Law Firm marketing has changed; gone are the days of Yellow Pages, television ads during the day or late at night, or simply a listing in a local business directory such as the Better Business Bureau. Today’s Law firm needs an authoritative website that is full of timely relevant content and….(wait for it)….is Mobile Friendly.
In 2014 the number of people who owned a mobile device surpassed desktop computer owners. 2015 saw the statistics explode;
- 80% of Internet users owned a smartphone.
- 51% of time spent on digital media? was on a smartphone
- 20% of time spent on a mobile device, was spent using searching the internet
If the vast majority of the population, and your current or future clients, are shifting their search habits to their mobile devices, then your digital marketing must evolve to remain current, competitive, and relevant.
Google now takes into account a website’s ability to optimize for mobile devices as part of its algorithm. Mobile optimized sites are different than traditional sites if only because the screen is smaller, requiring the information be automatically adjusted in order to be easy to understand and navigate. Keep in mind, the smaller screen will also limit the number of search results appearing per page, making improved search results, or listing higher, even more important. The best mobile responsive sites will feature an easy to call (clickable) Phone number and address with a map for directions above the fold (no scrolling required), especially if you are a DUI or Criminal Defense Attorney whose prospective clients are in immediate need of a phone number to call for help.
Mobile users demand immediate gratification and page load speeds are critical to the user experience. Your website must load in a second or less, otherwise your potential client will move on (just as you do when you grow impatient with a slow loading website). Here are a few things you can do to ensure your users have a great experience on your site:
- Make sure your website is hosted on an efficient platform. A hosting provider such as GoDaddy, which will not stack up: an investment in better hosting will ensure faster load time for users across all media platforms.
- Your site’s images or pictures must also be properly optimized for mobile viewing. Dynamic coding is important as it will enable pictures or images to only load when scrolled to.
- Avoid using rotating or carousel images as they will severely impact the load time which, again, impacts the user experience.
- The programming language the website is written in, such as Javascript, can also impact speed if it’s not properly compressed. Google recommends using a “Closure Compiler” for this purpose. The Closure Compiler is a tool your webmaster or consultant can use to improve efficiency and check coding, and will have a significant impact on your site’s performance.
The last area to consider when developing a Mobile Marketing plan is a Voice Search tool, such as Siri. Voice search generally includes longer, almost conversational phrases or terms. Therefore, you need to create content geared to these types of searches. Using Google Analytics to determine what terms or phrases people use when accessing your website from their mobile device is critical to your targeting strategy.
Your clients expect a professional and convenient experience when they visit your website, no matter what device they choose to use. Your website in every format, whether desktop or mobile, is a direct reflection of your firm and, ultimately, of you. With technology continually increasing at an exponential rate, you cannot expect to retain your clients, or attract new ones, if they feel you or your firm is out of touch with current technological advancements. The statistics support Google’s algorithm shift towards mobile optimization as a key component of search listings. As mobile usage will only continue to increase, don’t let advancements in technology or marketing hold you or your firm back from achieving your peak performance potential.