It’s no secret that lawyers go to great lengths to manage their reputations. From sleek suits, a clean-cut to their won-case count, it’s elements like these that might project the attorney and overall firm as one that is successful. But nowadays, besides appearances and a physical office, law firms’ online reputation and branding are equally important.
It is an unwritten rule that first impressions do matter (both online and offline). There are two important factors to take into consideration when it comes to first impressions online:
- Since the rise of technology, the human attention span has decreased from 12 to 8 seconds (due to information overload and filtering).
- Plenty of websites are fighting for the attention of the user.
What does this mean for your firm?
Branding is a must. Think of branding as your firm’s driver towards success, power, and reputation. While your clients are in the passenger seat; branding drives the user towards a positive or a negative experience.
Tips to Manage Your Law firm’s Internal Reputation
Before diving into what your firm can do for clients, it’s important to first look within your firm.
As we previously mentioned, first impressions matter (a lot). And within the online world, users are generating their perception of your firm in less than a second. Scientifically, it takes a user 50 milliseconds to form an opinion of your website. A powerful factor to enhance your firm’s brand reputation is through a strong and clear website layout that is also mobile-friendly.
According to website statistics, around 80% of users will stop engaging with your site if it’s not mobile-friendly. Almost identically, 75% of the users judge credibility based on layout and design. (So yes, users do judge a book by its cover).
Here are some best practices for you to consider:
- Provide a desktop and mobile-friendly user experience.
- Add strong and clear visuals.
- Remove unnecessary information.
- Have a quick loading time which you can check here.
A complementary addition to websites is blog posts and social media. Most users begin their legal research with Google. And since Google can include verified social profiles; social posts should also be taken into consideration.
All of your branding items should go hand-in-hand with clear language. Remember your users likely do not understand legal jargon. Improving your law firm’s written clarity is a must.
Tips to Manage Your Law firm’s External Reputation
Your firm can also take advantage of many external add-ons. On one hand, using third parties like Google is a helpful link between your users and you. You can claim your law firm using Google My Business. There are plenty of do’s and don’ts behind Google My Business but one very important factor your firm shouldn’t overlook is reviews.
Reviews are so powerful that 93% of customers look at reviews before deciding on a service/product.
Specifically, 70% of users would go out of their way to work with a less conveniently located law firm if they have better reviews.
So, how can you improve reviews?
- Adding a personalized response to each one.
- Respond promptly (within a day if possible).
- Answering all reviews (positive and negative).
- Providing further outside assistance to negative reviews.
- Reaching out to satisfied clients.
Besides reviews, social proof is a powerful marketing and psychological factor impacting reputation. As humans, we are wired to follow what others do. Therefore, providing legal community feedback is important. This includes:
- User testimonials
- Client case studies
- Ambassadors
Powerful Benefits of Branding Your Law Firm
Branding is a powerful driver to your firm’s success. A good first impression has many benefits.
Your firm’s robust digital perception can bring you:
- Qualified leads
- A satisfied client and thus more trust and retention
- Recognition
- Conversions within the online sales funnel.
And most importantly…branding brings you support for your overall marketing goals.
A good branding plan for your firm includes more than just a pretty logo and slogan. Your firm’s successful branding should include an all-inclusive marketing plan of action. Besides a plan of action, consistency is also important. Google states that consistency is an important factor for your brand’s overall authenticity and verification process.
A Robust Plan Towards A Positive Reputation
Having a vision and a mission for your firm is important. But what’s even more important is the actual plan of action.
Through the plan of action, you might come across questions such as, “Is my firm’s website user-friendly on all devices?”, “How can my law firm deal with negative reviews?” Or “How do we measure our firm’s online and offline success?” The answers vary amongst firms. There is not a one-size-fits-all approach.
Got any happy clients? Congratulations, they might be your best salespeople! Discover some unique ways to boost reviews for law firms.
You’re offering the best legal services, your clients are satisfied, your team is motivated, you’re going the extra mile, closing more cases, and overall you are…winning! So, how can you ensure clients and prospects walking through your door know all of this? Through reviews!
