Your website is the first thing clients will see. There’s no second chance at a first impression. So you need to ensure your firm website compellingly depicts what sets your firm apart–and why clients should consider hiring you, not your competitors.
The highest performing law firm websites don’t use stock photos. That might come as a surprise, especially if you’re accustomed to seeing stock photography scattered across the entire legal marketing space. But what is popular isn’t always best. Here’s why it’s time to ditch the stock photography once and for all.
Photography Is Not Just Filler
Many law firms treat photography as a website afterthought. They concentrate, instead, on the text and other components of the pages. The truth, though, is that most people will never read all of your website content. Instead, they’ll navigate to the site, quickly scan things, and decide whether or not to stay on your site.
If your site is dull, looks like every other law firm’s website, or does not convey a clear visual story, then users will click away. Visuals draw people in, encouraging them to read the content you’ve so carefully crafted. Photography is the first step to gaining a consumer’s attention–not an afterthought. That’s why it’s so important to have photography that is unique to your firm.
The Subtle Messaging of Website Imagery
Humans are visual creatures. Before you even open your mouth to speak, a new acquaintance has made numerous judgments based on your appearance. The same is true when people navigate to your website.
Imagery conveys messages that words can’t. They tell people how diverse your firm is, what you value, how you treat your clients. The right images can ease client anxiety, convince a client that you’re worth the money, and urge them to make that first call.
Stock photography won’t do this. Stock photos only tell clients that you paid some money to put a few photos on your page. Quality photography, by contrast, tells clients you’re invested in your image, care about what they think, and want to give them a glimpse of who you are. Stock photography is alienating; quality photos are welcoming–no matter what kind of law you practice.
Setting You Apart: The Entire Purpose of Marketing
Let’s face it: building a website is an expensive, time-consuming undertaking. So it’s tempting to just get it done at all costs. But the strategy neglects the fundamental reason you’re building a website: to market your business.
Marketing is all about setting you apart from the competition. So if your photos look like everyone else’s photos, you’ve wasted time and money. You could even lose clients. It’s a self-defeating, pointless undertaking.
So before you invest in law firm website imagery, ask yourself the following:
- What do our clients look like?
- What do our clients want to see and hear from us?
- What sets our firm apart? Why choose us over the competition?
- Is there anything we can convey more clearly through imagery than through words?
How to Select Quality Law Firm Website Imagery
If you’re ready to transition from boring stock photography to quality law firm website photos, you need a team that is experienced at working with lawyers. Your photographer should get to know you and your firm, so that they can help craft a visual story that appeals to the eye, the heart, and the mind. Some questions to ask your photographer before you begin include:
- How can we tell a compelling story?
- What is the story we are trying to tell, and how can we best tell it?
- What mood do we want to strike with these photos?
- How can we best prepare for the photography session?
- What do you recommend for the session’s location?
Quality photography is an investment that will continue to pay for the life of your firm and your website. Not only will it draw in more clients, but it will attract the right type of client. That is, after all, what your website should be doing!
