Author Archive
Evolution of Your Web Audience
Wednesday, January 18th, 2012
Like any good marketing, your attorney website needs to address the needs, desires, interests and abilities of your target audience, if you want them to take action and convert into leads. Not everyone using the web at a given time is a legitimate prospective legal client.
However, the vast majority of visitors to your legal website likely are.
To improve your website’s ability to convert visitors into leads, the first step is knowing your target audience more intimately. The following is a brief overview of evolution of legal website users.
Early Adopters
Early in the legal web marketing evolution, (early 2000), target Internet users were much more voyeuristic, unsophisticated/inexperienced in their search strategies, limited in the number, types and frequency of websites they visited. “Surfing” was truly an accurate description of how users managed the Internet.
At this time, what appeared to be most effective for this audience was websites that acted more like online advertisements, or web brochures. These sites focused largely on “Wowing” the visitor and impressing them with attention-getting, high-impact graphics. Lead generating focused mainly on emails, as most of these visitors were scanning, shopping, inquiring with a great interest in remaining annonomous.
Evolving Web Audience
At this stage (approx. 2005), legal online consumers had become more familiar with the Web, started to use the search engines more frequently (hence Google today), and became much more open to the Internet for more information.
Online consumers grew in their appetite for more focused information and developed a belief that they can now research their potential case before contacting an attorney, and even use the Internet (as opposed to Yellow Pages) to help find the right firm. At this stage, the most effective websites simply offered more substantive content and was much more informational than previous websites. These were websites that also dominated the top search engine listings. Firms began to invest substantive marketing dollars into more high quality content and SEO, as the Internet audience continued to grow at an exponential pace.
Maturing Audience
Today’s Internet audience has become much more savvy and experienced using the Web technology. Their expectations of their website experiences are very different, and they use the Internet for a much more wider variety of uses, needs, goals and entertainment. The Web has become more than just an information source; its become their connection to their friends, their colleagues/coworkers, their entertainment, their World!
They are “destination-focused,” impatient, and have muchy higher expectations when they get to your attorney website. They not only want information; they want an experience, to get to know you, a relationship. And they want everything . . . Now!
Thus, they are more willing to engage Website businesses directly. It is important to focus your calls-to-action on telephone calls. Not only will you generate more leads, your office is much more trained and effective at converting those types of leads.
Your legal website has to do a lot more today than just get visibility. It needs to convert. By focusing more on your visitors’ expectations and user experience, you will develop a much more effective website and actually develop a website that will also better leverage the search engines.
Think about your end users and you will be on your way to more Web marketing success.
-Bill
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Back Links – Bye Bye Yahoo Site Explorer
Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011
As most attorneys know, back links to your website (links to your website posted on other websites) is a crucial element to getting search engines, like Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc., to list your website high on organic search engine listings. In addition, it is important to make sure the websites that link to your attorney website are relevant and not going to hurt your listings (ex. links from foreign websites, pornography, home businesses, etc.). In many cases, those links can actually have a negative impact on your credibility and results.
Therefore, it is important to check who is linking to your website. It is also important to see who is linking to your competitors, as well. Unfortunately, one of the most commonly used Internet marketing tools, Yahoo’s Site Explorer has been taken down as part of it’s transition to Bing Web Tools.
For more details, feel free to read more.
If you are looking for some help in identifying your backlinks and those of your competitors, you may want to consider utilizing another online tool. Or feel free to post a comment or request and I can personally provide information.
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Google Leak?
Tuesday, November 1st, 2011
Last month, Google’s most recent quality rater handbook seemed to have leaked on the Web for a brief period. This handbook contains insight on how Google rates the quality of a website. Apparently, the information was removed after a short while after Google recognized it and had it taken down.
What is the quality rater and what is the handbook used for?
Although Google’s is not a human edited search engine and uses algorithms to index it’s billions of pages of information, it does employ people that check its search results to ensure the ranking algorithm is providing the high quality and relevant results as intended. Quality raters visit websites that get returned from searches and evaluates the results. Quality raters can also downgrade websites it finds as spam. The handbook contains the guidelines that quality raters us to evaluate web pages.
