The Best Law Firm Website Platforms and Website Builders

A law firm's website is one of the hubs of the business online and a key touchpoint that may persuade or dissuade potential clients from selecting your firm. Your law firm's website is your most important marketing asset, particularly online. A poorly designed site or one lacking a user journey can make or break your law firm. It is no longer enough for websites to be made up of static pages consisting of generic or outdated business information that does not offer value to the visitor. It is crucial that your website is a live platform with up-to-date, engaging, and interactive content, which means considering the rapidly evolving needs of your target audiences.

In order to create an impactful website, law firms should first consider the target users' digital experience. There are competitive advantages to be gained here. For example, smaller law firms can directly compete in terms of branding and positioning with larger firms in terms of share of audiences in the target market if they select the optimal website platform, map out their website design, and plan strategically. 

One of the benefits of website platforms is that they are relatively simple to get started with, making them one of the most popular platforms for a law firm to build its online presence.

However, hundreds of website builders are available on the market, so it may be challenging to understand which option is best for your firm. Even though there are a host of website options, each with a unique set of benefits, it is still possible to identify a website builder or solution that best fits your law firm and its requirements.

In this article, we share our expertise on the fundamentals of a law firm's website in selecting a website platform; then, we will look at the various website platforms and how to choose the best web provider for your firm.

Key parts of a law firm website

Website hosting:

Web Hosting is essentially the physical address of a website. Once a user visits the website's location or address, the web server, through the host, distributes a series of files to the users' PCs. Without hosting, the website would not work or load.

Homepage

Your law firm's website homepage is often the starting point for visitors visiting the website; therefore, it is a significant feature, as first impressions count. It is the initial page visitors explore when they visit the website; a law firm's homepage plays a crucial role in establishing your law firm's brand appearance, mood, and tone. It also directs visitors to your firm's services and areas of expertise.

Design

Your law firm's website's overall design comprises a comprehensive appearance and user experience, which should focus on the appropriate use and integration of design elements, including navigation bars, attractive visuals, design strategy, etc.

Website structure guide

Considering a logical page order in terms of the user journey on a website's navigation is essential. This can be achieved by considering a suitable sitemap structure which is the accumulation of connectivity between your firm's website pages. The main navigation menu should serve to bring this together.

Content

It all starts with a website's content, which includes all of the website pages that you would like to have on your law firm's website. The focus should be placed on the value and attractiveness they offer to your target audience, which will enhance the quality content of the website pages. Take care to prepare quality and unique content that relates to your law firm's branding.

Selecting a website platform

We have found that choosing a platform is a vital part of the decision-making process for a new website as it will allow your law firm to build the right type of website for your brand, typically starting from a professionally customized template. A static website or single landing page is usually not enough for a law firm today unless your goal for the site is to serve simply as an online business card. A successful law firm website is built using rich content and structured planning, such as carefully considering your firm's sitemap and your target markets' user journey. 

Steps to build a law firm website

There is no requirement to know how to code a website to project manage the building of a law firm website today. If you do not know how to code, you can outsource to a website developer or use a drag-and-drop website builder, which often requires no coding skills. Platforms such as Wix and Squarespace require virtually no coding skills. WordPress sites, a popular choice for small to medium-sized law firms, are often built from a customized template. Usually, a web developer should handle the build of a WordPress site simply because of time, expertise, and the point that there is a large market of WordPress developers available to choose from, which makes it cost-efficient.

Your firm must follow a few basic steps to create a fully functional website.

Choosing the domain name is one of the most fundamental decisions when creating your first law firm website. This is your website's online address and plays a pivotal role in branding as it is how visitors will remember your law firm. Sometimes, it might be a challenge to find the right domain name for your firm, but it is worth persevering when you make this choice to select carefully. A good hosting service is also essential if you choose WordPress or wish to host your website. Good hosting can make or break a site in terms of speed and downtime, so it is often best not to cut hosting costs. It is possible to find a reliable and fast host for your website that will not break the bank. 

What are website builders?

