SEO, SEM, PPC Internet Marketing - Attorneys, Lawyers Houston Texas

Friendswood Estate Planning Attorney, Kevin Sunn

2012-01-19T19:12:00.003-06:00

Kevin Sunn is an Estate Planning lawyer in Friendwood who focuses on matters including Probate, Estate Planning and Business. I know Kevin personally and do not hesitate to recommend him to anyone needing to draft a Will, probate a Will or incorporate a business.
Two years ago my wife and I made it our New Year's Resolution to get our Will taken care of. After piddling around on LegalZoom for a couple hours and trying to make sense of the all the legal jargon I gave up and called an attorney. Its that time of year again. Have your taken care of your Will? Are your kids going to be taken care of if something should happen to you?
When drafting a Will would you rather use LegalZoom and go it alone or call an attorney with the experience to get it done right the first time? Important documents like Guardianships, Wills and Trusts make life easier for family members and loved ones IF something happens to you or your spouse.
Call Kevin Sunn to schedule a consultation at (281)956-1065.

Redesigned website for Katy Texas Family Lawyer

2012-01-11T14:55:00.004-06:00

Kathryn Marteeny has redesigned her website recenly. Take a look!

Kathryn practices Family Law including Divorce, Custody matters, Grandparent's rights and more. She also assists families in the West Houston area with Estate Planning and Probate matters. Kathryn's office is located off of I-10 and she offers free consultations.

Check out Kathryn's new Family Lawyer website when you have a chance.

Websites that convert!

2011-11-07T08:30:00.003-06:00

What is the point of capturing a click from the first page of Google if your website can't convert that click into a phone call?
Here is a quick, simple list here to improve the conversion rate of you website:
1- Call to Action (Ex, Call now for a FREE consultation)
2- Ease of Navigation (the end user needs to find what they are looking for quickly)
3- Use Bullet Points ( People scan websites for information, they don't read them like life insurance policies - Bullet points relay important information in an easy to scan format)
4- "Above the Fold" (If the end-user has to scroll down to see what you do and where you're located your site is losing most of them-you have 3-5 seconds to capture someone's attention)
5- Lastly, ADD your phone number at the top of EVERY page on the site; not just the 'contact us' page.
Take a look at Wichita Family Lawyer. The Click to Call Ratio is off the charts.

New Google SERP

2011-11-03T15:55:00.005-05:00

Google strikes again. Google released a new version of their SERP last night and the Map Listings (Google Places) are back to where they belong as far as I'm concerned. Make sure the SEO company that you employ for your law firm optimizes not only your site but also your Google Places listing.
You can see that organic rank is great and is still important but now the local listings push them further below the fold. Again, make sure your SEO company provides a COMPLETE program. If not, call me and I will provide the info and assistance to dominate the new Google SERP.

Search Engine Presence

2011-08-22T09:43:00.004-05:00

I'm more convinced than ever that an effective Search Engine Presence includes all areas of Search. If you are a lawyer in a major metro like Houston or even a smaller market you need to include ALL areas of Search engine marketing to be successful.
Utilizing Sponsored Ads, website optimization and everything in between can help you compete in a larger market or dominate a smaller market. Keep in mind SEO has changed in the last couple of years. Its more than meta tags, keywords and inbound links. Social Media, Maps, Reputation Management have all changed the SEO landscape. Law Firms are becoming more and more aware of this but should keep in mind that change is the only constant regarding SEO. Just make sure you work with a company or individual who includes ALL factors of SEO and not just bits and pieces. True SEO is a long term investment and needs to be done correctly to drive the right kind of traffic and potential clients to your website.
The same is true for PPC or Sponsored Ads. You should trust your campaign and monthly budget to a company that is 100% transparent. If they don't share your keywords, CPC, Calls, etc. I question what you are truly getting for your money. Sponsored Ads seem simple enough but can be a total waste of money and effort if not managed correctly.

SEO Intrigue and "black hat tactics"

2011-02-14T08:28:00.003-06:00

I tell potential clients all the time to be careful with who they use for SEO. Companies that incorporate "black hat tactics" will boost your ranking for a short time but Google will usually find the violation and take corrective action.
Don't think it can happen to you? Think again. BMW Germany and most recently JC Penney have both felt the wrath of Google due to violations. Check out the article (click on the title of this post) on The NY Times website regarding the tactics employed by JC Penney's optimization company.
JC Penney's "boosted organic results" were short lived but did take place during Holiday shopping season so it was good timing but now the company's site is all but invisible on Google. I especially liked the example used in the article regarding Samsonite. JC Penney was in the first organic position on Google for the search 'Samsonite carry on luggage' ahead of SAMSONITE. Questionable SEO tactics may result in short lived gain but now JC Penney is in 78th position for the same search.
Again, be careful who you use to optimize your website. A well-known, reputable company is such for a reason.

The Law Office of Jessica Koester

2011-02-02T13:14:00.005-06:00

Jessica Koester practices Criminal Defense in Edwardsville, Illinois. She is no stranger to internet marketing. Jessica has tried AdWords campaigns in the past and even dabbled in SEO recently. When I met with her in November she was a little skeptical of SEO and leery of the changes Google made with their organic results, IE, the new 'blended' map/organic results. I assured Jessica that as Google makes changes in the future and it will, we will change our product to fit those changes.
I'm happy to say that she is enjoying first page placement for most local searches pertaining to her area of practice and is improving rank for other keywords.

Google Search Results

2010-11-19T10:13:00.004-06:00

The new Google SERPs are killing me. What is going on over there? I see that Map listings or "Place Pages" are more important then ever. I've even see Twitter streams in some search results. Leave it to Google to confuse the heck out of all of use "Search Engine Marketing Experts."
Its a good thing I work for a company with a strong relationship with Google. Yellowbook has a call scheduled for next with Google to discuss these changes and how we can better serve our clients regarding those changes. Look for a post next week when I have more information and don't forget to update your 'Place Page' if you haven't recently.

Google and Meta Tags

2010-10-12T14:47:00.004-05:00

I've heard a few times over the past few weeks "meta-tags are really important" or "I need to adjust the Meta Tags on my website." For the past couple years now, Google has stated that meta tags are not important for rankings. Other than the Meta Description which is used as your site's description on SERPs, Meta Tags have little or NO value regarding rank. Google will look at Title tags, Headers, Domain Age, Alt. Tags and quality INBOUND links (and other secret factors) when determining where to rank your website.
See Matt Cutts(Google Search Quality Team) speaking more specifically about Meta Tags.
That being said, I wouldn't recommend leaving your meta information blank because last I checked Yahoo, ASK and bing still do look at meta tags. At least for now...

Conversion is Key!

