By Marc Apple ● ● 8 min read
Table of Contents
TL:DR Making mistakes when creating your family law attorney website, such as designing a site that takes too long to load, may impact your firm’s ability to attract potential clients.
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As of 2023, nearly 60,000 family law and divorce law firms are scattered throughout the U.S. Creating the perfect family law website design is one way to ensure your firm stands out.
The right family law attorney website design will leave a much better impression on potential clients visiting your firm’s site for the first time. It will also greatly improve your legal website optimization efforts and put your site in front of more people in the first place, which is precisely where you want to be.
Considering these things, take your time during the initial law firm web design process to ensure you are doing everything right. This means being aware of critical website design mistakes that could doom your law firm’s site from the get-go.
Check out the worst mistakes you can make regarding your law firm’s web design and how to avoid them at all costs.
Too Long To Load
Your family law attorney website design might look immaculate when all is said and done. However, that polished appearance could come at the cost of speed. If it takes more than one or two seconds to load, this could prove to be a costly mistake.
Data gathered by Google suggests that 53% of internet users will abandon websites when they take over three seconds to load. This underscores the importance of creating a site for your law firm that loads quickly to prevent people from leaving right away.
Failing To Reveal the Type of Law
The roughly 60,000 family law and divorce law firms in the U.S. represent just a small fraction of the total number of law firms operating throughout the country. There are approximately 450,000 American law firms — and they all practice different types of law.
Some law firms represent clients during bankruptcy cases. Others oversee their clients’ criminal cases.
There are also firms that focus primarily on:
- Tax law
- Immigration law
- Environmental law
- Corporate law
- International law
What does this mean for you?
Well, you shouldn’t assume that those visiting your website will know your practice handles family law cases.
Spell this out clearly near the top of your homepage to avoid making one of the worst law firm site errors.
A Website That Isn’t Mobile Friendly
In 2011, mobile devices contributed only about 6% of internet traffic. Five years later, that number rose to about 40%, and as of 2024, over 60% of internet traffic comes from mobile devices.
If your website isn’t as mobile friendly as it should be, it could significantly affect your traffic.
Your family law attorney website design should look great regardless of whether people visit your firm’s site from a desktop computer or a mobile device. Making your site as mobile friendly as possible will improve its appearance while ensuring its functionality on any device.
Take Security Seriously
According to the American Bar Association, almost one-third of U.S. law firms have experienced website-related security breaches.
This shocking statistic suggests that many law firms aren’t taking website security seriously.
This shocking statistic suggests that many law firms aren’t taking website security seriously.
It’s easy to spend so much time focusing on using the right web design for lawyers when creating your website that you overlook security.
Beef up the security of your family law practice’s website by taking these steps:
- Rely on a secure web hosting service
- Create strong passwords for your website log-ins
- Install a SSL certificate
- Invest in a web application firewall
- Enable HTTPS
How Much Content a Website Needs
Once you see your family law attorney website design start to come together, you’ll be excited to begin populating your site with content.
The problem, of course, is that you can’t simply pull this content out of thin air and publish it.
You’ll need to create content that is 100% unique. This content will also need to provide those who visit your website with useful information. It should include everything from info on the different types of cases your law firm can tackle to the tips you would provide to someone preparing to go through a child custody or divorce case.
Creating all this content can become a much bigger challenge than you may have anticipated. Further complicating matters is the fact that some studies have suggested the top-ranking pages on Google feature nearly 1,900 words.
This could lead to you needing to create more content than you’re ready to write.
This could lead to you needing to create more content than you’re ready to write.
Even if you’re a strong writer, creating enough content to fill your entire site on your own might not fit into your otherwise busy schedule. Hiring a service to help you create it rather than making the mistake of trying to write it all yourself is a great idea.
Big Blocks of Text
Another crucial error some family law firm owners make is cramming too much content onto their sites and presenting one big block of text after another to people.
For years, studies have shown that about 80% of Americans skim content online rather than read it word by word. Remember this when you create content for your site and decide how to present it.
Rather than creating big blocks of text, provide people with content broken down into different sections by implementing H1, H2, and H3 headings and subheadings. Try incorporating images, videos, charts, and other visual aids to make it easy for people to skim through your content while still learning what your law firm brings to the table.
