Creating a successful Law Firm Website involves making decisions about a number of aspects. The website has to be functional and user-friendly, while conveying a professional image. These decisions are based on the nature of your services and the profile of your clientele. If this is your first time setting up a website for your law firm, these are the main things you need to plan about.
Choosing a Domain Name for Your Website:
The first step is to create a domain name, which is simply the name of your website. It is important to check that this domain name is available and has not been taken by some other law firm in another part of the world. Certain considerations are involved in choosing a domain name for your law firm. Avoid misleading domain names that project unrealistic expectations to your potential clients. Another marketing gimmick you must avoid is registering more than one domain name or more than one top-level domains and setting up a redirecting tool to your website.
Developing Your Website:
The next step is to create your website. If you have web development expertise within your law firm, then you can create your website in-house. However, law firms like Groth& Associates rarely hire in-house web developers so you will probably need to get these services from outside the law firm. You can approach professional web hosting companies that specialize in developing websites, running them and taking care of all maintenance issues. They will even register a domain name and take care of all necessary fees that need to be paid on your behalf.
Planning Server Requirements:
Storage is another factor that improves the performance and efficiency of your website. Like Groth& Associates, You need to determine how much data generated by your website you need to store on your server. Server space is limited and comes at a price. So you will have to balance your need for information with budgetary constraints. You need to sit down with your web developer and discuss the amount of text, images, videos and other content forms that you want to make available on your website. For images and videos, what kind of resolution do you expect? All of these will help your web developer allocate the right amount of server space for your website.
Email Services:
As part of your web hosting plan, you will also get access to email hosting. This allows you to have an email address with your professional domain name rather than a generic email service provider like Yahoo or Gmail. This imparts a more professional image to your clients. It also ensures the confidentiality of your correspondence with clients as well as within the firm by securing your emails against hacking attacks and viruses. Your web host partner will make available all the resources and systems that you need for email hosting.
Backend Services:
As a law firm, the main purpose of your website should be to maintain communication with your clients and make available all the information they need to understand their case. Discuss with your web developer any additional tools or functionalities that you want from your website. These could include a blog and article section, another section on news and press releases, a chat feature, and a contact form. Other back-end services that you need include regular automated backup, firewall and malware protection and social media functionality. Consider the needs of your law firm and clients before deciding which features to sign up for.
Conclusion:
Whichever features and functionalities you choose, your website should facilitate your clients and make communication smoother. At the same time, your website should be secure due to the sensitive nature of information you exchange with your client. Keeping these few things in mind will serve as a general guide for designing your website.
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