2010-09-23T12:41:00.003-05:00

Can your website convert? If not, here are a couple helpful tips.
First and foremost, is your phone number visible somewhere across the top of EVERY page? I can't stand to hunt around for a phone number when I'm looking at a website with which I am trying to do business. Most people want to pick up the phone and talk to someone before making a decision to come in for a consultation. Make sure your phone number is on EVERY page, not just the 'Contact' page or 'Home' page. Plaster it all over the site and watch your conversions increase.
Secondly, Ease of Navigation is key. If you have an effective enough web presence to become an impression AND attract the searcher's click; make sure the searcher can find the information they are looking for. What good is the click and traffic if you can't keep them on the site due to their frustration with the site's navigation?
The Goal of any law firm's website should be to meet, if not exceed the expectations of the searcher. In other words, keep them on the site long enough for them to find what they are looking for and ultimiately retain your services. In other words, get the right message to the right person at the right time.

New Family Law website...

2010-07-07T13:47:00.003-05:00

Alicia Franklin practices Family Law in Houston, Texas and concentrates on cases involving children. She has worked in areas of Personal Injury and Estate Planning in the past but is passionate about Family Law. As a Houston Family Attorney, Alicia assists her clients with child support matters, custody modifications, complex and simple divorce matters as well.
Alicia offers FREE consultations and is always very responsive to the needs of her clients. She strives to keep her clients informed during the difficult legal process and realizes that she is truly an advocate for her client.

New site for Mark Montgomery

2010-07-01T18:42:00.005-05:00

Check out Mark Montgomery's new site at Houston Criminal Defense. Mark is a former HPD officer and has practiced law for years. He is now retired from the Police Department and practices law full time. Mark's office is located on the Katy Freeway near Echo Lane.
Call Attorney Mark Montgomery or his assistant Rena if you need assistance with any criminal defense matter. He focuses on DWI cases but also welcomes Drug Possession, Assault, Battery and all other areas of Criminal Defense.

Changes to Google's Algorithm...

2010-05-21T13:23:00.004-05:00

If SEO is your bag and you put alot of weight in that portion of your online marketing efforts be aware that now load time is part of Google's algorithm. In other words, how long your website takes to load is now a factor when Google indexes your website. Keep tabs on it because images, flash and other factors can all effect load time. Here is the link to the Google Blog announcing this change - Google Webmaster Blog.

Google Maps 'Enhanced' Listings

2010-03-09T10:08:00.003-06:00

I got a call last week from someone at Google Maps. He wanted to sign me up for their new 'enhanced' listings in the Local Business Center. He assured me that it does not effect how often you show up just that when you do the listing will be 'enhanced' with added information. In essence Google is keeping 'organic results' seperate from anything 'paid' even in the Maps.
Its $25 a month with NO contract so I was tempted but all it adds is a little yellow box below your listing. If anyone sees an increase in CTR% from adding this enhancement please let me know. I am holding off for now.

New Attorneys ON Board with SEM

2010-02-20T15:06:00.003-06:00

Without giving up the names of some new clients so that all you other "SEMConsultants" can hunt them down;I am excited about the recent success of my campaigns.
I love hearing about unpaid wage claims that have the possibility of turning into Class-action suits. I also get stoked when a PI client tells me he just signed up a case from the Google Map listing that I created for him. I currently have 19 live campaigns and I'm always looking for more.
Come to think of it, I don't have ONE Immigration Attorney as a client. What gives? I guess I'll start prospecting that area of law and get back to you soon.

Organic vs. sponsored results

2009-10-07T09:12:00.003-05:00

If you're an attorney and you rely 100% on your website showing up organically YOU ARE MISSING CLICKS AND TRAFFIC. I believe in organic results and there are plenty of people who click on the left side of SERPS. On the flip side, there are a ton of clicks and traffic going to the sponsored links as well. Are willing to ignore them?
More and more attorneys are utilizing PPC programs to drive qualified traffic to their websites. As an advertiser you get to approve search terms, track results and ONLY pay when someone visits your site! What other form of advertising allows you to do that?
Keep your organic results. Keep your big, beautiful website. In addition to that though, don't discount the searches and traffic taking place in the sponsored link areas. The majority of these searches are people who have clicked all over the search result page and have already done research and are READY TO ACT!

Divorce Attorney launches new website!

2009-08-24T16:09:00.003-05:00

Attorney Carolyn Robertson recently launched her new website. The site has a great profile page about Carolyn and her practice as well as a great Family Law Overview.
Carolyn is Board Certified in Divorce and Family Law and has practiced in Houston for over 15 years. She takes a compassionate, informative approach to the practice of law and looks forward to the opportunity to represent anyone in need of Family Law Counsel.

DID YOU KNOW? Carolyn’s undergraduate degree is in ‘Marketing’ from The University of Texas.

Criminal Defense website up and running...

2009-08-05T10:07:00.003-05:00

The Law Office of James F. Pons focuses on all Criminal Defense matters including DWI/DUI defense, Drug Possession, Drug Trafficking cases as well White Collar Crimes. James practices in all counties surrounding the Houston area and is very selective in the cases that he chooses to take on.
Personal service and attention to detail are the focus of the firm. James believes in representing each client aggressively while providing information and insight to them during the legal process.

Check out the site at HOUSTON CRIMINAL DEFENSE and find out more about The Law Office of James F. Pons.

MSN and YAHOO taking on Google

2009-07-30T10:34:00.006-05:00

After months and month of speculation. MSN and Yahoo have finally agreed on a plan to take on Google. The release of BING no doubt had a lot to do with the agreement and MSN will now have access to Yahoo's searchers. This will allow MSN to get more traffic to BING and build its credibility with searchers. BOTTOM LINE - the competition will probably be a good thing for those who choose to advertise on Search Engines. Google has had too much of the market share for far too long. I'm hoping this will reduce some of the click costs associated with AdWords and level the playing field a little.
Click here to read more about the agreement:
http://www.khou.com/business/stories/khou090729_tnt_microsoft-yahoo-google.8ab6fa1b.html

Negative keywords continued...

2009-07-28T14:37:00.003-05:00

Problem - your child is trying to write a paper about Vikings. He tries to research on Google by searching "vikings" only to find neverending sites and articles about the Minnesota Vikings and Favre Watch 2009. Solution - use that little "-" key near the top of the keyboard. That's right, the minus key or subtraction symbol can be used to exclude certain results on search engines.
Try the search again by Googling "Vikings -minnesota" or Vikings -nfl" and see what you get. Now you should have nothing but results relevant to the kind of Vikings who were on boats with swords, shields and real horns on their helmets.
The use of negative keywords is also very helpful in driving relevant, qualified visitors to your website. For example, if you are a Criminal Defense Attorney and currently running an AdWords campaign on Google. You might like add "traffic tickets" to your list of negative keywords. I've met recently with a number of criminal defense lawyers who would like to eliminate DWI/DUI cases from their practice. Simple enough, use the "-" key again and add "-DWI/DUI attorney" and other related terms to your list of negative keywords. This way you only get the types of clicks you want and eliminate click costs that aren't EXACLTY what you target.

Gregory & Gregory

2009-06-23T15:27:00.003-05:00

A new site launched this morning for the family law office of Gregory & Gregory. Ray and Myrna Gregory pride themselves in providing expert legal representation in all areas of family law including divorce, custody agreements, child support cases as well as modifications and enforcement actions. They provide honest and up-front legal counsel to their clients in an effort to educate them about the legal process and their case.
Check out the site at Houston Family Lawyers and take a minute to look around. Its easy to navigate and relays the expertise of the firm effectively. Myrna and the staff are bilingual and look forward to any opportunity to help the Hispanic community or anyone else in need of representation in a family law matter.

