Your site has been automatically updated to the latest version of Wordpress

Wordpress software is quite user friendly. It even provides an automatic update feature, so you don't have to think abut it at all. Pretty cool, huh?! Or is it?

I received a call from a client today who had received one of those automatic update alert from her website, which is built on Wordpress. She had decided that her son was capable of handing the simple maintenance of her site, and she was working with on on her other internet marketing and presence. He son has set Wordpress to automatically update. In the last week alone, there has been three updates.

The problem is, that the update had a conflict something else that was installed on her website and now her website wasn't working. Some pages were goobly gook and others were totally crashed.

In a panic, she called and begged hoping there was a simple fix. The answer was maybe and sort of.

I asked a very important question - "When was the last time you did a full backup of your site?"  Her answer was the key to how easily (or not) her site could be restored.  Her website had been backed up only a month ago. Good.
However, since that time her son had made several updates to plugins, changed a few settings and then set Wordpress to automatically update. Not so good. In short, her update was outdated.

She was advised that it was still possible to restore her website to that previous backup, however, any changes her son had made since that date would not be included. And she would still have to  update Wordpress.

It's not uncommon for a conflict to occur between on outdated plug in and Wordpress. It's also not uncommon for two plugins to dislike each other. Some developers never update their plugin or offer support once it's been released.

Putting her site back online also meant she needed to troubleshoot what may have caused the conflict so it didn't happen again.

Fortunately for her we were able to get her back online in a few hours and our regular rush fee. The glitch was a conflict between an outdated plugin and the new version of Wordpress.  All it takes is one line of code to cause a conflict.  We found a few other questionable areas in the code of her old theme (we didn't design) that also prevent her site from converting well on mobile devices. That's an entirely different fix.

It's all good for her now. Her son now knows that although automatic updates can be convenient, they can also be costly.  He will be doing more backups now.

Your website is your brand online.  Regardless of how someone may have heard of your, they will attempt to learn more about you from your online presence.

 For assistance, training or consultation with your internet presence, call 800-569-8279

FBI warns, Wordpress sites are a target for malicious code and hackers

On April 7, 2015 The FBI issued a warning "Continuous Web site defacements are being perpetrated by individuals sympathetic to the Islamic State in the Levant (ISIL) a.k.a. Islamic State of Iraq and al-Shams (ISIS). 

WordPress hacking is not new. WordPress is attractive to hackers simply by virtue of being so popular. Over 60% of websites are build on a WordPress platform.

You need to know

If you delegate the management of your website to a company or person outside of your firm, you may not be aware of how much protection you have or need, and if you are getting it. If you are the one who is doing the work on a WordPress platform, you are aware of how many times a plug-in or theme needs an update. If you are running security software on your site, you may also see how many times an attempted hack has been thwarted, If you are not running security software on your site, you are simply opening yourself up to trouble.

Having an old, updated site is not only bad for marketing, it is critically dangerous to the security of your site.

Your site is not too small to be hacked

Although you may think your site is too small or not a target, if you are hacked it is disruptive and often costly in terms of lost business revenue and expenditures on technical services to repair infected  websites and computer systems.

Keeping your site secure may seem complex and tedious, however, it is important to take consistent measure to keep your site and your visitors safe.

The solution:
1. Check your site daily and update themes, plugin's and software
2. Use an administrative log-in other than "Admin"
3. Use strong passwords and change them often
4. Install and keep updated security software on your computer and your website
5. Use a plug-in that limits the amount of log-ins
6. Keep your plug-ins updated.
7. Be proactive about protecting your website
8. Make sure the computers you use are free of spyware, malware, and virus infections.
9. Always keep your operating system and the software on it, especially your web browser, up to date to protect you from security vulnerabilities.
10. Make sure you are running secure, stable versions of your web server and the software on it.
11. Update the firewall rules on your router.
12. Be careful about what networks you work from, ie: free WIFi is NOT secure and neither are the passwords you use when using these free networks. If you get infected or hacked when using free WiFi, you can carry this infection back to your basic home or work computers.
13.Work with a competent web management person or firm who will stay on top of all this for you..

Read the complete FBI announcement here: ISIL DEFACEMENTS EXPLOITING WORDPRESS VULNERABILITIES

Other suggestions from WordPress on how to "harden" your Wordpress Site.

Regardless of the size of your law firm, or your website, your site could be vulnerable. This may be the time to take a deep interest in your site security as a general approach to helping protect your site visitors and your investment.

 For assistance, training or consultation with your internet presence, call 800-569-8279

Are Your Site Visitors Safe?

Forbes discovered on December 1, 2014 that on November 28th a file had been modified on a system related to the Forbes website.

Two research firms involved,  detected and attributed the attack to the Chinese. They describe the attack as using multiple zero day vulnerabilities.

 The hackers tinkered with the Adobe Flash widget that delivers the Thought of the Day page that visitors to Forbes.com are taken to when they visit the site. The attackers did this to send specially-chosen visitors to a hacker-controlled site that would serve up an exploit against a zero-day vulnerability in Flash and, if it was needed, another flaw in Microsoft Internet Explorer.

Malware that sought to acquire basic system information from victims’ machines could then potentially have been downloaded on targets’ systems. The malware would attempt to download itself after visitors hit the Forbes.com site.

