And as I wrote in Solely Social or Used to Promote?, they demonstrate a fundamental lack of understanding about how we communicate.

In one box, they would put communications by lawyer "solely for social purposes, to maintain social contact with family and close friends." These they suggest are not subject to the lawyer advertising rules.

In a second box, they would put "pages appearing on networking sites that are used to promote the lawyer or law firm’s practice." These they suggest are subject to the lawyer advertising rules.

And while some communications by lawyers may fit neatly into one of the two boxes, of course we know that the overwhelming majority of communications will include social purposes, as well as, promotional purposes.

But even if we recognize that communications are intended to convey a variety of meanings, there's really another question here. Should the intent of the communication be the distinguishing factor?

In Legal Blogging vs Advertising & Marketing we examined the Horace Hunter blog debacle. In that example the Virgninia Bar took issue with Mr. Hunter's omission of disclaimer on his "blog". They claimed that at least one purpose of his website to market the firm and attract business.

Which raised the question of whether there true distinctions between blogs, other forms of electronic communications, marketing materials, and advertisements.

As I've written before, at least with regard to lawyer ethics rules, the issue shouldn't be whether the intent of the communication was editorial, solely social, or used to promote.

As Professor Goldman puts it:

"The law doesn’t handle editorial-content-as-marketing overlaps very well, unfortunately.”

In my humble opinion, even The U.S. Supreme Court has trouble making the distinction between "pure speech" and "commercial speech" (much this trouble created by the Court).

And so, in the end, lawyers, at least those in Florida, in order to comply with the silly and child-like rules of their State Bar, must regulate their communications to fit neatly into one of two boxes. Those that are solely for social purposes and those that are used to promote.

I challenge you to answer the hypothetical examples listed here.

And I don't mean to pick specifically on 1&1 MyWebsite websites either. Other major hosting providers also provide cheap sitebuilders that I usually don't recommend.

Unfortunately, due to lack of understanding about what's available, many small businesses, including law firms, are attracted to these basic sitebuilder applications provided by hosting companies. Which, when you consider what some legal website deisgn firms charge for a new site design, is completely understandable.

Now look, I'm not saying that making a considerable investment into your firm's website design and development is necessarily wrong. The design of your site will have a huge impact on the way the internet users and searchers view your firm. An unprofessional, outdated, or simply poor design can have a very negative impact on your firm's web presence, and may cost you clients.

On the other hand, you better know what you're paying for. I have yet to see a law firm website design that is worth tens of thousands of dollars. And let me tell you, there are firms that still pay that much for a design today.

That's not to say that there aren't websites that may be worth that kind of investment. For example, if part of the site build includes professional photography, videos, live chat, and extensive pages and content, then a firm should expect to make a considerable investment.

Firms should spend some time learning about what's available and shopping around to see what are reasonable prices for site design, development, and of course marketing.

Opting for the most affordable sitebuilder solutions, like 1&1's MyWebsite product, typically isn't the best balance in terms of price, affordability, professionalism, and functionality.

What follows are 5 places on your website you should try using a call to action.

This is one that seems obvious yet is often missing on law firm websites and blogs.  People will enter your site on many different pages.  If they find you through a long tail search result or via a link from a blog, they are most likely going to land on an interior page, not your homepage.  This is why having a call to action at the top of your sidebar is a good idea.  You want to make it very easy for an individual to contact you no matter how they enter your site.

Additionally, it's a good idea to have the call to action or contact form as the very first thing on your sidebar.  The further down the page it slides, the conversion of the call to action will be effected.

2. After A Post or Article

It's a good idea to try a call to action at the end of a blog post or article.  However, don't assume that just inserting "If you have been injured as the result of an accident call us at....." is the best call to action at the end of the article.  Offer a free guide download relevant to the article or perhaps offer the ability to subscribe to your blog like they do over at the Crime In The Suites blog:

The advantage of using a call to action in this space is that the visitor has just finished reading your entire article so obviously there is a higher level of interest once they reach the end as opposed to a casual browser to the site.  