New site for an Estate Planning Attorney in Clear Lake!

2009-06-04T14:02:00.004-05:00

Check out Kim Hegwood's new site at Houston Estate Planning Attorney. Kim helps her clients with legal matters ranging from family law to Probate Administration. Her practice includes preparing everything from simple wills to setting up special needs trusts.
The site is informative, easy to navigate and provides contact information for anyone in need of a EFFECTIVE Estate Planning counsel. Be sure to check out the How We are Different page for some insight into the philosophy of the firm.

The three aspects of a internet visibility

2009-05-20T14:03:00.006-05:00

I meet with people who think they are marketing their business on the Web. They may have a website. They may even have some meta tags and keywords on that site. Maybe they have a small PPC campaign driving traffic to the site.
Picture a stool with three legs. If the seat of that stool is labeled "VISIBILITY" then what do we call the three legs that hold up the stool?
The THREE legs should be:
SEO - sitemap & relevant, updated content, meta tags, etc.
PPC Ads - Effective Ad Copy, Targeted Keywords and Phrases
Inbound Links - take advantage of powerful, relevant directories; adding power to your site

You can get leads from the Web if you use any of these three principles but ALL THREE will take your web-presence to another level.

CALL TO ACTION!

2009-05-05T08:40:00.004-05:00

Have you ever visited the website of a business with a product or service that you were interested in only to get frustrated at how difficult it is to find the businesses contact information? I hate that.
Furthermore, add a CALL TO ACTION at the top of every page. What do you want to prospective client to do? Tell them to contact you. Your business is the right business for them to give their money to, right?
Don't make them scroll down to the bottom of the page to find a phone number. People go to the internet for information. Once they find that information, make it easy for them to contact you.

New Family Law Campaign here in Houston

2009-05-04T15:08:00.004-05:00

Peter Steinmann has a small website and hasn't done much marketing in the past. His practice includes Family Law, Estate Planning and some Personal Injury Law. He is an avid golfer and enjoys getting outside whenever possible. His office is a virtual "who's who" of Golf as he has met or played with numerous pro golfers over the years.

He and his wife update the website regularly and he would like to drive more traffic to it. When I initially contacted Mr. Steinmann he was hesitant to meet with me as he receives numerous marketing calls throughout the week. I asked him for 20 minutes and he accepted the appointment but told me "not to get my hopes up."

After a brief presentation of how simple a Google and Yahoo PPC campaign can be he was on-board. He agreed to start with a small focused campaign with Call Tracking and is looking forward to hearing the phone ring more often.

Visit his site Houston Divorce Lawyer and check it out when you have the chance.

PPC campaigns and negative keywords...

2009-03-23T16:49:00.005-05:00

If you are going to have a successful PPC campaign, you will have to use at least a small list of negative keywords. Using negative keywords effectively is a sure-fire way to refine your keywords and drive QUALITY clicks to your site. Yesterday I performed a search for "wrongful death attorney" on Google. The first PPC result on the right side of the page was an employment attorney who no doubt is bidding on "wrongful termination" terms. As the consumer, looking for a wrongful death attorney how likely is it that I hire an attorney who's site is full of employment law content? Not very likely at all so that's a wasted click and wasted money. Adding "death" as a negative keyword would make sure that his clicks weren't being used up on leads that he has no chance of converting.
Another example - I found an attorney who practices medical malpractice in a search for "legal malpractice houston" on Google. If I click on that ad, I go to a site which is 100% medical malpractice related and dont' see any information about my search for legal malpractice. Again, if the term "Legal" was added to a list of negative keywords it would eliminate these irrelevant clicks.
In this very competitive and expensive SEM game, the more qualified and specific the lead, the better. Use negative keywords effectively to make sure your traffic is worth paying for.

Filteau & Sullivan, LLP launch new site.

2009-03-09T09:36:00.003-05:00

The attorneys Filteau & Sullivan specialize in business and commercial litigation as well as employment law. The partners, Bob Filteau and John Sullivan have practiced law together since 1980 and the firm is located near downtown Houston in The Heights. They handle cases ranging from personal injury to shareholder disputes and everything in between.
Visit their site at Houston Commercial Litigation Attorneys to find out more about their practice.

Location, Location, Location...

2009-03-03T15:01:00.002-06:00

Its been said many times. Location is everything when it comes to business. Not only where your business is located but also where it is marketed; Billboards, Newspaper, Magazine ads, etc. Its true with Internet Placement as well. Where do you market your law firm? I hope its where people are looking. When people go to Google, Yahoo, Yellowbook.com, FindLaw.com, AVVO.com; can they find you? Let me stress this point, these are people looking for you! They need your expertise. Can they find you?
It would be great if a consumer who needs you hears your radio ad or drives by your billboard at the EXACT time that he needs you, writes down your number and calls you. How often do you think this happens? I think it would be better to be visible when THEY initiate the search. This is what we call "directional advertising." In other words, buyers looking for sellers - NOT sellers looking for buyers.

The Web vs. other forms of advertising...

2009-02-20T13:00:00.003-06:00

I met with an attorney last week who is considering upping his advertising budget. He is considering either an AdWords campaign or a billboard. His area of practice is mainly ADR and Mediation but also practices litigation. He mentioned that the billboard that he likes is available at the corner of 59 right where it meets Spur 527 from downtown. He thinks he can get a bargain because its been open for a while. The "bargain" is $1500 a month...
My question was the following, "Sir, would it be more effective to have a billboard where people who are leaving downtown towards 59 who MAY need a Mediation Attorney can see it OR an ad on the two most searched websites on the planet when someone searches for 'mediation Houston' or 'ADR Lawyer?'" Seems like a no-brainer to me.
I'm talking about highly qualified traffic from Google and Yahoo. The only clicks you are going to get are from relevant searches. No billboard, newspaper ad, radio spot or any other form of advertising can provide that level of QUALIFICATION.
Here is the best part - the budget estimate on what his campaign would cost??? $700 a month. His ad would show up all over the country on Google for half the price of the BB on a SPUR 527 and Highway 59.
He's thinking about it...
There is a saying in poker - Think long, think wrong.

Why do you need a website?

2009-02-02T12:10:00.003-06:00

I met with an attorney last week and tried to stress the importance of having a website. She interrupted me mid-thought and shared a story with me. She got a call from a referral not too long ago but was in her car and couldn't write down the client's number. The client said, "that's okay, I'll just check out your site." She had to tell him that she didn't have one and she lost his business. Its that simple. What does it say about your law firm and your practice if people who need an attorney can't find you?
She admitted to me that she has put off a site for years even though she bought a domain name and knew that she needed one. We agreed on a 5 page website so that she can refer prospective clients to it for information about her practice areas. Its a shame that she lost that client and maybe others who looked her up on Google and Yahoo but couldn't find any information about her practice.

