References No Longer the Primary Way Clients Check Out Law Firms

Your website is the number one resource for new clients to learn about you. If your site doesn’t draw prospects in, or help potential clients find and positively evaluate you, you're missing a huge opportunity. In fact according to Law360 and Hinge:

•          More potential clients will check out your law firm website than talk to friends, colleagues or a reference.
•          80.8% of clients will visit a lawyer’s website before contacting them.
•          63.2% will do more research (Google them).
•          59.9% will check Social Media.
•          If fact, in the most recent client surveys only 0.7% responded with “I don’t check them out.”

The creation of relevant, high-quality content is at the heart of most online marketing. It has long been established how important it is to have a front page that helps visitors figure out whether they are in the right place. Clearly what your contact information is, and that you have a strong picture and bio page is important too.

What is becoming more and more apparent is how essential a good Reference (Testimonials) Page is.

 Providing online references to potential clients is important—it shows satisfaction with your services from clients you've worked with before. It offers a glimpse into your firm's past. The references you provide are significant, but a small law firm may also need to embrace newer search methods too.

Many small law firms avoid social media, blogging, and mobile media because they have concerns about the labor and time commitments involved. The unavoidable truth is that all search methods are directly related to your online presence.

Hang on to those client references—they could be a tipping point in your favor—but engaging in social media, revamping your site on a regular basis, and investing in search engine optimization will go a long way to getting potential clients' eyes on those references in the first place.

Remember, these days new clients are looking at multiple sources for information before committing. If you're missing from any of their usual channels, you're missing the opportunity to shine. So get online, get optimized, and get visible. Put your best foot forward online, and become your own best reference.

One last thing to keep in mind, never think of your website as finished!