How to Make Your Website More Interactive
Too many lawyers squander the awesome power of Web 2.0 by putting up static websites that aren’t much more than glorified brochures (memo to these offenders: you don’t need a website to post a static document online. You can simply put it up at a site like Docstoc or Scribd!) Perhaps lawyers believe that adding features like contact forms or Call Us buttons is a costly proposition, and while that might have been true even as recently as two years ago, it’s no longer the case. There’s simply an abundance of user-friendly tools that you can incorporate into your website to add functionality, invite interaction and give your site a bit of pizazz in the process.
For tips on how to incorporate interactive tools, take a look at my exhaustive post (OK – most of my Nolo posts are comprehensive, but this one is truly a tome!) at the Nolo Legal Marketing Blawg, on Making Your Website More Inviting By Inviting Interaction.
Please let me know in the comment section whether you use any interactive tools at your site, and if so, which ones.
For me, my overall goal is to make my web presence as conversational as possible. Now, my solo firm will not become active until October 1 due to laws governing my leaving the Army JAG Corps (I can't start-up until after I exhaust my vacation time), but I've begun attempting to utilize some of the tools out there to make myself accessible and, more importantly, transparent.
My practice niche will be Military Criminal Law, and it mirrors what I did while on active duty for the last few years. However, criminal practice presents some unique challenges from those in the civil realm. The most important being that I usually do not have long, habitual relationships with clients. It starts with them contacting me, we quickly put together a course of action for representation, then follow the process to completion, and then I usually do not hear form them again (in about 20% of cases, we stay in contact). So, I have to attempt to tailor my site to a constantly evolving, new crowd.
I personally think that the use of a blog framework is the best for creating a site that is fresh, interactive, and engaging. Even better is the fact that many blog templates do not look like the traditional blog. The posting of comments is critical, as it establishes you as transparent, confident, and willing to accept the ideas of others.
Right now, the trick for me is integrating some of the online services out there with my blog. I find Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter to be outstanding in sharing who I am, what I (will) do, and what is currently happening, but I fail at integrating them together in a way that allows me to do so in a streamlined manner. I often spend 30 minutes doing what should only take me 5 if I just had everything tied-together properly. Trial and error in the next few weeks should fix those problems.
Thanks for everything, your online info and book have been invaluable as I prepare for my new chapter in life.
Eric Mayer
emayerlaw.com
Thanks for your post – I am glad that you're finding this site useful. Hootsuite is one tool that facilitates coordination among your social media platforms. However, I think that as you continue to use these sites, you'll get a sense of which types of content you want to distribute to various platforms, and put a protocol in place that will work seamlessly and efficiently. Like anything else, using social media gets easier with practice.
I am considering integrating my twitter feed with my practice website but I wonder how prospective clients will feel about non-legal tweets or whether I need to dispense with that. Also my page is private so I struggle with making it public- l like the privacy. I have a blog on my site too.
yea its hard to keep business and personal separate. i have my personal pages but i promote my business there
Thumbs up for web 2.0.It takes the web designing to the next level.