SEMPO certification

2009-01-26T12:33:00.003-06:00

Last week I completed certification for SEMPO. Search Engine Marketing Professionals Organization is a non-profit association working to increase awareness and promote the value of search engine marketing. Check out the SEMPO site to find out more - www.sempo.org

The courses were tough and covered everything from writing ad copy to selecting target keywords. The courses are developed by top SEM professionals and reflect current search engine standards and best practices.

The point? If you are an attorney in Houston and you considering SEM as a way to attract new cases for your practice; wouldn't you rather deal with a certified professional who KNOWS the product?

That time of year...

2009-01-23T10:54:00.004-06:00

What area of law you practice can be directly effected by the time of year. I've heard may times that the beginning of the year is a good time for Estate Planning attorneys. Why? Many people put off drafting a Will or setting up their estates until they make it their New Year's Resolution. I've also heard from attorneys that people don't get divorced during the summer (kids are out of school) or the Holidays for obvious reasons. I'm sure there are exceptions to the rules but if this is true, NOW IS THE TIME.My Search Engine product only requires a 4 month campaign so you can start now during the busy season and then pause your campaign during the summer. This allows you to capture some of "New Year's Resolution" searches or some of the divorces that have been put off for the past few months. Even better, if you are an attorney who practices both Family Law and Estate Planning like Karthryn Marteeny, you can capture both types of cases.Kathryn has practiced law for over 20 years in the Houston and Katy, Texas area and her site, Katy Family Lawyer is very informative and easy to navigate. If you need assistance with any Family Law issue or an Estate Planning matter, call Kathryn and take advantage of her FREE initial consultation.

The definition of insanity...

2009-01-08T09:34:00.005-06:00

I heard someone say not too long ago that their definition of insanity is, “repeating the same actions while expecting different results.” Said another way; “if you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’ll keep getting what you always get.”
I met with an attorney this week that doesn’t advertise AT ALL and complains about her lack of business. She said 100% of her clients are repeat clients or referrals but that nobody is spending any money right now because of the economy. While referrals and repeat clients are great, few attorneys in Houston, Texas can rely on them alone. After trying to explain to her that the ONLY reason she hasn’t had clients from the internet in the past is because she isn’t there, I finally resorted to quote from a friend of mine, “you only catch fish where you fish.” The Great One, Wayne Gretzky said it like this, “you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”
Its 2009! It blows my mind that there are small businesses out there with NO website or even a listing on a Web Directory like Yellowbook.com, Superpages.com, Houston.com. Okay, back to my visit with referral only attorney. Listen, I have stats and studies from third parties that PROVE people look on-line to find local products and services and the numbers are growing. Are you just going to ignore ALL of the people that look to the Web to find a lawyer? She didn’t buy anything from me YET. I have a follow up meeting with her next week and I can’t imagine leaving there without an order. I’ll be sure to post what happens.

The Law Office of Jeffrey Wyman

2009-01-07T17:10:00.001-06:00

When visiting Jeff’s website, Houston Probate Attorney you will see why it not only shows up well organically but also why it has a great conversion rate. Jeff has had the site for over 4 years and has done a great job of adding new content and keeping the site current.
Jeff and I met recently and discussed how a small, focused PPC campaign could benefit his practice. Most of his bew business is brought into the firm via his website and existing marketing efforts but he agreed that there is more out there. This new PPC campaign focusing on Probate Litigation and Estate Administration will compliment his already impressive organic results on Google and Yahoo.

DID YOU KNOW? Jeff is also a CPA.

Advertising in this economy...

2008-12-23T08:25:00.003-06:00

I get objections from prospects every week that include this present economy. "This economy is making it impossible to advertise right now."
Not to brag, I have spent more money this Christmas than ever. I went to Toys R Us the other day to buy a ride-on vehicle for my 2 year old son. Guess what; sold out! That's right, these vehicles range in price from $65-$399. Again, sold out!
This is what I think. People don't stop buying during economic downturns, go to a mall today and see for yourself. People do however, become more selective when making a purchase.
Great! My company offers great products, the best in the industry... So, its up to me. Am I getting out in the field and offering my product to people who need it?
Those businesses that choose to advertise in times like this are the ones that are going to come out ahead in the long run. Check out this article analyzing recessions of the past 80+ years: All Business - investing in a bad economy.
The economy will recover and history shows that those who choose to advertise during rough economic times come out ahead of those who don't.

Free AVVO listings...

2008-12-15T15:57:00.004-06:00

Cynthia Henley is well-known and respected among criminal defense attorneys in Houston. She is a solo practitioner so she watches closely what she spends on advertising. Cynthia has a website and has some listings on Internet directories like Lawyers.com and FindLaw.com. Recently, she has received some quality phone calls from her AVVO profile.
She’s thrilled with this of course, as the profile on AVVO is FREE! Cynthia has taken the time to improve her profile by adding information and photos as well as asking clients to fill out reviews. The profile also includes a place for other attorneys to endorse her as well.
Another benefit from the profile on AVVO is the link to her website – Criminal Defense Lawyer Houston. This inbound link from a relevant, highly trafficked site is a good way to get more visits to her site.If you’re a lawyer and you haven’t taken the time to improve your AVVO listing or worse yet, you don’t even have one. It is well worth your time as Cynthia tells me that she has had a handful of good cases from her AVVO listing in the past 6 months.

Specialty site for well-known Houston firm...

2008-12-11T14:33:00.004-06:00

JoAnne Musick is not only a respected attorney here in Houston. She is also well versed in the Internet Marketing game. Years ago she played a major role in the development of her existing site, writing content, helping with the layout, etc.
She also had the foresight to buy an extra domain name for a smaller, more specific site in the future. The theory here is this; by having a smaller more specific site you help your relevancy and conversion when someone lands on the site. After buying the URL JoAnne never found the time to do anything with it as she became busy practicing law, imagine that. When I met JoAnne in October she expressed interest in finally building a site with the other domain name. She decided that DUI/DWI cases would be a nice target as their existing site already performs well for Family and Juvenile Law searches.
With the help of specific PPC campaigns on Google and Yahoo targeting only local DUI/DWI searches, we are driving traffic to JoAnne’s new site Houston DWI Attorney. Check it out when you have the opportunity.
DID YOU KNOW? JoAnne graduated from Sam Houston State with a degree in Accounting.

Pick the ending...

2008-12-02T10:18:00.003-06:00

Check out Yellowbook's newest commercial. Staying with the "Say Yellow To The Future" theme established by the last set of commercials, this new ad incorporates public opinion. YOU get to choose the ending that will appear on our national ad campaign.
Go to http://www.yellowbook.com/commercial/ and pick the ending that you prefer. Results will be counted soon. You will start seeing the commercial during NFL football games on Fox, episodes of CSI, ESPN Sportscenter and other national placements in coming months.
Please come back here and let me know how you voted and why. Results will be posted to the right.

