Seems like a question from decades ago with a rather obvious answer. Although the number of law firms and legal websites has grown over the years still today, the majority of law firms still do not have a website and ones that do, usually have a picture that involves gavels, pillars, scales of justice or something else just as old and outdated.
So it’s 2019 and still, a majority of law firms do not have a website with an optimum website design. What’s the holdup?
According to surveys, many lawyers believe that they don’t have the time, skill or money to build a website. A surprising majority say that their law firm does not need a website and quite a few of us till date believe that having a legal website is illegal in India, because of the nobility of the profession, well so is medicine and how often do you listen to radio ads about hospitals in your area or get flyers with your daily newspapers?
Also, nobility wouldn’t help you gain quality clients in a cutthroat and price-competitive market and whilst you await more clear and concise guidelines from the bar council of India, who by the way made it very clear back in 2008 that it is perfectly legal for a law firm to operate and maintain a website, we assure you that your competitors are already way ahead in the game and many have already managed to create brands that would generate business for a long time to come.
Take a minute here and think what differentiates the goliaths of your industry from you or your law firm? What activities did they carry out to create a brand that they have?
Many attorneys fail to understand how important a well-designed website is to their business. Your law firms’ website is quite often the first impression you make on a potential client, think of it as a digital brochure that is available to your potential clients 24*7.
So if you are a partner at a Law firm and are still on the fence over your Law firms website, read On! Here are our top reasons why you need a website for your law firm:
40% of consumers (B2B and B2C) won’t consider a Legal practice without a website
That’s right, welcome to the digital age. Having a well-maintained website is no longer an option but a necessity. People perceive Legal practices without a website as less professional or even worse they put you under the “traditional lawyers” bracket who they think would neither be hands-on, nor tech-savvy enough to engage with.
You can control the information and branding
It’s impossible for you to control what people say about you on social media channels or conferences but you can control the narrative and influence public perception with your website. You can highlight important information about your practice like your areas of expertise, partner profiles, PR Activities and other important knowledge that your potential clients might need before they decide to engage with your law firm.
People are Searching for you Online
We cannot stress on this enough. A well-designed website that clearly showcases your law firms’ strengths is the cornerstone of your online presence and branding activities.
There is a reason why companies invest on newsletters, website designs, and Search Engine Optimization and the reason is that there are 4 billion searches on Google every day and at this very moment there are people in your area searching for your exact service. Guess where they are going to end up? That’s right, with your competition!
Give your law firm the credibility it deserves
A major proportion of your consumers consider an optimum website design to be the number one factor when it comes to deciding the credibility of your business. Not having a website or having a poorly designed website forces them not to trust your legal practice.
Compete with the best firms in your area of expertise
That’s right, a well-designed website does not only help build trust with your potential clients but it also helps you to compete with the Goliaths of your industry. It helps level the playing field by breaking down the perceived wall between you and them and also gives you an edge on your potential client’s decision-making process.
Despite everything going for them, lawyers still have apprehension getting a website. We recently met a partner at a very prominent law firm and here are his major objections for having a website:
Majority of my business comes through Referrals, I don’t need a website
Although the sole purpose of a website is not to drive business, it does enough and more to protect your bottom line and optimize conversion rates. Also, building a business strategy based on referrals is neither reliable nor scalable. It’s in your law firms best interest to build a digital presence and keep control of your firms future.
My customers are not online
The Partner told me that whilst two of his clients were going through Facebook for the past half hour in the waiting room. Well, I didn’t know how to say this to a senior partner with 25+ yrs of experience in law but he had no idea what he was talking about, a majority of his customers are online and over the next few years, all of them will be.
Another common objection we get from new budding lawyers is that their business is too small for them to invest in a website
If you feel your legal practice is currently too small to invest in a website you are most definitely wrong giving your firm an online identity is as important as your legal degree. Your website does not need to be super expensive but it needs to exist and it needs to rank well on Google search results.
India is already seeing a major increase in the volume of people searching online for knowledge-based services. As a result, your potential customers are becoming more tech-savvy and information focused. Having a well-designed website enables you to make their decision for them.
A website is a cornerstone for your online brand building endeavors. A good website will validate your legal practice to potential clients referred to you by others. It will also help attract new clients who have never heard of your law firm before. Running a practice today without an up to date website is a hindrance.
Have any questions on your website requirements? Or can you still think of a couple of reasons why you shouldn’t have a website? Let us know below. If you need help with your website, reach out to us we have a wide variety of packages to suit your needs and help get your Legal practice on the map.
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