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When you’re a new law firm, one of the first decisions you’ll face is whether to invest in a large website or opt for a smaller one. Your website serves as your virtual office and plays a significant role in attracting legal clients and building your law firm’s brand.
In this blog, we’ll explore the pros and cons of both large and small websites to help you make an informed decision.
Your Website – a Critical Tool for Attracting Clients
Your law firm’s website serves as a critical tool for attracting and engaging potential clients online. It’s where they learn about your services, expertise, and credibility. Choosing the right size for your website is a pivotal decision that will impact your firm’s digital success, often guided by your budget.
Defining Your Goals
Before deciding on the size of your website, it’s essential to define your goals. Consider the following questions:
- What is the primary purpose of your law firm’s website?
- Who is your target audience? What type of clients do you want to attract?
- What are your budget constraints?
- What is your capacity for work and for content creation?
The Benefits of a Large Website
Enhanced Content Capacity
A large website allows you to provide comprehensive information about your law firm, services, and legal expertise. You can create extensive blog posts, case studies, and educational content, demonstrating your authority in the field.
Comprehensive Information
Clients often seek detailed information when looking for legal help or representation. A large website can house in-depth solicitor profiles, a vast knowledge base, and an extensive FAQ section.
More SEO Opportunities
Search engines tend to favour websites with substantial, high-quality content. A larger website provides more opportunities for *keyword optimisation, making it easier for potential clients to find you.
*Keep in mind that optimisation comes with additional costs whether it be your time learning about SEO or paying somebody to do it for you.
Credibility and Trust
A well-designed and content-rich large website can convey professionalism and expertise, instilling trust in potential clients.
The Drawbacks of a Large Website
Higher Initial Costs
Building a large website typically requires a more substantial upfront investment in design, development, and content creation.
If you choose to have your website designed by a freelancer, you may also need to consider their limited expertise in the legal sector as well as the absence of protections (e.g., insurance) if things go wrong.
Ongoing Maintenance
Maintaining a large website can be time-consuming and may require a dedicated team to keep it updated and, more importantly, secure.
Potential Complexity
Large websites can become complex, which might affect user experience and load times if not managed properly.
The Benefits of a Small Website
Cost-Effective
A small website is generally more budget-friendly, making it an attractive option for new law firms with limited resources at the start.
Easier Maintenance
With fewer pages and content, a small law firm website is easier to maintain, requiring less time and effort.
Faster Load Times
Smaller, less complicated websites typically load faster, ensuring a better user experience and lower bounce rates.
Focused Content
A concise website allows you to focus on your core services and specialties, making it easier for visitors to understand what legal services you offer.
The Drawbacks of a Small Website
Limited Content Space
A small website may restrict your ability to provide extensive information about your services, potentially leaving visitors with unanswered questions.
Potential for Missed Opportunities
You might miss out on some SEO opportunities with limited content, reducing your visibility* in search engine results.
*An alternative would be to invest in PPC advertising which would put you in front of your prospective clients regardless of the size of your firm/website.
Building Trust
Establishing trust may be slightly more challenging with a smaller website, as potential clients may expect more comprehensive information.
Making the Decision
To make an informed decision, consider the following factors:
Assessing Your Budget
Evaluate your budget constraints and weigh them against the benefits of a large website. For example, will a big website generate enough ROI to pay for itself and also make a profit for your firm?
Understanding Your Audience
Understand the preferences and expectations of your prospective clients.
Considering Future Growth
Think about how your website choice will align with your firm’s future growth plans. Will you be able to expand it? Will the content management system/platform of your choice allow other designers to work on it in the future?
Conclusion
Whether you choose a large or small website, remember that the quality of content and user experience are paramount. Invest in a website that aligns with your goals and more importantly, resonates with your prospective clients.
Both options have their merits, so carefully consider your unique circumstances before making a choice. Your website is a crucial tool for your firm’s success, so invest carefully.
What We Recommend to Our Clients
For new law firms (under 3 years) we usually recommend that they start with a small website built in WordPress CMS.
A WordPress website can grow alongside your firm and there are no costs attached to owning one (other than the costs of its design / redesign, hosting and domain ownership).
Furthermore, for new firms that don’t have a solid client base or their brand is not yet well-known, it’s vital that their website works as a lead generation tool. A small but well-designed and optimised website can support your enquiry generation efforts and even support your digital marketing efforts (e.g. PPC campaigns).
While you can get an affordable website from a freelancer, it may not come well-optimised for search engines, limiting your visibility to potential clients and your ability to generate cases and revenue. Therefore, consider your needs and if you require your website to be more than just an online business card, consider having it designed by a legal marketing agency like Intellistart.
A small but well-built website can generate work and support your law firm’s growth.
“I am the owner of a small law firm specialising in immigration law. I instructed Intellistart to take over the management of our PPC campaign three months ago. Joel is a pleasure to work with. He guided us through the initial onboarding process and has remained proactive on our account ever since. The results speak for themselves. Our turnover has doubled since we have been working with Intellistart. I am very satisfied with the service provided by Intellistart and I have no hesitation in recommending their services to other law firms that want to grow their practice.”
– Rasab Khan, Immigration Law Firm
Usually yes, but it ultimately depends on which platform your website will be built on.
If your small website will be built in WordPress using a theme that is not limited (i.e., not a child version of a theme), you could certainly grow it.
On the contrary, if you choose to build your website using Wix, you may face some challenges and additional unnecessary monthly costs.
Focus on high-quality, relevant content and local SEO strategies to improve your search engine rankings.
A small law firm website should include basic pages such as Home, About Us, Contact, and a Blog section.
At the beginning, your home page can function as your landing page to generate enquiries. It can be used for a PPC advertising campaign and change later on as your service offering expands.
You can certainly explore cost-effective web development options and prioritise content creation over a vast number of pages.
However, keep in mind that if your content is not optimised, despite having a lot of it, it may not achieve rankings and generate a return on investment (ROI) on your website.
