7 Simple Ways You Can Improve Your Law Firm’s Website (Updated 3/18/25)

Take a walk around the Internet. Every personal injury lawyer, family lawyer, immigration lawyer—you name it—sounds almost identical to their competitors.

Why? What’s causing this sameness?

If the general body copy on your law firm’s website Homepage can be cut and pasted onto your competitors’ websites and still be relatively accurate, then it’s time for you to get a website copywriting makeover.

And I’m not saying hire me.

But could you do something about your site or get someone with a head for marketing to do it for you? It’s as if lawyers check out what’s out there and say to themselves, “Oh, my colleague did that, so to be taken seriously, I have to do that too.”

Noooooo! That’s precisely what you don’t want to do. That’s how it used to be. Here’s the thing. The game has changed, and you, like the entire legal industry, must change with it, or you will get left behind.

Don’t Be Afraid to Stand Out

Yes, you’re in a conservative industry. I get it. I’ve been and am still in the same industry right along with you. However, that does not mean your law firm’s website must be completely unoriginal, vanilla, or BORING.

You’re More Creative Than You Think

I’ve heard some of the most creatively credible spins come from lawyers’ mouths when they fight for their clients. I’ve read it in litigation papers. You couch your clients’ circumstances in the most engaging cinematic style. I could dine out on the stories I’ve heard about the mind-bending closing arguments at trials.

Call it what you want, but THAT reflects legal marketing at its finest.

Yet, when it comes time to put a creatively credible spin on the benefits of your own firm’s services – those highlights that illustrate just how freakin’ amazing you are at what you do – your law firm’s website Homepage is so bleak and sterilized that it amounts to nothing more than boilerplate fluff and falls flat.

You’ve got imagination in you. Let it out, for heaven’s sake!

Where’s that distinguishing characteristic, that “something-something” only YOU can claim, that prospects are looking for from lawyers in your practice area? How will prospective clients know the difference between you and the law firm entries under your name in Google’s search results when they type “top criminal defense lawyers in Chicago”?

To give you an example of what I mean by boilerplate, I’ve read variations of this on several sites: “We have great client service.”

I’m sorry, but you don’t get to brag about sh*t like that!

You’re supposed to have excellent client service. You may as well brag that you have lawyers at your law firm.

That said, I’ve listed seven things you can do (that won’t cost you a dime – no more than $10, literally) to enhance your law firm’s website Homepage:

1. Add a Unique Value Proposition to Your Law Firm’s Website

Your law firm’s value proposition comes down to who you are and what your law firm’s brand is all about. Website visitors want to read about the unique core values, experience, and personal strengths that shape your approach to the legal profession. Remember that your unique value proposition should align with the core of who you are, the founding or senior partner, or who you are collectively as a firm.

In addition, the value proposition can’t be something you want folks to think you are . . . because the mask will fall off. Be authentic, and “keep it real.” You’ll show them who you are, whether you want to or not. Deceit is undoubtedly not what you want folks talking about when rating your office online.

And, whatever your unique value proposition is, make sure your law firm’s website communicates it right up front.

2. Nail Your Law Firm’s Unique Value Proposition

To do this, you’ll want to figure out that guiding principle or that habitual act that symbolizes the nature of your law firm. It’s about how you do what you do or why you do what you do – that constructive thing clients routinely experience at your firm. One way to discover what that experience is is to drill down into testimonials clients have left about your firm’s work product, law firm culture, or firm dynamics. This can be checked in several ways. For example, you can:

• Find clients’ “thank you” cards, notes, letters, emails, voicemails, and texts.
• Check posts on social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, or Instagram).
• Check online ratings and review platforms and websites.
• Write down what consults tell you that their referring friend said about why they should retain you.
• Google your firm’s name or use sites like perplexity.ai and Glassdoor to find positive things people or former employees are saying about your office.
• Brainstorm with your partners, associates, and other staff, and compare details about positive comments clients have made to them.

Look closely, and you’ll notice a common thread running through many of your testimonials. That recurring theme is the heart of your law firm’s brand—its core, soul, and guiding principle. That’s the foundation for your value proposition. It’s the experience only you can provide, the one you deliver naturally, the very thing your clients appreciate—and that your competitor down the street can’t claim.

This is also what you are going to use to develop the unified messaging that defines who you are as a law firm and differentiates you, in all your communications across all platforms and touchpoints, from the many other law firms in your town that have the same list of services on their website Services pages.