Forbes describe the attack as: “Anyone who was running on any Windows OS above XP and using browsers other than Internet Explorer should have been safe, though targets using other systems could have been affected.”

 There haven’t been any reported cases of successful exploitation, though they could exist.

 How secure is your site from hackers?

 Regardless of the size of your law firm, or your website, your site could be vulnerable. This may be the time to take a deep interest in your site security as a general approach to helping protect your site visitors and your investment.


For assistance, training or consultation with your internet marketing, call 800-569-8279

Is your site Mobile Friendly? If not - you are losing clients!

What does it mean for a site to be mobile friendly? The top three things are:
1.) Test that can be read without having to scroll
2.) Images that automatically resize
3.) No Flash software use.

As mobile devices are fast becoming the #1 method of accessing the internet, Google has started to send emails to non-mobile website owners to advise them that it't time for a facelift, if not a full redesign. Just because you think your site is attractive,doesn't mean that Google agrees.

An email from Google seen below:

 Some people found out by accident, or are still in the dark, because this notice is usually sent to the webmaster of the site.

Visit your own website on the internet. Do you have to scroll to read the test? Go through each page. How easy is it to read by someone who doesn't know what it should be saying?

A website that hasn't been redesigned for over 4 years is not only out of date in design, it is out of date in functionality - two things that hurt your SEO and potential new clients.

If your website is not delivering the results you need or it's in need of a face-lift to become mobile friendly, let's talk. Click to email us.   We'll listen first to your goals, research your Internet presence and provide our solutions to meet your unique objectives.

Don't plan to do everything, rather - do what's best for your firm

You can have the best looking, snazzy website; and all the social media sites, plus you can be blogging and posting everyday….however, unless you engage your audience, your target market , it can be compared to being the best attorney, with the best case preparation, all the best trial exhibits and pleading your case in an empty courtroom.

Social has become an integral part of an organization’s digital marketing mix. To do this well, you need to strategize an ongoing plan, one that creates relevant and personalized social activity and one where you can do real-time optimization.

It is not a plan of ‘doing everything’ in digital marketing because it’s there, but rather ‘do what’s best’ for your firm.

As with any marketing approach, you must first determine why you want to use social media for and what you hope it will do for you.

The Internet is impersonal, and can support or wreak havoc on your image,  your brand.
When done correctly it can:

• Give exposure to your experience and expertise
• Support your reputation 
• Showcase your testimonials
• Fit easily into your marketing mix
• Fit well into time management.
• Provide a flexible and changeable message
• Low cost or free*
•  Level the playing field

Your website should be your Hub, to go-to place to find information about you, your areas of practice, your wins, etc. Social Media post should be engaging, sending people to your website regularly.

Your marketing messages need to "speak to" your target audience - referring attorneys and potential clients, keeping in mind that opposing counsel and jurors will also find this information.


For assistance, training or consultation with your internet marketing, call 800-569-8279 

IS YOUR WEBSITE COMPLIANT WITH THE LAW?

Some industries have specific rules they must adhere to for all their advertising and marketing, both offline and online.  The Healthcare industry has specific marketing regulations, codes and guidelines. Lawyers and legal associations must follow Bar Rules. In California,  this includes Rule I-400.

Any website, blog , internet site or application (app)  that wants to stay in good standing with search engines, must follow their specific terms and conditions. The two largest, Google and Yahoo, have these webmaster guidelines prominently posted, updated and available.

There are also State and Federal laws governing how ALL websites must behave to insure the privacy of their visitors.  There are additional laws (below) that are specific to protect the privacy of children. The following list does not cover all the internet privacy laws currently in force, or being proposed. You are advised to be knowledgeable of the laws that apply to your business – Federal, State and your specific industry.

• CALIFORNIA – Online Privacy Protection Act of 2003 – California Business and Professions Code sections 22575-22579. This law requires operators of commercial web sites or online services that collect personal information on California residents through a web site to conspicuously post a privacy policy on the site and to comply with its policy. The privacy policy must, among other things, identify the categories of personally identifiable information collected about site visitors and the categories of third parties with whom the operator may share the information. The privacy policy must also provide information on the operator’s online tracking practices. An operator is in violation for failure to post a policy within 30 days of being notified of noncompliance, or if the operator either knowingly and willfully or negligently and materially fails to comply with the provisions of its policy. This law takes effect July 1, 2004.

• Assembly Bill No. 370 (AB 370) amends Section 22575 of the state’s Business and Professions Code. Section 22575 requires the operator of a website that collects personally identifiable information on consumers residing in California who use or visit the site to conspicuously post its privacy policy on the site.  (The operator of an online service must make its privacy policy available by any reasonable accessible means.) As amended by AB 370, Section 22575 requires such an operator to include in its privacy policy a description of how the operator responds to do-not-track settings in consumers’ browsers. The law describes such settings as “signals or other mechanisms that provide consumers the ability to exercise choice regarding the collection of personally identifiable information about an individual consumer’s online activities over time and across third-party Web sites or online services.” An operator can satisfy the new requirement “by providing a clear and conspicuous hyperlink in the operator’s privacy policy to an online location containing a description, including the effects, of any program or protocol the operator follows that offers the consumer that choice.” The law also requires an operator to disclose in its privacy policy whether, when a consumer uses the operator’s website or service, other parties can collect personally identifiable information about a consumer’s online activities “over time and across different Web sites.”