I will go through the information and share some insights to what is included in the handbook in the next couple of posts. Keep you eye out for them. In the meantime, here is more information on SEO for attorneys. Here is also another lawyer website marketing blog you may want to bookmark.
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Tips on Pay-Per-Click Advertising
Tuesday, October 25th, 2011
Search engine marketing continues to be more competitive for both organic/”Places” listings and pay-per-click advertising. I recently was asked:
The fact is they both come with a high cost, if you are committed to secure top listings.
Although cost is important, it is only expensive when you don’t get a return. Even small marketing investments are expensive if you get nothing back. Focus more on the return and you will find your marketing to be more effective.
When to consider PPC
- Immediacy – When there is a window of time or seasonality to an opportunity, PPC can more effectively get you visibility when you need it the most.
- Few Keywords – In cases where you are only targeting a small variety of niche keyword phrases, you may want to consider a focused PPC campaign, rather than optimizing your entire website for a handful of phrases.
- Rural Markets – PPC will allow you to target a broad geographic area (like direct mail), but also allow you to appear on higher trafficked, open-ended search phrases (without cities, towns, etc.).
- Frequency – PPC can also significantly boost your visibility and branding, even when your website already shows up on the 1st-page of organic listings. Dominating target search results is a very effective way to present an image of expertise and specialization.
Two Important Keys To High ROI
1- Target the right searches – An important strategy is to research and target keyword phrases that qualify higher quality visitors, not just attract high quantity of clicks. Effective marketing utilizes human psychology to think through how your most qualified audience consumes information, views websites, and searches for it.
For example, targeting phrases that indicate an interest in a person are much higher quality than searches for a general topic. For example, phrases that include the words lawyer/attorney, dentist, surgeon, etc. are much higher quality than open-ended, topic-related searches. Also, the more niche the geographic-related keyword phrases, the higher the quality.
This also applies to what has been recently termed “long-tail searches”. If they do not include important qualifying keywords, then they too can attract traffic (and cost you clicks) without turning into business.
2- Conversions!! – Getting traffic, and even if it is high quality traffic, is only a means to the real end, which is more leads and business. Keep in mind, every market has a finite amount of search engine traffic for services you are promoting. At some point, it is not about more traffic, but more leads. Without exceptions, improving your conversions is the biggest variable in your overall PPC return on investment (ROI). The key is to invest in online conversion strategies, including landing page strategies, A/B testing, layout and design concepts, unique calls-to-action, interactive elements, and to continually increase your conversion percentages.
If you would like to see if pay-per-click advertising is right for your needs and goals, or if you can improve your results/conversions, feel free to call us at 800-916-3886, or simply reply. Also, if you would like us to address a different topic in a future update, simply email us.
Best wishes,
Bill
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Google Local Listings – Don’t abandon your Website optimization
Tuesday, October 18th, 2011
"Google Places Marketing"
Your Places Page is a unique web page that Google created. Google trusts its own online real estate so leveraging it needs to be an essential part of you SE marketing efforts. However, it shouldn’t be the only thing.
1. Limited Real Estate – You Places page has but one page in which you can optimize for certain target keyword phrases and categories. Trying to optimize for too many keyword phrase will likely confuse Google in what your business is all about. Your website, on the other hand has the ability to grow, add and optimize new pages (which is also an important SEO strategy).
2. Google does not show Map/Places listings for every keyword phrase you are targeting , particularly longer-tailed search phrases. Here again, you will need your optimized attorney website and pages to secure your 1st-page visibility. This is also true for more informational search phrases like “mesothelioma” or “mesothelioma Denver.” Even keyword phrases like “car accident lawyer Denver” or “medical malpractice lawyer Denver” may not display map listings.
3. Your Google Places positions are likely influenced by the website that the business listings is associated with. Although Google will not divulge exactly what it uses to measure website and Places credibility, the relevance of your website information, traffic and even your analytics data (if you use Google Analytics) are all likely having some impact on your Google Places’ listings.
4. Location – Getting listings for keyword phrases or geographic areas that are outside and even adjacent to your city/town/suburb is significantly much more difficult with your Places Page, than your website. This is particularly true if you are outside of the major target city, which has lots of competitor Places Pages. However, there are instances where Place listings that are outside the major city show up on 1st-page results (see last map listing).
