But, as a lawyer, you have spent your whole education and career writing. You figure you can write your own legal website content. Right? Wrong. Here are three simple reasons why you should hire a professional copywriter to craft compelling content for your website.

Reason #1: Web-Based Writing Is Not the Same as Legal Writing.

Writing content for the Internet is not the same as writing a legal brief or demand letter. They are similar, however, in that they each have technical aspects that you must follow to get it right. But you did not go to school to write for search engines. Nor did you likely take many marketing courses, if any, as you prepared for legal practice.

Hiring a professional website writer can help bridge the gap between you and your audience that exist on the Web. Such a writer understands search engine optimization (SEO), so writing for search bots comes naturally. That same writer also knows how to break through legal jargon to communicate your services clearly to a prospective client.

Reason #2: Your Content Will Be Done On-Time.

If you are like most attorneys, your law firm marketing efforts often fall last on your to-do list. You may have the best of intentions, promising your web developer that you will deliver content for your site by a certain date so you can hit that “go live” date you are so anxious for. And then your due date comes and goes. And you get wrapped up in casework and trial dates. And all of a sudden, your “go live” date gets pushed out further and further, and you find yourself paying for hosting services for a site that is still under development.

By hiring a writer, you avoid the stress that comes with having the task hanging over your head. Your full website project stays on track, as your writer will deliver copy to you on time and help keep you on task for delivering edits and approving copy. From there, your writer can work with your developer to make the content development process move as smoothly as possible. That way, your site goes live when you want it to, and you get the most bang for your hosting services buck.

Reason #3: You Have Better Things to Do With Your Time.

Tied directly in with reason two is the fact that your time is precious. What you do with it matters. You need to focus on tasks that help your clients and bring you fulfillment, not to mention earning income to support you and your family.

Writing content for your website takes time if you do it right. The average website marketing writer spends at least one hour per page of copy, and that is coming from someone who does this on a daily basis. A basic five-page website could take you 10-12 hours to write. Just think of what you can accomplish, work, personal or otherwise, with that time.

What Are You Waiting For?

Whether you just starting out on a new website project or you are in the middle of one that you thought you could or should handle on your own, there is no better time than now to hire a professional writer to help. Let the professional writer focus on what she does best so you can focus on what you do best: providing legal services to those who need them.

The post It’s Time to Hire a Professional to Write Your Law Firm Website Content appeared first on Iceberg Web Design.

What does this mean when it comes to revamping your law firm website? The answer is, naturally, “it depends.” You can gain a clearer understanding of when it is time to update your site by performing an annual review.

Scheduled Reviews Keep Your Legal Website Current

Website design principles and best practices are constantly evolving. Writing for the web requires ongoing knowledge of what works well for users and search engines alike.

If you want your legal website to stand out from the crowd, schedule annual reviews with your website developer. Determine what updates you need to attract prospects and convert them into clients.

For instance, is your website mobile friendly yet? Does it look as though it was made in the early 90s? Your website has mere seconds to make a good first impression on a visitor. Do not make that first impression be its last impression—keep current to keep visitors’ attention.

Related post: 9 Surefire Signs Your Website Needs a Facelift

Updates That Should Lead You to Revise Your Law Firm Website

You should not wait for up to a year to make certain on your website, however. Here are five categories of updates that should incite immediate revisions to your website:

1. Major search engine updates: The search engines are constantly updating their algorithms, which means your website must adapt to continue appearing in search results. Some updates, like Panda and Penguin, affect content and SEO practices. Others, such as the mobile-friendly preference debuted by Google in April 2015, affect design and development practices. Waiting to adjust your site accordingly could cause you to disappear from search results for some time.
2. Major law changes: 2015 witnessed major changes in family law—specifically, in the realm of same-sex marriage. If you are a family law practitioner, does your website content reflect the updates that come as a result of same-sex marriage? This is one example of how your content can quickly date itself—and show your prospective clients that you aren’t as good about details as you should be.
3. Law firm staffing updates: New partners often bring about name changes, logo changes and more. You need these changes to take effect across your website. The same is true if a lawyer leaves your employment and goes elsewhere.
4. Law practice updates: Have you expanded your practice? Or perhaps you have decided you are going to focus and own a singular niche practice area? Either way, do not wait to update your website to mirror the services you offer. It is important to note this change affects content and imagery.
5. Other law firm updates: Perhaps you’ve moved office locations or you obtained a new phone number for your practice. Or maybe your firm or one of your attorneys recently won an award that you would like to highlight. Whatever the change is, update your website when the change happens.

Your Next Steps

First thing’s first—set a schedule today for an annual review of your website that you will follow through on. Then, take a few minutes to browse through your website right now. If you notice aged design, outdated content or incorrect contact information, reach out to your website design and development team to start making updates. If you do not have a team you can rely on, we welcome you to reach out to our law firm website development specialists. Send us an email or call us today at 763-350-8762.

The post How Often Should Your Law Firm Revamp Its Website? appeared first on Iceberg Web Design.