• CALIFORNIA NON PROFIT COMPANIES – California Ed. Code § 99122
  Requires private nonprofit or for-profit postsecondary educational institutions to post a social media privacy policy on the institution’s Internet Web site

• CONNECTICUT Gen. Stat. § 42-471
  Requires any person who collects Social Security numbers in the course of business to create a privacy protection policy. The policy must be “publicly displayed” by posting on a web page and the policy must (1) protect the confidentiality of Social Security numbers, (2) prohibit unlawful disclosure of Social Security numbers, and (3) limit access to Social Security numbers.

ADDITIONAL LAWS TO PROTECT CHILDREN’S PRIVACY

• Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (“COPPA”). COPPA imposes certain requirements on operators of websites or online services directed to children under 13 years of age, and on operators of other websites or online services that have actual knowledge that they are collecting personal information online from a child under 13 years of age.

• Calif. Bus. & Prof. Code §§ 22580-22582 (2013 S.B. 568, Chapter 336) (Effective 1/1/2015.)
  California’s Privacy Rights for California Minors in the Digital World Act, also called the “eraser” bill, will permit minors to remove, or to request and obtain removal of, content or information posted on an Internet Web site, online service, online application, or mobile application. It also prohibits an operator of a Web site or online service directed to minors from marketing or advertising to minors specified products or services that minors are legally prohibited from buying. The law also will prohibit marketing or advertising certain products based on personal information specific to a minor or knowingly using, disclosing, compiling, or allowing a third party to do so.

Laws regarding making false and misleading statements in website Privacy Policies

• NEBRASKA  Nebraska Stat. § 87-302(14)
  Nebraska prohibits knowingly making a false or misleading statement in a privacy policy, published on the Internet or otherwise distributed or published, regarding the use of personal information submitted by members of the public.

• PENNSYLVANIA 18 Pa. C.S.A. § 4107(a)(10)
  Pennsylvania includes false and misleading statements in privacy policies published on Web sites or otherwise distributed in its deceptive or fraudulent business practices statute.

Your privacy policy should be specific to  your website, blog, app, etc. and not simply copy of someone else’s. Your privacy policy should be as unique and specific as your business.

Is your website compliant? Contact us to discuss your specific industry website, your goals and needs. Click to e-mail us or call 800-569-8279

Additional Resources:

SBA and Privacy Policy
FTC
Cal Gov
FTC Privacy and Security

THEY SAID WHAT ABOUT ME!?....Your Internet Reputation

Your day was progressing as usual and then you discovered a scathing review that someone left about you on the internet.

It used to be that disgruntled clients would leave your office, complain to a few friends and family; maybe write you a nasty letter, and then they simply moved on with their lives.

Not so today. The internet has opened new and dangerous venues for vocalizing complaints, right or wrong.

Recently, a client called, very upset, that one of his previous clients from over a year ago had just posted a flaming negative review on Yelp. My client knew that every thing that was written online was fabricated and incorrect, but what could he do. Suing someone for defamation is a difficult road.  A week later, another client called with the same problem. 

Both clients' initial response was to write a long reply defending themselves and their firm. Fortunately, they talked to me first.

WHAT NOT TO DO:

1.) Don't panic. Seldom can you think clearly when you are angry and in a panic.

2.) Do not attempt to defend yourself in a posted response. You will lose! Defending yourself, you will provide more information for your reviewer to attack; then  you will defend again,and the reviewer will attack your defense, and so on and so on...... you will lose!

3.) Do not break client/attorney privilege by writing anything about the case.  Not only will this give the reviewer something else to attack, you have now provided them something to take to the state bar.

4.) Do not attack the credibility of the poster. This is not a courtroom and it quickly becomes your word against theirs. Most times, you will lose! 

5.) Do not write a advertising type review of yourself; citing how all of your clients are happy with your work, etc. In your haste to defend yourself,  you may unintentionally violate Rule 400.

6.) Do not respond as a victim. What you write will remain on the internet for future clients to find. Broadcasting yourself a victim may interfere with your brand as a competent attorney.

7.) Do not ignore it and hope it will go away. A negative post without a response may be the one result a searcher will find.

8.) Do not continue clicking on the link, or send it to friends to read. What assists search results to stay at the top of results is their popularity. The more clicks - the longer the life of the link.

9.) Do not ask others to immediately post on this review, or respond to the poster of the review. Positive reviews all posted immediately after the negative review, posted on the same day, near the same time and worded similar will appear manipulated and dishonest.

Removing or reducing the impact of your negative reviews is best achieved when following a strategic plan.

WHAT TO DO:

1.) Take a breath.

2.) Write our your response in a word document, and set it aside for a day. 

3.) Make a plan to ask colleagues and clients to post positive reviews on several OTHER sites, including your firm website, over a few weeks span, without any reference to the negative site.

4.) Claim your profile on this site, if possible, to respond appropriately in proper time. Build this profile with the same focus as your website.

5.) When you feel you are ready to respond to the review, have what you intend to post reviewed by someone who understands Rule 400, client/attorney privilege and Public Relations, in order to make sure your response is appropriate and places you in the best light possible.

