IS YOUR CONTENT DOING ITS JOB?
Do you ever stand back and think about the kind of job the content on your website is doing? How do you know if the time and effort you have invested in your site is paying off?
In a 2013 legal services market review, Google reported that 74% of people visit law firm websites to take action. If you aren’t seeing an increase in clients your website simply isn’t working hard enough.
Creating good content takes time. And carrying out a regular review of this material takes even more commitment. For solicitors, working in an era of increased client expectation and downward pressure on fees, time is not something that’s in plentiful supply.
WHAT IS A CONTENT AUDIT?
Content agencies can carry out what’s called a content audit – a comprehensive review of all the content on your website. By creating an exhaustive inventory of your content you can decide:
- The content you should rework so that it’s more fit for purpose
- What material to delete
- Whether you need new content
DOES MY SITE NEED A CONTENT AUDIT?
If you have already gone to the trouble of developing a website, generating the initial content and starting to add regularly to it, the idea of a content audit might seem unnecessary. But if you find that your website is not attracting readers and potential clients, it’s not working.
Put bluntly, your site is wasting money.
THINGS TO LOOK FOR IN A CONTENT AUDIT
The questions to ask in a content audit include:
- What content do you have? You should record not just your main pages but also list blogs, downloadable PDFs and other content you have built up.
- How useful is the content? Are readers engaging with it? Analytical tools can give a precise picture of how each page performs. Are visitors staying long enough to read the content or are they immediately clicking away from the page once they land on it?
- Could you present content in a more accessible and relevant way? You should rework it so that it will engage your readers.
- Is your material accurate? Any inaccuracy – legal or otherwise – will undermine your firm’s credibility. A site that has not updated terms like ‘compromise agreement’, ‘ancillary relief’ or ‘enduring powers of attorney’ is not going the right way about instilling confidence in potential clients.
- What is the readability like? Make sure you have the basics right. Look for grammatical errors and typos. Ensure your content speaks to readers in a consistent tone and follow best web practice on matters like headers and linking.
- Are there gaps in the content? For example, has the firm started working in a new area of law but not yet addressed this on the site? You should write new material as part of an ongoing content strategy.
A content audit is a time-consuming task but one that can produce enormous benefits. Before you add another single piece of content, ask yourself if your time could be better spent starting an in-depth review. A content agency can help advise on how to approach an audit and produce revised or new content that might be needed in the future.
You can call Morgan Legal Content on 07881 904 285 or contact us online.
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