Additionally, the call to action is directly in line as they read so they aren't as likely to "miss it" due to banner blindness.  I'd also recommend mixing it up to see if using a call to action with simple text or a graphic like Crime In The Suites uses is more effective.

3. On Your Attorney Profile Page

I'll bet if you dig into your analytics you'd find that a lot of visitors check out your attorney profile page before making a decision on contacting you.  With that in mind, why not use this as an opportunity to capture a visitor's attention?

4. Using A Lightbox Pop-Up

This one is a little more controversial because a lot of people think it's quite annoying. I'd say that this can be quite effective, but it really depends on your audience.  People serving higher-end clientele should probably avoid this type of call to action.  However, for more volume based law firms dealing directly with consumers, this is a good technique to try out.

The lightbox pop-up could include a request to join a newsletter, a free consultation offer, a live chat, etc.

5. Your Website Footer

While not everyone makes it down the end of your page, when it does happen usually they are checking your site out more closesly.  This is why including a call to action in the footer of your website is a good idea. 

Unlike in the offline, brick-and-mortar world, websites don't offer any visual cues about what exactly they are until you visit the site.  All domains have the exact same format (http://subdomain.rootdomain.tld for example http://www.attorneysync.com).  Because of this, it's important that you choose a name that helps identify you as a law firm and better yet, one that can help a client understand your practice.

All things being equal, it is my belief that you should use a keyword rich domain if you have the option.  For example, if you are a bankruptcy lawyer in Montana named John Doe, I would recommend securing Montanabankruptcylawyer.com over JohnDoe.com.  This helps not only with search visibility, but it also provides cues to the site visitor about what your site is about.  Montanabankruptcylawyer.com provides much more information than JohnDoe.com.  While there are reports about Google dialing down the effectiveness of a keyword rich domain in search results, there is still value for the user and I believe it will always play some role in the search algorithm even if that role is "dialed down."

Using our example above, a lawyer might choose to use their name John Doe instead.  In this instance, I believe you are better off adding "law" or some legal modifier to help identify your website as legally related.  In other words, JohnDoeLaw.com is more advisable than simply JohnDoe.com.

All The Best Domains Are Taken

I understand that the legal space online is brutally competitive and many of the best domain names have already been secured.  This means that in order to secure a keyword rich domain you will have to get more creative.  For instance, in our example above there is a good chance that MontanaBankruptcyLawyer.com or your local, geographic permutation for this name is already taken.  You can try adding a suffix such as "group", "blog", or "info" to your desired domain name and check it's availability.  You will simply need to get more creative than just checking on the availability of an exact match domain and calling it a day.

That being said, here are a few things to avoid when choosing your more creative domain:

Avoid uncommon top-level-domains - A top-level-domain is the extension that proceeds the domain name you choose (.com or .net are top-level-domains).  Avoid registering TLD's such as .info, .cc, .ws, and .name as they are indicators of spam.

Avoid domain names longer than 15 characters - Names that get too long appear spammy and are difficult to type into the address bar.  The following is a real website domain name for a law firm http://nursinghomenegligencemalpracticeaccidentsabusephiladelphiapa.com.  Needless to say it is too long and filled with too many keywords to be an effective domain.

Beware of permutations - In the book Search Engine Optimization Secrets the author gives a good example of this.  the owners of ExpertsExchange.com built a brand and large website before they realized that the name could be misinterpreted as ExpertSexChange.com.

Finally, when you are researching possible names to use, I recommend using a domain search engine such as domize to make your life easier.

Photo by Ivanpw (http://www.flickr.com/photos/28288673@N07/)

Read this paragraph:

The first thing you need to do is separate  the items into different categories.  You can use size to separate, but you are not limited to just size.  For instance you could use the type of care each item needs too.  After you have completed separating the items you need to rinse them.  You will want to assess the amount of room you have available and how each item will fit best.  Finally, place one item in the machine at a time until full.  Start the machine.

Trying to make heads or tails of what the paragraph is talking about is difficult.  But if we use that same paragraph with a title:

Using A Dishwasher

The first thing you need to do is separate  the items into different categories.  You can use size to separate, but you are not limited to just size.  For instance you could use the type of care each item needs too.  After you have completed separating the items you need to rinse them.  You will want to assess the amount of room you have available and how each item will fit best.  Finally, place one item in the machine at a time until full.  Start the machine.