6.) Submit a request to the search engines to de-index the offending site/page. Be prepared to explain why it should be removed from the database. Your request should be as carefully worded as your direct response to the post. In some cases, you can ask the specific site to remove a post. Revenge sites are another matter. They have sprung up with the intention to give people a platform to say anything. They have shown to be unreceptive regarding removing negative posts. In those cases, your strategy needs to be one to drown the bad review with  a strong plan of positive actions and reviews.

7.) Post positive reviews on your website. Update the content on your website so it continues to be fresh and current for the search algorithms.

8.) Take advantage of free attorney profiles on legitimate 3rd party sites to build your brand and acquire positive reviews.

9.) Be active on legal websites where you can answer legal questions and showcase your expertise.

All that being said, some negative reviews can be a support to your image. All 5 star, glowing reviews can appear disingenuous.

Another Big DO: Stay on top of your internet reputation. Do not simply trust a Google Alert to keep you informed. Google and Yahoo have their separate and sometimes similar database so you may not see everything that is on the internet about you. I recommend using Dogpile.com , Mamma.com or zabasearch.com. These mega search engines aggregate and organize the web's content from several of the leading search engines.

These are only the top tips on what you should and should not do. Your internet strategy should contain additional actions. All that being said - when in doubt - call me.


For assistance, training or consultation with your internet marketing, call 800-569-8279 or email me through this link 

Why Can't I Say That?

After last month's article titled: Facebook Dangers for Lawyers, I received a number of  inquiries asking, "Why can't I say that?"

Two points come to mind:

One is the advertising/communications rule.

A recent opinion from the California bar's ethics committee (Formal Op. 2012-186) the question is addressed: Under what circumstances would an attorney's postings on social media websites be subject to professional responsibility rules and standards governing attorney advertising?

The published opinion presented five examples of posts:
1.) "Case finally over. Unanimous verdict! Celebrating tonight."
2.) "Another great victory in court today! My client is delighted. Who wants to be next?"
3. ) "Won a million dollar verdict. Tell your friends and check out my website."
4.) "Won another personal injury case. Call me for a free consultation."
5.) "Just published an article on wage and hour breaks. Let me know if you would like a copy."

How do these posts appear to you? Are they similar to any posts that you might have made?

The opinion concludes that the advertising rules do not come into play if a lawyer's social media post merely announces a victory or recent publication (examples 1 and 5), without suggesting that the lawyer is in the market for new clients. But when a message expresses the lawyer's willingness to be hired (examples 2, 3 and 4), the posts must comply with Rule 1-400.

This holds true on any site that can be accessed by the public, including your blog, website and the legal directory sites where you have an opportunity to post information or answer questions. A quick disclaimer stating your answer wasn't a solicitation for clients, after you stated,  call me, etc. won't protect you. It's much safer to follow the Rule.

It is a professional hazard to think that a post on a "personal" social media site allegedly seen by only "friends or connections" will be safe communications. Friends will have friends, who have friends, who may also see these posts. Regardless of your privacy settings today, the settings may default anytime the social media site makes a system upgrade, making all your posts public. "It's not my fault." won't help.

and the other point is the appearance of impropriety.

The good and bad is that the data on a social media sites is highly searchable.  Photos, posts, comments on posts and peer endorsements are especially popular in search results.

If you are going to post photos, I strongly suggest that you maintain the highest privacy setting and be cautious of who you tag in your photos. An attorney socializing with a judge or mediator can be an innocent event, until a juror or opposing counsel, doing their due diligence, finds it.  Most of the judges I have spoken with at social events tend to avoid the camera, and have told me that they don't want any photos of themselves placed on the internet. So I don't feel bad when they turn or walk away when a camera approaches.

Recommendations and peer reviews are another tricky area. All dependent on how it is worded, if an attorney posts a glowing review on a mediator's profile or vise versa, it can possibly be construed as an appearance of impropriety leading to a conflict of interest. If a mediator has reviews only from plaintiff attorneys or only from defense attorneys, it could put the mediators' neutrality into question.

There are other areas of concern unique to certain social sites, which I will cover on my blog and in future newsletters.

Social media has a number of advantages, and when used properly can be an marketing asset to you and your firm. I'll address more of this topic in future newsletters.


The bottom line - be safe, not sorry. Know the rules and think of the bigger picture before posting, and when in doubt - dont!

For assistance, training or consultation with your internet marketing, call 800-569-8279 or email

Should you be on Facebook?

"Everybody is doing it, so I should too." is one of the most dangerous reasons to do anything, especially a marketing strategy.

I can still hear my Mother's voice ringing in my ear. "If Susie jumped off a cliff, would you do it too?"

That sounded ridiculous at the time, and still does; however, it's that same copycat thinking that many attorneys use when deciding on their marketing strategy. 

The world is changing and the Internet has become the tool for discovery, communications and referrals.  Just because you are told that "everyone is on Facebook" is not enough reason for you to join the game. As with any marketing approach, you must first determine why you want to use Facebook and what you hope it will do for you. The Internet is impersonal, and can support or wreak havoc on your image,  your brand.

Social media sites such as Facebook encourage electronic social interaction. Attorneys have a different set of cautions and are controlled by bar rules when advertising, or soliciting. Use of Facebook and other similar can fall into that area.