Nicole DeBorde's new SEM campaign

2008-11-21T17:02:00.005-06:00

When I met with Nicole she was happy with the amount of DUI cases her site was getting from the search engines. I said, “Great, I want to improve those results by adding a focused SEM campaign targeting searches like, ‘drug Charges defense’ and ‘drug possession attorney’ here in the Houston area. This would allow her to expand her current marketing efforts by giving her exposure on the right side of GOOGLE and Yahoo SERPs.
Her site, Houston Drug Possession Attorney is not only informative but also does a great job of converting the clicks that her SEM campaign attracts. After all, CONVERSION is what it’s all about. Who cares how many clicks you get if nobody contacts you?
Nicole is well-known and has a great reputation here in the Houston legal community. She is a former District Attorney and has appeared numerous times on national news channels including MSNBC and Fox News.

DID YOU KNOW? Nicole is married to another criminal defense attorney here in Houston.

My favorite website!

2008-11-18T09:56:00.004-06:00

Check out http://searchengineland.com/ when you have the chance. I love this site.
Take a quick look at it daily or a couple times a week to find out the latest about search engines and search engine marketing. There are multiple articles posted daily so you can stay informed about the Web and the latest news regarding SEM and optimization.

Murray Criminal Defense

2008-11-07T12:19:00.003-06:00

Mekisha Murray is a former Harris County prosecutor and specializes in criminal defense matters here in the Houston area. Take a look at her site at Houston Criminal Defense Lawyer to find out more about her and her practice.
Mekisha is a life-long Houstonian and concentrates solely on criminal defense matters including DUI charges, Drug Possession and Distribution charges as well as both felony and misdemeanors. She does some advertising in the Greensheet but for the most part has built her practice with nothing but hard work and taking great care of her clients.

What did I learn today???

2008-10-30T20:21:00.003-05:00

I've hit on this a few times now in past posts but I think I finally have a grasp on it.

SEO vs. SEM - I've had the optimizaiton believers tell me that SEM and PPC stinks because if you ever stop your campaign you've lost everything and are right back where you started... My response, even if that was true, who cares? You made alot of money while you were doing it. Here is an idea. Do some SEM to compliment your organic efforts. When your site is showing up in the first oraganic result for every search imaginable (will never happen) stop your SEM campaign. It doesn't have to be one or the other.

Consider this, if 70% of searchers look at the left side of SERPs and only 30% click on the ads on the right side, why is PPC and SEM Google's cash cow? I've seen all kinds of statistics from 80/20 - 70/30 or even 60/40 in favor of the left (organic) side of the SERPS. Whatever the number, a huge chunk of those organic clicks are informational only, in other words they aren't from buyers. I argue that while the organic side makes up most of the clicks and traffic on SERPs, the right side is where the buyers click. Isn't that what its all about?

Who else would click on ads with titles like, "affordable CPA" or "Discount Purses" if they weren't shopping? Searchers looking for local services or products are just as likely to click on a relevant ad on the right side as they are on the left. The only searchers who WON'T click on the ads on the right - people only looking for information, researching something, etc. People ready to buy click on the right side because they are, ready to buy.

Helpful tool to measure the quality of your site

2008-10-13T19:10:00.002-05:00

I'm constantly telling clients that just having a website in 2008 is not enough. The Internet is sooo competitive that you must have a strategy for how you market that website. A website that doesn't show up organically or on sponsored links is nothing more than an on-line brochure. Don't even think that its a marketing tool. You might as well have a billboard in the middle of a corn field.
I found a helpful website that measures the strengths and weaknesses of any website. www.websitegrader.com seems simple enough but its the first site I've found that breaks down page strength, quality of tags, inbound links and more. Take a look at the site and use the competitve site feature which will compare your site to others that are competing for your same customer base.

its been awhile

2008-09-08T14:54:00.003-05:00

Wow, I don't know if I remember how to make a post...
Making the switch from the Organic side of Google and Yahoo SERPs has not been easy. In other words, changing my mind-set that SEM doesn't work and SEO is the only way to go isn't as easy as flipping a switch.
I am convinced of one thing for sure though, BOTH are important to have a successful Web Presence. Yes, a well-optimized site will serve you well for relevant searches but what if you have a statewide or even nationwide practice? Do you have months, even years to wait for your site to index properly and rank among the top ten results? If so, great. If not, you need SEM. You need to place some PPC ads on the first page of Google and Yahoo to compliment your organic (SEO) efforts.
Let me assure you, if organic results were the only place you needed to be there would be no Google Empire as we know it today. The PPC side of the SERPs are the "cash cow" of Google.
I'm not convinced that either ONE strategy is better than the other. What I am convinced of is this, you better be in as many places as possible if you want consistent traffic.

Katine & Nechman's new site is live!

2008-06-30T12:27:00.002-05:00

Mitchell Katine and John Nechman are two attorneys here in Houston, Texas who decided to "join forces" so to speak. Their new site launched today and is going to do great on search engines. Not to mention, the site does a great job of relaying their firm's message and qualitications to the public.
John has been hard at work translating much of the content to Spanish and Mitchell provided input regarding both design and content. Both attorneys have helped tremendously with the direction and flow of their site. After a short visit with these two lawyers I realized that not only are they friendly and approachable, they are also very experienced in their areas of practice. Go to www.lawkn.com to check it out and find out more about this unique and highly qualified new team of attorneys.
Feel free to check back here and leave a comment about what you think of their new site.

Google beat out by CNN.com for searches!

2008-06-13T09:08:00.003-05:00

Okay, okay its only on News Video Searches but still...
One of my favorite blogs on the Web is the one at www.searchenginewatch.com. The most recent post features a survey about News searches on the Internet. 57% of the 500 people surveyed say they went to CNN.com for news compared to 53% who went to Google.
Even more interesting is the fact that 36% of the respondants are VERY LIKELY to click on a video that is listed on a search engine results page (SERP) while searching for news. In addition 35% are VERY LIKELY to click on a video that is embedded within the news article.
This is great news for those of us in the Internet Advertising business as more and more companies like FindLaw are offering Video services now. Even on-line Directories like Yellowbook.com are starting to offer video products.
To see the complete post go to http://blog.searchenginewatch.com/.

Informative BLOG from one of my clients

2008-06-05T08:57:00.002-05:00

Check out Ruby Bolton's blog at http://www.bolton-probate.com/. She has posted alot of helpful information about Probate Law and Wills and Trusts. My favorite post is under the "wills" section. She writes about the pitfalls of using one of those store-bought wills or "fill in the blank" wills. Very informative...
You can also get to the BLOG through her website at http://www.boltonlegal.com/.

Fact or Fiction - The Fold

2008-05-28T09:41:00.002-05:00

I tell propsects all the time that they the design of their website is important for many reasons. One of those reasons is the information displayed above "the fold" very often determines whether the user goes deeper into the site. Now the trend seems to be that as users get more and more accustomed to the Internet scrolling down the page is commonplace for people who are looking for information on the Web.
Here is a great article about "the fold" which I found helpful. Enjoy -
http://www.boxesandarrows.com/view/blasting-the-myth-of

New template site for Kingwood attorney

2008-04-18T14:23:00.003-05:00

Contratulations to Wayne Garrison. His new website just went live and will no doubt help his practice capture clients from the Internet. Wayne's goals for the site were simple; attract clients from Kingwood, Humble and surrounding areas who need help with DUI or Drug Charges. The content is well written, as always with a FindLaw site and portrays Wayne's message clearly.
Wayne works in all Criminal Defense areas but wanted to narrow the focus of the website to only DUI Defense and Drug Crimes Defense to make the site more effective for those search terms.
Check the site out at http://www.pwg-law.com/ when you have a chance.

