Company websites are typically the first point of contact people have with the company that owns it. Seeing ads here is different from making contact. For legal websites in particular, making a first impression is a very big deal. Losing a potential client because of a website mistake like some coding error is a blow to an entity’s law firm marketing. Most website mistakes are just common oversights or simplistic errors that can be cleaned up quickly.
The goal is to find and address these mistakes if you have made them. If you haven’t, then it’s crucial to avoid them. A legal website supports a firm’s overall efforts in marketing, client leads, and even client retention. Let’s go over 10 frequent website mistakes that drive potential clients away.
Technical and Accessibility Problems
1. Slow Loading Speeds
With the modern Internet, people expect pages to load right up. According to market research, nearly half of mobile users outright abandon a site that takes more than three seconds to load. The reasoning behind this is that the site is broken, and few stick around to see if that’s actually the case. So if a law firm is using large images that aren’t optimized, or videos, etc., on the homepage, this can cause slow loading speeds.
Someone looking to visit a law firm does not want to have to wait like they’re using dial-up connection. They expect a fast, responsive loading time. Clear the homepage of elements that take too long to load. Save them for sister pages.
2. Lack of Mobile Optimization
Another issue is that a website may be optimized for one platform but not for others. For instance, if using a service like WordPress to optimize for a PC browser, then the likelihood is good that the mobile experience won’t be great. Lines will overlap. Text will be cut short. Images may be out of focus due to compression.
The best way to solve this issue is to always use a responsive template. This is a website template that literally responds the same way no matter which platform it’s being viewed on. Responsive design can ensure that your firm’s website looks great whether loaded on an iPhone, an HP laptop, or someone’s gaming console.
3. Missing or Hard-to-Find Contact Information
A law firm’s website isn’t like a personal blog or a sales page. The idea is to generate potential clients through leads. These leads need to figure out how to contact you. The “Contact us” (or equivalent) tab should be prominently displayed in the header. You would be surprised how many firm websites have this tiny tab down in their footer, or internally linked on some “About Us” page.
With a responsive template, you can choose click-to-call functionality. Also, make sure you plainly list all modes of contact. A phone number and email address for sure, and you may even consider live chat (even AI-assisted) if a larger firm.
Content and Messaging Issues
4. Writing for Other Lawyers Instead of Clients
It’s important to remember that the average person has no idea how to process legal jargon. They may have watched a procedural show on television, but that does not mean they’re fluent in legalese. You should avoid complex wording, lengthy credential lists, enumerated laws, etc. Write in plain English that people can understand.
Your content should focus on the visitor’s situation. If your firm deals with traffic accidents and worker’s comp, then plain language should relay this information to the reader. There is no reason to speak on your website as if you’re speaking with other lawyers.
5. Generic or Thin Practice Area Pages
Many firms have multiple areas of practice. Unfortunately, many of these firms enumerate them all on the same page, or create bulleted lists. The best practice here is to create independent pages for each specialty of the firm. Divorce, child custody, alimony, annulment, etc. — each specific service/practice area needs its own independent page. This allows you to create and relay more information, which can help gain clients.
6. Absence of Clear Calls to Action
A call to action, or a “CTA,” is a clear driver for a reader. For instance, “Contact us now to learn more about how you can fight your DUI in court.” You can use this CTA to urge readers to call for help, to schedule consultations, etc. The idea is that you want to give a reader a clear prompt. Website text with CTAs converts orders of magnitude more leads than those without them.
Design, Trust, and Visibility Shortfalls
7. Reliance on Generic Stock Photography
Everyone has an HD camera on their phone these days. There’s no sense in using generic stock images for anything on your site. So many law firm websites use the same generic gavel pictures, or nondescript handshakes, or the famous scales of justice. Visitors do not need legal imagery. They need information, and they need to feel as if it was personalized for their presence. Use pictures of your actual lawyers, your real offices, and real situations.
Authenticity matters a great deal to visitors. Generic images look a lot like cheap blogs from the mid-2000s. This mistake alone can hinder your law firm marketing.
8. Outdated or Confusing Design and Navigation
Older layouts with cluttered menus throw people off. The same holds true with inconsistent branding signals. You have to understand that visitors are forming quick judgments here. They’re looking to invest time, money, and potentially their freedom in a lawyer. The website needs to look professional and not like someone’s Facebook page that was created on a whim.
9. Neglecting Local Search Signals
If your law firm is located in Cincinnati, OH, then the text needs to say this multiple times. Not to the point of spamming, but at least once every 200 words. The reason is that people searching for lawyers are looking locally. Someone in Cincinnati is likely going to type “DUI lawyer in Cincinnati, Ohio.” You want the web crawlers to be able to pull your site up. Even if you’re not getting top-tier billing, you still need to be included.
Plus, if someone local does find your site and it doesn’t suggest local proximity, they’re likely going to click off in a hurry. Where you’re located should be displayed front and center.
10. Insufficient Trust-Building Elements
Lastly, post client feedback on your site. Real reviews help to build trust. Post testimonials, reviews, and your good results on your page. Nobody wants Generic Lawyer #4. They want a lawyer they believe is a winner.
Overall, pay attention to your website creation when marketing your law firm or hire an agency like GAVL who can do the hard work for you and ensure your site reaches potential clients. Avoiding these 10 mistakes is a great start. A clean, localized, informative site can help turn visitors into clients.