Bottome line, if you are looking to consistently stay in front of your target audience for a wide variety of keyword phrases, don’t simply focus on your Google Places Page. It is important, but it isn’t everything. Don’t abandon your website and the broad visibility it can secure, along with all the credibility and influence it brings.
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“I have tried 3 different SEO companies and still haven’t got any 1st-page organic results. Am I just too late in the SEO game?”
Monday, October 3rd, 2011
I had a practice call me and ask if it was too late in the game for them to start targeting organic search engine listings. The answer is no, you’re not too late.
But let’s face it, there are a lot more law firms competing for first page exposure than there is room for. So, the vast majority of practice websites are on the outside looking in and are growing more impatient and frustrated.
The key is to develop a strategic plan and a timeline in which to anticipate initial and long-term growth. Establishing realistic expectations is everything.
The following are some baseline comparison to your competitors to help identify strategies and time frames in order to catch and surpass competitor websites.
-Google Page Rank
-Age of domain
-Number of Pages
-Substantive, Optimized Content
-Inbound Links – quantity and quality
-Google Places, Yahoo Local
-Reviews and Rating
-Listings on Authority Websites
Generally speaking, in smaller, less competitive markets, you may find you can start securing some 1st-page listings within 60-90 days. However, the most competitive keyword phrases may take 6-9+ months.
In highly competitive markets, you will need to do a lot more and have a much more effective website. You can start showing up on some 1st-page listings in the same timeframe, but the most competitive keyword phrases may take even longer. But the key is to be consistent with the plan and you will see your listings rise over time and you can make up the ground.
If you are interested in taking a look at how your website compares to your biggest competitors’s website, feel free to contact us by calling 800-916-3886.
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Lead Follow-up Research From Harvard
Thursday, September 15th, 2011
The rising cost of generating leads has forced practices to seriously evaluate how to improve their effectiveness in turning leads into new business.
However, recent Harvard Business Review research shows businesses waste opportunities created by online queries: Most companies are simply not responding fast enough.
Online advertising to generate leads has grown from roughly $12 billion in 2005 to nearly $23 billion in 2009. Yet, 50 percent of leads don’t get a response within 24 hours (23% never get addressed at all!).
Opportunity #1 – You can likely steal business from other practices marketing online simply by having decent follow up.
This is particularly surprising when you consider how quickly leads become cold and old.
Businesses that follow up in less than an hour of receiving the query are seven times (700%) more likely to have a meaningful conversation with the prospective client than those that attempted to connect an hour later. They are also 60 times more likely to connect than those waiting 24 hours or longer.
Opportunity #2 – Connect with, qualify and convert more leads by following up within the hour.
Let’s face it. Leads grow cold very fast, particularly when prospective clients don’t believe they have been heard by anyone in your practice. The key is to get visitors who are willing to engage your office feeling like they have a personal “connection” with your practice.
Opportunity #3 – Utilize a Chat Service
Chat services have shown to increase leads to offices (I have heard that about 25 percent of visitors engage Chat elements on websites!). Since these chat leads have already had some human “contact” with your office, they are likely to be more receptive to your follow up and you may buy your practice more time to connect with leads. An important key is that Chat services are supported by live people, and you only pay when a chat turns into an actual lead (you get a phone number/email address to follow up). You should plan on spending no more than $10 per Chat lead.
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Are Reviews and Ratings Still Important?
Tuesday, August 30th, 2011
Recent changes in GooglesPlaces Business listings has many businesses thinking that stimulating positive client reviews is no longer important, unless they are posted on your Google Places listing.
Many have used this as an excuse to no longer try to generate more positive reviews. This is a very sight shorted view of the value of review marketing.
1- Reviews, even on other review websites like Yelp, CitySearch, Insider Pages, Yahoo Reviews, etc. still likely have an impact on your Google Places placement; just not as much as they once did. The fact is, Google still indexes and posts links to other “Reviews from around the web:”. If Google puts no weight or credibility into these reviews, they would not include them.
2- Consumers are definitely using reviews and ratings more and more as a means to compare professional service providers. Google Trends indicates searches for “attorney reviews,” “dentist reviews,” “surgeon reviews” are all growing.
