Why It's Important to Generate Law Firm Reviews

Legal services is a competitive industry where generating positive law firm reviews is a must instead of an option. It’s an essential part of getting ahead. Reviews can significantly influence a potential client’s decision to select your law firm or a different one. If you don’t have a strong presence online, it can be a huge challenge to maintain your reputation and attract new clients.

However, there is a silver lining. You can manage and generate reviews if you put in the work. When you understand how important law firm reviews are and implement effective strategies to get them, you can bring in more clients and enhance your firm’s online presence.

The impact of reviews on law firm success

Online reviews are important, but getting them can be challenging. Some of the statistics below can be eye-opening for law firms working on building a set of reviews for potential clients to sift through.

BrightLocal’s 2022 Local Consumer Review Survey shows that 77% of consumers regularly or always read online reviews when choosing local businesses. As a law firm, your clients may read your reviews before they decide to work with you.

In addition, Moz’s Local Search Ranking Factors Report indicates that review diversity, quantity, and velocity make up over 15% of the factors used by Google to rank local businesses. This shows how important reviews are to ensure your law firm's visibility in local searches.

Why generating reviews is crucial for your law firm.

Building credibility and trust

Positive reviews are considered social proof. They show possible clients that others have had good experiences with your firm. Positive law firm reviews build trust and make a client more likely to show your services. 

Are you wondering how to build trust through reviews? First, make sure satisfied clients are asked to leave reviews. Have them share their experiences online and make sure they specifically address the type of expertise and service you provided. Personal requests can go a long way. In addition, feature the best reviews on your website and marketing materials. It shows that you prioritize client satisfaction.

Enhancing local SEO

As mentioned above, review signals are important to local SEO. The more positive reviews you have, the better your chances of ranking higher in local search results so potential clients can find you.

There are a couple of ways to enhance your local SEO. The first is to claim and optimize your Google My Business listing. Make sure all the information is up-to-date and accurate. Ask clients to leave reviews on this profile. You also should make sure you respond to reviews. Thank them for positive feedback and address concerns in negative reviews.

Influencing client decisions

Potential clients often read many law firm reviews before they make a decision. Having many positive reviews makes it more likely that they will choose your company and contact you by phone, email, or other methods. 

When you want to influence clients' decisions, it’s important to keep a high overall rating. Ensure you provide the best service to every client so you get the best reviews. In addition, highlight some of the most recent reviews that show your firm offers high-quality services. 

Effective strategies to generate more reviews

The bedrock of getting positive law firm reviews starts with offering great service. When satisfied with what you do, clients are more likely to leave good feedback. As such, make sure you keep clients informed throughout their case and quickly address any concerns and questions they have. It’s also useful to show empathy for the clients’ situations to build stronger relationships.

It's a good idea to make it simple for clients to leave reviews. The easier it is, the more likely they will go through the process. One way to do this is by sending follow-up emails after successful cases. Add links to your review profiles. It’s also useful to provide step-by-step instructions on how to leave a review so nothing goes wrong.

Offering incentives is another way to stand out. While you want to be sure you remain ethical, small incentives can get clients to leave reviews. Make sure all incentives meet ethical and legal guidelines. Alternatively, you could offer a gift card to clients who leave a review during a certain period. Or have a monthly draw where anyone who leaves a review can win a prize.

Finally, leverage social media as a way to encourage additional reviews. Remind your followers regularly that they can leave reviews and share their experiences. Post reminders and links on all your social media channels. You can also highlight great reviews in your posts so others use that as a reason to leave their feedback. 

Make sure you get and utilize all potential law firm reviews available.

In the digital age we live in, generating positive law firm reviews is a must. When you provide great service, make it easy for clients to leave reviews, provide incentives, respond to reviews, and utilize social media, you attract more clients and enhance your firm’s reputation. However, as you attract new clients, you must be sure they talk to someone knowledgeable. That’s what you get with the virtual receptionists from Smith.ai. They can take business calls 24/7, so you know clients reach out to a human. In addition, we offer appointment setting, lead qualification and intake, and payment collection to improve your communication with new and established clients.

To learn more, schedule a consultation or reach out to hello@smith.ai.