Are You Targeting the Clients You Want? Wordle Your Website to Find Out.

Is your website working to target the clients you want? You don’t need a high-priced marketing consultant to figure out the answer. Instead, just Wordle it.

Wordle is an online application that generates word clouds from text or website URLs that you provide, with more frequently used words depicted in larger fonts. In the past, I’ve used Wordle to visually convey the essence of complex regulations. But I realized that Wordle could also help me determine whether my website is conveying the message that I want to potential clients.

Because my website doesn’t have an RSS feed, I generated my firm’s Wordle by cutting and pasting text from my Home Page, About Page and a few other pages. The results surprised me a little. First, I have fairly extensive appellate experience, as well as a solid track record of helping clients win victories in compliance and refund matters. But I’m not communicating that experience effectively enough, at least according to my Worldle, which is dominated by my FERC, energy and renewables work. On the plus side, my Worldle shows that I’ve been fairly effective in touting my regulatory expertise – and indeed, that’s where I’ve experienced steady growth over the past two years.

Second, I’d also believed that my website conveyed my philosophy of law practice, fees and commitment to serving clients. The word client is displayed prominently enough in my Wordle, but there’s nothing about my alternative billing practices, focus on excellence or practicing as a lawyer in the best sense. I’ll have to give some thought on how to fix that as well.

What does your Wordle say about your law firm? Does your website or blog convey the intended message? Here’s a challenge: Wordle your website (or blog) and I’ll publish the first ten that I receive with a link-back to your site. Just email the Wordle (you’ll have to do a screenshot because you can’t download and save it), your name, your firm name and quick blurb about your Wordle’s accuracy to carolyn.elefant@gmail.com. I’ll accept submissions through 9 am December 22, 2010 .