3- Consumers are more likely to go out of their way to post a negative review than a positive one (unless prompted to do so). At minimum, you will have a disproportionate number of negative reviews than what is truly representative of your practice’s actual client satisfaction level. Poor reviews can be silently sabotaging your business if you are not on top of them.
4- Not only is it important to get satisfied clients to post reviews, it is also important that key audiences see them! The most important audience that you need to view your positive reviews are visitors to your website and your Facebook Fan page. Your website and social media pages need to pull in these reviews, and not require your clients to post multiple reviews on different sites.
5- Stimulating client reviews can also boost your word-of-mouth referrals over time. Clients that participate in the marketing of your practice by posting positive reviews take a little more ownership of you practice, are more personally committed, and more likely to remember to refer you when opportunities arise.
I recommend you not bury your head in the sand when it comes to this aspect of marketing your practice online. Take a proactive role in stimulating them. Utilize a review marketing services that can maximize your time and your clients’.
If you would like more information on Google Place marketing or Review and Ratings marketing, feel free to give us a call at 800-916-3886. Or if you have questions on other issues, feel free to send them and we can address them in another update.
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Google Buys Into Mobile Browsing
Friday, August 26th, 2011
Recently, Google took a large and visible step toward demonstrating its commitment to play a major role in the future of mobile Internet usage by agreeing to buyout smartphone-maker Motorola Mobility.
Recent statistics still indicate that the vast majority of Internet usage is being done through more conventional means, i.e. desktops/laptops than mobile browsers. As of August 2011, over 92 percent of online activity is done using desktop computers, where only about 7 percent of Internet usage is done through mobile devices.
However, although 7 percent may not be a dominant percentage, it has grown from 4.3 percent since January!
The fact is you will need to start making an investment to ensure your website is built to be easily viewed, accessed and navigated through mobile browser technology. By January 2012, the percent of Internet usage through mobile browsers will likely exceed 10 percent and expanding even faster.
Another thing to consider is designing websites to be viewed in a micro display is a different design strategy than a website intended to be viewed on a much larger screen.
If you are considering your mobile browser marketing strategy, and how to ensure your mobile-compatible website effective, feel free to call me at 800-916-3886, or contact us. Or, if you have any other topics you would like us to address, just reply and let me know.
Bill
Bonus – Why consider updating your website. In a July 2011 University of Melbourne study, statistics indicate that online users are 20 percent more trusting of websites today than they were five years ago. In the same study, online consumers indicate that they are more trusting of websites that are . . . frankly, prettier. If you don’t think you need to closely evaluate the visual appeal of your website, think again. Click to view article.
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Start Investing In Your Practice
Tuesday, August 9th, 2011
Recent dramatic drops in the stock market have investors scouring for safer investments. The good news, there is an investment that:
1- Has a history and track record for generating a positive return on your investment.
2- Provides you with more control of your investment outcome.
Answer: Your Practice
Strategic marketing investments in your practice, particularly in website marketing, can significantly outperform stocks, mutual funds and other financial investments. Equally important, you contribute directly to the ROI your marketing and sales investments generate. Invest in some of the changes in search engine and online users to improve your ROI.
Google Places Business Listings – Optimizing your Google Places Business Listing is just as important as optimizing your website. Claiming/creating and optimizing all of your business listings on all major search engines, as well as building credibility of your business listing through links and listings is essential.
Website Conversion Strategies – Effective Web marketing is not measured by traffic alone. Quality traffic and high conversion rates leads to more new clients. Better websites statistically generate better results. Relationship-building elements like videos, professional copywriting, images, etc. convert more visitors. Create credibility through Reviews and Ratings Marketing, particularly on your website. Graphic call-to-actions, instant/interactive communication elements (instant chat, click-to-call) have a track record of increasing leads.
Search Engine Optimization – Measure the density of your most important keywords on each target page. Determine how many new pages and blog entries it takes to generate improved results. Develop link-build strategies to target pages and keywords, not just your website. Evaluate all the websites that link to yours and remove any of those that can hurt your listings. Utilize niche websites, vanity SEO domains and optimization strategies to surgically target key phrases and words.
If you are looking to invest in updating your website marketing strategies, I hope you will consider contacting us for a free evaluation. Regardless, I send best wishes during these unsettling times.
-Bill
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