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We analyze your website speed, SEO tags, Google reviews, social media presence, and accessibility. Each area gets its own score and letter grade.

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Each category is scored from 0 to 100 based on real data from your site. The overall grade is a weighted average across all five categories.

Yes, the full audit and grade are completely free. You can upgrade to a Pro report with copy-paste fixes for $39 if you want help improving.

What's in the Pro report?

You get a priority action plan, copy-paste ready fixes for every issue, time estimates, and a downloadable PDF. It tells you exactly what to change and how.

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We store your audit results so you can revisit your report. We never sell your data or share it with third parties.

How often should I check my grade?

We recommend running a new audit every month. Your online presence changes as you update your site, get new reviews, and post on social media.

MyBizGrade was built by a small team of developers who wanted to make online presence auditing simple and affordable for small businesses.

Law Firm Website Best Practices: What Clients Look For

# Law Firm Website Best Practices: What Clients Look For 96% of people seeking legal help start with a search engine. They find several firms, open a few websites, and make a decision in under 60 seconds. Your law firm's website either builds enough trust to earn a phone call or it pushes potential clients to the next firm on the list. Law firm website best practices are different from general small business advice. Legal clients have specific concerns: credentials, experience with their type of case, and signals of professionalism. This guide covers what clients look for and how to deliver it. ## The Legal Client's Online Journey Understanding how clients find and evaluate law firms online shapes every decision about your website. A person with a legal problem follows a predictable path: 1. They search Google for their issue ("car accident lawyer near me" or "how to file for divorce in Texas") 2. They scan the Google results and map pack 3. They click on 2-4 law firm websites 4. They look for experience with their specific problem 5. They read reviews and testimonials 6. They contact the firm with the best combination of credibility and accessibility Steps 3 through 6 happen on your website. Every element of your site either moves the visitor closer to calling or drives them away. ## First Impressions: Design and Speed Legal clients associate professionalism with clean, modern design. An outdated website signals an outdated practice, fair or not. **Clean, modern design builds immediate trust.** White space, readable fonts, professional colors (navy, charcoal, deep green), and quality photography. Skip the gavel stock photos and scales-of-justice clip art. Use real photos of your attorneys, your office, and your team. **Mobile performance is essential.** 68% of legal searches happen on mobile devices. Your site needs to look great and function smoothly on a phone. Buttons should be large enough to tap. Text should be readable without zooming. Forms should be short and easy to complete on a small screen. **Speed matters more than aesthetics.** A website that takes 4 seconds to load loses nearly half its visitors. Compress images, minimize animations, and choose a fast hosting provider. Test your site speed with Google PageSpeed Insights and aim for a score above 80. **No auto-playing videos or pop-ups.** A potential client reading about your family law experience does not want a chatbot popping up every 30 seconds or a video blasting from their phone speakers. These elements feel aggressive and unprofessional for a law firm. ## Practice Area Pages: Your Most Important Content Generic "Our Services" pages do not work for law firms. Each practice area needs its own dedicated page with specific, detailed content. **Why dedicated pages matter:** - Google ranks specific pages for specific searches. A page titled "Personal Injury Attorney in Houston" ranks for personal injury searches in Houston. A generic services page does not. - Clients want to know you handle their specific problem. Someone facing a DUI charge needs to see you have DUI experience, not a bullet point in a long list. **What each practice area page needs:** - A clear headline stating the practice area and your location - A description of the types of cases you handle within this area - Your approach and process (what happens after someone hires you) - Results or case outcomes (where ethically permitted) - Answers to common questions clients have about this type of case - A clear call to action: phone number and consultation form **Write for the client, not for other lawyers.** Legal jargon alienates the people you want to reach. A client searching for help with a wrongful termination does not know what "tortious interference" means. Explain concepts in plain language. Save the legal terminology for the courtroom. ## Attorney Bio Pages: Building Personal Trust Clients hire attorneys, not firms. Your attorney bio pages are often the second-most-visited pages on your site after the homepage. **Include these elements on every attorney bio:** - Professional headshot (high quality, approachable expression, professional attire) - Education and bar admissions - Years of experience and areas of focus - Notable results or case outcomes (where ethics rules allow) - Professional memberships and associations - A personal paragraph showing personality (hobbies, community involvement, family) - Direct contact information **The personal touch converts.** Clients want to know their attorney is a real person. A bio noting you coach Little League or volunteer at a local food bank creates connection. "Jane Smith graduated from.." is forgettable. "Jane has spent 15 years fighting for injured workers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area" is memorable and relevant. **Skip the jargon-heavy accomplishment lists.** Clients do not know what "Super Lawyers Rising Star" means. If you include awards, briefly explain what they represent. [Find out how your law firm's online presence compares. Get a free grade at GradeMyBiz](https://grademybiz.vercel.app). ## Trust Signals: What Makes Clients Feel Safe Hiring a lawyer involves sharing personal, sensitive information with a stranger. Your website needs to radiate trustworthiness. **Client testimonials and reviews.** Display your best Google reviews on your website. Include the client's first name and case type (with permission). "Mark helped me through my custody case with professionalism and empathy" converts better than five paragraphs about your firm's history. **Case results and settlements.