Sheesh, another new custom site in Houston...

2008-04-14T10:35:00.004-05:00

Congratulations to Mark Goranson and Linda King. Their new FindLaw site launched last week and looks great. They have had a website but it wasn't bringing in clients and was used more for an on-line brochure than anything. Now they have a true web presence and a marketing tool in one.

http://www.goransonking.com/ is a custom site with a great layout and clean design. Its easy to navigate and features a Live News Feed and Employment FAQs. The firm's main practice areas are Business Litigation and Employment Law.

Be sure to check out the site and leave any comments if you have the chance.

Another new site

2008-04-06T20:10:00.008-05:00

When Jim Martin called me he wasn't sure where to start with creating the brand of his law firm. All he knew for sure is that he wanted it be aggressive. He didn't want a website that consisted of the typical family law images of children laughing and grandparents holding babies. He wanted pictures that portrayed what can be the toughest times in a person's life.

http://www.martinlilly.com/ is exactly that. This is a custom website with Information Centers about Divorce, Medical Malpractice and Motor Vehicle Accidents. The law firm of Martin & Lilly have offices in Kingwood, Sugarland and downtown Houston. Jim and Glenn have years of trial experience and well rounded backgrounds in various areas of law. Not to mention, Earle Lilly, a Texas legend in the area of Family Law, is OF COUNSEL and is board certified in Family Law.

Great site for North Houston law firm

2008-03-17T08:57:00.006-05:00

Congrats to Ruby and Andrew Bolton on the launch of their new site. The law firm of Bolton & Bolton has two offices; one in Tomball and another in The Woodlands. They have a wide range of practice areas including Family Law and Bankruptcy. When Ruby and I spoke initially she wasn't a believer in the Internet as a marketing tool and decided on another website provider. Almost a year later she called me to "revisit" the subject and give FindLaw a try. Since the firm is new to The Woodlands area Ruby wanted to be aggressive and go after business from that area.
After a couple meetings we decided that a Level 3 custom site with a few add-ons would help her dominate the North Houston area. Add-ons include FAQs and an "Information Center" for Bankruptcy as well as a BLOG for her Probate practice. Ruby also submitted her own FAQs for the areas of Divorce and Wills and Trusts.
I have NO doubt that this site will rank well immediatley due to the fact that the domain name has been around for a while and the content is well written. The geo tags are very targeted and should provide a boost for search rankings in the North Houston area. Visit the site at http://www.boltonlegal.com/ and feel free to let me know what you think.

Best new template site in Houston

2008-03-11T09:26:00.003-05:00

Congratulations to Michael Von Blon. His site received the most votes in the recent poll for "best new template site in Houston."
Check it out at www.michaelvonblon.com and feel free to check out the comments below in the post about the poll.

Long Tail searches...

2008-03-07T16:18:00.004-06:00

I meet with attorneys every day who want to be on the first page of Google and Yahoo for the searches "divorce attorney Houston" or "texas injury lawyer". These searches are great to show up for but how many of those searches are done by someone who actually wants to hire an attorney?
Research has shown that the searches that usually turn into paying clients or good cases are more specific and many times unique. For example, if searches like, "accident in workplace caused by fatigue" or "helicopter accident on petrochemical platform" start showing up on the traffic reports for your website, get excited. These are referred to as long tail searches.
Sure there is less of these searches performed but they convert at a higher rate. Not to mention, the volume of long tail searches is staggering. Every month my clients can expect to see a handful of searches like, "kingwood lawyer" or "attorney in the woodlands" but they see many more like, "custody modification for military personnel" or "questions about injury on construction site" that are performed only once each. Add all of these unique, long tail searches together and you have some serious search engine traffic.
I'll put it another way, if I give you the five or six searches a month like "houston attorney" and you give me all the long tail searches, which could be hundreds, who do you think will get more clients or cases from those searches?

Vote for Best template website in Houston

2008-03-04T08:16:00.005-06:00

Template sites are a great way to get noticed by search engines. Many attorneys aren't ready to take the plunge with a large custom website the first time I meet with them so the template site is the perfect way to get indexed on Google, Yahoo, etc without paying top dollar. Here are a few template sites that I like here in Houston:
http://www.befortlaw.com/
http://www.litigation-houston.com/
http://www.steinmann-law.com/
http://www.michaelvonblon.com/

Check out each and pick your favorite.

Google paid ads are decreasing in value...

2008-02-28T09:49:00.004-06:00

Since I got into the business of Internet Marketing I've studied the benefits of Organic Results as well as Pay Per Click (PPC) ads. There are numerous articles and studies that show where people click and how they search on Google, Yahoo, etc. Feel free to check out some of these on your own:
http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2004/11/15/organic-seo-vs-ppc-advertising
http://www.zeroonezero.com/services/ppc-vs-organic-sem.html
http://www.seoresearcher.com/paid-search-marketing-vs-natural-search-promotion.htm
http://www.bitwiselogic.com/blog/Joel+Carlson/11/Pay-Per-Click+vs.+Organic+SEO.html
These articles bring up many valid points. I've been of the oponion that BOTH are effective. PPC for short term success and organic results for long-term success. Studies have shown that nearly 80% of Americans look at the organic results on the left side of the page. That leaves only 20% to click on the PPC. Keep in mind, some of the clicks may be a result of "click fraud" and very expensive. For more information on click fraud check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Click_fraud
http://www.news.com/Exposing-click-fraud/2100-1024_3-5273078.html
Now I see that Google's paid ads are decreasing in traffic and becoming more expensive. Think of it this way; when you walk into a casino the number of slot machines far outnumber all the other games combined. Why is that? Its the CASH COW. Slot machines are the biggest money maker for a casino. Yes, you can win. You can also drop a huge amount of cash in a short period of time and get NOTHING in return. http://www.denverpost.com/ci_8371319?source=rss - Paid ads have been the cash cow for Google for a long time.
On the flip side, think of building an effective website that relays your firm's message to prospective clients with custom content that is well optimized. First, you will have a higher rate of conversion because of better content and you are pulling from 80% of the public instead of just 20%. Don't forget you get to keep the content and design because its custom written for you and your firm. Think about it. Most companies that build PPC campaigns can't build an effective website so there isn't any conversion.

Golf in the Desert

2008-02-24T20:16:00.007-06:00

I just returned from the FindLaw National Sales Meeting in Tucson. In addition to sitting in conference rooms for hours and drinking way too much coffee, I got to play golf in the desert for the first time. It was quite different than playing here in Houston as you can see from the picture. Its also nice to hit the ball farther because of the thinner air, less humidity, higher elevation, etc. Check out my shorts.