Website builders are online software programs that provide a platform for users to make and manage a website without the need to know how to write code. Most online website builders have drag-and-drop functionality that makes it simple for all users to build and edit a website quickly.

Users can usually choose from many templates and themes and customize these to align with your law firm's brand vision by leveraging the simple drag-and-drop building software. This process allows you to complete a website without the support of a website developer.

Most website builders are based online now using web applications, so there is no need to install any software. This is because internet-based website builders are used in web applications. Online website builders are designed to be simple to use. Small and even medium-sized law firms may be attracted to website builders to create a website as it removes the need to hire a programmer. However, if it's your first website project, it can still be challenging to know what website builder is best for your firm, mainly because there are so many available in the market.

How a website builder works

The application allows you to create pages using the website builder's software. Each page contains areas to add images, text, links, and other items to your website.

Once you save the pages you are working on, they are saved to the web builder's server, storage that can be accessed globally. After you have finished building your website and published it, it can be accessed from any device.

At Lawzana, we are fully aware that SEO for law firms is also important. Some online website builders offer SEO features; however, these are usually limited. If you choose WordPress, you will have more control over your site's SEO, and to simplify the process, you can also use an SEO plugin to customize some areas of your site's on-page SEO in a user-friendly and straightforward manner.

You can add videos, images, and other media types to your website with website builders. This is achieved by uploading the files to your site through the web-building application.

It is simple to update the website anytime; by using the application, you can add new content and update your current content on the fly. The website builder makes this process simple to ensure that your firm's site is kept updated without the need to pay or wait for a web designer. Most website builders also allow you to control your website's design, mood, and tone, by customizing the fonts, colors, and other style features.

Critical success factors to look for in a law firm website builder

It is best practice to start by considering your website's vision before selecting the best website builder for your law firm. You should map out your objectives and what functionality will support these objectives. For example, some website builders have features like SEO, a focus on blogging, a media gallery, contact forms, third-party integration, a focus on social media, etc. It is often a good idea to survey the marketplace and look at competitors' websites to scope some ideas.

Selecting the right website platform for your law firm is crucial because it fuels your website, which is your firm's online presence. Factors such as the web host's operating system, programming languages, tools, and functions available will impact whether your site works effectively and delivers your firm's brand message. For example, your law firm's website may be slow to load if you choose a web hosting service that does not match all your requirements. If you select a website builder purely on the low price, you may compromise your website's quality.

Often the best website builder for small law firms offers simple drag-and-drop user functionality while offering quality design. It is often possible to sign up for a free trial to test out a shortlist of options before you make a final decision or start properly building the website. When going through this evaluation process regarding the best website builder application for your firm, here is a list of the top five features to look out for. You should also consider other factors and contemplate what your law firm needs.

Data ownership and usability

As a law firm, it is important not to overlook this. You should look carefully at the website builder's terms and conditions to guarantee that your firm will own the content your law firm creates.

User-friendly functionality

Simple website builders will make it easy for beginners, or firms with limited resources, to quickly and easily update content using the website builder. It is essential to have a drag-and-drop builder, versatile editing tools, and a range of customization options to support your law firm's branding.

Cost

While website builders are in a competitive market, some are more costly than others. Some website platforms have extra functionality that your firm may not need, so it is a good idea to compare features and functionality to look for the best value-for-money solution. At the same time, if you have the budget available, choosing a more premium service may offer added benefits that could save you time and improve your law firm's branding in the long term. Things to look at in terms of value for money include a free domain, complimentary Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), a standard security technology essential for websites today, free business email, contact management features, and many more.

Functionality and design:

Website platforms should support quality design by offering a large selection of practical and attractive website templates and the functionality for extra features and integrations such as Google Analytics and other third-party applications and software.

Customer service:

While looking for a website builder, it is essential to look for one with an intuitive, easy-to-use user interface. However, there will be times when you may need support, so it is a good idea to see what customer service is available regarding the level and availability of support. For example, do they work 24/7, or are they only open during local office hours?

