Reputation management is one of the most vital aspects of maintaining a successful law firm. Most of your potential clients utilize the internet to learn about your services and decide if your firm can meet their needs. This means your reputation is significantly impacted by the online reviews clients post to share their experience working with you and the results you obtained in their cases.
Recent research demonstrates that a whopping 93% of people search online for local businesses. In turn, 85% of them consider an online review to be as trustworthy as a personal recommendation, and 68% will form an opinion of your business after reading only one to six reviews. To ensure the success of your law firm, consider the list below of the most important review sites for law firms and follow our tips for earning more glowing reviews.
The most important review sites your law firm should be monitoring include Google My Business, Lawyers.com, FindLaw, Avvo, and Facebook.
Google is the world’s most popular search engine and is an integral component to the success of any digital marketing campaign. In fact, a recent marketing survey found that 86% of people looking to hire an attorney would use Google as their primary source of information. Google My Business (GMB) is a Google tool that allows your firm to target potential clients in your local area using organic search results. It also gives you the ability to connect with clients via Maps, discover how many visitors are engaging with your listing, and promptly respond to client reviews. Optimizing your GMB listing makes a significant impact on driving your firm to the top of search engine results pages.
Lawyers.com is considered the number one ranking website in the legal community and is used by more than one million attorneys across the globe to reach potential clients. It is often the first site individuals and businesses visit when they know they require legal assistance but do not currently have an attorney to rely upon. Visitors can view a directory of attorneys based on practice area or enter a search query based on their location, the legal issue they need help with, or a specific attorney. Lawyers.com displays your hours, phone number, and business web address, allowing users to contact you directly from your profile.
Since its establishment in 1996, FindLaw has been the most popular website for legal information and provides the most extensive directory of attorneys on the web. It offers the most comprehensive free legal resource available online, including articles and blog posts on specific legal topics, explanations of federal and state laws, and detailed guides on hiring the right attorney. FindLaw receives over 11 million visitors each month and is regarded as particularly vital for digital marketing among law firms of all sizes and practice areas.
A relatively new review platform, Avvo implements a search tool like lawyers.com. However, the site offers more comprehensive information, such as whether a specific attorney has received disciplinary action from the state bar association. In addition to individual reviews, this site uses a rating system that assigns each attorney a score from one to ten based on the information they provide in their profile as well as client reviews. Avvo is incredibly valuable for SEO purposes, as profiles created on this site typically reach the top of search engine results pages when potential clients enter your name into Google.
With billions of monthly users around the globe, Facebook dominates social media—a full 54% of attorneys report using this site in their marketing efforts. It allows you to create a comprehensive page for your firm, share valuable content, and interact with potential clients. Just as importantly, you can create ads with specific goals (such as driving traffic or increasing conversions), target users based on demographics and location, and track the performance of these ads. Facebook Recommendations aggregates all the reviews posted about your firm to produce a rating out of five stars, viewable to anyone who visits your page.
How to Earn More Positive Reviews for Your Law Firm
Follow the tips below to earn more positive reviews for your law firm:
1.Respond to All Reviews.
While it may be a tedious prospect, it is essential to regularly read and promptly respond to all reviews, both positive and negative. Clients are most likely to leave reviews when they are either particularly happy with their experience or particularly unhappy, and both types of reviews significantly impact the way potential clients interact with your firm.
When businesses respond to online reviews, regardless of whether they are positive or negative, clients are more likely to leave reviews and provide higher ratings. Responding to reviews should not be a reaction to the original reviewer, but an opportunity for you to demonstrate professionalism, dedication, and credibility to everyone who reads the review and is trying to decide whether they can trust you to handle their legal needs.
2.Utilize a Review Management Tool
There are several review management tools designed to help businesses earn more online reviews. One of the most useful of these tools is BirdEye. This tool can work in collaboration with any existing client management software (CMS) you may use to send clients automated prompts to share an online review on some of the important sites detailed above. It makes the process simple and easy for your clients, involving just a few taps on their smartphone screen.
BirdEye also streamlines your ability to manage these reviews so you can handle them much faster and more efficiently than you could by manually reading and responding to multiple reviews on various sites. You can receive alerts when your firm garners negative reviews to enable you to respond quickly and avoid further damage to your online reputation.
3.Use a Text App to Manage Client Relationships and Request Reviews
Texting is not always appropriate for managing relationships with clients, but it can be incredibly useful when correctly implemented under the right circumstances. Clients expect ease, speed, and convenience in the services they pay for, and texting is the preferred method for most people to communicate. Taking advantage of this platform can help your firm offer a more client-centered experience, contact clients from any location, receive responses faster, improve client engagement and satisfaction, and automatically send requests for reviews. Using a third-party text app allows you to keep your personal number private, record communication with clients, and protect their sensitive information with top-notch security software.
4.Implement Client Wrap-Up Procedures
The easiest method for encouraging reviews is to make reviewing your firm’s services as easy as possible by providing several opportunities to do so. One of the most important times to encourage reviews is as you wrap up a case and finalize the client experience. Whether you choose to utilize a review management tool or a text app, you should send automated messages to your clients after you resolve their case to request reviews. Be sure to include a personalized expression of your gratitude for their business, how much you value their input, and the important impact positive reviews can have on your firm. The goal is to gently remind them without making them feel pressured or taking up your valuable time.
5.Provide Exceptional Service
Finally, the best way to guarantee you will receive glowing reviews for your law firm is to provide consistently exceptional service to clients, both online and offline. There are many factors that influence the level of satisfaction your clients gain from your legal representation, so take time to examine all the components of your firm to make certain you are offering the best experience for your clients. Audit your website and your in-person processes on a regular basis to determine what is working and where there is room for improvement.
Take Control of Your Online Reviews Today
With so many potential clients consulting online reviews before selecting a business, these reviews can truly make or break your law firm. To ensure the continued success of your firm, you must monitor your reputation on the most popular review sites, maintain your client relationships with review management tools or text apps, request reviews from satisfied clients, and appropriately respond to each. At RizeUp Media, our team of marketing specialists can help you take control of your online reviews, strengthen your reputation, and improve your chances of securing clients. Contact us to learn more about our services and how we can help you nurture the growth of your firm.
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