The paragraph is still terrible, but at least you can figure out what it's referncing now.

Titles Provide Context

Titles provide context for the content that comes after it.  They help to cue your brain about what to expect next and get it in the right mindset.  This is important especially when we are dealing with heavier concepts that are more difficult for the general public to understand (ie: legal issues).  

Additionally, the titles help to break apart the content in more bite sized chunks which are easier for people to digest, especially when reading on the web.

Design is the first filter – When participants in the study rejected a health website as not being trustworthy, 83% of their comments were related to design factors, such as an unfavorable first impression of the look and feel, poor navigation, color, text size and the name of the website.

Content is the second filter — Once the first filter was applied, if the website hadn’t been rejected, then participants mentioned content rather than design factors. 74% of the participants’ comments were about content being important in deciding whether they found a site trustworthy (after the initial design impression). For example, if the sites were owned by well known and respected organizations, advice written by medical experts, and sites that were specific to them and that they felt were written for people like themselves.

In short, the first filter was a well designed, well organized site.  If people thought the site looked amateurish, dated, or was difficult to use they never even got so far as to see the content.  If the site design was adequate then the quality of the content was the second filter.

Site Design

Site design is obviously an important element as the study reveals.  However, it's important to understand that constructing a good site design NOT mean that you are required to drop $20K on a completely custom site with every bell and whistle.  Rather, it is important that you are aware of the specific reasons that led people to mistrust a site and avoid these design mistakes.  The study mentions the following as reasons participants did not trust a site design:

• Inappropriate name for the website
• Complex, busy layout
• Lack of navigation aids
• Boring web design (especially use of color)
• Pop up advertisements
• Slow introductions to sites
• Small print
• Too much text
• Corporate look and feel
• Poor search facilities

Take a hard look at your firm's website and see if any of the above elements jump out at you. 

So what were the design elements mentioned that people trusted?

The following were listed as reasons people chose to further explore and revisit a site:

• Clear layout
• Good navigation aids
• Interactive features (ie: assessment tools)

My takeaway is that there is not a "right" type of site design, but rather elements to avoid and include that people respond well to.

Site Content

The other half of the battle is your site content.  Without a servicable design, people aren't even paying attention to your content.  However, if you've made a good enough first impression with the look, feel, and layout then they are willing to read what you have to say.  So what reasons did people give when asked why they trusted a site's content?

• Informative content
• Relevant illustrations
• Wide variety of topics covered
• Unbiased information
• Age specific information
• Clear, simple language used
• Discussion groups
• Frequently asked questions

This should come as no surprise.  People want access to content they can understand, that helps them with their issues, and is easy to navigate.  Nothing on the list talks about wanting to know more about the achievments of the website or its founders.  People want information that will help them with their issues.  That's why they are on your site in the first place.

I have put together a list of 5 questions I think are very important to ask your website developer before you hire them.

You would be shocked at how many attorneys don't actually own their law firm websites.  In many cases they are renting their sites.  They pay a great deal of money to a web development company who builds a custom website on a proprietary platform.  Usually there is an upfront charge as well as an ongoing monthly fee.  If the firm ever wishes to part ways with the developer and take the website with them, usually they will be able to get the raw files, the design, and the existing content (although sometimes the developer will even lease parts of the content).  

When this happens, there is no longer any way to update the website without hardcoding changes.  In this case, the website needs to be rebuilt on another platform which can cost as much as a new site built from scratch.

With the abundance of open source platforms (ie: platforms that are not owned by a single company or entity and anyone can use) such as Wordpress, Drupal, Joomla, etc. there are plenty of options available to attorneys to avoid a situation as I described above. 

2. Can I update the site myself (Is the site built on a content management system)?

A content management system (CMS) allows you to login and make edits and changes to your website without having to create a new page or edit an existing one by hand.  This allows you to update your website without having to contact a web developer to make a change on your behalf.  If you have ever used a blogging system such as Blogger or Wordpress.com than you have used a CMS before.  Any modern website you intend to market your law firm with should be built on a content management system.  Not having one is simply a non-starter.

