Law firms. Jack of all trades?
22 August 2023
Most law firms are proud of their lengthy list of sectors and services, and justifiably so. Having experts on offer that can handle virtually any legal challenge thrown at them is something that demanding clients want and expect when shopping for legal services.
However, when it comes to most firms’ digital footprint, many struggle to communicate their areas of strength effectively to target audiences and end up driving them away.
In the 2023 Living Ratings of law firms, our proprietary annual report that measures the brand and digital intelligence of law firms, we took a deep dive into the ways firms present their sectors and services to determine which ones are effectively communicating their areas of focus to their target audiences. Unsurprisingly, the results were disappointing, with only 43% doing it well.
Politics at play
Several factors contribute to a firm’s difficulty to accurately represent their sectors and services. Chief among them is that internal politics often dictate an approach where the firm, rather than put any thought into how to present its services, simply lists them all on their website in alphabetical order. This resulting page is long and cumbersome for users to navigate.
Internal politics often dictate… so sectors and services are listed on their website in alphabetical order.
Furthermore, the shotgun content strategy of churning out as much content as possible onto a poorly organised insights page clearly reveals the firm’s lack of focus to the user. Trying to be all things to all people ends up making the firm appear as a jack of all trades, master of none, causing visitors of the site to look elsewhere for an expert that can solve their problems.
The facts are the facts
To achieve an external-facing and target-centric approach, marketers need to build a case of evidence. Start by looking at the revenue stream for each practice area and then cross reference this against the firm’s business strategy and future areas of growth or innovation.
Start by looking at the revenue stream for each practice area… cross reference this against the firm's business strategy.
You should also review your firm’s user analytics to find the most visited practice area pages, then bring this all together and consult with the business with your findings and a proposed list of curated sectors and services. Be prepared for push back, but fight your corner backed with the facts.
The benefits
A curated list of offerings will help users identify your firm’s areas of focus easily and determine if it offers the right solutions for their problem. We can help guide your firm along the path to an effective sectors and services page, beginning with a consultation and internal review and continuing to an in-depth audit of current and future areas of focus and innovation.
A curated list of offerings will help users identify your firm's areas of focus and determine if it offers the right solution for their problem.
The process will help your firm establish a more refined brand identity, showcase your firm’s areas of expertise to target audiences, and create an improved user experience for visitors to your firm’s site, resulting in increased brand awareness and more business.
Need help?
Speak to one of our experts to find out how we can help your law firm define its expertise and build a cohesive brand. Contact Duncan Shaw in New York, Greg Hobden in London or Gigi Yung in Hong Kong.