3. Talk to the Non-lawyer

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard an attorney give a consultation using terms only another lawyer would understand—or toss out twenty-dollar words like contumacious, reconnoiter, and obviate the necessity. Then, they go a step further and put that same language on their website.

I’ve worked with intellectuals who talk like that, but most don’t. And no one wants to tap their phone’s Merriam-Webster icon just to get through your homepage.

Your website is not the place for legalese.

Save the wherefores and multisyllabic jargon to impress the 2L interning next summer—not your potential clients. Your website is where you connect with the people who might hire you. If they don’t immediately understand what you’re saying—even if you’re telling them exactly what’s in it for them—your message won’t land.

Your readers won’t always be sophisticated, no matter their financial success. Since reading levels vary widely, and most people read at a sixth- to eighth-grade level, it’s wise to check your content’s readability before publishing.

If you’re using MS Word, run a readability check. Once your page is live, plug the URL into a Web FX or Flesch-Kincaid Readability Test Tool. Copy and paste your link, and it will instantly analyze your content. Ideally, aim for a Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level of 5 to 7—definitely not higher than 8.

4. Focus Your Messaging on Potential Clients

Many lawyers default to only listing their accomplishments—your law school, professional awards, key cases, or even paid recognitions in magazines. But your website shouldn’t just be about you—it needs to reflect what matters to your prospective clients.

Highlight how your background, skills, and successes connect to their problems. They’re less interested in who you are and more interested in how you can help them. While you can’t guarantee outcomes, your website should clarify that handling cases like theirs is definitely in your wheelhouse.

Effective website copy shows empathy. Shift the focus to your clients and make them the star of the story.

5. Provide Value Upfront

More businesses are realizing that offering something valuable is the best way to keep potential clients on their websites. This could be an e-book on a relevant legal topic, a guide to constitutional rights, a checklist of must-have items for a car accident, or a cheat sheet outlining the first steps before filing a personal injury claim. Whatever it is, think of a way to provide value before asking visitors to book a consultation.

No need to stress—you can create this in a day or two.

For example, if you want to create a downloadable flyer on what to do after an accident, list 3 to 5 key bullet points. Then, record yourself on your phone for about one to two minutes explaining each point as if speaking to a client. Email the recording to yourself and upload it to MSWord, which will transcribe it into an editable document. Cost? $0.00.

Want a polished design? Open a Fiverr.com account—it’s quick and easy. Search for “graphic designer.” Choose one with strong reviews, and pay a $5-$10. Upload your transcript and provide instructions: ask the designer to match your law firm’s website’s color scheme (for branding), include your firm’s name and website, and add your logo if you have one. In about 24 hours or less, your flyer will be ready.

6. Add a Call-to-Action… That Clients Can Actually Find

People have short attention spans. You have just a few seconds before they move on to the next lawyer. That’s why your call-to-action (CTA) needs to be clear and easy to find.

First, decide what you want potential clients to do. Should they call you? Then, place your “clickable” phone number above the fold—so they don’t have to scroll or search for it. Want them to book an appointment online? Highlight that option near your primary marketing copy.

The worst lawyer websites assume visitors will hunt for contact details.

Don’t leave it to chance. Make it as easy as possible for them to reach you. Assume nothing.

You can hire a Fiverr developer to make the phone number on your website clickable or have your web tech do it.

7. Make it Visually Appealing

Images, like words, can be cliché. Browse ten law firm websites in your area, and you’ll likely see the same setup—a city skyline banner, a lawyer in a suit, maybe smiling, maybe arms crossed to look tough. But if marketing is about standing out, blending in won’t do you any favors.

A better approach? Use visuals that showcase your firm’s personality and results. Feature behind-the-scenes moments. Maybe a high-resolution shot of your team in a conference room—coffee cups, papers scattered, an attorney with their tie loosened, shoes off, law books open on the floor. Another colleague, hair in a messy bun, clutches chopsticks, and a Chinese takeout container. A digital clock glows 1:00 A.M.—because that’s what it looks like when you’re grinding to win a case.

Authenticity sells. Clichés don’t.

Warning: Alternative legal service providers are ready to disrupt the industry and take your clients. Stay ahead of the game by strengthening your website before it’s too late.

P.S. Ensure your website updates comply with ABA attorney advertising rules and your state’s professional conduct guidelines.

Good luck!