This seems to be more common knowledge these days, however I am still shocked at the number of law firm websites I see that are not built on a CMS. 

3. Can changes to the look of the site be made further down the road if necessary?

It's important that flexibility is built into the framework of your website.  We all know that the "internet world" moves fast.  What looks sleek and modern today can look dated and old 4 years from now.  

It's important the your site is built on a framework that has the ability to be updated even if this might cost extra at the time of the update.  The point is that you want the choice and ability to update your current site rather than start over from scratch again.  

For example, we are big fans of the Thesis framework for Wordpress.  The beauty of Thesis is that you can build a very custom look and feel for your site but the "guts" of the site will remain consistent.  This way, if you choose to update the look at a later date, your investment and headaches will be much smaller than if you need to switch to an entirely new system.

4. Can I easily update necessary SEO elements, ie: page titles and headers?

You want to ensure that your website won't prevent you from achieving your marketing goals.  From a search engine marketing perspective, it's important that you have fine-tune control over the elements of your site.  Most modern content management systems will allow you to make any changes you need, but it's a good thing to ask your developer before the site is actually built.

5. How long will it take from the day we sign up until the site is launched?

This is a very important question.  From all my experience dealing with web developers, the biggest issue I ran into didn't have to do with the technical aspects of the website development.  It didn't even have to do with the end result of the project.  The biggest problem I ran into was finding a developer that actually delivered the project in the timetable they said they would.

Our internal rule at AttorneySync was to double whatever time frame we were quoted by a developer.  They weren't just off by a little, they usually were off by a mile.  Since many of us are operating under certain time constraints, especially with a website we are trying to market, waiting 6-8 months for a website to get finished is unacceptable.  

This problem is further exacerbated by the fact that once the web developer is hired and the project is underway, there is a lot of time lost in switching to a new developer.

My suggestion is to ask the developer how long the project will take.  Then ask for a couple of referrals.  Talk to the referrals about their projects and relationship with the developer.  Ask how long the developer said their project would take initially and then how long it actually took.  

If you follow what's going on in the world of search engine marketing, you likely have heard something about Google's Recent Panda-Farmers-Content Update:

Many of the changes we make are so subtle that very few people notice them. But in the last day or so we launched a pretty big algorithmic improvement to our ranking—a change that noticeably impacts 11.8% of our queries—and we wanted to let people know what’s going on.

 

This update is designed to reduce rankings for low-quality sites—sites which are low-value add for users, copy content from other websites or sites that are just not very useful. At the same time, it will provide better rankings for high-quality sites—sites with original content and information such as research, in-depth reports, thoughtful analysis and so on. We can’t make a major improvement without affecting rankings for many sites. It has to be that some sites will go up and some will go down. Google depends on the high-quality content created by wonderful websites around the world, and we do have a responsibility to encourage a healthy web ecosystem. Therefore, it is important for high-quality sites to be rewarded, and that’s exactly what this change does.

In the wake of this most recent update, we've received a lot questions from law firms wondering how this might impact their website traffic. And the answer, like most other online answers, is that it really depends.

If you write your own unique website content and blog posts. If you research your posts and provided your opinion, analysis, or even remotely articulate something resembling a point, you will likely not be greatly impacted by this most recent update.

On the other hand. If you copy (or scrape) content from other websites. If you buy content that has been copied or spun via software. If you pull news headlines off of news sites and follow them with the first 100 words of the news articles. If you're using a blog feed of disaster (as Kevin O'Keefe warns against), your website or blog's traffic and rankings may be at risk.

While some of these "strategies" may have worked to increase traffic to your site in the past, they are likely to do more harm than good. Both to your search engine visibility and to your professional reputation.

So here's my advice:

Naturally, I can hear the question from many of you ‘What do we do now?’ So here are a couple of statements that we can make without question.

