Legal Firm Web Host realizes there is never a single solution that fits the needs of every law firm. The only silver bullet is in the movies.

“What do I need for my law firm?” is a question we get all the time. The question typically goes along with, “I don’t want to spend much.” or “How much is it going to cost me?” But that’s not unique to web sites.

The next question is, "I want people to find my law firm's website. Do I need any of that SEO?"

To choose the right solution for your law firm, you need to know what you are trying to solve. The needs of someone who wants clients knocking at their law firm door is different from someone that only wants to have a web page out there, or a law firm that wants a way to answer non-client questions without losing billable time.  By understanding what you want to do, you can select what you need.

If you’re only looking to put a shingle out, you won’t need much.


The next two questions that we might need to answer is,

   1. “What are successful law firms doing?” and
   2. “What kind of image do we want the world to have of our law firm?”

Here are a few typical scenarios to get you started, and there is a good chance that more than one of these situations fits your goals.  Of course, these are only suggestions based on what generally occurs.

Your Need	DIY	Template	Semi Custom	Custom	Notes
Your own domain
Professional email					A reputable law firm needs to have a reputable email address
To say you have a site
To get new clients					Does require SEO
To stand out from other law firms
To educate clients					Possible with any solution, but DIY template solutions do not typically include enough pages and control to get the job done
To answer non-client questions					Lawyers are constantly asked for free advice.  Help those people with your website rather than your valuable time.
Provide on-line services to customers
Cost					DIY - costs time & your time is money; Templates - you get what you pay for Semi Custom - big bang for the buck Custom - you get what you pay for

Law firm websites do not necessarily demand specialized functionality, like the ability to search property listings. However, to stand out from other firms, enable new clients to find you, answer questions without requiring all your (unbillable) time, you need a website that can easily evolve and grow.  A website designed with the idea of enabling you to easily add fresh information.

Another good place to look for ideas and insights for your law firm web site is in our the Top 10 List area.