Benefits of using a website builder

An online website builder offers some good benefits, particularly for small or medium-sized law firms or firms just starting a new website project. Here are some of the benefits of using one:

Simple to edit the design:

With virtually every website builder, it is straightforward to adjust the site's design and layout. This is where a website builder excels; as it is easy to make changes to your firm's site, this removes the need to hire a professional web designer or web developer. It is quick to create new pages and update your site.

Create pages within a few minutes:

Using a website builder is very simple and quick to create new and custom pages. Users can create new content, such as blogs and media pages. Moreover, a website builder makes posting blog content to your main blog straightforward.

Create a fully responsive website:

A website builder offers robust functionality to ensure your law firm's website adjusts to any screen size. All websites must be mobile-friendly for today's users, though particularly for B2B audiences, the desktop version of our site will likely still play a key role. 

The downside of using a website builder

There are some negative points to using a website builder that you should consider before jumping in. Here are some of our points of view related to this:

Website builders can be expensive:

As with any service, there is, of course, a cost involved. However, some services are quite costly, so comparing prices according to your requirements and budget is important to assess the value for money.

Limited control over the design:

While website builders offer a great solution to create a website quickly and easily that is simple to manage and edit, it may not offer the control your law firm's brand is looking for. With some website builders, there may be limited capacity to customize some elements, as it is often a cookie-cutter solution that comes straight from the box. This is why selecting the right website builder for your law firm is essential. For example, if you choose WordPress, you can usually customize more than some other online website builders.

Deciding the website platform that is best for your law firm

There is an extensive range of website builders on the market. Your firm's service provider should be based on your requirements and budget. The first thing to consider is your business goals when selecting a platform; this includes the amount of time and expertise available, your budget, and your target market's desired user experience.

Typically, the more functions and features at hand, the higher the cost of the website platform; however, they may save you time in terms of ongoing management. A simple site builder solution may cost less, but it may be limited in terms of required features, and you will then face the cost of migrating to another service provider.

Below are some points to consider during the selection process.

Simple vs. advanced website builder

Some very basic website builders on the market are easy to set up, use, and manage, such as Wix or Squarespace; the latter may offer more design capability, whereas the first may be lower in cost. WordPress, comparatively, offers more advanced features and may require a web developer to support it.

More advanced website solutions may be better if you look for optimal customization and control.

Considerations for SEO and social media marketing:

For some law firms, website functionality is the core focus of building their first website and factoring in SEO and social media integration may not be the priority. However, it may be a good idea to consider the long-term marketing benefits these tools offer to law firms and look for a platform that has the capacity to optimize for social media, SEO, email marketing, etc.

Time available for the website project

Some law firms may simplify the process by hiring a professional web developer and/or designer to build the website because they cannot commit the necessary time. Moreover, the skills required to design a website differ from those of a lawyer.

If your law firm has a team or individual with the time and capacity to manage the website project, it may be a good idea to utilize this. Alternatively, investing in a website builder solution may be wise if you do not have the budget to hire a professional to build the site.

If you go down the road of hiring a professional to build your website, it is often a good idea to identify a web developer who has experience creating legal websites. This is because they already understand the legal market and will be qualified to make the best choice for your firm and provide guidance on the features you need.

List the features your law firm needs

This leads nicely to the next point. As one of the first steps, you should consider the required features you will need to align with your goals for the website and then search for a website builder or platform that ticks all or most of these boxes.

Potential extra costs to consider

There are likely to be hidden costs when building a law firm website, for example, email marketing services, SEO tools, hosting, and other third-party extensions/apps/plugins. It is important to consider these when building out a projected budget for your website.

Summary

Making a website using a site builder is a simple and effective start for smaller law firms. The platform often provides a host of in-built features, with a range of price plans.

However, as you grow your firm's online presence, you may require more functionality to customize the website and optimize for areas such as SEO. This is when it may be necessary to seek the support of a website professional who will know how to code and create a more customized solution.

If you have any questions related to law firm websites or marketing, do not hesitate to contact our expert team at [email protected]