• If you are scraping sites and mashing content together – Just stop what you're doing right now.
• Make sure that any content that is published to your website or blog is unique. Also, if you are publishing articles on your blog and then syndicating them on other sites without altering them – You should stop doing that too.
• If you're going to syndicate content that you have published to your own site or blog, only put unique content on your site; and wait before syndicating a modified version of your content elsewhere.
• If you publish external content (i.e. guest blog posts, etc) make sure that it is unique.
• If you comments turned off on your blog, turn them on. Moderate them. Respond to them. This tells Google, and more importantly, your visitors that you are listening and actually care that they visit your site. 

I recognize that online publishing may not be a high priority on your list of daily tasks. I also realize that not all lawyers are great writers. While I don't think that outsourcing content for websites and blogs is bad per se, you must have an editorial review process in place for any content published to your website or blog. You should also establish specific guidelines for anyone that contributes content to your site or blog. The truth is, more often than not, you will be the best at writing for your own law firm website and/or legal blog.

It's common knowledge amongst bloggers that crafting an interesting, catchy headline can help to increase the click-throughs and readership of your article.  It's also well known that incorporating photos into your posts is a great way to grab your reader's attention (If this wasn't well-known to you then it is now).

But there is a component of your blog posts that you may be overlooking (I know I was).

Captions

Photo captions are the most read body type in a publication. According to Drew Eric Whitman, Captions under photos get 200% greater readership than non-headline copy.  Of all the content on your blog article, only the title or headlines have higher readership than captions.

The point is that if you fail to include captions underneath your photos, you are missing an opportunity to further engage your readers.

How Does A Reader Interact With Your Pictures On Your Blog?

This article from the University of Kansas discusses reader behavior:

When writing a cutline with or without a caption, it is useful to have clearly in mind the typical reader behavior when “using” a photograph and accompanying text: 

• First,  the reader looks at the photo, mentally capturing all or most of the most obvious visual information available. Often this reader look is merely a glance, so subtle aspects of the picture may not register with many readers.
• When that look at the photo sparks any interest, the reader typically looks just below the photo for information that helps explain the photo. That's when captions and cutlines must perform.
• Then, typically, the reader, after digesting the information, goes back to the photo (so be sure you enhance the experience and explain anything that needs explaining).

What Does A Reader Want To Know About Your Photo (or What Makes A Good Caption)?

• How the picture relates to the post?
• What is happening in the photo?
• Who is in the photo?
• Where or when is it happening?

In short, a caption should help clarify the photo and it's use in the article for the reader.  You should not use a caption to explain something obvious a reader can tell from simply looking at the picture.  An example is a photo of Michael Jordan taking a jump shot.  A caption stating "Basketball player takes a jump shot" isn't nearly as helpful as "Michael Jordan hitting the game winner".

Photo by Lady Madonna

Maybe I've just hit an unlucky streak, but this issue has been surfacing a lot recently. Now don't get me wrong, there are some third-party site admins that are diligent about updating page titles. However, in my experience, the overwhelming majority have been at the best slow and at the worst completely unresponsive.

If you're preparing to launch a new law firm website or legal blog, please take the time to do the research. I know it's confusing. I know you don't have the time. Unfortunately, if you don't take the necessary time to understand the major issues surrounding web strategy, you're more than likely to get burned.

Ask these questions:

• Do I own the site?
• Do I own the content management system?
• What is the process for making updates?
• Can I make updates to page titles?
• Can I add content on my own?
• What happens if I terminate service?
• On what platform will my website or blog be built?
• Will permalinks reflect page titles?
• Will I be able to add widgets?
• Can I add an author byline?
• How long will it take from design to launch?
• What text editor does the platform use?

One of the best ways to make sure that you're getting the right product and service for your needs to retain an experienced web strategist to assist you from the very beginning. These consultants can help you make informed decisions as to what web products and services will most efficiently and effectively help you meet your goals.

Finally, be sure to consult with a web strategist that is familiar with the unique considerations surrounding legal marketing. Legal websites and blogs are likely to be subject to your state's rules of professional conduct. Failing to consider the ethical implications related to your web presence can be a costly mistake.

Many lawyers and law firms have established websites as a means ofcommunicating with the public. A lawyer website can provide to anyone with Internet access a wide array of information about the law, legal institutions, and the value of legal services. Websites also offer lawyers a twenty-four hour marketing tool by calling attention to the particular qualifications of a lawyer or a law firm, explaining the scope of the legal services they provide and describing their clientele, and adding an electronic link to contact an individual lawyer.