While it’s incredibly important your business strives for excellent customer service, it’s also critical you cover the last steps within a customer relationship cycle, and that includes asking for reviews. Research shows that reviews are more powerful than you might have thought. Take a look:
Why Do Law Firm Reviews Matter?
Reviews are essential to your firm for several reasons like:
- Driving calls and cases.
- Improving your visibility.
- Building on your trustworthiness.
- Allowing the user to voice their opinions.
They can indicate that your firm is offering quality service, and most importantly, online reviews can give extra reassurance to prospects that are on the verge of choosing between your firm and another.
In the past, when you had a happy client leave your office, you could expect that they’re probably going to tell a family member or a friend, but that’s the extent of it. It’s fairly limited, typically a one-to-one ratio. With an online review, you can expect a 1 to 100 plus ratio, and that’s because when they leave this review, over the course of a week, three weeks, a year, or three years down the road, hundreds, if not thousands, of prospective clients, are going to come across that review and consider your law firm.
And beyond what meets the eye, reviews for law firms impact attorney SEO more than you might think!
Let’s dive into that section.
The Correlation Between Local SEO Strategy and Reviews
In short, Google actually uses reviews as part of its ranking algorithm.
According to Google, the review system is designed to recognize and reward top-notch reviews effectively. These are the content that offers in-depth analysis, original research and are penned by individuals with expertise or a deep passion for the subject matter.
And just last April, Google made another update regarding reviews…
The Latest Reviews Update: Focus on Experience
Google’s latest Reviews guidelines emphasize the Double-E-EA-T principle, a content quality framework introduced by Google in December 2022.
Double-E-EA-T represents an enhanced standard of content quality, taking a step beyond the E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) criteria.
According to Google’s recent December update, trustworthiness is the most important element for businesses aiming to score high on the EEAT scale:
The additional ‘E’ in E-A-T represents ‘Experience.’ This suggests that Google’s Review System prioritizes evidence of hands-on experience.
There have been reports suggesting that adding terms like “based on my experience” or “from my direct analysis” in reviews has boosted the ranking of product review pages on the SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages).
Learn How to Make Your Law Firm EEAT-Ready Here
Why should your Law firm prioritize EEAT?
Adhering to EEAT principles in your website content ensures it reaches the intended audience effectively.
Google equips its evaluators with frameworks like the Search Quality Rater Guidelines that detail the standards for assessing websites according to EEAT principles. Though human evaluators undertake these EEAT evaluations, their insights and judgments play a significant role in shaping Google’s search algorithms.
In essence, how well your content aligns with EEAT can significantly influence your firm’s position in search engine results.
How to Respond to Negative Law Firm Reviews
Before diving into the fun part, let’s quickly touch on a real-life scenario: bad reviews (ouch!) They can happen, but if and when they do, you’ll want to ensure you know how to respond to a bad online review.
In the LAWsome podcast by Consultwebs, the guest Chez Tschetter Chief Technology Officer at Solarity provides tips to all legal professionals on how to manage negative reviews; take a look:
Managing bad reviews is a must for any law firm reputation management strategy. If you’d like to take a deeper dive into how to respond to negative online reviews – we’ve got you.
Learn How to Respond to Negative Reviews Here
The Most Unique Ways Your Firm Can Acquire Positive Reviews
While, yes, bad reviews can happen; however, there is a way you can boost those glowing 5-star reviews.
Here are some of the best tactics:
Identifying the Perfect Timing When Asking for Law Firm Reviews
It’s essential to catch the right wave when you’re considering asking for a review. While there isn’t a one-size-fits-all moment, there are key times that can be ideal for garnering feedback.
Let’s explore some of these optimal moments:
- After a Victory: Once you’ve guided your client to success in a case.
- Moments of Satisfaction: Whenever a client shares their happiness with your firm’s services.
- Website Engagement: If you notice a client spending considerable time exploring your website and services.
- Word of Mouth: When a client goes the extra mile to refer others to your firm.
- Returning Clientele: If a client trusts you enough to return with another case.
Remember, genuine feedback often emerges from genuine moments. So make each interaction count.
Meeting With Clients Online? Use Those Last Minutes Wisely!
Engaging with clients via video calls?
Take advantage of the last minutes of the call.
