lmatech2013: law firm websites: why practice area pages suck – and how technology is changing that
DESCRIPTION
Robert Algeri, Partner, Great Jakes Marketing Company Market forces, in conjunction with technological innovations, are about to spur significant transformation in practice area sections of law firm websites. Practice area sections – long the neglected stepchildren of legal marketing – are going to become more focused, more information-rich and more dynamic. And, as a result, law firms will require better technology in order to build and manage the next-generation practice area sections. The current state of practice areas: Typically, less than 10% of traffic to law firm websites visit the practice areas. Why? Because the content contained within is generally useless. These sections are almost always composed of generic-looking pages with long-winded narrative text that essentially says, “We do practically everything for practically everybody.” In the new business landscape, this approach won’t win new clients – and thus it is primed for change. Robert Algeri will paint a picture of how the next-generation practice area will work online. he will cover: •Positioning – Practice areas will increasingly find value from narrowing their market positioning. The “we do everything” message will fade away. •Content Changes – In an effort to demonstrate market leadership in their niche, practice groups will create more content – and more rich media content like videos, podcasts and graphical presentations. •Graphical Changes – Uninspiring, text-driven pages will become obsolete. The main pages of a practice area section will be much more dynamic – more like a website home page – featuring images, sidebars and teaser text. •Functionality Changes – New CMS tools that can quickly deploy new pages that contain a wide range of new media, social media or custom content are now available to law firms. Robert will discuss how these tools will be used, customizations that firms will seek to have, and benefits gained from enhancements like the inclusion of social media. •Advanced User Tracking – Tools under the banner of something called “marketing automation” will finally provide the actionable data marketing departments have been craving. These tech tools will allow firms to know exactly who is visiting which pages and to know when visitors come back. All of this will greatly enhance a practice area’s ability to engage users.TRANSCRIPT
- 1. @greatjakesYour practice area pages awful. Should you care?
2. @greatjakes 3. Our veteran [insert practice name] attorneys provide a wide range of legal services and advice to individuals and businesses in a wide array of industries. Our vastly versatile and experienced team of litigators is able to handle a broad range of legal issues for our clients in both recurring litigation or unique 4. @greatjakesThe saddest part 5. @greatjakesIts never going to happen. 6. Air QualityGeneration-Skipping Transfer TaxMergers and AcquisitionsAlternative EnergyGift TaxOil and GasAntitrust and Competition LawGlobal Projects PracticePartnership TaxAppellate and Supreme Court PracticeGovernment RelationsPatentsHedge FundsPipeline ProjectsAsset Management TransactionsIncome TaxPrivacy and Data SecurityBanking and FinanceInfrastructurePrivate ClientsBankruptcy and WorkoutsInstitutional Investor RepresentationPrivate Equity FundsCapital Markets and SecuritiesIntellectual Property LitigationProject FinanceCommittee RepresentationIntellectual Property ManagementReal EstateComplex Business LitigationIntellectual Property PracticeCompliance and EnforcementInternational Environmental LawSecurities Law Enforcement and RegulationConstruction LitigationInternational TaxSecurities LitigationCorporate InvestigationsInternational TradeSourcingCorporate PracticeState and Local TaxCorporate TaxInternational Trade Commission Practice (ITC)Crisis ManagementJoint VenturesTax PracticeCross-Border TransactionsLabor and EmploymentTax-Exempt OrganizationsDownstreamLeasingTelecommunications and Media LitigationEnergy LitigationLicensing and IP TransactionsToxic Tort and Environmental LitigationEnergy RegulatoryLife Sciences LitigationTrademarks and CopyrightsEnvironmental CoalitionsLife Sciences PracticeTransportationEnvironmental PracticeLitigation PracticeTrust and Estate AdministrationEstate TaxLNG ProjectsVenture Capital and Emerging CompaniesFinancial InstrumentsMarital Property IssuesWaste and RemediationFranchise and DistributionMaster Limited Partnerships (MLP)Water QualityStrategic Permitting 7. @greatjakesForget about practice areas. 8. @greatjakesDo Less. 9. @greatjakesEmerging Issues New Disruptive Profitable for you 10. @greatjakesPositioning = Focusing on a highly specific market niche 11. @greatjakesEmerging Issues Remarkable Positioning Radically reduces the number of viable competitors