Steve Riser presents technology tips for having an ethical online presence as a law firm. This presentation was given at the Clearwater Bar Association in Clearwater, FL on April 11, 2014

1. Websites and More
Steve Riser
GNGF
steve@gngf.com
!
Building a Success Website:
How to attract new clients without
violating your states ethics
!
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
!
Complimentary Copy Of Best-
Selling Legal Technology Book for
Attendees Of This Session
!

2. Website and Web Presence
The Ethics Of It All
STEVE RISER
steve@gngf.com

3. STEVE RISER

4. Our Book AMAZON’S #1 BEST-SELLING LAW PRACTICE MARKETING BOOK
Jabez LeBret Mark Homer
How to Turn Clicks INTO CLIENTS
THIRD EDITION
ONLINE
PRACTICE
STRATEGIES
LAW
Third Revision
Updated for 2014
Contributions from:
AVVO
Clio
InLaw.me
Fujitsu
!

5. LOOKING FOR ANSWERS 85% OF
CONSUMERS
FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES
R E A D
ONLINE
REVIEWS
U.S. INTERNET USERS SPEND
1 OUT OF EVERY 8 MINUTES
ONLINE USING FACEBOOK
G O O G L E
H A S 6 7 % O F A L L
S E A R C H T R A F F I C
97% OF CONSUMERS
RESEARCH THEIR PURCHASES AND
LOCAL SERVICES ONLINE BEFORE THEY
FULFILL THEM AT A LOCAL BUSINESS

6. @gngfound
SEARCH IS GETTING LOCAL

7. @gngfound
LONGER SEARCHES

8. ONLINE LOCAL PRESENCE
MONTHMONTHMONTHMONTHMONTHMONTH
MONTHMONTHMONTHMONTHMONTHMONTH
OF CONSUMERS USE
THE INTERNET TO FIND
A LOCAL BUSINESS AT
LEAST ONCE A MONTH
37%
OF CONSUMERS USED
THE INTERNET TO FIND
A LOCAL BUSINESS IN
THE LAST 12 MONTHS
95%

9. Directory Listings

10. @gngfound
GOOGLE+ LOCAL

11. Google+ Local

12. Google+ Local

13. @gngfound
GOOGLE+ LOCAL

14. WHY REVIEWS MATTER
67% OF
CONSUMERS
READ 6
REVIEWS OR
LESS TO MAKE
UP THEIR MIND
SAY POSITIVE REVIEWS
MAKE THEM TRUST
A BUSINESS MORE
OF CONSUMERS
TRUST ONLINE
REVIEWS AS
MUCH AS
P E R S O N A L
RECOMMENDATIONS
79% 73%

15. Reviews
Where to Get Reviews:

16. Reviews
Asking For Reviews:
You should ask, but you are responsible.

17. Reviews

18. Reviews
• Don’t
make
up
pro/iles
to
write
reviews
• You
can’t
write
your
own
online
reviews
• Don’t
pay
for
reviews
• Be
careful
when
asking
for
reviews
• You
are
responsible
for
the
content
of
that
review
!
EXAMPLE:
Joe
Smith
leaves
a
review:
“Jim
will
win
every
time.
He
won
$1
million
for
me
in
an
auto
accident
lawsuit,
Jim
is
the
best
Personal
Injury
attorney
ever!!”

19. Reviews

20. WEBSITES THAT GET CLIENTS
P A S T
2002 2014
LEGAL
WEBSITES
COMMUNICATE
S O L V E
I N F O R M
S E R V E
MARKETING
P R E S E N T
COMMUNICATE
S O L V E
I N F O R M
S E R V ECOMMUNICATE
SOLVE
INFORM
SERVE

21. Your Website

22. Contact Page

23. Your Website

24. Website

25. Website

26. Your Website Disclaimer

27. Keyword Stuffing
We
sell
custom
cigar
humidors.
Our
custom
cigar
humidors
are
handmade.
If
you’re
thinking
of
buying
a
custom
cigar
humidor,
please
contact
our
custom
cigar
humidor
specialists
at
Custom.Cigar@humidor.com
1.Repeating
the
same
words
or
phrases
so
often
that
it
sounds
unnatural,
for
example:

28. Keyword Stuffing
1.“Blocks
of
text
listing
cities
and
states
a
webpage
is
trying
to
rank
for”
Pasadena,
Sherman
Oaks,
Encino,
Culver
City,
Van
Nuys,
Santa
Clara,
Ventura,
Simi
Valley,
Thousands
Oaks

29. Your Website Ethics
1. Any
communication
made
pursuant
to
this
rule
shall
include
the
name
and
of/ice
address
of
at
least
one
lawyer
or
law
/irm
responsible
for
its
content
2. Do
not
make
statements
that
lead
someone
to
expect
results
like
“I
can
save
your
business”
or
“I
will
get
you
money
for
your
[Blank].”
Avoid
even
saying
“I
can
[Blank]
for
you”
3. Images
can
get
you
in
trouble
4. No
advertising
disclaimer
needed
when
has
a
family,
close
personal,
or
prior
professional
relationship
with
the
lawyer.
5. Make
statements
that
imply
results

30. @gngfound
MOBILE WEBSITE
20%

31. @gngfound
MOBILE WEBSITE SEARCH

32. @gngfound
MOBILE WEBSITE

33. @gngfound
MOBILE WEBSITE RESPONSIVE

34. Blogging? Really?
Yes - you WANT a blog

35. Where to Put Your Blog

36. Where to Put Your Blog

37. Where to Put Your Blog

38. Creating Content
Length Of Post
400 - 600 words
Break up longer post

39. Creating Content
Curated Content
1) Research on Google
2) Copy a Few Lines
3) Always Source
4) Add Content (>80%)

40. What Should You Write About
Industry Local

41. Creating Content
“This does not mean that you cannot do your
divorce yourself. However, many people who
do not consult with attorneys may leave out
certain very important provisions that can
come back to haunt them later on, and cost
them a great deal.”
!
Nevada Divorce Attorney + 12 Other States

42. Code on Website:
Connects to Google+
Content
Google Authorship:
Rel = Publisher
Rel = Author

43. Search Engine Benefit
Google Authorship

44. Ethical Considerations
1) No Names Please
2) Giving Advice
3) Solicitation
4) Who Does The Writing

45. Ethics
•What
counts
as
advice
•Is
this
Advertising
•Don’t
Imply
Results
or
Mislead
•Creating
a
client
relationship
•Keep
records
of
ads
•Mentioning
Judicial
Of/icers,
Neutrals
etc

46. Website and Web Presence
The Ethics Of It All
STEVE RISER
steve@gngf.com