The obvious benefit of this information can diminish or disappear if the websitevisitor misunderstands or is misled by website information and features. A website visitor might rely on general legal information to answer a personal legal question. Another might assume that a website’s provision of direct electroniccontact to a lawyer implies that the lawyer agrees to preserve the confidentialityof information disclosed by website visitors.

For lawyers, website marketing can give rise to the problem of unanticipated reliance or unexpected inquiries or information from website visitors seeking legal advice. This opinion addresses some of the ethical obligations that lawyers should address in considering the content and features of their websites.

According to the opinion, law firm websites may include accurate information that is not misleading about lawyers at the firm and the law firm itself. The site may include contact information and information about the practice.

The opinion also states that information on law firm websites should be updated regularly. Additionally, specific information identifying clients may be disclosed, as long as informed consent is acquired.

The Standing Committee also recognizes that law firm websites can assist the public by providing general information about the law applicable to a lawyer’s area(s) of practice, as well as links to other websites, blogs, or forums with related information.

In order to avoid misleading readers, the Committee advises lawyers to make sure that legal information is accurate and current and to include qualifying statements or disclaimers that “may preclude a finding that a statement is likely to create unjustified expectations or otherwise mislead a prospective client.”

While the Committee falls short of drawing the exact line between legal information and legal advice, they do advise that both the context and content of the information offered are helpful in distinguishing between the two, which admittedly, is not entirely clear.

The opinion also addresses communications between the legal professionals and visitors to the site. The Committee points out that lawyers have the ability on their websites to control features and content so as to invite, encourage, limit, or discourage the flow of information to and from website visitors. Lawyers should consider what level of discourse they wish to have with website visitors. For many lawyers, discouraging the submission of confidential information through the site is advisable.

In one of the more helpful sections of the opinion, the Committee provides some rather specific guidance in terms of warnings or cautionary statements on a lawyer’s website. These statements may effectively limit, condition, or disclaim a lawyer’s obligation to a website reader. Some things to consider in your website warnings:

• A client-lawyer relationship has not been created
• The visitor’s information will not be kept confidential
• That legal advice has not been given
• That the lawyer will be prevented from representing an adverse party.

As with many areas of the law and lawyer ethics, the standard will be whether the meaning can be understood by a reasonable person.

While this opinion provides some important guidance on ethical considerations for law firm websites, you should always check with your state bar about ethics as they apply to websites and/or legal blogs in your jurisdiction(s).

The words that you might use to describe your practice, are likely very different from the words that potential clients would use. And the words potential clients use to describe your practice are oftentimes the same types of words and phrases they will use to search for your services online.

This is why understanding your clientcabulary and potential clientcabulary is so important. Be observant to the words that your clients use to describe their legal problems and issues. Also, pay close attention to the words that your clients use to describe you, your firm, and your services.

Paying close attention to how your clients describe their problems and your services will go a long-way in terms of identifying keywords that are likely to generate potential client inquiries through your legal website and/or blog.

Be sure to write your blog and website content with these terms in mind. Don't assume that your potential clients use the same words as you do to describe your areas of practice, they don't.

Because most of the machines offer a shortcut for the tip: $2, $3 or $4.

You can decide to be a cheapskate and hit the $2 button. Except...

Except that if you had paid cash, you probably would have tipped 75 cents for that $4.25 ride. It takes a few more clicks to type in 75 cents, and hey, $2 is the lowest and it's a more 'normal' amount.

It's a three second decision that happens over and over. People really like cues.

 

The same snap decisions are made online every day.  Just like people choosing their tip prefer cues on what to do, so do the visitors to your website or blog.

The wonderful thing about the internet is that it is a medium where users can interact with your business in real time. Most other mediums, such as television, newspapers, magazines, etc. are one way communicators. A message is sent out and it is up to the consumer to take a subsequent action such as calling or going to your office.