You may have precautions in mind about confidentiality and code of ethics in your posts, however, your image is affected by other things as well.

The good and bad is that the data on a Facebook page is highly searchable. Posting photos to Facebook of your weekend party or even your bar gathering can have consequences.  I advise my clients not to willingly let anyone tag them in any photos on Facebook. If a juror or opposing counsel is doing their due diligence, finding photos of judges and attorneys drinking together can be a potential image problem. Photos on a website can be less searchable and are more easily controlled.

In some states, having a judge "friend" an attorney, could give the impression that the attorney is in a special position to influence the judge, and therefore crosses the ethics line.

If you have set up a Facebook page for your firm,  you have no control over who likes your page. If your setting are open that allows followers to comment on the page or on a conversation stream, there is potential for negative or other unacceptable comments. Even though you may delete these from the page, they stay on the posters timeline and potentially in search results.

The privacy settings can only help so much. You might post jokes and private comments on your personal timeline, and one of your friends likes or shares - it is then no longer private. Plus many times when Facebook updates it's latest algorithms, the settings revert back to the default, which is no longer private.

Search results don't always deliver the entire string of a conversation. I found a search result one time where my client was named in a sarcastic off-color remark on one of his friends posts. The search result picked up the client's name, the name of his firm and the sarcastic off-color comment. At a glance, it appeared that his firm had made this comment. Clicking the link in the search result ended up on a page with privacy settings, so the entire post stream was unavailable, leaving the searcher with the edited portion, and an unflattering image of the firm.

Before adding Facebook or any other social media site into your marketing mix, make sure you understand what it can and cannot do for you,  how you are going to use it and how you will monitor it.

Remember that One Size Does Not Fit All. Just because your friends are doing it, doesn't mean it right for you. If your online presence is not giving you the results you were hoping, let's talk. Click to email us.   We'll listen first to your goals, research your Internet presence and provide our solutions to meet your unique objectives.

Have you ever wondered how search works

Have you ever wondered how search engines actually work to deliver you the results you seek in the blink of an eye? The following link is an interactive inforgraphic by Google to give an insight into what happens between the request of a search query and the retrieval of results.

As you watch this, note how often "freshness" and "content" are mentioned. http://www.google.com/insidesearch/howsearchworks/thestory/

Keeping the content on your website current and updated regularly with helpful and relevant information is very important. So if your website hasn't been updated in a while, regardless of how attractive it might be or how important you think that information is, it may be time to tweak, add to, change or restructure your website for better results.

If you think  your website needs an overhaul, let's talk. Click to email us. We'll listen first, look at your online presence and then offer our recommendations.  One size does not fit all.The solution for you should be unique to your business and goals. 

What you do best

Regardless of the size of your law firm, marketing is essential if you want to keep pace and grow in today's marketplace. The Internet is a powerful marketing tool - when used strategically and correctly. A few common mistakes that can hurt you might include:

A website that looks like everyone else, with common content.
      When your website looks like everyone else then how does your client or a referring attorney see you as any different. This is usually made by using the same template you liked on someone else's site, or using a web company with limited knowledge or access to templates.

Attorneys who post personal activities on their social media profiles.
     Most attorneys (hopefully) know what is legal to post online, however, when you advise your clients to be careful of what they post on their social sites, the same advice is good for you. What you think is a cute joke or "no harm" comment just might show up in a search by a juror or opposing counsel.


Attorneys who control it all 
     It is important that you have an understanding of what the Internet can do for you, however, the playing field is changing multiple times a day.  The learning never ends. What you are doing today may not hold up to the search engine algorithms, or the changes in various social media policies and offerings.  The biggest mistake in doing it all yourself is how much time you take away from what you do best - lawyering. 

The worst mistake is to stop marketing
     Every day new lawyers are entering the already competitive marketplace. Although the Internet is growing in persuasive power every day, it is only one component that should be included in your overall marketing plan.   Some attorneys stop marketing because they think they have enough cases or referrals, then things slow now and panic ensues.  Marketing through personal networking, speaking engagements, associations and events should also be in your marketing arsenal. Each one is powerful, however, putting them together in a strategic marketing plan can be even more effective for you.

Whether you are looking to attract clients or referrals from other attorneys, the image they see on the Internet will play into their decision about you.

So do what you do best, and trust your assistants or outside consultants to assist you in maximizing the potential of the Internet.

When is it time to update your website?

Everyday at least one of my clients receives an email from someone stating they their website needs to be updated, and the unknown email sender is the best person to do it. Everyday new people enter the arena of webdesign. some take a software class, others an online class and some buy a program of templates. I am asked, how often should a website be updated? And what is the difference between a web designer and website development?

 First, your website should be updated when:
1.) You have broken links, missing images, difficult navigation, outdated content or outdated firm image.
2.) Significant changes are made to search algorithms and your site results are beginning to decline
3.) You've added new associates or partners
 4.) You have new case results
5.) You have received acknowledgements or have articles newly published in legal journals.

