Studies show that nearly 25 percent of practicing attorneys do not have a website or have an outdated web presence. The number one reason lawyers do not have an updated website is the difficulty in maintenance. However, you do not need to run out and hire your own webmaster. Lawyer website templates are an easy way to create a website when you don’t have a lot of time or money to hire a web designer. They basically provide a fill in the blank style that can be modified with someone with very little computer experience. However, law templates can turn out to be inappropriate in some jurisdictions. Some jurisdictions have rules about the statements that must be made or cannot be made on the site. Therefore, before using a lawyer website template, you should find out what the local state bar has to say about the practice.
Advantages of using Lawyer Website Templates
The big advantage of using law templates is that there is a preset format to follow for information. The template provides essential information such as name, address, and biographical data for customers. Even if the website looks like another lawyers website, it is not such a bad thing because the client can find the same information in the same locations. Besides, what is the purpose for a customized website for a lawyer? Most people who are hiring an attorney just want to find out the price, location and resume of their lawyer. It may be helpful to access their information online but most lawyers still have not adopted a paperless office. Most clients need to call the law office to get that information. Ideally, a good lawyer website helps a client get in touch with the lawyer. A template will do that just fine.
Disadvantages of using Lawyer Website Templates
The great disadvantage of law templates is the lack of search engine optimized (SEO) content. Modern computer users use search engines to find their content. However, search engines are not programmed to automatically find lawyer websites. This means that the website will not be good tool for generating new clients. However, if people know the lawyers name or are existing clients, the website might provide useful information to people who recognize the attorney. Another program with website templates is that they may run afoul of state bar advertising rules.
Conclusion
The ultimate decision to use a template for a law firm or lawyer depends on the purpose of the website. If the website is to merely provide information, then a template works fine. It will look professional and it will be easy to update and customize. However, if the purpose of the website is to bring in new business, then a template is going to be insufficient. That’s because the template uses a lot of web programming language that is in common with other websites. The lack of customization will cause it to be ignored by search engines, which are increasingly important for drumming up new business.