With the advent of blogs, twitter, facebook, videos, interactive websites, etc. we can start a dialogue and nurture relationships with potential clients in ways that we couldn’t before. Unfortunately, many firms make the false assumption that simply having a website or blog is enough to encourage and start this interaction. This is simply not true. You still need to provide cues to your visitors that tell them what they should do when they arrive.

Your site should be setup in a way that promotes the user to engage with the site and take an action. This might be filling out a web form, downloading a guide, signing up for a newsletter, leaving a comment on your blog, calling your firm directly, etc. If you think that simply because they came to your site they will perform these tasks, you are wrong. You need to tell them, very directly, what you would like them to do with a clear call to action.

There is a great book entitled “Don’t Make Me Think” that discusses website design and usability.  The book’s basic point is that you need to make sure people don’t have to think too much about what to do when they visit your site. Make sure you aren’t making it difficult for your users to interact with you online.

Photo by Al Fed

There is a terrific blog post at The Branding Strategy Insider that gives some interesting details related to color and its effects on behavior:

Have you noticed that most fast food restaurants are decorated with vivid reds and oranges? It's no accident that these colors show up so frequently. Studies have shown that reds and oranges encourage diners to eat quickly and leave -- and that's exactly what fast food outlets want you to do.

The following colors are associated with certain qualities or emotions:

Red -- excitement, strength, sex, passion, speed, danger.
Blue --(listed as the most popular color) trust, reliability, belonging, coolness.
Yellow --warmth, sunshine, cheer, happiness
Orange -- playfulness, warmth, vibrant
Green -- nature, fresh, cool, growth, abundance
Purple --royal, spirituality, dignity
Pink -- soft, sweet, nurture, security
White --pure, virginal, clean, youthful, mild.
Black --sophistication, elegant, seductive, mystery
Gold -- prestige, expensive
Silver -- prestige, cold, scientific

Market researchers have also determined that color affects shopping habits. Impulse shoppers respond best to red-orange, black and royal blue. Shoppers who plan and stick to budgets respond best to pink, teal, light blue and navy. Traditionalists respond to pastels - pink, rose, sky blue.

Using The Right Color Palate For Your Audience

Take some time to think about your firm's target audience and how they might interact with your site.  What is the demographic you are targeting and what sort of values are they interested in?

Are you a high-end firm targeting Fortune 500 companies?  All else being equal, I would stick with black (sophistication), blue (trust, reliability), and silver (prestige).  Perhaps you handle estate planning and recognize green is associated with growth and abundance.  The point is to make sure you are using a color scheme that will help evoke emotions and feelings that will appeal to your target audience.

Photo by Jason Morrison

Lucky for you, there is a word that can help.

The Power Of "Because"

There is a book I read called Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways To Be Persuasive.  One particularly interesting chapter discussed a study performed by behavioral scientist Ellen Langer.

In the study, Langer had a stranger approach someone waiting in line to use a photocopier.  The individual asked "Excuse me, I have five pages.  May I use the Xerox machine?"  In this scenario, 60% of the people were willing to let the stranger cut in line.

However, when the stranger made that same request with a reason such as "May I use the Xerox machine because I'm in a rush?", 94% allowed the stranger to cut in line.  This seems justifiable considering the reason given was valid.

The most interesting aspect of the study however, was when Langer tested the use of the word because but followed it up with a completely invalid reason.  This time the stranger asked, "May I use the Xerox machine, because I have to make copies?"  Despite the completely useless reason given (no kidding you have to make copies on the copy machine), 93% of the participants allowed the stranger to cut.

This study helps to demonstrate the power of providing a reason for someone to do something.

Are You Giving Your Visitors A REASON To Take An Action?

Simply telling potential clients to take an action isn't nearly as effective as giving them a reason why they should do so.  Sure you can tell them to get a free consultation, sign up for your newsletter, add your blog to their rss feed, register for email updates, etc.  However, giving them a reason WHY they should do so is critically important because it will enable you to generate more contacts and build more relationships.

Take some time to read back through the copy on your website or blog.  Keep that important word "because" in the back of your head and look for any opportunities you can to validate your request for interaction with a solid reason.  I'll bet there is a huge amount of opportunity to improve your website copy.