When not to update:
1.) Someone guarantees you top placement in search results if they redesign your entire website. As a good attorney, your client may ask you at the onset of filing a case to tell them exactly what they will get when you win the case. Noting the many good cases that have been lost, it's evident that you can't guarantee what will happen. There are black-hat techniques that can get your website in the top results - for a while. However, long term success cannot be guaranteed. And black-hat techniques can come back to haunt you.
2.) You're bored with the look. Being pretty isn't always necessary. If your site is still bringing in new clients and referrals, it may not need a complete overhaul. You may need simple changes to colors and layouts to please your eye without losing the effect the content is making.
3.) You don't think it's pulling in results for you because the calls or emails you are getting are not your exact preferred client.  Before deciding your site isn't working, be sure to check the analytics and see what pages or content areas are drawing traffic. I've heard from attorney clients that getting the right clients is a numbers game  You may have to sort through several to find the one that is a legitimate case. By analyzing your traffic reports, you will see your website's strength and possible weaknesses.
4.) Because the new kid on the block or the email you just received told you to do it. If someone is telling you that your website is broken, and only they are the ones to fix it - think before acting. If someone approached you with that logic on a case you are working on - not knowing you, your client, the case or your objectives - would you immediately hire them?

The difference between a web designer and a web developer is:
A web designer
1.) can usually make your website look attractive with images, layout and colors. They may use a pre-designed template and simply fill in your information  BEWARE of those who use the same template for all their clients. I recently saw a legal web design template used with several law firms. The giveaway was not only the same exact layout, much of the same wording, but on two sites they neglected to fill in the portion that read [insert firm name here].
2.) places all the emphasis on your website, overlooking the integration throughout the internet.
3.) makes promises of quick results without explanation of how these results will be achieved.
4.) request to place your domain and hosting in a new account that they manage, many times without your ability to access. They may buy domains on your behalf, but in their name, and place them in this same account. When you decide to no longer have them as  your webdesigner, you may have a difficult time retrieving your assets, and sometimes can lose your entire website.

A good web developer 
1.) will analyze your entire web presence and give you a report on the results
2.) will listen to your goals and objectives of your  internet presence
3.) will give you an honest opinion of your web presence, which may conflict with yours
4.) may be able to work with what you already have and grow from there
5.) will offer more than just their one opinion of why your website and internet presence is providing the current results.

Many persons selling web services are offering their opinion, their companies opinion and the limitations of their designs. Some will use a marketing service, ( ie Yext, Citygrid, etc) to show you your results. If so, double-check these results. Many times these reports are incorrect, plus these are for-fee services, so the more their report indicates you need them, the easier it becomes to sell you their service.

A good web developer will use unrelated opinions, ie: other non-related web developers and focus groups. Always ask how they derived their assessment of your website and web presence.

Sometimes it's time to refresh your look. It's always time to keep your content current.

Analyze what you have before you agree to an overhaul, when a simple refresh is all you need.

Think of the big picture and long term.

If you think  your website needs an overhaul, let's talk. Click to email us. We'll listen first, look at your online presence and then offer our recommendations.  One size does not fit all.The solution for you should be unique to your business and goals. Maybe you only need a refresh.

Many websites are losing their search rankings - fast!

Have  you noticed a change in the results you've received after a search query? The new Google update may be part of the answer. If you are noticing the difference, just know, that other people are seeing the changes as well.

For many years, online marketers encouraged their clients to buy every domain name that described their products or services, ie: www.idothis.com, www.thisismyproduct.com, www.iamthebestatthis.com, etc. For a long time these exact keyword or brand name domains showed up in the top of the list in the search results even though they may not have had the content that someone was looking for.

According to Google the idea of this recent update is to provide searchers with the most relevant and high quality results. That isn't always the sites with exact match domain names.

Many companies attempted to “trick” the search engine into listing the company’s web site more highly by using a popular exact match domain, yet the website may have delivered low quality content and web spam.

This update reinforces the important of a high quality website. A successful online presence requires an ongoing plan to stay current and engaging. One page websites and business card type websites will continue to fall in the search rankings. Unless someone knows your exact domain name, they may not find you in their search results as easily as they did in the past.

Keeping your online presence high quality should include:
1. Current, relevant and engaging content on your website
2. Properly optimized content (Yes, you can over optimize and black-hat optimize. Both of which will penalize your web rankings.)
3. High quality links into your website
4. Social engagement. (this is more than merely talking about your persona life or posting jokes, unless that is your profession)
5. Unique navigation with relevant engaging content rather than the over used standards.

What to do if you already own exact keyword match domains?
Make sure it meets the list above. If not - fix it, fast before you lose ranking altogether.

Quick summary: Provide information, answer questions, provide a way to continue the relationship.

So you need help doing this? We can help. Contact us. We'll listen first, look at your online presence and then offer our recommendations.  One size does not fit all.The solution for you should be unique to your business and goals.

Cheap yet costly SEO mistakes

How important is it to monitor your internet presence?

Unfortunately many law firms assign the task of their website and internet marketing to an employee in their firm or hire a service and then just assume it will be fine.

Unfortunately, employees get distracted with other firm matters, or leave the firm for another job; and with the ease of web templates, just about anyone advertising themselves as an internet marketing expert can give the impression that they know what they are doing.

What could possibly go wrong?

This week when monitoring the internet presence of a few potential new clients, I discovered a handful of dangerous yet preventable errors. Unfortunately this errors are more difficult to correct once they are online. With the change in search algorithms changing regularly, what worked yesterday may now seriously work against you today. What I discovered aren't tactics that a knowledgeable webmaster or internet marketer would use, especially since the introduction of Penguin and Panda.

