How to Polish Your Attorney Profile Page
The most important page on your site
A close look at the traffic flow on most lawyer websites reveals that the attorney profile pages are usually the highest-trafficked pages. They are second only to the home page, and far more read (vs. visited) than any practice area page that explains the legal services of the firm.
The reason is clear: For prospective clients seeking legal advice personal trust into the ability of the attorney is the foundation for the attorney-client relationship. For many people, the need for legal representation means putting their life into someone else’s hands. This makes the attorney page the make or
Too many attorneys neglect this page or leave it looking like a barebones résumé. Attorney bios are usually filled with an abundance of information including, education, bar admissions, publications, etc. The challenge when creating an attorney bio page is to present this data in a clean and attractive way.
Here is what we noticed is important:
- Use a professional photo. Did you notice where your eyes went when you opened this page? You can only make one first impression, and that is usually with your photo. Especially when you are your brand, your attorney photo should not be taken with a smartphone, but by a professional who knows about light and perspective.
- Keep your attorney page sharp and precise. Your main aspect is quality, not quantity.
- Write about your experience. Prospective clients visiting a lawyer profile page are interested in your level of experience, so sharing information about your track record will help build confidence. This is an area attorneys with great experience should draw attention. A link to a list of successful cases is helpful.
- List publications, honors, and other professional activities to demonstrate professional engagement. These “bragging rights” should include logos and batches (aka “bumper stickers”) on the sidebar.
- If you don’t have much experience you can still talk about what type of matters you handle and why you have chosen to focus on these areas of law. Make your talent, enthusiasm, and passion for your work the focus. I can often offset a lack of experience.
- Remember “quality, not quantity”? Use tabs or Read More… functions to collapse content. Like other pages, Attorney Bio pages need to be easy to read without throwing vast paragraphs at the reader.
- Sidebars are helpful for additional information and contact links or forms. You may also use containers to categorize biographical information, possibly with slight color or background variation
- Be human. Including personal information such as interests, hobbies, community service, etc., is another way to humanize yourself and offer other levels on which prospective clients can connect with you.
- Often times, after an attorney has been referred to a potential client, the client will visit the attorney page and scan the bio page. He or she will very quickly want to make contact.
- We also recommend including a Vcard download on every attorney bio page. This makes it easy for visitors – with a couple of clicks – to gain all address and contact information they’re likely to need, for an attorney they’re considering.
- Notice that we’re not recommending direct email links to individual attorneys. Email links are frequently mined by spammers on the web, which will lead to unwanted solicitations. Instead of an email link, create forms which can be routed to separate attorneys or a gatekeeper. This will also allow you to gather the information needed for an intelligent first consultation.
We typically guide our clients through the process and monitor the results. If you are in doubt whether you could improve your attorney page, please contact us at 800.929.5439.
Whom Would You Hire?
Take a look at these attorney photos before you have yours taken. Notice the impact of each photo, consider likability.