Photo by Feuillu

After a week of back and forth between Chris Pearson, the creator of Thesis and Matt Mullenweg, the founding developer of WordPress, things finally concluded with the Thesis Theme adopting a split GPL (General Public License) for the Theme.

According to the GPL, software can be sold commercially but the user must be free to share the software, free to modify it, free to redistribute it to the community and free to share copies of his modified versions. In the words of the license, “If you distribute copies of such a program, whether gratis or for a fee, you must pass on to the recipients the same freedoms that you received.”

The split GPL will allow the parts of Thesis that use WordPress code to be freely shared. All the PHP code is GPL, while CSS and JavaScript code sections remain proprietary.

I find it all a bit confusing to be perfectly honest with you.  

Can the software now be purchased, modified, and freely distributed?

Chris Pearson tweeted this in response to what the adoption of a split GPL means to Thesis customers:

@tomoswyn It has no practical implications for 99.9% of people. It just means the PHP is GPLv2 and the CSS, JS, and images are proprietary.

Seems to me this pretty much nullifies what the GPL states.

I'd love to read some comments from our readers (especially ones with legal expertise in this field) letting me know your thoughts on this one.

At the direction of the Supreme Court of Florida, the Florida Bar filed a petition on June 1, 2010 to adopt additional amendments to Rule 4-7.6 regarding websites, Case No. SC10-1014.  The amendments, if adopted, would provide a method by which a portion of the website would be considered information at the request of a prospective client and therefore not subject to subchapter 4-7 (the lawyer advertising rules) if specific requirements are met.

Being "search-minded", I have always argued that the Internet (including law firm websites and blogs) is always "information at the request of the user".  Using a search engine, clicking on a link, and even entering a URL into an address bar, all require an active action (request for information) by the user.

I recognize that my position is highly subjective, as well as, the overwhelmingly minority position.  However, I think the opposition is hard pressed to argue that current rules do an effective job of balancing protection of the public with the commercial speech rights of lawyers.  Perhaps we're not that far from a 21st century Bates decision.

The Internet began as a research tool, and despite attempts to turn it into a "cesspool" where false information thrives, this remains its core function.

While this concept may seem extremely basic, unfortunately, when it comes to law firm Internet marketing, it is often overlooked.

The truth is, both TV and yellow book advertising produced results for many lawyers for many years.  In fact, there are at least some geographical locations and practice areas for which these advertising media can still produce a return on investment (if you're using them, you better be tracking your results).

And, admittedly, there are areas of the web that work a lot like the yellow book model (think Google Places).

However, when it comes to actually marketing your law firm on the Internet, traditional advertising rules don't hold.  And the reason stems from the fact that the Internet's core use remains as a research tool.

This is why, when properly executed, blogging, social media participation, and education-based marketing are so effective on the web.

Another great way to incorporate the research concept into your law firm web marketing strategy is through the use of FAQs.

Steve Matthews, of Stem Legal, provides some great tips on how to properly implement an FAQ section on your law firm website:

FAQ collections are a solid tactic to publish in a meaningful way.  When a collection stands alone, it can become a valuable addition to the lawyer’s group of web properties.  It also helps the lawyer become better aligned with the subject matter they most want to become associated with.  Especially for lawyers with a niche or boutique practice, content depth online can’t be underestimated. From an SEO point of view, this depth not only addresses the long-tail type searches, but over time, will help create the authority and trust qualities that are so important for competitive search terms.

Steve also points out a couple things to avoid:

We also encourage lawyers to stay away from the types of questions Gracey and Neilson dislike: questions lawyers wish their clients would ask. These include strictly self-serving questions like Why should I hire you as my lawyer? and What can your firm offer me that others can’t?

Using frequently asked questions aligns your content with the intent of the researcher.  Many searchers will enter their specific question into the search engine.  By including questions, and their answers, on your site, you are likely to achieve high search visibility for these less competitive, highly relevant, key phrases.

And, of course, by providing concrete information in response to the question, you have positioned yourself as the expert on the issue.  This will maximize the probability of a visitor to your website or blog, taking some action and converting into a potential client.

Photo By: EncMstr