** Where your state bar allows, share anonymized case results. "$1.2M settlement for client injured in commercial truck accident" demonstrates competence in a way no description matches. Always include appropriate disclaimers. **Bar association badges and certifications.** Display your state bar membership, board certifications, and professional association logos. These visual trust signals register instantly. **Secure website (HTTPS).** A law firm website without SSL encryption displays a "Not Secure" warning in browsers. For a profession built on confidentiality, this is devastating. Ensure your site uses HTTPS. **Clear privacy policy.** Legal clients worry about their information. A visible privacy policy on your consultation forms reassures visitors their data stays protected. ## Calls to Action: Make It Easy to Contact You Every page on your law firm website should make it obvious and easy to get in touch. **Phone number visible on every page.** Put it in the header. Make it clickable on mobile. For firms handling urgent matters (criminal defense, personal injury), a prominent "Call Now" button is essential. **Short consultation request forms.** Name, phone number, email, brief description of their issue. Four fields maximum. Long forms with 10+ fields kill conversion rates. You gather detailed information during the consultation, not through a web form. **"Free Consultation" language works.** If you offer free initial consultations, say so prominently. "Free" removes the biggest barrier to calling. Display it in your header, on practice area pages, and in your forms. **Live chat for immediate questions.** Some clients prefer typing over calling, especially for sensitive legal matters. A simple live chat option (staffed during business hours) captures leads who would otherwise leave your site. **No generic "Contact Us" buttons.** "Schedule Your Free Consultation" converts better than "Contact Us." Be specific about what happens when they click. ## Content Strategy: Answering Client Questions Legal clients search for answers before they search for attorneys. Creating content answering common legal questions drives significant organic traffic to your website. **FAQ pages for each practice area.** What are the grounds for divorce in [state]? How long does a personal injury case take? What should I do after a car accident? Answer these questions clearly and thoroughly. **Blog posts targeting specific legal questions.** "How much does a DUI lawyer cost in [city]?" or "What to do if your landlord won't return your security deposit." Each post targets a specific search and positions your firm as the knowledgeable answer. **Keep content updated.** Laws change. A blog post about custody guidelines from 2020 with outdated information damages credibility. Review and update your content annually at minimum. **Include location-specific content.** "Texas divorce laws" and "California employment law" target clients in your jurisdiction. Generic legal content competes with national sites. Local content competes with fewer firms. ## Google Business Profile for Law Firms Your Google Business Profile drives as many inquiries as your website for most law firms. Treat it as your second website. **Choose the right categories.** Primary: your main practice area ("Personal Injury Attorney," "Family Law Attorney," "Criminal Justice Attorney"). Add secondary categories for additional practice areas. **Collect reviews systematically.** After resolving a case, send clients a direct link to your Google review page. A law firm with 80+ reviews and a 4.7+ rating dominates local search results. **Post on Google weekly.** Share legal tips, firm news, blog posts, or community involvement. Active profiles rank higher. **Add photos of your office and team.** Clients want to see where they will meet you. Professional office photos, team photos, and attorney headshots make your profile stand out. ## Legal Directories: Extend Your Reach Legal-specific directories carry significant weight with Google and with clients researching attorneys. **Claim and complete profiles on:** - Avvo - Martindale-Hubbell - FindLaw - Justia - Lawyers.com - Nolo - Your state and local bar association directories Keep your information consistent across all directories. Same firm name, same address, same phone number. Inconsistencies weaken your local SEO. **Encourage clients to review you on Avvo.** Avvo profiles with strong reviews appear prominently in legal searches. Many potential clients check Avvo specifically for attorney ratings. ## Ethical Considerations for Law Firm Websites Law firm marketing is regulated. Your website content must comply with your state bar's advertising rules. **Common requirements:** - Include disclaimers with case results ("Past results do not guarantee future outcomes") - Avoid using the word "specialist" unless you hold a board certification - Do not guarantee outcomes - Include your firm name and physical address - Label testimonials appropriately - Follow rules about solicitation and advertising in your jurisdiction Review your state bar's advertising rules before publishing website content. When in doubt, consult your bar association's ethics hotline. ## Your Law Firm Website Checklist - Clean, modern, mobile-friendly design - Page load time under 3 seconds - Dedicated page for each practice area - Attorney bios with professional headshots and personal touches - Client testimonials and case results (where permitted) - Phone number visible and clickable on every page - Short consultation request form on every page - "Free Consultation" language prominently displayed - FAQ content for each practice area - HTTPS security certificate - Google Business Profile claimed and optimized - Profiles on Avvo, Martindale, and other legal directories - NAP consistency across all online listings - Content reviewed for state bar advertising compliance ## For more on this topic, read [How to Write Meta Descriptions That Get Clicks](/blog/how-to-write-meta-descriptions). For more on this topic, read [Business Directory Listings: Which Ones Actually Matter](/blog/business-directory-listings-matter).Grade Your Law Firm's Online Presence Your website is one piece of your online presence. Your Google profile, reviews, directories, and overall visibility all factor into whether clients choose your firm. [GradeMyBiz](https://grademybiz.vercel.app) gives you a free, instant grade on your entire online presence. See how your law firm scores across every channel in 30 seconds. [Get your free grade →](https://grademybiz.vercel.app)