Being observant is key; their demeanor and responses will offer insights into whether it’s the ideal time to broach the subject of feedback. If everything feels right, don’t hesitate to ask!
Always prioritize transparency. If you’re considering recording the conversation, be upfront about it. It’s essential to get the client’s consent and be clear about the purpose and potential uses of the recording.
Moreover, whenever you’re collecting feedback, it’s vital to respect their privacy. Whether you’re discussing specifics like their name or backstory, always ensure it aligns with their comfort and preferences. Initiating a feedback conversation might require some finesse.
Here are a few conversation starters to consider:
Mastering the Art of Asking for Reviews
Knowing when and how to ask clients for reviews is a skill that can greatly benefit your firm’s reputation. Here’s a strategy to make the process smooth and non-intrusive:
- Perfect Timing: Consider requesting a review 3 to 5 days after wrapping up their case. This allows a breathing space, ensuring you don’t come off too eager, yet the experience remains fresh in their minds.
- The Personal Touch: If you’re meeting your client face-to-face, especially when bearing positive news about their case, it’s an ideal moment to ask for a review. There’s something about direct conversations that can be far more compelling.
- Addressing Privacy Concerns: Understandably, clients may be hesitant to discuss private legal matters in public. Offer a solution: provide them with a writing prompt containing general questions. This ensures their case details remain confidential while still getting valuable feedback.
A gentle nudge coupled with genuine care for their concerns can go a long way in securing positive law firm reviews.
Dive deeper into crafting the right prompts in the next section!
Leveraging Shortcodes in Text Messages
Thinking of spicing up your feedback request game?
Shortcodes could be your secret weapon!
When trying to incentivize reviews, shortcodes can create a seamless, interactive experience for the client. Imagine a client receiving a text from you. They reply with a specific keyword, and voilà, they’re directed towards an action – like penning a review for your firm.
Now, if you’re wondering how to do it? GatherUp is a review management platform that facilitates valuable 2-minute conversations with customers post-experience, transforming their feedback into actionable data for business improvement and reputation enhancement.
Some benefits of GatherUp:
- Reputation Enhancement: By collecting powerful reviews from happy customers, GatherUp aids in boosting your firm’s reputation, making it more credible and trustworthy in the eyes of potential clients.
- Data-Driven Business Growth: The insights derived from the customer feedback cycle helps your firm identify areas of improvement, ultimately fueling business-driven decisions.
While GatherUp offers a robust platform for managing client feedback, having it expertly managed by the seasoned team at Consultwebs ensures law firms get the most out of every review, streamlining their digital reputation in a professional and efficient manner.
Send a Post-Purchase Targeted Email
Email can also be powerful for law firm reviews. Keep an email concise with 1 call-to-action prompting the user to one of your review sites.
And great news for the firms running their email marketing services with Consultwebs – we can work out a personalized campaign centered around reviews!
Slide in a Review Request with Your Email Signature
Believe it or not, you don’t need a fancy email campaign to request reviews. Sometimes, the simplest approaches are the most effective.
Here’s a neat trick; create a signature strategy. Simply incorporate a link to your review page right under your email signature.
Skeptical? Reflect on this: You’re dispatching hundreds of emails weekly. That’s hundreds of potential reviews just waiting to be tapped into!
Embrace the Power of Video Reviews
While written testimonials hold weight, videos for law firms are the gold standard in the modern age.
Videos of all kinds, especially testimonials, are your firm’s ticket to better leads, and that is because almost the entire Internet population is consuming videos. They provide a stronger emotional connection and ultimately create stronger associations in your prospects’ minds.
Discover the 5 Video Formats Your Law Firm Should be Using
Most importantly, videos managed by experts are best. Law firms opting for video services with Consultwebs see growth in their website traffic – and there is proof that backs this up.
Check this sample out:
Your Client Is The Powerhouse Behind Your Sales!
In the business landscape, exceptional customer service is a treasured hallmark. Nowadays, it might just be the edge setting you apart from competitors.
Remember, the most compelling advocate for your services isn’t a marketing pitch – it’s a satisfied client!
As your reach expands, your law firm scales and more cases find successful closures. Ensure you cherish and nurture the concluding phases of your client relationships. Because therein lies the golden opportunity for valuable law firm reviews.