I'm looking forward to August. The FindLaw Q4 meeting will be in Vegas and we are staying at the Wynn, and yes we will be playing golf. I've heard many good things about the course and can't wait to leave massive divots all over it.

CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYER

2008-02-18T09:26:00.005-06:00

Cynthia Henley is a Houston Criminal Defense Lawyer who has never worked in the DA's office. She has been defending those accussed of crimes since day one. Her trial experience and the fact that she is very selective in the cases she takes on speaks volumes about her work ethic and integrity.
When I initially contacted Cynthia she was open minded about setting up a new website but was also being pitched by other website providers. Her question to me was this, "Is FindLaw a program or am I buying an actual website?" Cynthia was referring to a campaign or a program involving pay per click (PPC) ads on search engines that lead to a site with little content and NO optimization.
She wanted a website first and foremost that would relay her unique approach to the practice of law as well as convert clicks to clients. In other words, she felt if people get to a weak site through PPC ads it might not be enough if the content on the site is weak. I assured that with FindLaw she is buying a product not a program or a campaign that last 6 or 12 months. When the term of her contract is up with FindLaw she keeps her custom content and design and is free to take it elsewhere.
Check out the site at http://www.henleylaw.com/ and let me know what you think.

WHERE DOES THE WEBSITE "FIT" INTO ADVERTISING?

2008-02-14T10:42:00.001-06:00

I've had the same conversation with two VERY different attorneys in the last week. I spoke with Bob Simmons of Simmons & Fletcher, a Houston Personal Injury Law Firm as well Stephen Zayler, a solo bankruptcy attorney in Lufkin about advertising. Both of them are happy with their site for many reasons but the particular aspect that struck me is this; their website ties all their other advertising efforts together.
Both of them have TV commercials. S&F also do quite a bit of Radio. Stephen on the other hand, doesn't like radio but is a believer in billboards and print ads. Both of them have noticed that since their sites have launched, they have seen a tremendous increase in phone calls and intake forms submitted through the site.
Why? People in this country are smart, for the most part, and want to do some amount of research before they make a purchase of any kind, even before they hire an attorney. So, what happens when a person driving down the road sees a billboard for an attorney that might be able to help them with a problem? They go home or to work and look that attorney up on the Internet. Same with radio, tv and print ads. A firm's website can qualify or eliminate them from consideration. It's that simple. Furthermore, if a firm doesn't have a website, how many clients have they lost that they don't even know about? If I get the name of two attorneys because I have a legal issue I am going to the Internet to pre-qualify both of them. If one of them doesn't have a website, guess which one I'm probably going to call.
Both of these attorneys in different cities, different practice areas and different areas of advertising told me the same thing. They have advertised for years but the website has somehow brought their advertising efforts full circle.

Vote for the BEST new Legal site in Houston

2008-02-13T11:53:00.001-06:00

Here are the four nominees for the poll on the right:
http://www.gilbreathlaw.com/
http://www.gocriminallaw.com/
http://www.houstonbusinesslitigationattorneys.com/
http://www.houstontrialattorneys.com/

Please comment on why you voted for your particular choice.

Thanks.

Great New Site for Houston Litigation Attorney

2008-02-10T20:41:00.001-06:00

Stavis called me in November after spending some time on http://www.lawyermarketing.com/ and had a few questions. He was shopping around for a website company that could capture the details of his unique practice. After meeting with him twice he decided to move forward with a custom site and also added a Legal News Feed to give visitors to his site relevant, update information.
Check out the site at www.gilbreathlaw.com. It just launched last week and I expect it to do well on the search engines given many of Stavis' practice areas are unique and specialized.

Legal Marketing website here in Houston

2008-01-23T15:09:00.001-06:00

Jodi Koupal is a FindLaw consultant here in Houston. I've had the pleasure of working with her for two years now and have learned alot from her about this industry. Check out her site at www.houstonlegalmarketing.com. Its full of helpful information and tips on marketing and using the Interent to gain an advantage over the competition.

Jodi is consistently one of the top performers in the company and just finished #1 in the country for 2007. FindLaw has 135 consultants nationwide so this is a great accomplishment.

Jodi serves downtown Houston and all the way down I45 to Galveston as well as Beaumont and Baytown.

If you are in need of Internet Marketing help and in one of those areas call Jodi before you call anyone else.

Kathryn Marteeny, P.C.

2008-01-22T07:48:00.000-06:00

Kathryn met with a FindLaw rep last year at the Family Law Convention in San Antonio. The rep, Rob O'Connell and Kathryn discussed the Internet in general initially but soon the conversation turned to marketing and using the Internet as an advertising medium.
Kathryn agreed that she needs a website for her practice and that a premium template from FindLaw would fit her needs. The premium template includes moving text across the banner, a more modern design and content than a standard template.
Kathryn's pracitce consists of all areas of Family Law as well as Probate and Estate Planning. She is located on the Katy Freeway so the location is convenient for those in Katy and the west side of town who don't want to bother with downtown traffic and freeway construction along I-10. She is also a member of the College of the State Bar of Texas which requires a high standard of education and ethics of its members.
Kathryn went to West Virginia University and then attended The University of Houston's Bates College of Law.
Check out her site at www.marteenylaw.com

Networking on the Web

2008-01-17T16:07:00.000-06:00

If you don't have a profile on www.linkedin.com you may be missing out.
Missing out on what, you ask? Opportunitites, clients, inbound links, etc. In addition to allowing people who may know you and want to get back in touch, these sites are great for increasing traffic to your websites, blogs, etc. Google and other search engines consider inbound links "third party endorsements" so they can be extremely helpful in improving the rank of your site(s). Make sure that you select public profile in the "settings" section as well as listing web sites and blogs, etc. View my profile at http://www.linkedin.com/in/vincentshrum. Do it!

Kingwood Law Firm Launches 3rd FindLaw Site!

2008-01-15T09:17:00.001-06:00

Brian McNamara recently launched his 3rd FindLaw firmsite last month. He's had a template site with FindLaw for years but wanted to expand his Internet presence as provide more information to potential clients.

The new site will benefit from an aged domain name as well as a Divorce Practice Center. The design enforces the firm's branding efforts and has a great geographic "feel" for the Kingwood, Humble area.

Visit the new site at http://www.mcnamaralawyers.com/

and see more about the firm and Brian McNamara. He is board-certified in Texas and has been in the Kingwood area since 1992.

In addition to this site, Brian has a small template site dedicated to pre-nups in Texas.

Visit it at http://www.texasprenup.com/

Law Firm in The Woodlands, Conroe

2008-01-14T17:25:00.000-06:00

When I initially met with Bert at The Steinmann Law Firm in The Woodlands he already had a website and wasn't doing any advertising on the Internet. His site was old and outdated and he didn't even know if it was still up and running.

After a couple visits and a steady flow of information (from my e-mail box to his) about Internet Marketing and local search trends Bert decided to move forward with a template site to try the Internet out for a while.

His site went up in July and has seen a steady climb in the rankings. We had to use a new domain name due to problems with his previous host but will eventually have that domain name pointed to the site as well.

Check out the site at http://www.steinmann-law.com/.

