This year’s post about best law firm websites is a little different than the past. In 2010 and 2011, I provided links of sites that I found to be the best representation of great website design in order to provide inspiration for firms that were looking to develop or redesign their websites. I based my choices on my own professional design judgement with a few criteria that I explained.
This year, nominations took place here, on Lawyerist.
Now that it’s 2012, we’re starting to look around the web for the best law firm websites again. In 2010 and 2011, Karin just picked her favorites. But then people started inquiring into our methodology, and quite frankly, there wasn’t any.
So here is what we’re doing this year: You nominate the websites, and we will pick the best from the nominees. We’re looking for websites with great design and great content, so don’t nominate your Geocities page. We reserve the right to make fun of nominated websites, if we feel it’s necessary, although we won’t go looking for websites to pick on.
To nominate a website, just leave a comment below with the URL. If you want to, let us know why it’s awesome.
(photo: Shutterstock)
Reflecting on the features of a successful website design is often helpful in capturing broad inspiration. The following websites are not from the legal industry; however offer unique solutions worth reviewing. These websites were chosen as award-winning by other judges and I have chosen a few of my favorites that seemed most relevant to law firm websites from the following website awards: The Webby Awards, American Graphic Design Awards, and Web Marketing Association’s WebAwards.
Guest post by Danielle Rodabaugh.
Being well-informed of your profession and wanting to share that knowledge with others is admirable. However, with the virtually limitless amount of information available online today, you can’t expect significant feedback just because you published any old law article on your blog or website. Whether you’re trying to build a strong readership for your blog or attract potential clients with a company website, you need to turn boring law topics into engaging, relevant reads.
A successful website is a combination of design, execution, and achieving the objective. To review these concepts in detail with a visual example as a case study, I will review the most successful website in my portfolio in terms of traffic, design, referrals, awards, and overall achievement of its firm’s goal.
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the science of refining your website so that it attracts more visitors, thus producing new business leads and calls from potential clients. Research shows that firms that the top fact that the No. 1 online marketing tactic used by high-growth firms is search engine optimization.
Design by committee is the leading cause of website failure. When I hear the words “we need to gather our team and get everyone’s input” I realize the project is doomed. Often my clients believe that the system they employ is helpful when it only stands to derail the whole process. If you are starting or in the midst of a website design project consider avoiding these traps that could ruin your website.
Thesis is the theme underlying Lawyerist, the Lawyerist LAB, and all my other websites, including my firm websites and my consumer rights blog. Calling it a WordPress theme, though, is a bit of a misnomer. Thesis is more of a development framework than a theme in the traditional sense.
For the DIY lawyers building their own websites and blogs, here’s what you should know before you decide to use Thesis for your WordPress website, and what you should use if you decide not to use Thesis.
Over two years ago, Roy Ginsburg observed “I still meet some lawyers, especially solos, who insist they do not need a website.” The thing is, two years later it’s the same story. Don’t you think refusing to put up a decent website is a bit standoffish, if not malpractice?
Or are you trying to pioneer a “secret firm” model?
Headway is a premium, drag-and-drop WordPress framework that makes it easy to design your own website in WordPress. Right now, it’s just $87, or $164 for a developer license. After November 25th, the price will go up and there will be an annual renewal fee. Existing users will not be subject to the increases.
Headway is similar to Thesis, which we use for Lawyerist, and it is extremely user-friendly for both novices and experts. Get it before the prices goes up! (Affiliate link.)
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