website creation. Learn more by reaching out to the legal marketing pros at Driven2020 at your next convenience.