<b><i>Practice Tip:</b></i> 20 Surprisingly Simple Ways To Spruce Up Your Web Site

Have you been looking at your Web site thinking it's time for a change? Want to make sure you are getting the most out of your Web site investment? Here are 20 simple ways you can spruce up and enhance your site, without breaking the bank in the process.

1. Make your site searchable; it is easier than you think. Visitors coming to your site in order to find certain information may not want to browse through pages of content to find what they are looking for. By adding a search engine, you will allow visitors to locate the item directly. For example, if your firm has written an article on the Festo decision, users could search for “Festo” and zero in on only the articles that contain that word. This is much simpler than having to hunt through archives manually. Don't forget to place the search option prominently on every page.

2. Cross-link your information; intuitive links are the key. Want to help your visitors navigate your site in an intuitive manner? Add some cross-linking. For example, if an attorney at your firm writes an article or is mentioned in a press release posted on your Web site, add a link from where his or her name is mentioned back to his or her bio. This saves people from having to travel to the attorney bios section of your site to learn more about the attorney. One click, and they are there.

3. Be subtle in your use of Flash. People cringe when they hear of Flash being used on a Web site. However, not all Flash is bad. Get rid of lengthy Flash animations on your homepage and replace them with subtle “Spot Flash” elements that co-exist with site navigation. This will add a small amount of dynamic elements to your site without becoming overbearing on the user's senses.

4. Add a map and driving directions. If your clients are going to be visiting your office, they may check your Web site for your address before they leave. In addition to providing your location and contact information, add a map and driving directions to make your office easier to find. Your clients will appreciate being able to find all of this information in one place, rather than having to travel to external mapping sites.

5. Enliven your text. One of the driving forces of your Web site is its content. People come to your site to read information about and by your firm. If you are offering the same type of content as a competing firm, but your content is more compelling to read, visitors will find more value in your site and be more likely to return the next time they seek similar information. You may be a law firm, but your site doesn't have to read like a legal brief.

6. Add lawyers' photos to their bios. Lawyers often operate virtually and sometimes never meet a client in person. Add lawyers' photos to their biographies; people are much more comfortable when they can put a face with a name.

7. Make your site more readable. Whether because of the hardware they use or some physical impairment, visitors may not always be able to clearly see your site. Text may appear too small or too large for their reading comfort level. Give your visitors the option of adjusting your content's font size and type style to make it easier for them to read on screen.

8. Network via your Web site. Want to share your business card with someone without having to meet them? Want to save countless calls to attorneys and their secretaries searching for attorney contact information? It can be done easily via your Web site. By adding a link from each attorney's bio to a downloadable v-card, these tasks just got a bit easier.

9. Don't forget to add a site map. When people are lost, they turn to maps to find what they're looking for. If they don't find it, they'll leave. While most law firm sites follow the same general structure, they are not identical. A site map is a great way for a user to get a one page quick glance at all the information your firm has to offer.

10. Update your content regularly. If a user comes to your site and reads all that you have to offer, why would he or she come back? One way to keep people coming back to your site is to keep it up-to-date with fresh content.

11. Demolish those “under construction” pages. If a section of your site is not available, remove it from the site navigation until it is complete. There's nothing more disappointing to a user than to go to a Web page looking for information only to find nothing there. When you do add new pages or content, let visitors know by sending out press releases or e-announcements. If your homepage has a news ticker, announce new items there, as well.

12. Say goodbye to bright blue links. Let's say that your site has a striking maroon and grey color scheme. Now let's say that all the links on your page are the standard bright blue. Clearly, you have a color clash. Say goodbye to those standard blue underlined links and start using ones that match your site's color scheme with nifty rollover techniques. (And while you're at it, don't forget to verify that all internal and external links work and point to the intended pages.)

