We have helped a lot of attorneys with their marketing over the years, so we’ve learned what succeeds, and we’re going to tell you.
We hope that you’ll find these recommendations helpful, and we also hope that you will adopt some of the elements we describe here for your own landing page.
Please send us your questions or share your own landing page experiences and ideas in the comment section below.
WHAT MAKES A LANDING PAGE PERFECT?
What constitutes the perfect law firm landing page? It’s these seven elements: benefits, features, proof, trust, image, offer, and form.
But before we get to the seven elements a landing page must have, it is imperative for us to explain something that a landing page should never have. It’s called a “slider,” and if you’re using one now on your landing page, you need to replace it.
A slider for a law firm landing page typically begins with a dramatic photograph at the top and some text like “Defending the Accused for Over a Decade.”
Another photo then “slides” onto the page, and maybe it’s you, consulting with a client, and text that reads “Over $40 Million in Settlements and Verdicts” (or something similar for your own firm or practice).
Why should sliders be avoided at all costs? A slider divides a viewer’s attention so that it actually distracts from the message.
The human eye is naturally attracted to pictures and motion, but that should not be happening when you’re trying to deliver a message.
When a slider is replaced with a still image – along with a powerful call-to-action – a law firm’s incoming calls increase substantially, and active sites that haven’t produced conversions begin producing conversions almost immediately.
BENEFITS
What are “benefits” in terms of a law firm landing page? You must explain – before anything else – how a prospective client will benefit if he or she hires you.
If you’re a personal injury lawyer, you’ll probably highlight compensation for lost wages and medical expenses. Criminal defense lawyers usually emphasize staying out of jail.
Benefits are the most important element on a landing page because they place the attention on your prospective client.
The number of years you’ve defended the accused or the injured, or the dollar amounts or number of verdicts you’ve won for clients are vitally important, and that’s next, but prospective clients first need to know exactly what you are going to do for them.
You’ll be using a little psychology here because you want to provide exactly what a prospective client seeks.
Thus, the benefits on your landing page might look like some combination of the benefits suggested here:
1. “An attorney will give your case the personal attention it deserves.”
2. “You work personally with the attorney, not with a paralegal or case worker.”
3. “You owe us nothing unless and until we obtain compensation on your behalf.”
4. “Call me now to schedule a no-cost, no-obligation legal consultation.”
FEATURES
Features must be highlighted next. Once a prospective client learns the benefits of hiring you, that person wants assurance of your qualifications – your years of practice, the number or dollar amount of your verdicts – anything that proves you are qualified to get the job done right.
The tricky part is balancing your features against your benefits on the landing page so that potential clients always feel like their needs are your priorities.
PROOF
“Proof” is testimonials, awards, professional, civic, and charitable groups you belong to, or something like a five-star ranking from Google.
Many attorneys simply display the logos of their professional groups and bar associations. Don’t force too much of this onto your page.
We find that three logos – perhaps from two professional groups and your local or state bar association – works just right on a landing page. Anything more might be perceived as desperation – or boasting.
Then put the focus right back on your prospective client with the next element of the perfect landing page.
TRUST
As you know, when someone needs an attorney, that person can feel vulnerable and exposed. He or she may need some reassurance that someone else – a stranger, in fact – can be trusted. You can subtly offer that reassurance in several ways on your perfect landing page.
Offering a free consultation is reassurance that a potential client will not be “ripped off.” Even placing a little graphic drawing of a padlock under your website’s contact form can suggest your trustworthiness – and lead to a substantial increase in your conversions.
IMAGE
You guessed it. It’s a picture of you. Your picture must be near or at the top of your landing page. Which photo should you use?
The final choice is yours, but if you work with an internet marketing company, you should probably choose four or five photos that you like, and let the marketing pros help you arrive at a final choice.
OFFER
The whole point of your website and landing page, of course, is to prompt a potential client to pick up the phone or at least fill out the online contact form. Make that as easy as possible.
Your office phone number should be prominent. So should your contact form. Don’t make a potential client scroll or search for these items.
Being “personal” helps too. Instead of the words “Free Consultation,” your potential client should read something on your landing page like, “Call me right now to schedule your free legal consultation.”
FORM
Prominently display your telephone number and contact form. Offer a chat box with a live operator. Anything that highlights these items – contrasting colors, perhaps – is helpful. Make the contact form and chat box as accessible and as easy to use as possible.
That’s the perfect law firm landing page. An experienced internet marketing company can provide even more help with your law firm’s landing page or with any other aspect of your legal marketing.
If you have questions or comments, leave them in the comment section below, and we’ll share them here with the other Esteemed Lawyers of America.