Most law firms depend on third-party agencies or consultants to create websites and marketing advice online. However, not all of them are honest. Determining the appropriate queries to ask (and whom to choose) can be a challenge for those who aren’t knowledgeable in digital marketing. Here are five essential facts that aren’t often discovered until it’s too late.
1. You Don’t “Own” the Site. Site
Your company’s website is a resource and one which you probably invested massively in terms of time and money. Having ownership of the website, which could extend beyond the current agency relationship, is essential. It isn’t always guaranteed, and knowing the CMS (CMS) which your Site is built upon will inform you of how easily the website could be relocated in the future.
The websites that agencies create are one of two systems: a proprietary or open-source CMS like WordPress. If your website is built running on a proprietary platform and you are not able to host it elsewhere, you won’t be capable of hosting it elsewhere. Even though you may be “owning” the images and layout, you don’t have any control over the code that makes the site work. If you don’t, the website must be constructed from scratch to convert your design to a functional website. It is also crucial to know any licensing restrictions about images or content that you use on your Site.
A clear understanding of the ownership of your website can allow greater flexibility and control over your company’s online presence. If you’re not willing to spend money on an entirely new website each time you change providers, you should opt for an open-source CMS.
2. Your Project is Being Outsourced
The best websites are developed all over the world. It is usually a good idea to determine who is responsible for developing, coding, managing, and populating the design of your website. If an agency informs you that your website is developed in-house doesn’t suggest that all of the work is outsourced.
An in-house team is generally likely to offer a greater quality of security and communication. Any changes will be completed more quickly, without needing to accommodate massively different time zones and team schedules. It’s also advantageous to communicate directly with the coders and designers in your project to keep from playing phone games.
3. SEO Doesn’t Take Long
It is a source of frustration for law enforcement agencies and law firms. There’s no other way to get around it. A period of three to six months would be a typical estimation, but the best results are usually between twelve to twenty-four hours. It is crucial to remember that content must be created and optimized, then crawled by the search engines and indexed and resulting in positive results. The positive side is that this has become significantly faster in recent years, but it’s still very slow compared to paid leads or bought leads.
It is important to remember that progress made incrementally can be observed faster. Anyone you’re working with must be able to provide regular reports on changes and highlight the advancements your Site has achieved. Therefore, while leads and traffic tend to decrease until first page rankings have been attained, it’s a long journey from your Site’s obscurity to the first page, and this journey should be documented.
4 Increasing Traffic Isn’t a Substitute for increasing Leads
Reports on websites are filled with different metrics that reveal the visibility of your business’s website. Although almost everything can be monitored, organic reports typically include Google rankings, traffic to websites and leads that are generated. Therefore, while your aim is probably to keep more customers, achieving the goal depends on your website’s ability to generate leads. It happens due to increased organic traffic resulting from a higher ranking.
Some reports are misleading when an increase in traffic does not translate to an increase in leads. If your website is not reaching the right people, it could be the case. It is often the case when websites rank in the national search results regardless of the company’s local users. There are a few advantages to this increase in traffic, but it’s important to be aware of when the increase in traffic isn’t helping your main objective.
The most effective way to prevent this dilemma is to identify the signal within the background noise. Make sure you have the reports or, at minimum, an overview that contains only the most actionable information your business comprehends. It’s easy to become lost in numbers or get misled by secondary indicators that may not meet your objectives.
5. Ultimately, Compliance Problems are Yours
Many attorneys are aware of their ethical responsibilities regarding advertising; however, can you say the same about your marketing company?
In addition to the state’s Rules of Professional Conduct, attorneys are increasingly facing problems with compliance regarding access to information privacy and accessibility.
A majority of states have passed recent the privacy law or have privacy legislation currently being debated by their legislatures. These laws, designed to safeguard consumers’ privacy, require websites that gather personal data (like names, email addresses and IP addresses, essential components of all legal websites) to disclose specific information. Unfortunately, many online marketing companies haven’t kept up with the latest regulations and fail to provide the law firms they represent with current privacy policies or consent tools.
Another crucial aspect to consider is whether your business’s website complies with the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). One in four people within the United States is living with disabilities, and millions of people use assistive technologies to connect to the internet, which makes the requirement for a website that is accessible more crucial than ever. Unfortunately, some companies undervalue the importance of having an accessible website. It can result in missed business opportunities or, more importantly, legal troubles for your business.
Before you begin any project, make certain to be aware of the agency’s knowledge of compliance regulations and rules.
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