13. Make your pages “print friendly.” Tablet PCs are not yet common, and few law-firm sites are optimized for use with mobile devices. This means visitors still print out Web pages to read on the go. But printing from a Web site can be problematic ' content gets cut off at the edge of the page and the printing uses up too much ink. By adding a “print friendly” option to your pages, visitors can print out nice looking pages that carry your firm brand.

14. Show your visitors what's new. Use your home page to highlight recent firm news items and articles. Did your firm recently win a noteworthy court case? Note it on your home page. Visitors will see the news right up front and be duly impressed with your achievement.

15. Give your site a theme. Make sure all pages have a consistent look and feel. If most of your site is blue with a modern feel while your attorney section is brown with a classical feel, your users are going to pick up on that disconnect. Visitors equate sloppiness and inconsistency with a lack of professionalism. Don't forget to have all your fonts and page titles look the same too.

16. Add an “e-mail a friend” option. Adding an “e-mail a friend” option will let visitors easily share interesting items on your site with their friends and co-workers, giving your site more visibility.

17. Get rid of frames. Not only are frames unattractive, but they make navigation difficult within a site. Ever try to use the back button within a frame or forward a framed link on to a friend? It's really not that easy, and can be almost impossible. If you're using frames, now is a good time to get rid of them and move on to more modern and appealing site navigation techniques.

18. Avoid vertical scrolling. Keep text short to avoid vertical scrolling. If users come to your site for basic firm information and see a lot of text on the page, there is a good chance they'll read the first paragraph then bail. By keeping the information short and to the point, you can ensure that visitors will read your entire message. Articles that the firm has written are different, as readers will want that extra information.

19. Tell visitors where they are. Remember, not all visitors will reach your site via the home page. Users coming in from search engines may end up on a page deep within your site. Make sure your firm name and/or logo is on each page to enforce your firm's brand throughout the user's visit to your site.

20. Keep visual images fresh. Occasionally introduce new images on your site, but make sure they have the same look and feel as your existing images. This way, users who frequent your site will get a visual treat from time to time. Old images can be saved and rotated back in.

You can implement these tips easily, using readily available resources and at little or not cost. They may be small, but the improvement in your site will be dramatic.

Have you been looking at your Web site thinking it's time for a change? Want to make sure you are getting the most out of your Web site investment? Here are 20 simple ways you can spruce up and enhance your site, without breaking the bank in the process.

1. Make your site searchable; it is easier than you think. Visitors coming to your site in order to find certain information may not want to browse through pages of content to find what they are looking for. By adding a search engine, you will allow visitors to locate the item directly. For example, if your firm has written an article on the Festo decision, users could search for “Festo” and zero in on only the articles that contain that word. This is much simpler than having to hunt through archives manually. Don't forget to place the search option prominently on every page.

2. Cross-link your information; intuitive links are the key. Want to help your visitors navigate your site in an intuitive manner? Add some cross-linking. For example, if an attorney at your firm writes an article or is mentioned in a press release posted on your Web site, add a link from where his or her name is mentioned back to his or her bio. This saves people from having to travel to the attorney bios section of your site to learn more about the attorney. One click, and they are there.

3. Be subtle in your use of Flash. People cringe when they hear of Flash being used on a Web site. However, not all Flash is bad. Get rid of lengthy Flash animations on your homepage and replace them with subtle “Spot Flash” elements that co-exist with site navigation. This will add a small amount of dynamic elements to your site without becoming overbearing on the user's senses.

4. Add a map and driving directions. If your clients are going to be visiting your office, they may check your Web site for your address before they leave. In addition to providing your location and contact information, add a map and driving directions to make your office easier to find. Your clients will appreciate being able to find all of this information in one place, rather than having to travel to external mapping sites.

5. Enliven your text. One of the driving forces of your Web site is its content. People come to your site to read information about and by your firm. If you are offering the same type of content as a competing firm, but your content is more compelling to read, visitors will find more value in your site and be more likely to return the next time they seek similar information. You may be a law firm, but your site doesn't have to read like a legal brief.