 * Black-Hat Techniques.
Be cautious of companies that promise immediate first page Google ranking. “Black hat webspam” is referred to as techniques where the intent is to look for shortcuts or loopholes that would rank pages higher than they deserve to be ranked according to webmaster guidelines. Use of Black Hat webspam, once discovered by Google and other search engines, can get your site penalized and potentially de-listed. Short term exposure on the first page, could result in log term penalty.

* Bulk directory service.
This weekend as I conducted research on a few new referrals, I found one firm listed on several sites, but with a wrong phone number. In fact it was the phone number of the company they hired to provide their SEO. Their firm name, address as well as photos of their partners were correct, however someone calling the number listed would not have reached them. This happens when a bulk listing service is used. The bulk listing service uses the account holders phone number to verify the listings on directory pages such as: yellowpages, yahoo local listings,  some area of practice sites and other popular online directories. The solution if you use a bulk listing service, is to have an account set up exclusively for (you) the client by the SEO company, and have the bulk service company phone-verify your actual phone number. It's an extra step that involves someone at your office answering the phone and listening to a computerized code, however, those few minutes could save you from lost clients calling the wrong phone number. You also want to make sure that you are being listed on only legitimate sites and not content farms, which will also work against  you. The SEO company can still manage the account, however, the account is one of your internet assets. ( I've written about the importance of your ownership of your internet assets in another post.)

* Paid Inbound Links:
Years ago, cross linking (you list my website on your site, and I'll list yours on mine) was a popular way to increase traffic and give the impression of a site being popular. That tactic was quickly disregarded by all search engines and cross-lining was soon replaced by purchased inbound links. For a fee you could have your company and website listed on numerous worldwide sites which would offer a guarantee of high volume traffic to your site. This volume, again, gave the impression that your site was popular and therefore would rank high in search results. With the release of Penguin, these kinds of marketing ploys are considered web spam, an artificial inflation of the relevance of your website. Google penalizes sites for being deceptive and your site may not only lose it's ranking, it can also lose it's place in Google's index. People tend to forget that Google owns the database that indexes the search results. If you are no longer in the database, then your site will only be found by someone with your specific web address.

* Article Sites. 
If you enjoy writing, article marketing was once a long-standing highly used tool to post your same content several different sites with a link back to your website. This practice no longer has the search popularity it once had and at worst, it can cause your site to be penalized by Google and therefore not show up in search results. There are a few legitimate, well respected sites to post your legal articles and receive search benefits.

 * Content Farms. 
No time to write? Thinking about hiring someone to write your articles for you, or reposting someone else's article, blog or news story to add content to your site? These are all considered farming by Google's algorithm Panda.  Ghostwriters have a similarity in their writing and seldom provide unique content to their clients. Instead they rewrite certain phrases, leaving the bulk of the article or blog appearing very similar to the one they wrote for someone else. Using someone who writes exclusively for you is second only to you writing your own articles. According to Google's webmaster guidelines, Panda is designed to reduce rankings for sites which are low-value add for users, copy content from other websites or sites that are just not very useful.  Google likes original, timely content that is informative, educational and useful to the reader. You can take a news story and comment heavily on it, providing a new perspective or in depth analysis, however, simply reposting the original story will cause your site to be considered a farmer, and of low value to searchers.

* Over Optimization
Optimize and SEO are buzzwords that have been chanted by many internet marketers with such a passion that many attorneys repeat these phrases as the holy grail fro their website, yet without any real understanding of what is it and how it can help or hurt your site. One method of over optimization is taking a keyword or phrase and over using it or repeating too many sentences on several pages or multiple sites. Repeating your tag line is one thing, repeating your area of practice over and again is over-kill. There are several other over-kill techniques that can cause your website to fall below the search engine approval. To get the best attention fro search engines, websites should be written for the reader and not for search engines.

It is important to your online success and identity to stay alert of any exposure on the internet. Not only to make sure your contact information is correct, but to make sure that the person's posting about you are known to you; are doing so with your permission and/or are in your employ.

The longer something is on the internet, the more difficult it is to remove. I once heard that the more times a lie is told, the more people believe it, it soon becomes assumed as the truth and more difficult to correct.

It's easier than you may think for someone to post erroneous information about you or post information that helps them to steal your clients or your personal identity.

Conducting a regular Google search, or using Google alerts is important, however remember there are several other large search engines that also may be storing information about you. Be alert, be proactive and be in better control over your internet assets.

Google Gives Search a Refresh

As reported in the Wall Street Journal, over the next few months, Google's search engine will begin spitting out more than a list of blue Web links. It will also present more facts and direct answers to queries at the top of the search-results page.

Is your website be ready?

Amit Singhal, a top Google search executive, said in a recent interview that "Google isn't replacing its current keyword-search system, which determines the importance of a website based on the words it contains, how often other sites link to it, and dozens of other measures. Rather, the company is aiming to provide more relevant results by incorporating technology called "semantic search," which refers to the process of understanding the actual meaning of words."

When was the last time you had an independent analysis of your website (someone other than your own computer, your employees or customers?)

How good (or great) are your website and internet exposure results?