Search Engine Optimization Strategy
One way to boost your family law firm’s website’s search engine optimization (SEO) is to break up the content you publish. SEO is a key factor in determining which websites Google and other search engines suggest to users conducting searches on their respective sites.
There are also other steps your family law firm should take to improve your site’s SEO.
Examples include:
- Researching the right keywords to add to your site and incorporating them into content
- Adding a healthy mix of internal and external links to your site’s content
- Optimizing the URLs, headlines, and meta tags for the content you create for your site
This website design guide also suggests that regularly updating your site could be very beneficial.
Hiding Your Contact Information
You should have one goal from the second you start working on a new family law attorney website design. Make it your mission to use this law firm web design to drum up as much interest in your firm as you can while generating more leads than you would otherwise.
To achieve this goal, make it simple for those who visit your website to find your contact information and reach out to you when they need legal help.
Create a Contact page on your site and feature a button for it prominently at the top of your homepage.
You might even add a call to action, or CTA, to every piece of content you create for your site that includes a link to your contact information. The easier it is for people to find this information, the more likely they are to call or send a secure message to your firm.
Neglecting To Incorporate Trust Signals
Adding trust signals to websites is a fantastic idea for businesses in almost all industries. Law firms should include them in their family law attorney website designs.
As their name suggests, trust signals will show website visitors they can depend on your law firm to do right by them. Examples of trust signals that might work well for your law firm’s site include:
- A look at your law firm’s success rate
- A list of the awards your law firm has won over the years
- Information on the accreditations your firm’s lawyers have earned
- News articles about your law firm
You should also create a page on your law firm’s website listing all the testimonials past clients have provided. This should instill more confidence in your firm and show potential clients it can be trusted to take on their cases.
Help is Available
Whether you’re building a new website from scratch or redesigning your law firm’s website, creating the ideal family law attorney website design won’t happen overnight. It might take weeks or even months for plans for your site to be complete. This leaves tons of time for you to make mistakes that could negatively impact it.
Avoid these mistakes by working closely with Forward Push Law Firm Marketing. We will provide invaluable insight as we work to establish an effective website for your firm.
Call us at (800) 692-4037 to schedule a consultation, or read our other blog articles for more legal website tips.
FAQ for Family Law Firms Website Design
Why is website loading speed crucial for a family law firm’s site?
A fast-loading website ensures that potential clients don’t abandon your site due to delays. Studies indicate that users are likely to leave a site if it takes more than three seconds to load, which can result in lost business opportunities.
How can I clearly convey that my firm specializes in family law on the homepage?
Prominently display your practice areas and services related to family law at the top of your homepage. This immediate clarity helps visitors understand your specialization without having to search through the site.
What are the consequences of not having a mobile-friendly website design?
With over 60% of internet traffic coming from mobile devices, a non-mobile-friendly site can lead to poor user experience, higher bounce rates, and potential loss of clients who prefer browsing on their phones or tablets.
How can I enhance the security of my law firm’s website?
Implement SSL certificates to encrypt data, regularly update your website’s software and plugins, and use strong, unique passwords. These measures help protect against cyber threats and build trust with your clients.
Why is it important to include attorney bios on the website?
Attorney bios provide potential clients with insights into your qualifications, experience, and personal approach, helping to build trust and establish a connection even before the initial consultation.
What role does content play in a family law firm’s website?
High-quality, relevant content educates visitors, showcases your expertise, and improves search engine rankings, making it easier for potential clients to find and choose your services.
How can I make my website more accessible to all users?
Ensure your website complies with accessibility standards by providing text alternatives for images, enabling keyboard navigation, and using readable fonts and color contrasts. This inclusivity allows all users, including those with disabilities, to navigate your site effectively.
What are the benefits of integrating client testimonials into the website?
Client testimonials offer social proof of your firm’s effectiveness and client satisfaction, helping to build credibility and trust with prospective clients.
How can I optimize my website for search engines?
Incorporate relevant keywords related to family law, create informative and original content, and ensure your website’s technical aspects, like meta tags and site structure, are optimized for search engine crawlers.
Why is it important to have clear calls-to-action (CTAs) on my website?
Clear CTAs guide visitors toward desired actions, such as scheduling a consultation or contacting your firm, facilitating user engagement and conversion. Strategically placed CTAs can significantly increase client inquiries.
