Miller & Law, P.C.
Case Study: Website Redesign and Marketing Strategy for a Legal Services Website
Project Overview
Client: Miller & Law, P.C.
Project Duration: 6 months
Role: Lead UX Designer
Objective: The primary objective was to redesign the Miller & Law, P.C. website to improve user experience, enhance accessibility, boost search engine rankings, and develop a comprehensive marketing strategy that adheres to legal advertising regulations.
The Problem
Miller & Law, P.C., a full-service law firm, faced several challenges with their existing website:
Poor User Experience: The site was difficult to navigate, leading to high bounce rates and low engagement.
Outdated Design: The visual design was outdated and not mobile-friendly.
Low Search Engine Visibility: The website had poor SEO, resulting in low organic traffic.
Compliance Issues: The site did not fully comply with WCAG 2.1 regulations, putting the firm at risk of legal penalties
Research & Discovery
User Research:
• Surveys and Interviews: Conducted surveys and interviews with current clients to gather insights on their needs and pain points.
• Competitor Analysis: Analyzed competitor websites to identify industry standards and best practices.
• Usability Testing: Performed usability tests on the current website to identify specific areas of improvement.
Findings:
• Users struggled with finding contact information and specific legal services.
• The website's non-responsive design was a major pain point for mobile users.
• Content lacked keywords and meta descriptions, severely impacting SEO.
• Disclaimers and legal notices were either missing or inadequately displayed.
Miller & Law, P.C.
Before the re-design
Redesign Strategy
Ideal User Flow
Information Architecture:
• Simplified Navigation: Created a more intuitive navigation structure with clear, concise labels.
• Content Organization: Grouped content logically to help users find information quickly.
Visual Design:
• Responsive Design: Developed a mobile-first design to ensure accessibility on all devices.
• Modern Aesthetic: Updated the visual design to reflect a more professional and trustworthy image.
• Accessibility: Ensured compliance with WCAG guidelines to make the site accessible (Wix limitations)
SEO Enhancements:
• Keyword Optimization: Conducted keyword research and optimized all content for relevant keywords.
• Meta Descriptions and Tags: Added and improved meta descriptions, title tags, and header tags.
• Technical SEO: Improved site speed, created XML sitemaps, and ensured proper indexing.
Marketing Strategy
Image Left: Contrast Issues and layout malfunctions in every blog post. Originally, there were no photos in each blog post.
Image Right: Practice areas required further development of visual hierarchy so it read less like a grocery list
Content Marketing:
Blog: Updated the blog with regularly updated content on legal updates, industry news, and client success stories.
Practice Areas: Page description contains links to supporting blog posts and examples of success
Testimonials: Highlighted successful cases and client testimonials to build credibility and trust.
Payment Portal: Online bill pay - convenience for existing clients to return to the site as well as streamline the billing process.
Social Media:
• Presence: Established and maintained profiles on major social media platforms: LinkedIn, Martindale-Hubbel, Avvo, Lawyers.com, Facebook, Alignable, et al.
• Engagement: Created a content calendar to regularly post engaging content and interact with followers.
Email Marketing:
• Newsletters: Developed a monthly newsletter to keep clients informed about legal updates and firm news.
• Lead Nurturing: Implemented email drip campaigns to nurture leads and convert them into clients.
Attorneys
Credibility - each attorney has their own mini profile, emphasizing areas of practice and associations
Humanize - each attorney has a biography of relatable qualities
Ease of access (masking email) - each email is internally routed to the appropriate attorney while still maintaining their web privacy
Insights (Blog)
Organize blog page for ease of use, including an easy back button from post to main page
Add relevant images
Add CTA at the bottom of each post, as well as engagement with comments
Add vital legal disclaimer
Carefully comb each blog post from the last 6 years for keywords, appropriate language, and adding necessary updates
Legal Compliance
Advertising Restrictions and Disclaimers:
• Clear Disclaimers: Added clear disclaimers on all advertising materials stating that prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
• Legal Notices: Included comprehensive legal notices and privacy policies in accordance with state bar requirements.
• Contact Information: Ensured that all contact information was accurate and prominently displayed.
• No False Claims: Avoided any language that could be interpreted as guaranteeing outcomes or making misleading claims.
User Testing
Five different user tests were conducted over the 6 months in person, over video chat, and from multiple choice surveys. What criteria are users searching for when seeking legal representation?
Key Takeaway:
“Attorneys seem professional, yet unapproachable” - Attorney’s profiles updated to include the following:
Professional profile images
Practice area & state (Colorado)
Length of time practicing
Credentials & acknowledgements
Previous successes
Bio section
Cultivate relatability
Mailto link for each attorney to be contacted directly
Addressing obfuscation with an alias
Results
User Engagement
Bounce Rate: Reduced by 30%
Average Session Duration: Increased by 50%
Mobile Traffic: Increased by 40%
Payment Portal: Returning users increased by 50%
Newsletter: Open rate increased by 100%
SEO Performance
Organic Traffic: Increased by 50%
Search Engine Rankings: Improved significantly for targeted keywords.
Lead Generation
Contact Form Submissions: Increased by 24%
Conversion Rate: Improved by 23%
Compliance
Legal Compliance: Achieved full compliance with legal advertising regulations, reducing the risk of legal issues.
Branding
Color Theory of the brand goes deeper than simply royal purple for trust and sage green for abundance. These colors were chosen for a key member of the legal team who passed away from complications with Covid-19. It is stories like these that create a digital painting from mere pixels. With that in mind, I present the style tile we worked from to create the look and feel of the site:
Final Product
Image Left: Homepage after redesign.
Image Right: “Estate Planning & Probate” Practice Area page
In Summary
Digital Marketing in the Legal Realm
The website redesign and comprehensive marketing strategy for Miller & Law, P.C. successfully addressed the initial challenges. The project not only improved the user experience and SEO performance but also ensured that all advertising practices adhered to legal requirements. The collaborative effort resulted in a modern, user-friendly website that effectively supports the firm's growth and client engagement goals.