Your internet strategy should include changes to all your internet profiles, website and 3rd party listings when significant changes in the search algorithms are introduced. The older or incorrect your internet image appears, the more out of date, unqualified or unsuccessful you appear. Make sure your online image matches your real firm image.

Wishing you awesome and continuing success.




Sumner M. Davenport
Sumner M. Davenport & Assoc.
Solutions Consultants

Why "Likes" Alone Are Not Enough

They’re only one piece of the puzzle.

Just because someone liked your business page doesn't mean they are reading your posts, or after the new Facebook algorithm update, they may not even be seeing your posts.

Page "likes" are only the beginning of the relationship. Social media and networking is about building relationships and not just advertising yourself.

When you posts are "shared", it is usually an indication that someone not only liked what you posted, but wanted to share it with their network of friends as well.

Your marketing goals should include posting interesting and relative content on your page and sharing other people's posts. When you share theirs, they become more interested to see what you are posting. If you share someone else's post, they might be motivated to come back and comment on your shared post, which then keeps your page name in front of their network, and their network's network, and so on, and so on....

Simply put:
1. Post great content that people want to tell their network about.
2. Share content that you find interesting and you want to tell your network of friends and fans about
3. Make comments with substance and invite continued interaction.
4. Comment from your business page, not your profile, if you want people to be drawn to your business page.
5. Repeat

Wishing you awesome and continuing success.

Sumner M. Davenport is a Solutions Consultant.
Best Selling Author and Keynote Speaker
Solutions, not just answers.
Solutions are not one-size-fits-all.
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Legal Directories

It seems that every day a new legal directory is created and your inbox gets flooded with emails inviting you to sign up. It's becoming more difficult to determine which sites are more than content farm and are actually are worth your effort.

I recommend my clients start with the high authority sites, the proven sites, and then include some of the newer and upcoming sites.

• Findlaw.com (fee for inclusion) #426 in top 500 websites

• Avvo.com (free, and advedrtising services)

• Justia.com - attorney listing/firm profile/blawg listing (free and fee services)

• YouTube.com (free) #4 in top 500 websites

and if you regularly get involved in discussions and groups:

• LinkedIn.com
• Google+

and if you regularly write articles, you could include these sites:

• JD Supra (free and fee services)

• HG.org (free and fee services)

• Ezinearticles.com (free) #94 in top 500 websites. Be careful not to post too much content that mirrors what is already on your website. Original content is best.

• Targetlaw.com (free, profile and articles)

• Scribd.com (free)

• Docstoc (free)

This morning my client received yet another referral from a relatively new site.

• elocallawyers.com

Wishing you awesome and continuing success

More Popular Apps for Attorneys

As more attorneys are finding apps for their mobile devices useful, more apps are hitting the market place.

In previous posts last year several popular apps were listed, including the New Tax Law app.

The following apps were also rated as being popular both in preparing your case as well as in the courtroom.

LawStack®
A legal library in your pocket. LawStack comes preloaded with the following:

US Constitution

Federal Rules of Federal of Civil Procedure

Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure

Federal Rules of Evidence

Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure

Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure

Manual of Patent Examining Procedure.

Free

This app is intended for patent attorneys, particularly litigators. It allows you to use your device's internet connection to efficiently retrieve United States utility patent information, particularly claims, title, inventors, and priority information, if you already know the patent number. Patents can be bookmarked and associated with matter names and numbers, and an editable history of patent numbers is maintained.

GoodReader.

$4.99
The super-robust PDF reader for iPad. It handles huge PDF and TXT files, manuals, large books, magazines, and renderings of 100 mb and more with great speed. The ability to mark-up PDFs opens up new doors to GoodReader users who can now use typewriter text boxes, sticky notes, lines, arrows, and freehand drawings on top of a PDF file.

Success with QR Codes

QR codes are being used in creative ways on business cards, company brochures, signs, apparel and at fundraising events to promote instant giving.

A Chili’s fundraising campaign for childhood cancer resulted in 291,000 QR code scans that appeared on coloring sheets and table tents created specifically for the effort.

“With the ever-growing presence of technology in our guests’ daily lives, Chili’s utilized this up-and-coming trend as a unique way to reach our supporters of St. Jude,” Ms. Flowers said. “With more than 290,000 QR codes scanned throughout the campaign, this medium proved to be an effective and tech-savvy way of encouraging guests to donate.”

Read more at: Mobil Commerce Daily

Read previous blog post: QR codes or Scan tags – Using them? and how are they working for you?

Update - Apps for Attorneys - Tax Law on your iPhone or iPad

New apps for the iPhone and iPad (different apps) that contain the latest text of both the Internal Revenue Code and the Treasury Regulations for public finance and tax lawyers.

According to the developer, "This application is intended for tax professionals and was not created for those not trained in independent tax and legal research. You can search using keywords or terms plus you can create boolean expressions using "AND" or "OR". You can even specify a "hit" only if a word or term is within x number of words of another word or term."

And if being in a building with limited internet or phone access -"No internet connection needed. The apps work in a concrete basement as well as in a 40th floor conference room because the data is stored right in your iPhone or iPad."

For full details, visit LawToGo website

Be sure to visit our previous post for more Apps for Attorneys

Links to iPhone and iPad apps for Attorneys is provided as information only. Actual use of any product mentioned and benefits perceived are the responsibility of the user. This blog does not provide legal advice.