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By: Keith Bennett

Your Legal Website is NO LONGER Enough to Create a Powerful Web Presence

It has been a few years since it is no longer enough to just have a solo website for your law practice. Your legal website is just the CORNERSTONE component that needs to be surrounded by a network of web assets that will work together to promote your website. When your website is surrounded by the necessary web assets, you will better project your brand and share your expertise with potential clients who are ACTIVELY SEARCHING for someone like you in search of a solution to their legal matter.

Multiple Web Assets work together to Create a Powerful Web Presence

A law firm that deploys 4 to 10 web assets can create a powerful web presence. A powerful web presence will bring together you and prospective clients giving you a HUGE competitive advantage. Creating a powerful web presence is a complex process that includes your website, a blog connected to your website or stand-alone on separate URL, 2 or more social media profiles, and your listings in the better business directories.

The Solar Thermal Plant photo is a Perfect Analogy — But it can be a Double-Edged Sword!

I really like the visual analogy that the above photo makes. I think it is perfect and if you really want to start marketing your law practice, remember this image. For years I drove past one of the first Solar Thermal Plants in Yermo, CA – a desert community on the way to Las Vegas and Laughlin Nevada from Southern California. The more mirrors “in service” and pointed at the tower’s collector/boiler the more that sucker glowed! I swear to you that the analogy is 1:1 for leveraging the web to make you and your firm a boatload of money. All you have to do is not screw up by taking on too many clients too quickly and end up with disgruntled, overlooked, under-served clients who will then pen Rip-off Reports and crippling YELP RANTS that can similarly leverage the web with horrifying blow-back. I have helped dozens of lawyers who were so deep in the cow poop that they considered legally changing their names. BE CAREFUL!

Just as you might Write Up a Client Defense Checklist — WRITE Up a Web Marketing Checklist

• A written strategy for your web marketing efforts.
• Research (or list) your target demographic. Who do you want to learn about YOU and your Legal Services?
• Create a list of terms, keywords, or keyword-strings that you want to be found for when searched. (e.g. divorce, divorce lawyer, Miami divorce lawyer)
• If you need a domain name, search for a domain name that is a .COM or U.S. TLD (Top Level Domain) – not a .CO or other non-U.S. domain.
• Make sure your existing or new Website is on a decent hosting solution (shared servers are sometimes so SLOW as to negatively-affect Google ranking).
• Existing Website – Take a detached look at it – is it well-designed and easy to understand?
• New or Existing Website – make certain that your website is mobile and tablet responsive (Google tests for this).
• Existing or New stand-alone BLOG – make sure your BLOG is privately hosted – NOT on a FREE site (WordPress.com / Blogger, etc.)
• If you have a BLOG connected to your website consider what to call it. (e.g. BLOG, BLAWG, ARTICLES, NEWS, etc.).
• Is your current or new website built on a CMS platform (WordPress, Drupal, etc.)? A CMS website allows you to easily add daily, weekly or monthly new content (Pages, Posts, BLOG posts, etc.) without the need to pay a programmer.
• Are your current website permalinks “long-tailed?” That means are they meaningful and in English? Example:
• THIS: www.SEOforLawyers.pro/blog/a-website-is-no-longer-enough-for-a-powerful-web-presence
• NOT: www.MyCluelessLawFirm.com/^073-&__$061#@.html.

What Web Assets Should You Consider? — Here are MY TOP SIX — In Order of Web Leverage Value

• BLOG – You MUST have co-branded BLOG / BLAWG — preferably a “stand-alone” BLOG on a separate Domain/URL that is different that your website URL where you can post regular content that makes you an “authority” in the law section(s) that you work and points back to your website: Linked / Back-Linked to your website.
• Google+ – You ABSOLUTELY must have a Google Plus account (That is visually Co-Branded and connected to your website).
• Google+ Author Page is your initial Google Plus account about YOU the individual –Author Page– that is visually Co-Branded and Linked / Back-Linked to your website, and
• Google+ Publisher Page is the 2nd page you will create – a Google Plus Business Page about the ENTITY (the Law Firm) –Publisher Page– that is visually Co-Branded and Linked / Back-Linked to your website.
• Facebook Business Page – You should have a Facebook (Local Business or Place) account (That is visually Co-Branded and connected to your website).
• Twitter – You should have a Twitter account that is visually Co-Branded and promotes the BLOG posts that you write taking Twitter users to your website. Argh you protest… “I’m not a Twitter type!” Yes I know. Neither was I – it seemed silly, distracting and not something a professional needs to embrace. I was wrong and SO ARE YOU.
• LinkedIN – If you use your LinkedIN page, you know its value. If you have ignored LinkedIN – SHAME on you. It is a powerful Social Media tool that Lawyers, in particular, embrace to their benefit. You should have a FULLY set-up LinkedIN Profile that is visually Co-Branded to your website.
• AVVO – You should have a FULLY set-up AVVO Profile that is visually Co-Branded and Linked / Back-Linked to your website. You do not need to fall into the trap of paying AVVO.

Websites Leveraged By Multiple Web Assets Grossly Overpower Solo Websites

Once your website is supported, bolstered, and amplified by a BLOG and Social Media sites, you will break out of the basement where SOLO WEBSITES are now piling up in mass. New Bar Members be encouraged! If you just passed the bar you are stepping out on a somewhat level playing field in that most lawyers do not have a decent web marketing plan. Most lawyers wear so many hats that web marketing is hit and miss. This large demographic will POP UP every year or two when the “marketing bug” bites them. They will upload a profile picture to LinkedIN; maybe set up a Google+ account —but they won’t really finish it. They won’t follow through and verify their ADDRESS, PHONE, EMAIL, WEBSITE, or create a co-branded cover image. Every week while doing research for a client, I stumble across these never-finished Google+ accounts. Lost opportunities! YOU can leave these floundering, unfocused lawyers in your rear-view mirror: GUARANTEED!

You can even take on and PASS BY long-established, prosperous competitors…

Lots of larger, established and prosperous law shops are able to pay Scorpion, FindLaw or LexisNexis their silly-ass exorbitant fees —the equivalent of a house payment every month giving them a false sense of having their attorney marketing under control. SILLY BOYS… YOU can PASS THEM BY. Many of these smug and arrogant (maybe “clueless” would be nicer) lawyers think that because they pay so-called professionals some serious scratch, that their shinny new website can and will naturally bury younger, newer UPSTARTS by the power of their wallet. These “clueless” lawyers assume their expensive investment in a single website is all they need to do; put their marketing hat in the bottom drawer and return to lawyering — incorrectly assuming that their overpriced site will magically attract clients with no ongoing elbow grease.

Not so fast! Unfortunately, for them, by failing to “work their web presence” their website is dropping in rank just like the majority of websites. You can quietly TAKE THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED, and work the web with purpose and superior knowledge benefiting greatly. All your need is a decent website —no need to sell your first born— and kludge together a collection of a half-dozen supporting web assets like a BLOG, Google+ and some other social media sites. YOU can leverage the web to where you will earn Google respect and consequently, Google PAGE ONE results for dozens of competitive keyword-strings resulting in new clients and cases.

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