Quantcast proves helpful in closing deal

2008-01-13T20:04:00.000-06:00

I got a call last week from an attorney who was comparing FindLaw.com to a competitor. His question was about total traffic and which directory was best for his marketing dollar. I told him to go to www.quantcast.com and see for himself. Its fairly easy to navigate and the site shows a ton of information about daily reach and rankings of the sites you inquire about.
He looked up www.findlaw.com as well as the URL of the other site and was blown away by the numbers. FindLaw consistently shows traffic rankings that blow away other legal directories. The unique monthly visitors alone beat most legal directories.
Needless to say, the attorney faxed me the order form and asked how soon until the spot would be live. I still haven't met this new client and look forward to dropping by sometime in the near future.
I highly recommend Quantcast as a way to measure websites and their effectiveness in reaching the public.

NEW BLOG ABOUT SEARCH ENGINE MARKETING FOR LAW FIRMS

2008-01-08T08:51:00.000-06:00

FindLaw released a new blog today from the Search Engine Marketing Department.
You can find it at http://sem.ofc.findlaw.com/.
I'm excited to have a focused site to share ideas and find tips regarding the ever-changing world of SEO. This blog will also be a great destination for my clients to go to for ideas regarding their own blogs and/or websites.

New template for family law attorney...

2007-12-24T14:24:00.000-06:00

Michael Von Blon is a Board Certified Family Law attorney here in Houston. He has a stellar reputation in the legal community but never considered the Internet a marketing opportunity. He had a website with Martindale-Hubble but it never produced any trackable results so he wasn't aware of Search Engine Optimization or relevant legal content and how it relates to a website.

After a letter explaining how FindLaw can help his practice and a brief meeting Michael decided to try out a premium template. As is the case with most of my clients, Michael wants to "try it out for a few months" and then decide if he would like to add products or move up to a custom design with more pages and content.

Feel free to check out the site at http://www.michaelvonblon.com/

Employment Law in Houston

2007-12-19T08:04:00.000-06:00

A longtime client of FindLaw, The Solomon Law Firm decided to add to their presence on FindLaw.com. After reviewing traffic reports from the webiste and evaluating how people are finding his firm on the Web, Lee Solomon gave me a call to add some products. Over the years the firm has seen their rankings on search engines improve but also recognize the importance of being on directories like FindLaw.com.

You can check out the site at http://www.thesolomonlawfirm.com/ or get to it through many of their links on FindLaw.com. They are located in numerous areas including the business section and employment areas.

Tools to measure rankings of websites

2007-12-06T15:28:00.000-06:00

I came across two sites that help in checking the traffic rankings of websites.
The first is www.alexa.com. The site seems to be having issues right now but the blog is informative - http://awis.blogspot.com/.
The other is www.marketleap.com. An interesting tool is the Link Popularity Check. You can type in the URL of any website and see how many links the site has pointed to it; helpful for measuring the power and reach of a website.

Connie Singleton has a new website!

2007-11-30T08:37:00.000-06:00

Connie has advertised in the Yellow Pages for years and had a website for a few years as well. When she met with FindLaw at the Family Law Conference in August she realized that she was missing out on the benefits of having a well-designed, well-written, optimized website.

This site is a 444C with a Presentation Pack and covers all of Connie's practice areas. She is well known for her family practice but also handles business matters, probate and estate planning as well as numerous areas of litigation.

The site launched yesterday under a temporary domain name: www.csingletonlaw.net. Once the aged domain is released from AT&T we will switch it to www.csingletonlaw.com.

Ashley Marsh was the designer on the project and did a great job of customizing the design per Connie's preferences.

NEW criminal defense website in Houston

2007-11-29T09:02:00.000-06:00

James is another client who needed to get his presence on the Web up and running quickly since leaving the DA's office.

He selected a template because they take less time to build and with a new domain name, (http://www.jponslaw.com/) the template allows for the aging of the domain without alot of expense.

In addition to the template, James is also a subscriber to Legal Connection. This service delivers leads to his e-mail directly from prospective clients who are searching for a criminal defense attorney on the Internet. LC also allows James to browse unmatched leads from all over the state of Texas in ALL areas of law.

To find out more about Legal Connection go to http://www.legalconnection.com/ or http://www.lawyermarketing.com/.

Christian Trial Attorneys in Houston, Texas

2007-11-26T18:56:00.000-06:00

I am very excited to announce the launch of a new FindLaw site. Simmons & Fletcher is a well-known, well-respected law firm in Houston and now they have the website to match their reputation.

When I met Keith at the HBA Golf Tournament in April he admitted that their website has been overlooked in the firm's marketing efforts. After meeting with he and Bob and a few others from the firm I realized that the image of the firm was going to be difficult to portray on a website.

Thanks to the development team from FindLaw and the vision of designer Joe Lover the new site captures exactly what the firm wanted to portray to potential clients.

The site is a custom site with three pratice centers, a Spanish translated Home Page and a News Feed that updates up to three times daily. Bob Simmons also had the great idea to add a Prayer Request form for those that may be hurting and need prayer.

Check it out at http://www.simmonsandfletcher.com/.

Another new FindLaw template...

2007-11-20T17:26:00.000-06:00

Congratulations to Jeff Downing on the launch of his new FindLaw site.

Jeff has been on his own for about 6 months since leaving the DA's office and is ready to see his practice grow. I met with Jeff in early October. He was so eager to get the site up and running that production only took 5 weeks from start to launch.

Check it out at www.thedowninglawfirm.com.

The firm handles all matters of criminal defense focusing mainly on DWI defense, Juvenile Defense and Drug Crimes.

I will be adding a section for FindLaw templates like this one to my BIO soon. See it at: http://www.lawyermarketing.com/CM/Consultants/Vincent-Shrum.asp

Swift New Template from FindLaw

2007-11-18T19:31:00.001-06:00

Brian Swift recently left a large, well known firm in Houston to start his own firm in Magnolia, Texas. Brian contacted me to assist him with his firm's Internet presence because of FindLaw's reputation.

The site went live last week. Check it out at www.bswiftlaw.com

Congrats to Brian. I look forward to watching this new practice grow.

Tomball firm upgrades their website

2007-11-15T15:15:00.000-06:00

Dena signed up with FindLaw in October of last year. She started with a small template site and it worked so well she upgraded to a custom site less than a year later.

Check it out:

http://www.fredricksonlawfirm.com/

The firm handles cases in a few different areas of law including Real Estate and Bankruptcy but she wanted to concentrate this site on Family Law. In addition to the custom design the site has Frequently Asked Questions about Divorce.

They have two offices, one in Spring and one in Tomball.

Personal Injury firm updates their website

2007-11-14T18:15:00.000-06:00

Congrats to Blizzard, McCarthy & Nabers on the release of their new website. Check it out at http://www.blizzardlaw.com/

The administrative assistant to the partners at the firm contacted FindLaw in July to update and improve their firm's presence on the Internet. Some of the site's features are Presentation Pack, a live news feed, 3 practice centers and Frequently Asked Questions.

They are happy with the site and are looking forward to the results it will bring.