6. Add lawyers' photos to their bios. Lawyers often operate virtually and sometimes never meet a client in person. Add lawyers' photos to their biographies; people are much more comfortable when they can put a face with a name.

7. Make your site more readable. Whether because of the hardware they use or some physical impairment, visitors may not always be able to clearly see your site. Text may appear too small or too large for their reading comfort level. Give your visitors the option of adjusting your content's font size and type style to make it easier for them to read on screen.

8. Network via your Web site. Want to share your business card with someone without having to meet them? Want to save countless calls to attorneys and their secretaries searching for attorney contact information? It can be done easily via your Web site. By adding a link from each attorney's bio to a downloadable v-card, these tasks just got a bit easier.

9. Don't forget to add a site map. When people are lost, they turn to maps to find what they're looking for. If they don't find it, they'll leave. While most law firm sites follow the same general structure, they are not identical. A site map is a great way for a user to get a one page quick glance at all the information your firm has to offer.

10. Update your content regularly. If a user comes to your site and reads all that you have to offer, why would he or she come back? One way to keep people coming back to your site is to keep it up-to-date with fresh content.

11. Demolish those “under construction” pages. If a section of your site is not available, remove it from the site navigation until it is complete. There's nothing more disappointing to a user than to go to a Web page looking for information only to find nothing there. When you do add new pages or content, let visitors know by sending out press releases or e-announcements. If your homepage has a news ticker, announce new items there, as well.

12. Say goodbye to bright blue links. Let's say that your site has a striking maroon and grey color scheme. Now let's say that all the links on your page are the standard bright blue. Clearly, you have a color clash. Say goodbye to those standard blue underlined links and start using ones that match your site's color scheme with nifty rollover techniques. (And while you're at it, don't forget to verify that all internal and external links work and point to the intended pages.)

13. Make your pages “print friendly.” Tablet PCs are not yet common, and few law-firm sites are optimized for use with mobile devices. This means visitors still print out Web pages to read on the go. But printing from a Web site can be problematic ' content gets cut off at the edge of the page and the printing uses up too much ink. By adding a “print friendly” option to your pages, visitors can print out nice looking pages that carry your firm brand.

14. Show your visitors what's new. Use your home page to highlight recent firm news items and articles. Did your firm recently win a noteworthy court case? Note it on your home page. Visitors will see the news right up front and be duly impressed with your achievement.

15. Give your site a theme. Make sure all pages have a consistent look and feel. If most of your site is blue with a modern feel while your attorney section is brown with a classical feel, your users are going to pick up on that disconnect. Visitors equate sloppiness and inconsistency with a lack of professionalism. Don't forget to have all your fonts and page titles look the same too.

16. Add an “e-mail a friend” option. Adding an “e-mail a friend” option will let visitors easily share interesting items on your site with their friends and co-workers, giving your site more visibility.

17. Get rid of frames. Not only are frames unattractive, but they make navigation difficult within a site. Ever try to use the back button within a frame or forward a framed link on to a friend? It's really not that easy, and can be almost impossible. If you're using frames, now is a good time to get rid of them and move on to more modern and appealing site navigation techniques.

18. Avoid vertical scrolling. Keep text short to avoid vertical scrolling. If users come to your site for basic firm information and see a lot of text on the page, there is a good chance they'll read the first paragraph then bail. By keeping the information short and to the point, you can ensure that visitors will read your entire message. Articles that the firm has written are different, as readers will want that extra information.

19. Tell visitors where they are. Remember, not all visitors will reach your site via the home page. Users coming in from search engines may end up on a page deep within your site. Make sure your firm name and/or logo is on each page to enforce your firm's brand throughout the user's visit to your site.

20. Keep visual images fresh. Occasionally introduce new images on your site, but make sure they have the same look and feel as your existing images. This way, users who frequent your site will get a visual treat from time to time. Old images can be saved and rotated back in.

You can implement these tips easily, using readily available resources and at little or not cost. They may be small, but the improvement in your site will be dramatic.