I ran across a great blog post at LawyeristChecklist for Creating a Great Law Firm Website. They remind us that planning in advance is essential to a successful website. Lawyerist zeros in on some great points for small firms and solos… here are a few:

Determine your market and define your unique selling proposition. I would like to add… what are your points of differentiation and will they resonate with your target audience?

Set goals and align the goals of your business with the website and make sure your client’s needs are met. I think this is vital. Your website is an extension of your business and it needs to speak like you and look like you.

Design your website with compelling images that correspond with your branding. Your website is the place to bring your brand to life… with photos. So choose wisely. Generic skyline photos do nothing to separate you from the competition in your market.

Include sticky content. Break text into small easily read chunks separated with headings and images for easier scanning. I want to remind you that people don’t read… they scan. Make sure they are picking up something of value about your firm as they scan the page.

Measure and update. Set up Google Analytics to measure traffic. Create an ongoing method of marketing and encouraging visitors to your website. It’s no secret that I am a big fan of blogs and they are the answer here. Google Analytics can help you see what is getting read and you can fine-tune your content.

The big take-away here is… first, create a plan! 

Black Pearl: Here is Lawyerist’s list of the Best Law Firm Website in 2011 take a look.