Your law firm’s website has the power to attract or repel prospective clients. About 75% of website users judge a site’s credibility on the design of the site alone — and the all-important first impression of your firm is formed in a fraction of a second (1/20th of a second) [1,2]. That means you don’t have much time to communicate that your firm is trustworthy, results-driven, and client-focused when a new user visits your website.   For better or worse, your firm’s website design will speak for itself when prospects come knocking. That’s why it’s important to stay vigilant and look for signs that your law firm’s website needs a redesign.   If your website design isn’t optimized and up-to-date, you’re losing leads to competitor firms with sites that look better, are easier to use, and rank higher in search results than your website. Your firm’s site needs a clean, professional design, a top-notch user experience (UX) for desktop and mobile users, and easy, intuitive navigation, all while prioritizing SEO for law firms.  

Website Best Practices for Law Firms and Title Companies

Learn the 7 website components to attract clients and build a thriving business.

At TitleTap, we specialize in law firm and title company websites and marketing. We work with firms who are creating or refreshing their online presence to reach more prospective clients and grow their circle of influence online. Since 2010, we’ve watched patterns emerge that signal it’s time for a redesign. Below, we share our insights on the 6 most common signs that a law firm website needs a refresh.  

1. Your User Experience is Lacking

User experience (UX) is a critical part of website’s design. Most law firms today have a website, so your site visitors have plenty of options when looking for legal advice and representation options online.  

Your prospective clients will always choose a website that offers a better user experience — easy navigation, clearly labeled menus and buttons, fast load times, clean design — over one that’s frustrating to use. Statistics show that 53% of users leave a webpage if it takes 3+ seconds to load and 88% won’t use your site again if they have a bad experience the first time [3, 4]. 

Redesigning your site for an improved user experience can boost your conversion rates by as much as 400% [5]. If you’re seeing high bounce rates or seeing decreases in returning users or time spent on your site, it’s a sign that a website redesign should be in your firm’s future.  

2. You’re Not Prioritizing SEO

SEO, or search engine optimization, should be an integral part of your site’s design. Prospective clients can’t find your site if it’s not showing up in search results, and data shows that more than 33% of people start their attorney search online [6]. SEO for law firms can be complex, so it’s important to rely on an industry expert like TitleTap to redesign your site with SEO in mind.  

SEO can be part of your website design in many ways: 

  • Including keywords that drive conversions and help you snag more qualified leads 
  • Prioritizing responsive design (works on desktop and mobile) that search engines reward 
  • Ensuring intuitive site navigation for better search engine crawlability  

If you haven’t given SEO a thought in the design of your firm’s website, there’s no time like the present to get back on track. Prioritizing SEO for law firms really works — over 90% of TitleTap websites for law firms rank on page 1 of Google results within the first 2 years. 

3. Your Website Navigation is Chaotic

Chaotic site navigation menus, hard-to-find or broken links, pages that lead nowhere — if your website is a maze, most users won’t spend enough time figuring it out to actually submit their information or learn more about your firm. As many as 79% of users will click away from your site and never return if they run into a confusing or cluttered website design that’s hard to navigate [7].  

Many of the people (around 61%) that leave your site will go to your competitors if they’re on a mobile device and can’t find what they’re looking for immediately [3]. To avoid driving your prospects to the competition, make sure your website is simple to navigate.  

4. It’s Been 3+ Years Since Your Last Redesign

Website design isn’t a “one and done” task. Every law firm website will need to be redesigned over time to incorporate the latest design trends, website add-ons, and information. If it’s been 3 or more years since your firm’s last redesign, it’s time to make it a priority. About 57% of users won’t recommend a site that appears outdated or poorly designed [8]. 

You can future-proof your site by giving it a refresh every few years. TitleTap includes free redesigns every 3 years with every law firm website, making it easy to keep your online presence up-to-date with modern templates. 

5. Your Site Isn’t Mobile-Friendly

Nearly 60% of internet users search and browse websites from a mobile device, so many of your prospects are searching for law firms and legal advice on their smartphones and tablets [9]. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly with pages that automatically adapt to the smaller screens and requirements of mobile devices, you’re giving up valuable leads.  

Over 52% of users say that one bad mobile experience makes them less likely to continue to do business with a brand [4]. Mobile-friendly design is a must to stay competitive in the digital age.  

TitleTap can help you create a turnkey website for your firm that seamlessly adapts to mobile and desktop screens to improve UX and boost your site’s SEO. Search engines prioritize mobile-optimized sites, helping your site rank higher in prospects’ search results [10].  

6. Your Competitors Look Better Online

Take a look at your competitors’ websites — are they more modern, professional, or visually appealing than yours? If your competition is winning out online, it’s time for a redesign to get back in the game. Many prospects start out considering multiple firms — about 76% look at 3 or more law firm websites before choosing which firm or attorney to work with, and 89% of prospective clients end up going with a competitor if they have a bad experience on your website [11, 12].  

Look through the eyes of your prospects and decide if your competition looks better than you online. If they do, work with TitleTap to select a modern, professional site template designed just for law firms and start standing out from the competition.   

Improve Your Law Firm’s Website Design

Prioritizing your site’s user experience, SEO for law firms, easy navigation, regular redesigns, and mobile-friendliness will elevate your law firm’s website design and help you land more qualified leads. TitleTap uses a simple 3-step process to launch your firm’s future-proof website with free updates and redesigns. Select your plan and template, pick your site add-ons and integrations, and we’ll handle the rest.  

We offer a contract-free, 60-day Satisfaction Guarantee. Trust the industry expertise of TitleTap to launch or redesign your law firm’s website and turn it into the lead-generation machine your firm needs to succeed. Request a demo now to see how TitleTap can help you land more qualified leads online.