This does remind us of the sort of thing we might have seen a decade ago. Maybe law firms do need a gee up with online presence although most of the larger ones now have the gist of it.
Here’s the LN/MH press release on their survey and some of its results. It’s not telling us anything particularly shocking…
LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell Releases Latest Consumer-Focused Survey “2013 Law Firm Website Conversion Study”
http://online.wsj.com/article/PR-CO-20130416-907918.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
April 17 webinar will explore study about features that spur consumers to contact firms.
LexisNexis(R) Legal & Professional (www.lexisnexis.com), a leading provider of content and technology solutions, today announced the findings of a new research study into which law firm website features motivate consumers to either contact the firm or move on with their online search for legal information and services.
“A law firm’s website represents its most critical marketing tool to turn interested online visitors into paying clients,” said Philip Livingston, CEO, LexisNexis(R) Martindale-Hubbell(R) . “That is why we regularly perform these types of studies, to better understand how consumers behave when they visit law firm websites, and once there, the best ways to convert them to prospective clients.”
LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell commissioned uLab | Participatory Design Associates to conduct the “2013 Law Firm Website Conversion Study”–a follow up to a similar study in 2011–to assess how consumers evaluate law firm websites. Study participants were asked to recall a situation where they needed to hire a law firm. They were virtually observed during 45- to 60-minute sessions in which they explored various law firm websites while thinking aloud and reacting to what they saw.
Features study participants indicated as positive influencers include:
— Ease of navigation
— Well-designed attorney profiles
— Descriptions of competitive differentiators
— Case results
— Encouraging visitors to view videos
— Offer for free case evaluation
— Ability to quickly find the location of the firm
— Educating consumers about the law
— Thoughtfully integrating social media links
Features study participants indicated as negative influencers:
— Seeming too commercial
— Lackluster visual design
— Poorly chosen images or lack of photos
— Case results not visible
— Poorly designed contact forms
“There’s no guarantee someone viewing your site for the first time is going to convert,” said Samantha Miller, vice president of product, Web Visibility Solutions, LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell. “However, as this study shows, there are ways to increase the likelihood of conversion by engaging those visitors and encouraging a phone call or email. Is your law firm’s website where it needs to be?”
LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell is hosting a free webinar April 17, 2013 from 12:30 — 1:30 p.m. EDT, “The Secret Ingredients of 5-Star Law Firm Websites.” The webinar will cover findings from the 2013 Law Firm Website Conversion Study and share best practices to help law firms align their website development efforts with current consumer behavior. The webinar will be hosted by two subject matter experts from LexisNexis(R) Web Visibility Solutions: Samantha Miller, vice president of product; and Felice D’Addario, creative director. All attendees will receive a complimentary copy of a report exploring key findings from the survey. Click here to register for this webinar.
